STORY OF A TRUE DISCIPLE

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STORY OF A TRUE DISCIPLE

Baba said, "He who thus comes to Me, become one with Me, just as a river gets to

the sea and become merged (one) with it" in Sri Sai Satcharitra Ch. XLIII.

Girish Chandra Gosh was a born rebel against God, a sceptic, a Bohemian, a

drunkard. He was the greatest Bengali dramatist of his time, the father of the

modern Bengali stage. Like other young men he had imbibed all the vices of the

West. He had plunged into a life of dissipation and had become convinced that

religion was only a fraud. Materialistic philosophy he justified as enabling

one to get at least a little fun out of life. But a series of reverses shocked

him and he became eager to solve the riddle of life. He had heard people say

that in spiritual life the help of a guru was imperative and that the guru was

to be regarded as God himself.

But Girish was too well acquainted with human nature to see perfection in a man.

His first meeting with Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa did not impress him at all. He

returned home feeling as if he had seen a freak at a circus; for the Master (Sri

Ramakrishna), in a semi-conscious mood, had inquired whether it was evening,

though the lamps were burning in the room. But their paths often crossed, and

Girish could not avoid further encounters. The Master attended a performance in

Girish’s Star Theatre. On this occasion, too, Girish found nothing impressive

about the Master.

One day, however, Girish happened to see the master dancing and singing with the

devotees. He felt the contagion and wanted to join them, but restrained himself

for fear of ridicule. Another day, Sri Ramakrisha was about to give him

spiritual instruction, when Girish said: "I don’t want to listen to

instructions. I have myself written many instructions. They are of no use to

me. Please help me in a more tangible way if you can." This pleased the Master

and he asked Girish to cultivate faith.

As time passed, Girish began to learn that the guru is the one who silently

unfolds the disciple’s inner life. He became a steadfast devotee of the Master.

Girish often loaded the Master with insults, drank in his presence, and took

liberties which astounded the other devotees. One night under the influence of

liquor he abused the Master in the theatre hall in most indecent language. The

enraged devotees were about to punish his insolence, but Sri Ramakrishna held

them back and quietly returned to Dakshineshwar Temple. There again many

devotees requested the Master not to go to Girish any more.

But there was one amongst the devotees, Ram Chandra Datta, who told the Master,

"Sir, you will have to put up with this as well. He can only give what he has.

The serpent king of the Bhagavata said to Lord Sri Krishna, ‘My Lord, you have

given me poison, where shall I get nectar to give you?’ Similarly Girish has

worshipped you with whatever you have given him."

Sri Ramakrishna simply smiled and said to the other devotees: "Just hear his

words. Get me a coach (a horse drawn carriage). I shall go to Girish’s house

today." Thus without caring about the objections of the devotees, Sri

Ramakrishna went to the house of Girish and found him smitten with anguish and

remorse. The kind and affectionate words of the Master banished all gloom from

his mind and filled it with a flood of joy.

The Master knew that at heart Girish was tender, faithful and sincere. The

Master would not allow Girish to give up the theatre. And when a devotee asked

him to tell Girish to give up drinking, the Master sternly replied: "That is

none of your business. He who has taken charge of him will look after him.

Girish is a devotee of heroic type. I tell you, drinking will not affect him."

The Master knew that mere words could not induce a man to break deep-rooted

habits, but that the silent influence of love worked miracles. Therefore he

never asked Girish to give up alcohol, with the result that Girish himself

eventually broke the habit. Sri Ramakrishna had strengthened Girish’s

resolution by allowing him to feel that he was absolutely free.

One day in the course of a conversation Sri Ramakrishna told Girish that along

with his work he must remember God at least in the morning and in the evening.

(Add the God Principle in daily life). He looked at Girish as if expecting a

reply. "That is a very simple thing to do," Girish thought, "but I am a busy

man with no fixed hours for food or sleep. I shall surely forget to remember

God at those stated hours. So, how can I promise that?"

Sri Ramakrishna read his mind and said, "All right, if you cannot do that, then

remember God before meals and at bed-time."

Girish was not willing to promise even that- such was the irregularity of his

life, and besides he was by nature opposed to any hard and fast rule and the

slightest restraint was galling to him. Sri Ramakrishna realised his perplexity

and said finally, "So you are unwilling to agree to this even. All right, give

me your power of attorney. Henceforth, I assume responsibility for you. You

need not do anything."

Girish heaved a sigh of relief. He felt happy to think that Sri Ramakrishna had

assumed his spiritual responsibilities. But poor Girish then could not realise

that he also, on his part, had to give up his freedom and make of himself a

puppet in Sri Ramakrishna’s hands.

The master began to discipline Girish according to this new attitude. One day

Girish said about a trifling matter, "Yes, I shall do this."

"No, no!" the Master corrected him. "You must not speak in that egoistic manner.

You should say, ‘God willing, I shall do it.’ " Girish understood. Thenceforth

he tried to give up all idea of personal responsibility and surrender himself

to the Divine Will.

Girish understood that he had given up his freedom and had made himself the

Master’s captive. Thenceforth he tried to give up all idea of personal

responsibility and to become a willing instrument of the Divine Will. The

sincerity of Girish in this respect was beyond comparison. His mind began to

dwell constantly on Sri Ramakrishna. This unconscious meditation in time

chastened Girish’s turbulent spirit.

During the last days of his life Girish used very often to utter the name of Sri

Ramakrishna. His eyes and countenance radiant with a superb glow bespoke his

inner illumination and his unswerving faith in the love and grace of his

Master.

Girish said to his brother-disciples, "I do not want anything else; only bless

me that I may always remember him as the ocean of infinite love and compassion.

The world is no longer a terror unto me. I have transcended all fear of death

through his grace."

On the night before the day of his final exit from the world, Girish calmly

uttered the name of Sri Ramakrishna thrice and prayed, "Lord, let me have

peace; take me into thy bosom." So saying, the heroic devotee of Sri

Ramakrishna closed his eyes for good and passed into the realm of eternal rest

on Thursday, February 8, 1912.

(Based on the writings of Swami Nikhilananda, Extracts from 'The Disciples of Ramakrishna')

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Debates and discussions cannot prove the truth of life. Only experience can.

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya.......

Question: Some Hindus are against sleeping with the head towards North. Is it a blind faith?

Answer: I do not think so, there is a scientific explanation for this. While

sleeping with head towards North, that is in the direction of Pole Star, the

person loses his vital powers and there is danger of his falling sick. If he

persists, his life span is shortened.

Question: If that is so then why at the time of death his head is kept pointing to North?

Answer: It is done so that he is attracted toward Oordha Loka and goes to the higher plane.

(-Swami Premanandaji Saraswati )

 

 

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