Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 107 on 27-February-2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

So we are studying the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Every word that comes out of Sri Ramakrishna's mouth and incarnations, that is called Veda. It is very simple but deep understanding is necessary. As I said many times, it is like a parable. And Sri Ramakrishna especially is a fast master in giving similes. He even surpasses Kalidasa. Kalidasa was famous for similes. That is why he is called Upama Kalidasa. So we are studying this gospel. In English language, gospel means good news. This is the title given to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Because whatever comes from the mouths of these great souls can only be good. So that is why it is called good news. What is the good news? It is the best news. That which takes us to God, that which gives us eternal infinite happiness, that is the good news. That is why the English title of Sri Ramakrishna's teachings, whereas in the original Bengali language it is called Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita. So we were talking about various aspects. One of the most important aspects that we discussed in our last class was what should be our outlook on our Guru. And I have mentioned Guru as a target practice. So every archer, he sets up a target and then he goes on very apt analogy. So he keeps very near, maybe three feet, and a huge target. It takes time for the arrow, it goes here and there at the beginning, but as he gains skill, two things he does. One is he moves the target a little distance and also it becomes smaller in size. So like that he goes on increasing the distance and keeping the size smaller and smaller and smaller. Even one small spot is sufficient, even for the best archers that is not sufficient. So there is something called Shabda Vedi, Dasaratha was supposed to have had it, Arjuna with closed eyes could do that. Even to look, even Arjuna perhaps surpasses, because looking at the reflection of a fish that is moving extremely fast and to pierce the eye of the fish is very difficult. Where does that leave us? That means to say that even if the Guru physically be away, even if his teachings appear to be remote and disconnected with our day to day life, but they have a close, very close relationship. Even the very remembrance of the Guru brings the highest realization to the disciple. Tantric scriptures by the way have delved deep into this subject and there is one kind of initiation, it is called Shambhavi Deeksha. In this Deeksha, the Guru and disciple never come together, no question of meeting, but somehow that union comes about and instantaneously the disciple becomes liberated. There is a beautiful story, it is not as instantaneous as it appears. There was a king and he studied some scriptures and then he said that a Guru can liberate a disciple instantaneously, as we are discussing now. So whichever scholar studied the scriptures, he will ask him, can you liberate me? Of course, they could not, because they were themselves bound. One bound person cannot liberate the other person. So one day, a great sage called Ashtavakra was passing by and by that time the king exhausted testing all the other so-called great scholars and then he caught hold of Ashtavakra not knowing his greatness and the disciple is said to be none other than Janaka Maharaja himself. It does not matter, the names are not important, either the names of the disciples or the names of the Guru are absolutely irrelevant for our discussion. Only the lesson we have to learn. So this Ashtavakra was called and the king said, do you know the scriptures? He said, yes. Then Usses said that if you teach a disciple, he should be liberated immediately. But all these people I have tested and they all failed. Now either you prove it or tell that the teachings of the scriptures is completely wrong. Ashtavakra said the teachings of the scriptures will never be wrong. Vedas are always truth only. All right, then you liberate me. He said yes, but do you know what is the condition? You should be the disciple who will obey the commandment of the Guru instantaneously, unquestioningly. Are you such a disciple? Then the king said, yes, all right, I will teach you. Now here is a horse, so I want you to ride it. Immediately Janaka Maharaja, he took hold of the horse, he put one foot in one side of the stirrup and he lifted his other leg to cross over the back of the horse. As soon as the leg was lifted, Ashtavakra said, stop. And Janaka was completely ready for this. He stopped and everybody was looking astonished, pained. You can just imagine, even if someone asks you to stretch your hand and keep it that way, how painful it is. So Janaka Maharaja was there, Ashtavakra smiling, he was eating, drinking, sleeping, but this king just stopped in the stirrup and the command was not coming, you continue. Three days passed, it is said, don't take it too literally, but the moral of the story only we have to understand. Everybody was pained, everybody was looking, asking, what type of Guru is he? Why is he behaving towards our innocent king? Three days passed and Janaka proved what was the purpose of the Guru, to prove that you have to prove that you are completely, totally devoted to my words. And that is what Janaka succeeded, passed the test. And then at the end of three days, he asked him, now you lift that lifted foot, cross over the back and sit comfortably. And by that time, it is said, Janaka became completely enlightened. Then he came down and said, what can I offer to you? We do not know how this story ends, but we know how this story ends. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, instead of Ashtavakra, it was Sage Yajnavalkya. There was a marvellous episode Janaka wanted to find out. And as Yajnavalkya went on answering the questions, and then removing the doubts, because Janaka had actually burning questions, every time some of his questions were answered, he would say, I will give you one thousand cows. I will give you another thousand cows. I will give you one more thousand cows, like that. And the time had come. And then Janaka Maharaj was completely free of all doubts and questions. Then he said, I will give you, I offer you my whole kingdom as Guru Dakshina, because you made me. I was only a small king in this, with a small bit of land. Now you made me unrivaled Chakravarthi in the whole, because I am Brahman. That knowledge you gave me. Abhayam vayi prapto si janaka. That was the certificate given by the Guru to the disciple, Janaka Maharaj. And it is said that Shivaji, in the history tells us, he had a Guru called Samartha Ramdas. And Shivaji became so much devoted to his Guru, and he offered the whole kingdom and said, it's for you, you are the king, let me be your servant and attendant. Then Guru said, yes, I have accepted your offer, but I am appointing you as a representative of me. You rule the Maharashtra kingdom. And from that time onwards, it is said, Shivaji considered that he was only a servant, he was only an instrument. And he ruled the kingdom. Anyway, whether it is actually true or not is not the point. The point is, when we are ready, the Guru reveals himself. So how can we be ready? And that is what exactly Sri Ramakrishna was trying to teach all of us. This is what I call Guru as the target practice. What is it? Guru likes me, Guru dislikes me. Guru allows me to be near, or he abuses me, or he can even beat me. Zen masters were known to beat their disciples while they were sitting and trying to meditate. And not in a small way, quite a strong way. So they can enlighten people. But it should be a union of a Sadguru with a Sat Shishya. That is very important for us to understand. And this is what I had discussed. Guru is a target practice. Once Guru is accepted, once he bestows his grace in the form of a Mantra Deeksha to us, thereafter, whatever he does, it is like a mission. Whatever a person decides to do, a mission, a car, a bicycle, an aeroplane, it doesn't protest. So we should have that kind of faith in the Guru. And then only it becomes clear, Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu is not mere words. What is the point? The point is the onus that my Guru is God himself, doesn't lie upon him, it lies upon me. And as I progress further, as I transform myself, and my understanding of the Guru also progresses to that extent. This is the principle. Unable to understand, we are always targeting God and say, you are not listening to my prayers, etc., etc. That is what Sri Ramakrishna is telling in one context. What is that context? What is knowledge? And what is the nature of this ego? This was a question that was there in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna is answering. God alone is the doer and none else. That is knowledge. I am not the doer. I am a mere instrument in his hand. That is knowledge. This is the true knowledge. I doesn't exist. If I do not exist, who exists? Only God exists. This body belongs to God. This mind also belongs to God. Here, so much of wisdom is compressed in this small statement. Sri Ramakrishna elsewhere says, what is ignorance? I and mine. What is the difference? Shankaracharya, in his Brahmasutra Bhashya, writes a one and a half page introduction before he starts this Brahmasutra. It is called Adhyasa Bhashya. Adhyasa means superimposition. And in that he says, Yushmat Asmat Pratyaya Gocharoh Tamah Prakashavat Pirudhavat Like darkness and light, these are completely opposite. I and what I call mine are totally different. I am separate and what I call mine is separate. So many times I raise this subject. And this is in the context of what? What is knowledge? So what is it? I see a table. And I know I am not the table. I see a man. I know I am not that person. Am I not seeing my body also? Am I not seeing my hands, my face, even my eyes? Yes, of course, no eyes, nobody's eye can see its own eye. But if we put a mirror in front of us, we can see. Reflection. So we are seeing. That means we are objectifying. Seeing, hearing, anything that we do through the five sense organs is called objectifying. And whatever we objectify is not us, the subject and the object. Ishmat is the object. Asmat is the subject. And they are completely opposite to each other, like darkness and light. That is the... but what do we do? We say I am this body, I am this mind. It is as good as saying a person is looking at a donkey. And then by this analogy, I am looking at a donkey and I am the donkey. You should come to that conclusion. Because I am seeing my body, I am the body. I am witnessing all the thoughts that are happening in my mind, therefore I am the mind. I am looking at a donkey and I am the donkey. I am looking at a spiteful person. I am that spiteful person. I see a thief. I am the thief. That should be a normal procedure. But what do we do? Everything else we say I am not that, I am not that. But when we come to this body, sometimes we say this is me, sometimes we say this is my body. Whenever we use that Shashti Vibhakti, sixth case, that is called possessive case. It belongs to me. This is my hand, means the hand belongs to me. This is my body, means the body belongs to me. This is my mind, means my mind belongs to me. No, the next second we say I am not well. Why? My hand is aching, so I am also aching. My mind is unhappy, I am also unhappy. My mind is happy, I am also unhappy. So this I and my, my is an object, I is the subject. I hope I am making some sense. And this is what the irreversible, no relationship between the subject and the object is what Shankaracharya wants to bring out. That is the very essence of the entire Brahma Sutras consisting of, of course, four chapters. And each chapter is divided into four sections, 16 sections and four chapters. And the essence of all this is what? Nobody exists excepting Brahma. Brahma Satyam, if Brahman is Satyam, then Jagat Mithya. What does Jagat Mithya mean? Many, many people misunderstand this simple statement, unable to even to think further. What does it mean Mithya? Mithya doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Non-existence is not Mithya. But mistaking truth as something else, that is called Mithya. Whatever is changing is Mithya. Whatever is dependent is Mithya. So, here comes something most marvellous thought and I want to share it with you. What is it? I say I am the body and mind. But a little bit sanity comes sometimes. Say, this is my body. That means, in other words, indirectly, I am not the body. I am the subject. I am the experiencer. My body is the experiencer. That means, it is an object. Even if we are thinking about God, that thinking process is called objectifying. So, I am objectifying Ishwara. Therefore, Ishwara is an object and every object is Anatma, Non-Atma. Because an object depends totally upon me. I am saying, oh God, I depend upon you. But I am behaving as if I have created you, I made you independent. That means, I made you an object and you are the object. I am the subject and you depend upon me because when I choose not to think of you, you simply become non-existent. That is what happens when we are in deep sleep, isn't it? These are profound thoughts you have to understand. So, what special point I want to bring out before we proceed further is, when I say I am the body, I cannot say I am the body unless there is a body. That means what? The subject depends upon the object and object cannot exist without the subject. Therefore, both become irrelevant because what is the definition of Mithya? Mithya means whatever cannot exist independently, whatever changes continuously. That is called Mithya. So, my subjectivity, my greatness as a subject is totally subject or dependent upon the object. If there is no object, my subjectness also disappears at the same second. Either they are together or they disappear at the same instance. So, please keep this thought. You have to do a lot of Manana. So, what is knowledge? If Brahman exists, I do not exist. If I exist, Brahman does not exist. So, I realize I see Brahman, I see God. According to Advaita, this statement is the worst statement anybody can make because if I am seeing God, it is like saying I am seeing infinity. So, infinity does not say I see infinite, I see myself as infinite. If anybody says I experience infinity, I become the subject, the experiencer and the infinity becomes the object which is separate from me and whatever is separate from me can never become infinite. It becomes finite. Two finites, any number of finites cannot make an infinite. Either God disappears and I remain or I disappear and God disappears. God alone remains. Brahman alone remains. That is what Shankara wants to drive home. This is called Brahmasatya. Jagarmithya means what? Jagat means my body, my mind, both disappear together. Then body, mind disappear. The sense that I am a Jeeva, that also disappears because what makes me feel that I am an individual is the reflection of that Brahman only. I am creating at the same time both the mirror and along with the mirror comes the reflection in the mirror. This is what Shri Ram Krishna means. God alone is the doer and none else. That is knowledge. And further, I am not the doer because I hope you remember and you are supposed to be students of Gospel of Shri Ram Krishna. I suppose you are not the readers of Gospel of Shri Ram Krishna. What is the difference between a reader and a student? When you are studying for any subject, you are trying to study it in the right way. You attend the talks. You take notes. You try to imbibe the ideas and this is called Manana. That means you want to be a master of that particular knowledge. That is called studying. Reader means you can study novels, stories, newspaper, anything you study. It is only just passing time, Kalakshepa. But Shri Ram Krishna is not talking about Kalakshepa. He is talking it is a life and death question. We have not yet understood the symbolism or seriousness of this particular thing. So, I am a mere instrument in his hand. This is for whom? So, the first part of this teaching, God alone is the doer and none else. That is the knowledge. That is the target. That is called Brahman. But a sadhana, gradually to feel I am not the doer. I am a mere instrument in his hand. I am not the doer. That is the goal to be attained. But my body and mind, that is the instrument. So, every bhakti marga, you know, devotional path to Lord, I am just a mere instrument. And corroborating this one, Bhagavan Krishna also says, I want to share one or two examples because this is a profound concept. These two sentences, God alone is the doer and none else. And that knowledge is a profound statement. I am not the doer. I am a mere instrument in his hand. So, sadhya and sadhana. Sadhya is knowledge. That is, God alone is. Sadhana is, I am not the doer. I am only a mere instrument in his hand. Beautiful songs are there. So, let us take the example of Mahabharata. You know, the Kurukshetra war was decided upon. That any number of attempts to get their part of the share of the kingdom did not succeed. And finally, Pandavas had decided to send Bhagavan Krishna himself. He was the only person, if anything can be done, he was capable of doing. He was sent as an ambassador of peace. And he went. And the very initial reaction of Duryodhana was horrible. He first, it is said that he wanted to show him tremendous respect so that he can be put into his net like once he did Durvasa Maharshi. I am not going to go into these stories. But what is meant is Krishna was not Durvasa Maharshi. So, he wanted to arrest later on Krishna. But at that time, Vishwaroopa Darshana was shown to Duryodhana and Dhritarashtra as well. I am not going into the details again. And Krishna, he spoke to Duryodhana. If nothing is acceptable to you, don't give half the kingdom. Just give them five villages. That's all. And they are willing to avoid the war. And Duryodhana, immediately he opted. His egotism had become appended. And he said, not to speak of five villages, even the earth which can be held on the tip of a needle also, I am not going to give. That is the point I wanted to bring your notice to. And we all say Krishna is a Paramatma. He is not only an incarnation of God, He is what is called Purnavatara. Do you think Krishna failed? What does the story say? Duryodhana did not listen. Krishna failed. Did Krishna really fail? That's impossible. If Krishna fails, that means God failed. Can God fail? No, He did not fail. Then what is the way we devotees? This is called the spiritual symbolism of Mahabharata. So that is how we have to understand and enjoy these Leelas. Otherwise, we will be in very, very big trouble. If Krishna wanted this way, the world will go, there will be no war, everybody will be at peace. Do you think, even if you go a little bit further, do you think, was Krishna incapable of changing Dhritarashtra's mind? Was Krishna incapable of controlling Shakuni? Was Krishna incapable of controlling Shakuni's mind? When Shakuni was throwing out his magical gambling pieces, and they are falling, defeating what is called Yudhishthira. Do you think Krishna did not know what was happening? Very interesting story. I think I told you also, but I don't remember whether I told you or not. Much later on, when Krishna met Pandavas, He said, Oh, I was busy. I was engaged in subduing another wicked person. So I did not know that you were invited by this Kauravas, and you went and gambled, and you lost everything, and not first time, but second time also. So, He was telling like that. God is the biggest liar in the whole world. Why? Because, whatever God does, that will be the biggest. If He tells the truth, that is the biggest truth. If He tells a lie, that would be the biggest lie. See what happened, when Yudhishthira lost everything, and Draupadi was dragged by Dushyasana, did Krishna appear there or not? And if He appeared, did He see Yudhishthira and Bhima and everybody, and what was happening, was He present there or not? And the same person tells later on, I was busy, engaged somewhere, and see this fun of it. Anyway, what are we talking about? It was Krishna's will, because I want to establish Dharma. But what Dharma you want to establish? Dharma means, as we discussed earlier, we have to remind ourselves, the first meaning of Dharma is, I am not a human being, my Dharma means my real nature, Manushyatvam, the real nature of Sugaratvam, or what is called sugarness. What is the sugarness? What is the real nature of sugar? Sweetness. If sweetness is taken out of sugar, it cannot be called sugar. If bitterness is taken out of what you call bitter gold, then it won't be called bitter gold. If humanness is taken away from a human being, he cannot be called a human being. If an animal loses its ness, then it cannot be an animal at all. So that ness, in English language we say, that ness is what is meant by real nature. That is the first meaning of Dharma is our own true nature. What is our true nature? If we take away something and still that something remains, that is not its nature. But by taking away the very essence of something, the whole object becomes non-existent. For example, if you take away woodness from furniture, if you take away gold from the ornament, if you take away clay from the pots, do the effects, pots, ornaments, furniture, do they exist? That is its very nature. That is why it is called either wood or gold. Wood cannot be gold, gold cannot be wood. So that is the first meaning of Dharma. You are not a human being. And that was what Shri Krishna tells in the very beginning itself. Then who are you? You are Ajam. Second chapter is the complete teaching of Bhagavan Krishna. And what are the other chapters? From the third chapter until the 17th chapter, it is the explanation of the second chapter. And the 18th chapter is the re-summarizing the entire 17 chapters. That is, the first chapter is only the story to start the introduction. But from the 11th verse of the second chapter starts the teaching. From there until the end of the 17th chapter, and this all summarized beautifully, and that is called the 18th chapter. So where did we start and where are we ending? So God alone is the doer. Krishna alone is the doer. That is why he says, I have already killed these people in the form of Kala. And Nimitta Matram Bhava Savya Saachin. You just become an instrument. This is what Shri Ramakrishna is summarizing. I am not the doer. I am a mere instrument in his hand. So these sentences can be reversed. God alone is the doer. I am not the doer. I am a mere instrument in his hand. Either one of them is a complete expression of that Mahavakya. Shri Ramakrishna continues, Therefore I say, O mother, thou art the operator, and I am the machine. Thou art the indweller, and I am the house. Thou art the driver, and I am the carriage. I move as thou movest me. I do as thou makest me do. I speak as thou makest me speak. Not I, not I, but thou, but thou. This is what Shankaracharya wants to convey to us in that very short one and a half page. And hundreds of commentaries have been written on not on Brahma Sutra, but on what is called Adhyasa Bhashya alone. And even today it is very difficult. But as I put it in a nutshell, whatever I experience is not me. And when I experience something, that experiencer depends upon the experienced, subject depends upon the object, subject cannot exist without the object, and the object of course will never exist without the subject. Without the subject, either they rise together or they disappear. Appear together or disappear together. And when they disappear, what remains? Pure silence. Silence, not even thinking. I am not talking about speaking, speech. Even thinking also disappears. Mind itself disappears. And that is the real truth. And why did I elongate all these things? Because that is what Shri Ramakrishna is going to tell in the next chapter. Visit Vidyasagar. This is only a kind of introduction. So I move as thou movest me. I do as thou makest me do. I speak as thou makest me speak. Not I, not I, but thou, but thou. With this, this particular chapter is over. And this was all happening at whose place? Pranakrishna's house. From Pranakrishna's house, a master went to Colonel Vishwanath's, and from there to the lily cottage. What is the lily cottage? That is Keshavchandra Singh. With that, that particular chapter comes to an end. Now we are entering into this most marvellous chapter called Visit to Vidyasagar. He was a great soul. And M himself gives a beautiful introduction to it. August 5, 1882. Pandit Ishwarachandra Vidyasagar was born in the village of Bir Singh, not far from Kamarpakur, Shri Ramakrishna's birthplace. He was known as a great scholar, educator, writer, and philanthropist. He was one of the creators of modern Bengali. He was also well-versed in Sanskrit grammar and poetry. And by the way, he wrote two marvellous books. One is how to learn English through native Bengali. And it became what we call bestseller. And the other is how to acquire Sanskrit knowledge. So for that also, he has written a beautiful book. First in Bengali, now it is translated into Hindi also. And that was how we had learnt it at our training centre. And it is so marvellously present. Even the least bit, a little bit of intelligence is necessary. And that if one has, one can easily progress. Instead of trying to understand what is called unmouthable type of Sanskrit shlokas in simple language. His greatness was he could digest things and speak about things, write about things in the simplest way. Like Swami Vivekananda. He was specialised in his own way. This is what M was telling. He was one of the creators of modern Bengali. Before that, to understand that Bengali, or like our classical Tamil language or Telugu language or Kannada language with huge involved sentences. If you want to understand what I am talking about, take up any work of Sri Aurobindo and read one paragraph. You clearly understand what I am talking about. So, Vidyasagar, he was also called the Hyaasagar. How did he become Vidyasagar? I am just introducing because he was one of the greatest souls. He was born a very poor person. And his parents were very poor. His father brought him to Calcutta. And he could not afford kerosene for lighting of hurricane lantern so that his son can study. But the father realised, my son is a precocious son. And he is going to become a great soul. That tremendous self-confidence that my son is going to be a great personage that drove the father to sacrifice his entire life so that he can facilitate this education to his son, Vidyasagar. This title came later on. But he really dissolved that title. So, in those days, there were what is called gas lights in the streets. Quite beautiful. So, he used it as soon as it is dark. He did not have lights to read his textbooks, etc. And he was a voracious reader. And he understood he was not merely a reader. He used it to be a student. Until he masters, he will not proceed further. He used to stand until late at night so that he can do a little bit of quench his thirst for knowledge and go and sleep for a few hours, get up early in the morning, again run to the gas light and study until daylight comes. That is how he became a Vidyasagar. Sagara means ocean. Vidya means learning. A notion of learning. Really. Not only there were so many what is called qualifications, but he was a Daya Sagara, most generous person. Not only that, he was a man of principles. Not only that, he was a great devotee of his own mother. He loved his mother. For him, his mother was divine mother. So once he promised, and I think we are going to get that one. I will just let me read it. So Daya Sagara, most of his income being given in charity to widows, orphans, indigent students and other needy people. Nor was his compassion limited to human beings. Just take notice. He stopped drinking milk, cow's milk, for years so that the cows should not be deprived of it. I think he did not understand the simple truth. If he doesn't drink, what is called milkman is not going to add any water, less water, that much less water. No, no. There is a funny story. I hope you will enjoy it. You will enjoy it. So there was a milkman. He was a great devotee of Shiva. And one day he prayed to Shiva. I want to become rich. Shiva was pleased. He appeared and said, what do you want? I want an ocean of milk. You know India, Kshira Sagara. Shiva said, granted. And he was walking away. After a few seconds, this man remembered something. He ran after Shiva and Shiva, Shiva. I'm sorry. I want another boon from you. Shiva said, tell me. I'll give you. You give me also an ocean of water. Because he was only habituated to mix milk. An ocean of milk is not sufficient. So that story goes like that. But here is a man who would not drink milk so that the cows will be deprived of it. And the Indian people are very known. A coffee is used only to start the milk production. But once the cow starts giving, they drag away the coffee. So not only that. Vidya Sagar was a man of indomitable spirit, which he showed when he gave up the lucrative position of the principal of Sanskrit College of Calcutta because of a disagreement with the authorities. So anybody who wants to insult him, because in those days, British people and Anglo-Indians, they used to look down upon every Indian as a born slave. And Vidya Sagar's affection, love for his mother was a specialty. Here the principle was promises must be kept, especially to parents. I still remember, and you should remember, the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Once Sri Ramakrishna was narrating. One day I went to, I think it was Shambhu Charan's house or Manimalik's house, I do not remember. And I promised to come to him. But he said, I have forgotten. That day he did not go as promised. At midnight, he remembered. And taking Raja Maharaj, he immediately ran there. And by that time, all doors were closed. He put his foot there a little bit. And then he said, I have come, I have come, I have come. So before the day ended, he wanted to fulfil. This is called Satya Harishchandra. So, remember, promises must be kept, especially if we have promised our parents anything. So it is said, one day in the absence of a ferry boat, he swam a raging river at the risk of his life to fulfil her wish that he should be present at his brother's wedding. His whole, Vidya Sagar's whole life was one of utter simplicity. How many marvellous qualities! Devi Sampath was given. Remember, the great Swami Vivekananda became world famous. He returned. He was at Belur Math. And one day, his mother told him, my son, when you were a young boy, you were sick. And I promised the mother Kali in Calcutta that if you are cured, you will roll round. So you will do Pradakshina, practically only a Kaupinam. So for children, it was not a big problem. So I have forgotten to mention it. Will you fulfil it? Immediately, the great Swami, he went to the Kali temple one day, stripped himself, excepting for the Kaupinam, and he laid himself on the floor and did Pradakshina, rolling. This is called rolling Pradakshinam. And then he fulfilled because his mother's promise is as good as his own promise. Such was Swamiji's devotion to his mother. It would have been the same if his father was really alive. And we also do the Pradakshinam every day, not promising anybody. If you take a videograph of yours at night, whole night, you will see most often you will go round and round and round the bed. And then you think, I never moved from this position even one inch. Anyway, promises must be kept. That's what Sri Ramakrishna did. That is what Kshudiram had done. Where did Sri Ramakrishna promise? He gave a promise on the eve of his first Bhiksha, after his accepting of the sacred thread to Dhani, a blacksmith woman. And his mother and brother objected. By that time, his father had passed away. But Sri Ramakrishna put his foot down and said, Promise is a promise. The very purpose of the sacred thread is to take up this Satya Vrata. And the very first thing you are asking me to do is to remove this, to tell a lie. I promise, either I will fulfil or I will not take the sacred thread. And they had to accept defeat and they had to accept his view. So promise is a promise. Kshudiram was a truthful man. Sri Ramakrishna was also a truthful man. So one day, in the absence of a ferry boat, he was going to his Purebhumi, to his native village. And there was a raging river at night. There were no boats. But he promised. So he swam. But it was also of utter simplicity, very simple cloths and everything. He, Vidyasagara, meaning ocean of learning, was given to him in recognition of his vast erudition. So why did Sri Ramakrishna wish to meet him? Sri Ramakrishna had long wanted to visit Eshwar Chandra Vidyasagara, learning from M that he was a teacher at Vidyasagara school. That is, M was a teacher at one of the schools started by Vidyasagara. The master asked him, Can you take me to Vidyasagara? I should like very much to see him. And M had arranged it, about which we will talk later on. But why did Sri Ramakrishna want to visit Eshwar Chandra Vidyasagara? Because Sri Ramakrishna, he was the person who was Krishna. And he said, Whenever you find an excellence, some extraordinary manifestation of some great quality, or feat, or physical strength, or whatever it is, it is nothing but God manifesting, divinity manifesting in that person, in that particular formation. So if somebody is a great educator, somebody is a great administrator, somebody was a great scholar, somebody was a great painter, somebody was a great singer, somebody was a great teacher, whatever it is, that greatness is manifestation of God. And Sri Ramakrishna explained to his non-comprehending followers, that mother is manifest. Instead of saying God, he is telling mother is manifest in them. And if I do not show my respect, and how can he not show respect? Because he loved mother. He wants to see mother. So whenever he visited these people, he only visited to see his divine mother manifest in that particular person. So he met several persons like that. Even though many of them did not respect him, did not show him respect, did not even think that he was somebody great, but it does not matter. We also, we should bow down our head, because wherever we see excellence, that is God's grace. And what happened further, because this particular chapter is one of the greatest utterances of Sri Ramakrishna's Upanishadic statement, is, full of significance and meaning. We will discuss about it in our next class. May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna. Jai Ramakrishna.