One touching incident from the life of Sri Ramakrishna always inspires me, whenever I think about him. It is a lila that haunts and charms the hearts of devotees.
Manomohan had stopped visiting the Master at one time, as he felt neglected. He felt that the Master was not paying any attention to him. The Master became anxious about Manomohan's progress and sent word to him many times, but Manomohan, stung by what he felt was the Master's past indifference to him, did not respond. Now, why should such an accomplished sage as the Master be interested in the progress of an ordinary hosueholder devotee? But that was him. He had filled in himself, the love of the Supreme Mother for her children so much that he became that love. One morning when Manomohan went to bathe in the Ganga, suddenly he saw Balaram babu alighting from a boat. Manomohan hardly got over his surprise, when he saw the Master emerging behind him, smiling at him, half lost in Samadhi. Manomohan was overwhelmed by this gesture of the Master and realized how much love he had for his disciples and regretted his questioning of the Master's concern for his progress.
What a poignant incident! I can imagine the medly of emotions that must have swept Manomohan when he saw the Master emerge from the boat - joy, regret, anger... That the Master came all the way looking for him, must have deeply inspired him. Divine Love is uniquely inspirational.
2 comments:
I am not so confident about this as you are, about this being "universal love".There was Karmic connection between SRK and Manomohan, and therefore SRK worried about him. The same RKM monks who celebrate such gestures of the master also seem to **celebrate** his dismissive attitude towards Kristodas Pal. SRK himself has said "How can Ganges water redeem a bottle of wine" or some such thing. Now how can I say, with regard to Karmic relationship with SRK or just Karmic merit, I belong to the Manomohan category or the Kristodas Pal category? When one prays and the prayers are not answered one naturally veers towards believing in the latter possibility.
I dont think it was Karmic connection or such thing. It might just be, that Kristodas was not yet ready, for what Manomohan was.
For us, we may not know what category we belong to. However, even if we are in the 'Kristodas' mould, I am sure the other thing the Master often said, holds - 'all will happen in time...all will be perfected in time'. The Kristodas of yeterday may be the Manomohan of tomorrow. But only if he continues to aspire. I may not be fit today, but who knows what my apiration will make me, tomorrow, the next life, or a few lives later? We just have to plough on, with hope as the lamp, through the 'dark night of the soul'. Anyway what do we have to lose? If our life is full of darkness, at least a hope for the betetr may sustain us through it all. we dont lose anything by maintaining hope.
Post a Comment