Songs of Ramakrishna - 1

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Sri Ramakrishna (born in 1836 and passed away in

1886), represents the very core of the spiritual

realizations of the seers and sages of India. His

whole life was literally an uninterrupted

contemplation of God. He is beloved for his

simplicity, directness, charm, and divine madness.

 

The Gospel of Ramakrishna records how Sri Ramakrishna

would often sing intoxicated with divine love.

 

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Sri Ramakrishna said: "The one goal of life is to

cultivate love for God, the love that the milkmaids,

the milkmen, and the cowherd boys of Vrindavan felt

for Krishna. When Krishna went to Mathura, the

cowherds roamed about weeping bitterly because of

their separation from Him."

 

Saying this the Master sang, with his eyes turned

upward:

 

Just now I saw a youthful cowherd

With a young calf in his arms;

There he stood, by one hand holding

The branch of a young tree.

"Where are You, Brother Kanai?" he cried;

But "Kanai" scarcely could he utter;

"Ka" was as much as he could say.

He cried, "Where are You, Brother?"

And his eyes were filled with tears.

 

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Tell me, friend, how far is the grove

Where Krishna, my Beloved, dwells?

His fragrance reaches me even here;

But I am tired and can walk no farther. . . .

 

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Listen! The flute has sounded in yonder wood.

There I must fly, for Krishna waits on the path.

Tell me, friends, will you come along or no?

To you my Krishna is merely an empty name;

To me He is the anguish of my heart.

You hear His flute-notes only with your ears,

But, oh, I hear them in my deepest soul.

I hear his flute calling: 'Radha, come out!

Without you the grove is shorn of its loveliness.'

 

The Master sang the song with tears in his eyes, and

said to Keshab and the other Brahmo devotees: "Whether

you accept Radha and Krishna, or not, please do accept

their attraction for each other. Try to create that

same yearning in your heart for God. Yearning is all

you need in order to realize Him."

 

*****

 

The dark cloud of the summer storm fades into

nothingness,

When, flute in hand and a smile on His lips,

Lighting the world with His loveliness,

Krishna, the Dark One, appears.

 

His dazzling yellow robe outgleams even the

lightning's glare;

A wreath of wild-flowers interwoven

Gently swings from His youthful breast

And softly kisses His feet.

 

See, there He stands, the Lord of life, the Moon of

Nanda's line,

Outshining all the moons in heaven

And with the splendor of His rays

Flooding the Jamuna's bank!

 

He stands there, stealing the maiden's hearts; He

lures them from hearth and home.

Krishna enters my own heart's shrine,

And with His flute-note steals away

My wisdom, life, and soul.

 

To whom shall Ganga Narayana pour out his tale of woe?

Ah, friend, you might have understood

Had you but gone to the Jamuna's bank

To fill your water-jar!

 

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