Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 053 on 01-February-2022

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU For the last one or two classes, we have been discussing various visions that Sri Ramakrishna had. Why are we discussing? Because the true nature of spiritual progress is our inner vision changes. Brahman or God remaining the same. There is no here and there, inside and outside, Saguna and Nirguna, all these differences are absolutely irrelevant so far as God is concerned. One of the most important points we have to understand from the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna is that God assumes as many forms as His devotees wish to see Him, to enjoy Him. Does He assume the visions or do we see Him in those various forms? The answer is just as on the screen we see the projection of various objects. Every object is nothing but a full light but depending upon if the object is black, it appears to be black. If it is white, it will be white, whatever colour, whatever shape, whatever size. But there is absolutely no change in the light at all. It is the mind who perceives not only God. In fact, we don't see anything excepting God. For a God man, everything is God. An ant is a God. A mosquito is a God. Everything is a God. Both thought also is God. Body also is God. There are no living, non-living objects at all. Everything is nothing but God. Why do we perceive something as non-living? Because that is how our mind is made up. It is our mind which makes everything as we experience it. That means the responsibility, the onus, how we would like to see this world or Brahman depends entirely upon the training that we give to this mind. And what do we do in spiritual sadhana? The Guru teaches us. Every intelligent Guru knows. Here is a devotee, here is a Yogi, here is a Karmi and here is a Jnani. So, different ways of travelling towards God. Like a huge motorway with four different lanes. Again, don't bring this nonsense that this is a fast lane, this is a slow lane, etc. That is not what is meant. All the four lanes equally are connected with destination and all of them are capable of taking us to the same goal at the same speed without the least differentiation. That is the point. So, our mind is like a dominant lane. Some minds, whatever be the reason, and all of them are not Agnanis, all of them may have the same Sattva Guna, Rajoguna, Tamoguna. All of them have the same faith. 10%, 50%, 75%, 100%. All of them will be having 10% longing or 50% longing, 75% longing for God. No one is superior to anybody else. This is the greatest light that Shri Ramakrishna had given us. But what we are discussing is, what is a vision? Our mental development is the vision. What is the goal? First see God in one thing and then extend it to the second thing and then extend it to the third thing and then slowly extend it to everything else. I will give you a small background. Shri Ramakrishna, when he first started puja, he started seeing the image of Mother Kali. First, maybe he saw Mother's legs, then maybe Mother's hands, then maybe Mother's face, alive, as if there is a living person. Shri Ramakrishna, being what he is, very soon the entire image disappeared and only pure consciousness, like we see another human, live human being, very alert in front of us, but in a much more conscious manner. And then slowly that vision has extended. Our scriptures are very wise teachers, so that is why the commandments, Matru Devo Bhava, see the divinity in the Mother, exercise and at least consider one person, then extend it to Father also, Pitru Devo Bhava. Then when we grow up, we will come into contact with Acharya, who shapes our entire cultural, intellectual, moral and spiritual personality. I am not talking about ordinary school teachers. Here Acharya means he who teaches Achara, good conduct, spiritual conduct, moral conduct. Such a person is called Acharya Devo Bhava. Then Atithi Devo Bhava, very interesting. Atithi means a guest. In those days, people did not have the mobile phones, etc. So they used to drop in at any time. That's why it is called Atithi. Tithi means a particular expected time. Tomorrow is Diwali and another day is Ram Navami. All this calculation was not there. Suddenly a person comes walking from a long distance and you have to treat that person as just like God, especially unknown persons. So this is why they are called no tithi, no appointment. That means anytime, anybody. That means learn to look upon entire world as God. But that will not be possible unless we take the first step. Our mother is the living God. After that, father. After that, teacher. After that, slowly extend it. This Sarvatra Brahma Darshanam, that is the true Darshanam. Now, earlier I have brought this. Is it that Brahman slowly grants his vision or is it that as we purify our mind, we go on seeing more and more divinity? Even in ordinary affairs, you see a child, utterly ignorant, foolish and unclean. But as the child grows, slowly the knowledge within that child grows. And that is how we slowly come to see more and more and more intelligent. That's why we provide opportunities of sending a child to the school. Of course, we ourselves should be the first teachers like that. So, this is how the Darshanam means as our mind becomes purified, cultured, cultivates, it is something to be cultivated. This is the most wonderful word. In Bhagavad Gita, we get it several times. But the very beginning verse in the Bhagavad Gita is called Kshetra. Kshetra means that which is ready to be cultivated. And whatever we sow, that alone we reap. That is why it is called Dharma Kshetra. But it is also Kuru Kshetra, something to be done. Kuru means you will have to sow, you will have to do. This is the implied meaning. The whole life is like a field and it may be a battlefield because we have to fight against our indolent nature. So, this is how Darshanas have to come. That is why I brought this subject. Ramakrishna had started purifying himself. As soon as he became conscious, I have to verify whether God exists or not. Immediately, he understood. His sharp mind had understood. Oh mind, you cannot be a hypocrite. You cannot go on claiming, proclaiming that I want God. But I will behave as I like. So, he started observing very keenly. He started watching how he is spending his time, how he is spending his energy and what type of thoughts were arising in his mind. And we know, I have mentioned here and there, how Sri Ramakrishna, in order to remove the obstruction, avidya, avidya comes in the form of aham, I. I means complete opposite of, instead of I am divine, I am the body, then I am the mind, I am the prana, I am the mind, and I am the buddhi, and I am the anandamaya. These are the stages. Serially, one after the other, we start identifying ourselves with. For example, when my sense organs come across a sweet, then annamaya kosha, I am the body. This is a very nice object. I want to make it one with me. And then this prana, enthusiasm, energy will increase. Then I am identifying with the pranamaya kosha. Then the thoughts will come, how fortunate I am. I am hungry. I want a nice food. And here is a nice food. These various thoughts. When I am thinking, when I am identifying with my manomaya kosha, and I decided I have to do this, and that is what is called identifying with the jnanamaya kosha. And through successive experiences, I feel identified with the object. And I say, I am happy. When a person says, I am happy, he is identified with what is called annamaya kosha. And continuously, from birth to death, from waking up until we wake up again the next day, this process is going on. But this is called bondage. This creates I. Whether I say, I am happy, whether I say, I am the body, both are equally bondages only. I have to say, I have a body. I have prana. I have mind. Mind means thoughts, emotions, imaginations, planning, etc. And decision making, ignana, understanding. I understand. I know. I am a person of knowledge. That is also complete bondage only. That's why Shri Ramakrishna says, to know many is ignorance. To know one, that means there is only one. And that is God. And I am that. That is called real knowledge. And then, I am happy. We should not ever aspire to be happy. I am happy. To obtain happiness is bondage. To be happy. To be happiness itself, that is called liberation. The difference is, I have happiness. I am happiness. What I have always disappears. What I am, it will never be disturbed because that is by nature. So, every vision, whether a person has in the form of either a form, or a sound, or taste, or touch, or anything. This is another very important point we have to understand. The moment we hear the word vision, we only think a particular form. Here is another form of God. For example, Rama. He looks like that. And it is all our pure imagination. He is a man. He is not even a woman. He is a man. Krishna is a man. Jesus is a man. Narayana is a man. How foolish it is. We are calling Him Vishnu. And then we are calling Him a man. Vishnu means He who is everywhere, like Akasha. So, but for the sake of practice, from the beginning stages, like small children, A for apple. Bring an apple and put. And this stands for apple. That is how from the image worship, we slowly have to progress. And that is why Sri Ramakrishna never condemned any idol worship, etc. But as the mind becomes refined, that means its power of understanding grows. Its understanding of God also grows. And as the understanding of God grows, slowly these gross things will disappear. But important point is, a vision need not be a form of colourful, this thing, etc. So, in fact, I make fun many times. How does Vishnu sleep with all the four hands? We have four weapons and one flower, of course. And then in that horrible lotus, I don't know whether he sleeps on that lotus bed. God alone knows. He alone knows. But this is a concept for the sake of meditation. He is standing. We don't want even him to lie down because if he lies down, he is likely asleep and he won't be able to hear our prayers and answer our prayers. So, this is how this human understanding slowly develops. So, smelling also can bring one to the vision of God. Sound, of course, is well recognised. It is called Shabda Brahma. Omkara is nothing but it is a pure representation of both the Saguna Brahma and Nirguna Brahma. But we don't pay attention excepting vision and sound, audio and vision, audio-visuals. Smell also equally could be powerful. Vision of God. Then taste also. Something happens. But the point is, it is not sweet or sour. Similarly, touch. It is not soft or hard or hot or cold. You know, the sense organ of touch has only four specialities. Soft or hard. Hot or cold. That's all. There is nothing else to this touch. So, God vision can be having. So, how do we know? Vaishnava literature clearly says. One day Radha, she smelt the flower of one particular, the smell of a particular plant and immediately she fainted. Why? That smell reminded her of the smell that she used to get from the body of Sri Krishna. Another time, she saw a very yellow coloured flower and then immediately it reminded the pitambara, the cloth that Sri Krishna had worn. So, when somebody phones to you, you can hear the voice and immediately your whole raga dvesha can come. If you like the person, then you are happy. If you don't like, then you get very angry. So, any of these five sense organs can represent, but usually among these sense organs, audio-visual is most powerful. Among these, most powerful is visual. That is why we say vision. But it can be audio. That is the point I am trying to labour. Now, we will move on in our last class. What did we say? One day, I saw a woman in blue standing near the Bakuldri. She was a prostitute, but she instantly kindled in me the vision of Sita. Look at this marvellous thing. Here is a chaste wife or a mother. When we see and we are reminded of mother Sita, there is not much wonder about it. Not even an ordinary woman, but a woman who is positively hated by the society. But then, what did Sri Ram Krishna see? He saw only the Divine Mother Sita. But don't say Sita is Rama's wife. Sita means Divine Mother here. So, he saw. If Sri Ram Krishna could see Divine Mother, because there is no choice. Whatever exists is the Divine Mother. You see a tigress, you see a bear, or you see a mountain, everything is the Divine Mother only. So, there is no real choice. I will say Divine Mother only in this. And not only that, in the Chindi, we get Yadivi Sarva Bhuteshu Matru Roopena Samsthita. She is a prostitute. Maybe she has got a child. And when she is suckling the child, what do you think? Is she a prostitute, or is she the most loving, protective mother in the whole world? So, Sri Ram Krishna's mind is filled. That is one point. Next point is, why did she become a prostitute? Is it the will of that woman, or is it some drama that she had done in the past? That is our explanation. But our explanation is a human explanation only. That doesn't explain really anything. What is the real purpose? It is all the will of the Divine Mother. She herself has become the chaste woman. She herself has become a prostitute. She is the most evil person in the world. And she is the most loving saviour in the world. She is everything. This is her Divine Leela. Leela means drama. In a drama, if there is no good and evil contrast, the drama will be a flop. One of our Swamis used to say, suppose you are a director of a cinema, a young man and a young woman meet, and they love each other, and then they married each other, and then how many people are you going to watch your film? It will be a flop. There must be some evil element in the form of a rogue, a villain, and he will come and create trouble. Then there is an anguish for the woman as well as for the hero. And then there is a fight. Ultimately, the hero rescues the heroine. Ah! What a marvellous film! This is how contrast is the very soul of every drama, every poem, every literature. This is a vast subject. I am not going to go through that, but what I wanted to tell is this whole universe is nothing but the Divya Leela. It is the Narayana Leela as Narada had seen it. Narada wanted to experience the Divine Mother's Maya, Narayana's Maya, and he begged for it and he was granted it, and he did not understand. Time, space, causation, the whole years, half a life appeared to be over within a few seconds as if even better than a dream. So, this is the Divine Leela. And a person as he progresses, first he sees only in one object, maybe a wooden image, etc. Then slowly he starts, that vision extends, and then it extends, and then it extends, and then one day will come, there is no extension. There is, wherever his eyes go, Sarvatra Brahma Darshanaha. He can't see anything else excepting that pure Divine Being. That is real Darshana. Once a person has that vision, then whatever he sees, that will be only the Leela. Leela comes only after this final vision. So, Ramakrishna is graphically describing, I forgot that woman. I saw that it was Sita herself. What was Sita doing on her way to meet Rama after her rescue from Ravana in Ceylon. For a long time, I remained in Samadhi, unconscious of the outer world. Similarly, we saw Krishna in an English boy, bent three times. This also we have read in our last class. And then, the last one we have read in our last class, once at Shihor, I fed the cowherd boys. I put sweetmeats into their hands. I saw that these boys were actually the cowherd boys of Vrindavan, and I took up the sweetmeats from their hands. Then, Sri Ramakrishna was graphically describing. At that time, I was almost unconscious of the outer world. Mathur Babu kept me at his Jan Bazar mansion a few days. While living there, I regarded myself as the handmaid of the Divine Mother. And here, I want to insert something for Sri Ramakrishna is describing. When Sri Ramakrishna was kept at the house of Mathur Babu called Jan Bazar, there was Rani Rasmani. There were the daughters of Rani Rasmani and they have their own children. So, Sri Ramakrishna is describing, the ladies of the house did not feel at all bashful with me. Rather, they felt as free before me, as women feel before a small boy or girl. I used to escort Mathur's daughter to her husband's chamber with the maid servant. What a marvelous incident we are reading here. Sri Ramakrishna was not even a relative of Mathur Babu. He was a small priest as a pujari appointed at 5 rupees a month at Dakshineswar temple. But, slowly Mathur Babu regarded Sri Ramakrishna as his chosen deity Mother Kali that was moving in the form of Sri Ramakrishna in front of him and he had so much of trust. How could Mathur Babu have so much of trust? Because he tested Sri Ramakrishna with most beautiful women. I want to now and then derive a little bit of fun here and our devotees also do not I think they do not think so well. Now, if some woman who is an ordinary woman is brought to tempt somebody like Sri Ramakrishna even Sri Ramakrishna even an ordinary person perhaps will not be tempted by an ordinary woman. But, let this woman be an extraordinarily beautiful girl. By just looking at her some people can fall down filled with desire for her. If such, there are such many such women are there if such a woman is brought in front of Sri Ramakrishna if he can see the Divine Mother in her that is the truest test. So, what I am trying to tell that prostitutes also, public women also everybody will not be tempted. So, Madhur Babu tested because he was a connoisseur. He was an expert because he personally had experience with all those things. Therefore, he chose one and he took Sri Ramakrishna to that house and he also brought that woman and Sri Ramakrishna such a purist person but he was not a blind person. He could say this Lakshmi boy whom Madhur Babu had brought to my room is one of the most beautiful of women. He could appreciate without being tempted. That is the greatness of Sri Ramakrishna. Madhur Babu he tested and then what he found? Two things he found. Sri Ramakrishna's mind will never come down to this ordinary plane is the first thing he found out. Second, Sri Ramakrishna had no thought that I am a man and that is what Swami Vivekananda used to say that this is called man consciousness. Swami Vivekananda used to say man is the greatest enemy of man and quite a number of people do not understand this statement. What is Swami Vivekananda saying? He is not saying that man becomes a man of another. We are not talking. There are men who quarrel with each other, who are inimical to each other and who hate each other, who are jealous of each other and this is the most common thing between both men and women and even animals also. As we understand the nature of the animals, our knowledge of animals is becoming deeper and deeper. We understand there is absolutely no difference. Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, Matsarya, just as it is within us, it is there in every animal, perhaps in ants, perhaps in mosquitoes, perhaps in amoebas also, how they fight for the mate and there is a regular warfare going on and because we don't understand, we have no means of knowing what is passing in their deepest thoughts, we think that they are dumb. They are not dumb. The only thing is man has got much more because the instrument is much more intelligent and sharp. That is all the thing. So what is Swami Vivekananda saying? He is saying when a man feels I am a man, then he is highly conscious of his manhood, his sex and his age and his desire and when he sees another lady, another woman, he is always thinking since I am a man, this is a woman. Look at a child, just you see what a man longs to do. That is what the child is doing, suckling the breast of the mother etc. But the mother, neither the mother feels this is another man nor the baby feels because the baby has not developed that man consciousness, sex consciousness, man consciousness. That is what Swami Vivekananda meant. As soon as a man, a growing up boy or girl start to identifying with their bodies that I am a grown up boy or grown up girl then they become aware of each other's distinction, attraction, repulsion, everything will start. But here, Sri Ram Krishna what is spirituality? Gradual weaning away of the body consciousness. The more body consciousness, the more worldly. The less body consciousness, the more spiritual. This is called spiritual progress. So, Sri Ram Krishna was telling, the ladies of the house didn't feel at all bashful with me. They felt as free before me as women feel before a small boy or girl. I used to escort mother's daughter to her husband's chamber with the maid servant. Now, we the devotees must exercise our imagination that here is a man and he was not an old man, he was a young man and he was escorting the married daughter of Madhur Babu to her husband's place. Everybody has heightened awareness and tonight these two are going to have union and the whole atmosphere is filled with that festivity, with that thought even though it may not be very obvious about it. And here is a man taking the hand of this young girl who is going to meet. How do you think that young girl will feel? As if her own mother is taking her. But let it be any other man. I would even say let her father also take her. Immediately she will feel terribly shy because she is conscious I am a woman going to meet my man. And here is a man who is highly aware and many times perhaps I told you but this Shukadeva he was completely bereft of body consciousness. So this story is worth reminding ourselves. This is how we have to understand Ramakrishna's gospel. Maybe some of you are wondering when if Swami goes on in this way it may never come to an end this discussion about gospel. The point is you don't want this gospel to come to an end. The point is not to finish the book but to go on understanding more and more what is called our own mind. Sri Ramakrishna's life is a wonderful mirror which reflects every stage of our own mind. So here is the story perhaps most of you are aware of it the story of Shukadeva. Shukadeva was the son of Vyasa and it is said that for 16 years he never wanted to come out of the mother's womb lest he might fall a victim to the Mahamaya. So Veda Vyasa one day pleaded with the Divine Mother Oh Mother, you please cover my son. He is not coming out. And then observe the Divine Mother's reply. She said alright I can only hold him in my grip only for a kshana. That's all. I cannot hold him more because the light that is shining in Shukadeva, the light of pure knowledge is so strong that I am like darkness. So one moment she held him in her grip, in her neck and at that moment he came out absolutely 16 year young boy and then nonchalantly he started walking away and his father was smitten with him. My son, my son he was running. Shukadeva was completely conscious. I am Brahman. He was completely unconscious of the entire world. There is no world. There is only Brahman and he is identified with that Brahman. So the story goes as Shukadeva was going unhearing, unheeding the cries of the Vedavyasa completely naked just born and there was a lake and some Deva Kanyas had come there to take bath. Now always this kind of stories intrugue me. These fellows who are living in the heaven perhaps it is winter season, perhaps the waters of their heavenly lakes are too cold, not warmed. Even modern swimming pools also are very well heated. Water only they supply. I don't know what kind of heaven it is. Anyway they came down and they left all their dresses and then they were happily enjoying and Shukadeva was passing completely naked just few inches, few feet from where they are. Not that they were blind. They were looking and what was the reaction? As if a wooden figure is passing by and then after few minutes this Vedavyasa completely dressed. He was running and as soon as these same ladies, Apsarasas beheld this old Vedavyasa with fully covered cloths. Immediately they felt shy and then jumped out and covered themselves in the dress and then waiting for him to pass. Vedavyasa noticed. Why should he notice? After all he is such a great person. He should not have noticed that women are... His quest was to be with his son but he noticed everything that they were naked, they were taking bath and they jumped up spying him from a long distance and they dressed themselves fully covered so he could not what is called stop his curiosity. What is this? I am surprised. My son is 16 years old. He is passing naked. I am an old man and you became shy at the sight of me and the scripture is teaching us this lesson that you have man consciousness. You have described the beauties, every part of the beauty of a woman so graphically especially in Bhagavatam, Bharatam and other scriptures and you are fully aware what a woman is and you are fully aware that you are a man and in you that desire for body desire has not disappeared and you became more conscious that you are a man as soon as you beheld us that is why we instinctively we felt shy in front of you. We could not remain there completely naked. So, a great lesson. What is it? This Vedavyasa, of course he was such a great soul. Vedavyasa, he had that Purusha consciousness. I am a male human being and naturally even as soon as a girl becomes slightly grown up she also becomes absolutely shy if she comes across this kind of person. Now, Shukadeva, that's all I wanted to tell but I will just continue a little bit. Shukadeva was actually wanted to confirm his Brahma Gnana and he went to, this is another story that comes, he went to Janaka Maharaja and Janaka Maharaja was called Videha Janaka. Deha means body that means a person who identifies is called Dehi but here is Videhi Janaka even though body is there. He never identified himself with this body. Such a grand character. Very few scriptures mention such stories. So this Videha Janaka, he knew from within his mind this great Shukadeva is coming. He had doubts about his own realization and then I will have to prove to him, you don't need anybody's teaching. This is one story, one model. So, he instructed his watchman. Actually, in his kingdom any great soul comes, any Sadhu comes, any Muni, Rishi comes it is Avaritadwara. No permission is needed. Straight they can come to him even inside Antapura but he instructed that don't allow him to come, let him wait outside and then Shukadeva came and these servants and others pretended that they don't know him so he had to wait. Simply he sat down and for 7 days, nobody enquired about him, nobody even glanced at him and then there were spies who were watching. Absolutely no change in his demeanor, in his face annoyance, angry, emotional, what type of kingdom is this? Nothing. And then on the 8th day, suddenly as if this Janaka Maharaja came with all his beautiful Antapura ladies, ministers, commander-in-chief with big musical instruments and then garlanded him and let his feet and said, Oh great Rishi, I am so sorry, I never knew that you came 7 days back. Only today morning I came to know but I am adding a bit of masala so you have to enjoy. So my profuse apologies for neglecting you. Such a great soul has come and then he made him sit in his own chariot and perhaps he pulled it himself, took him into the Antapura and his own bedroom, his own bed and day and night the most voluptuous, beautiful Apsarasa like women at his beck and call, they were employed to serve him and such royal dishes, eating everything and he will eat and he will be there and for 7 days and 7 nights they were observing not the slightest change in his mind and on the 15th day Janaka Maharaja talked with him and said, you don't need because you are having Brahma Darshana. What is Brahma Darshana? This is me. Have you ever heard anybody who says I am tempted by myself. I am so great. I hate myself. I love myself. Nobody does it. Only, this is a very important point, when a person says I hate myself, he is separating something whether it is dress, whether it is body, whether it is the hair, whether it is the teeth, whether it is the arrangement in the face. I hate my face. I am ashamed to show myself. What is he doing? He is cutting off his identity with that particular part of the body and treating it as because Raga and Dvesha cannot be had with regard to one's own self. It can be had only with regard to something which we consider with the other. So, here also I am tempted to add how this practitioner gradually progresses towards seeing the divinity more and more and more. But I will be very brief. This is the story of Gopala's mother. She was a child widow for 33 years. She practiced unceasing japa, japa siddhi. She was initiated by a guru. She became a widow when she was a young girl. She never knew what was her husband. Now, she turned all her attention to God. It is said every woman longs to be called a mother and this Gopala's mother, she practiced vatsalya bhava, a special type of looking upon God. I am your mother and you are my child. You are my Gopala. Day and night, she used to live in the bhavarajya, in the kingdom of pure imagination that I am the mother. My child will come to me. He will quarrel with me. He will pull my hair. He will shout at me. He will curse me. Then he will come and embrace me day and night. That was her meditation. How many lakhs of japa she used to do, God alone knows. She used to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning and wash her face and then sit for japa until 6 o'clock and then help her brother who was a priest in that Govinda temple where she was staying in Kamarhatte and after that she will come back. She will cook something and she will offer it to her Gopala and then take a little rest again from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock. She will do japa. Then she will go to the temple, attend the arathrikam and then come back and again go on doing japa and at night she will take a very simple food like one luchi or two luchis and very sattvika food and go to bed after doing japa. That was her routine for more than 33 years and she came just before the vision started. She and the owner of that garden happened to come to meet Sri Ram Krishna because they heard his name and then a strange play has started that the lady of that, the owner of that garden only visited Sri Ram Krishna once but Gopala's mother that was, she was like an the lady was like an instrument for bringing this Gopala's mother. Her name was terrible name Aghora Mani Devi and then Sri Ram Krishna's wife, she was attracted and she thought first today Sri Ram Krishna had spoken most beautiful spiritual conversations. So Gopala's mother was so delighted here is a person but she did not understand that she had a very special relationship with Sri Ram Krishna. So she came alone. She was not bound by the restraints of this Jamindari lady. So she started. Then what was the first thing? Sri Ram Krishna said, What have you brought for me? What have you cooked for me? The whole topic will be on food. What you are going to bring for me next time? And this Gopala's mother, Aghora Mani Devi was disgusted. What kind of Sadhu is he? Instead of talking about God, he is only talking about food, food, food. Is he a foodie? But she decided no more coming to this kind of Sadhus and she stepped outside. Her foot is pulling her back as if somebody tied with a big chain and tied it to a big machine and the machine is pulling her feet. She could hardly walk. The only thought was how soon am I going to come? So she used to cook very ordinary things and Sri Ram Krishna as soon as he meets her, what have you brought for me? And eagerly take it, snatch it and eat it and his whole face will be transformed into such a tremendous joy as though a child has been fed the most delicious things by his mother and Gopala's mother gradually started understanding what is this? There is some Porvajanma Samparka, Sambandha is there, relationship is there and then many rich devotees, Marwadis etc. used to bring very nice things like cashew nut, fruits, sweets best things. One thing about this Marwadis and other rich people, they will bring the best things in the world. So somehow that Samskara is there in them. They used to bring and Sri Ram Krishna used to keep specially, this lady will come and then he used to give her and say you eat these things. Now she used to wonder Gopala, what are you doing to me? I am only capable of bringing very very very ordinary things and you are feeding me with all these things. Why? And he used to mysteriously smile and then say that is because you have fed me with these delicacies and she used to wonder that when did I feed you with all these delicacies? And then he used to say in the past. When? As Yashoda, as Kausalya and innumerable occasions God was treated as a child by so many especially women and this is how the relationship was but she never understood it and then what happened one morning she was sitting for meditation I also forgot to mention a little bit of tamasa. So this rich people used to bring these costly things, very nice delicacies and Sri Ram Krishna could never touch them. He used to say if somebody brings me one small banana there will be 16 desires attached to it but he used to feed Opala's mother and another person who shared it future Swami Vivekananda, Narendranath and then some other devotees must have noticed because they all become very jealous. Sir, why are you feeding them? Then Sri Ram Krishna used to explain these people earn money in many immoral ways telling lies and all those things. That is why I can't touch what they bring it will do harm to my body and neither can I give those things to any of you because your devotion will be hurt but I know that if this lady Aghoramani eats or my Naren eats nothing is going to happen to them because they are like blazing fires. Everything will be reduced to ashes. So, what fun I wanted to make is that what he considered sinful things he used to feed these two people. Anyway, he never told this to Gopala's mother but the explanation was her purity can digest like Mother Ganga. So, one morning this lady finished her Japa was about to offer the Japa Samarpana to the Divine Lord. Suddenly, she saw Sri Ram Krishna. Early morning at 3 o'clock or 5 o'clock or so, she was shocked. It's a big story. I am not going to tell the whole thing. You can read it in the Sri Ram Krishna, the great master graphically described in two parts elaborately and suddenly Sri Ram Krishna turned himself into this crawling Bala Gopala and a divine Leela started. He started crawling all over her body and demanding I want butter, I want this, I want that, I want Rasagullas, etc. But my son, my child, where from can I bring? Your mother is so poor. She herself doesn't have this thing. No, no, no. I want butter only. So, this place started and then he helped gather the firewood, etc. As soon as it was dawn, immediately she carried like a mad woman. She was completely unconscious of the whole world but she was seeing the dangling pink feet and this fellow Sando, I call this fellow Sando because so much butter if he eats, he would be like small Bhimasena. Anyway, she was seeing, she carried, she brought and this Gopala, her Gopala started entering into Sri Ram Krishna's body, coming out, again entering, again coming out, again and again and again and again entering and coming out and he made her understand Gopala, Sri Bala Gopala, Bhagavan Krishna and Bhagavan Sri Ram Krishna are not different. Before she started, she understood it and started addressing Sri Ram Krishna as my Gopala. Now, this was the beginning of her divine vision growing and growing and then next, all the intimate, important disciples of Sri Ram Krishna. This Gopala started one by one into Narendranath, into Rakhal, into Tarak, into so many other important devotees of Sri Ram Krishna and coming out and again entering, again and again and then Gopala's mother. Now understood, now this lady, Aghormani, she started calling Sri Ram Krishna as my Gopala. From that time onwards, the devotees started addressing her as Gopala's mother, Sri Ram Krishna's mother and Sri Ram Krishna used to assume that attitude and look upon this Aghormani as his own mother. His whole body used to undergo a transformation as if it is Bala Gopala. That means this Aghormani was not seeing Sri Ram Krishna as a 40 years man with white beard and other things. My Gopala. This play was continuing. Then the vision has extended to all those who are near and dear to Sri Ram Krishna. Like that her vision of Gopala started expanding and expanding. Finally after 2-3 months, there was a chariot festival at Kamarhat in one place and this Gopala's mother visited that because she loved that one. That day she said I enacted Kurukshetra war. That means she started shouting and crying because she said the chariot, people who are sitting on the chariot, people who are pulling the chariot, people who came to see the chariot and everything transformed itself. The whole world transformed itself into what you call what Arjuna saw, this Vishwaroopadarshana. She started seeing her Gopala in everybody. Now her Gopala that Gopala both disappear in Vishwaroopa because Vishwa is not her or mine or yours. It is the entire world. Everybody is a Gopala. Everybody is seeing everybody as Gopala. That is called Vishwaroopa. Not one person seeing everything. That in his vision, everybody is experiencing everything else as the Divine Brahman only. So that was the vision. This is how a devotee's vision of seeing Divinity and understanding as Divinity, it goes. As soon as it starts going outside one's body that I am the body, that idea will totally disappear and that is what has happened to Sri Ramakrishna and only in that light we have to understand the visions of Sri Ramakrishna. We will talk about them in our next class. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padmetayos Ritva Pranamami Mohur Mohuhu May Janam Krishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all.