The Master's Love Letters -3
Love Letter-1
There was one devotee of Ramakrishna – Girish Chandra Ghosh. The story of their meeting and finally Girish accepting Ramakrishna as his Guru is very interesting.
Girish was a famous Bengali Drama writer and director. His dramas were very popular. He had two fatal weaknesses – he was a heavy drinker and a womanizer. One day out of curiosity and to have some fun, he went to Dakshineshwar – Kali Mandir to see Ramakrishna, accompanied by a friend. He was totally drunk when he first met Ramakrishna. He was in mood to make fun of Ramakrishna’s beliefs when Ramakrishna asked him very lovingly – “If you must drink, you should do it on the name of GOD. May he is also a heavy drinker.”
Girish was shocked to hear it. Not even in dreams he could imagine that a GOD-Man like Ramakrishna would speak such thing. He asked awkwardly – “How do you know that?”
Smiling but serious, Ramakrishna said – “If he is not a heavy drinker, how could he create such absurd and disarranged world?”
Girish could not speak, it sounded so illogical about GOD. He came back. Another day he invited Ramakrishna to come and see his one drama which was based upon devotional theme. Ramakrishna went to see it but in between he would slip into deep meditation. Girish was expecting great praise by Ramakrishna for producing such devotional drama but Ramakrishna didn’t speak about it, instead he started speaking about GOD. Girish insulted him again. Ramakrishna said – “My son, you are suffering from the disease of self-distortion.”
Third time Girish went to Ramakrishna in morning hours. He had spent whole night with a prostitute and was feeling ashamed and guilty. He drank again and again before he could gather courage to go to Dakshinashwar. When he reached to Dakshineshwar and his friend gave fare to rikhsaw-puller, they headed together to see Ramakrishna. A disciple of Ramakrishna came running and asked Rikshaw-puller to give him the bottle of wine which Girish had left in rikshaw. The disciple was also very much surprised why Ramakrishna had instructed him to do so.
When Girish was in front of Ramakrishna, he asked his disciple to offer the bottle to Girish, saying -“He needs it before he can speak his mind and heart.”
Girish started crying. Ramakrishna commented –“Girish is having a great devotee in his heart but he wants to deny it.”
Next time when Girish insisted that he wanted to experience GOD but he hated to follow any discipline in life or to do any meditation, Ramakrishna asked – “If you really want to see him but don’t want to do anything, I will do it on behalf of you. You have to do only one simple thing. After waking up in the morning, you remember GOD in full faith and heart and before going to bed, do the same thing. Rest I will take care of.”
Girish denied it as well saying he hated to follow any kind of discipline.
Then Ramakrishna said- “Now there is only one way, if you really want to experience him, but don’t want to do anything yourself. Promise me that you will live within his will and will not do or wish anything against his will.”
That was perfectly ok with Girish because it was not forcing him to do anything. So he readily agreed. But things soon started changing. Now Girish couldn’t do anything of his own will. All things would happen as per the power within him and as Ramakrishna wanted them to be. He was totally helpless in enforcing his own wish. He came and started crying. Ramakrishna said in stern voice – “Now it can’t be changed. You have shown your wish to experience him and you have promised to live within his will. Now it is my duty to make sure it happens. Live within his will that is the only way for you.”
Later, Girish had to drop all bad habits and he became one of Ramakrishna’s great devotees.
As per Ramkrishna, there are three types of doctors (read Gurus)-
1. Who will see you, prescribe the medicine and will leave. It is up to you whether you take the medicine properly and be cured or sit idle and sick.
2. Who sees you, tries to give you sweet medicines so you don’t deny taking it and speaks you sweet to persuade you to take medicine to be cured.
3. Who sees you, knows what the problem is, and doesn’t hesitate to prescribe bitter medicines if it cures you well. He will sit upon you, tie your hands and will make you gulp the medicine. He is not gonna leave you before you are fully cured…no way…
Love Letter -2
When Buddha was in Pataliputra (Patna) at the request of the King, Vasantsena* saw him and she felt so much tempted to get him, she proposed him. At that time even prostitutes were given due respect and were protected by King. They were considered as representative of beauty and arts. The most beautiful woman was selected as Bride of the City for 5 years. Vasantsena was the Bride of the City (Nagarvadhu- kind of miss City). She had hold on the king and she was the most powerful woman in the city.
When she showed her love and affection for Buddha and proposed him, Buddha simply denied. It was a blow for Vasantsena’s pride. She became angry and revengeful. She threatened Buddha that he would have to suffer consequences. Buddha smiled and said nothing. As per her hold on king, Vasantsena managed to throw Buddha out of the town.
Buddha had to leave anyway, because he would not stay at one place for long.
10 years later, he returned to Patna after much apologies and requests from the King. There were new beauties in the city but there was no trace of Vasantsena’s past glory. He inquired about her and came to know that she was suffering from leprosy and all her suitors, relatives and even servants had left her due to the fear of infection. She was living alone in her isolated room, managing anyhow to eat one time.
Buddha went to see her. Disfigured, lying half-conscious, she even couldn’t recognize him first. Surprised to see someone coming, she thought it was her most favorite suitor. When she recognized him, she started crying.
“Why have you come here? You will get infection, please go out. I don’t have anything to offer you now, but the fear of disease.”
“Let me first wash your wounds and change your dress which are dirty and soiled. We can talk later.”- As Buddha said so he did.
Later he said-
“You had shown affection to me, I had to respond. You had your own level of understanding, accordingly you offered. I couldn’t offer mine at that level, and my level you would not be able to grasp at that time, so I had to deny. You were filled with pride, money, power and lust, your soul was lost who could see and receive my love.
I had to wait to return your affection. This is my level of love only which can I offer you and that I offer you now. Practice it, master it “
Vasantsena* - name may differ as I can’t remember.
There was one devotee of Ramakrishna – Girish Chandra Ghosh. The story of their meeting and finally Girish accepting Ramakrishna as his Guru is very interesting.
Girish was a famous Bengali Drama writer and director. His dramas were very popular. He had two fatal weaknesses – he was a heavy drinker and a womanizer. One day out of curiosity and to have some fun, he went to Dakshineshwar – Kali Mandir to see Ramakrishna, accompanied by a friend. He was totally drunk when he first met Ramakrishna. He was in mood to make fun of Ramakrishna’s beliefs when Ramakrishna asked him very lovingly – “If you must drink, you should do it on the name of GOD. May he is also a heavy drinker.”
Girish was shocked to hear it. Not even in dreams he could imagine that a GOD-Man like Ramakrishna would speak such thing. He asked awkwardly – “How do you know that?”
Smiling but serious, Ramakrishna said – “If he is not a heavy drinker, how could he create such absurd and disarranged world?”
Girish could not speak, it sounded so illogical about GOD. He came back. Another day he invited Ramakrishna to come and see his one drama which was based upon devotional theme. Ramakrishna went to see it but in between he would slip into deep meditation. Girish was expecting great praise by Ramakrishna for producing such devotional drama but Ramakrishna didn’t speak about it, instead he started speaking about GOD. Girish insulted him again. Ramakrishna said – “My son, you are suffering from the disease of self-distortion.”
Third time Girish went to Ramakrishna in morning hours. He had spent whole night with a prostitute and was feeling ashamed and guilty. He drank again and again before he could gather courage to go to Dakshinashwar. When he reached to Dakshineshwar and his friend gave fare to rikhsaw-puller, they headed together to see Ramakrishna. A disciple of Ramakrishna came running and asked Rikshaw-puller to give him the bottle of wine which Girish had left in rikshaw. The disciple was also very much surprised why Ramakrishna had instructed him to do so.
When Girish was in front of Ramakrishna, he asked his disciple to offer the bottle to Girish, saying -“He needs it before he can speak his mind and heart.”
Girish started crying. Ramakrishna commented –“Girish is having a great devotee in his heart but he wants to deny it.”
Next time when Girish insisted that he wanted to experience GOD but he hated to follow any discipline in life or to do any meditation, Ramakrishna asked – “If you really want to see him but don’t want to do anything, I will do it on behalf of you. You have to do only one simple thing. After waking up in the morning, you remember GOD in full faith and heart and before going to bed, do the same thing. Rest I will take care of.”
Girish denied it as well saying he hated to follow any kind of discipline.
Then Ramakrishna said- “Now there is only one way, if you really want to experience him, but don’t want to do anything yourself. Promise me that you will live within his will and will not do or wish anything against his will.”
That was perfectly ok with Girish because it was not forcing him to do anything. So he readily agreed. But things soon started changing. Now Girish couldn’t do anything of his own will. All things would happen as per the power within him and as Ramakrishna wanted them to be. He was totally helpless in enforcing his own wish. He came and started crying. Ramakrishna said in stern voice – “Now it can’t be changed. You have shown your wish to experience him and you have promised to live within his will. Now it is my duty to make sure it happens. Live within his will that is the only way for you.”
Later, Girish had to drop all bad habits and he became one of Ramakrishna’s great devotees.
As per Ramkrishna, there are three types of doctors (read Gurus)-
1. Who will see you, prescribe the medicine and will leave. It is up to you whether you take the medicine properly and be cured or sit idle and sick.
2. Who sees you, tries to give you sweet medicines so you don’t deny taking it and speaks you sweet to persuade you to take medicine to be cured.
3. Who sees you, knows what the problem is, and doesn’t hesitate to prescribe bitter medicines if it cures you well. He will sit upon you, tie your hands and will make you gulp the medicine. He is not gonna leave you before you are fully cured…no way…
Love Letter -2
When Buddha was in Pataliputra (Patna) at the request of the King, Vasantsena* saw him and she felt so much tempted to get him, she proposed him. At that time even prostitutes were given due respect and were protected by King. They were considered as representative of beauty and arts. The most beautiful woman was selected as Bride of the City for 5 years. Vasantsena was the Bride of the City (Nagarvadhu- kind of miss City). She had hold on the king and she was the most powerful woman in the city.
When she showed her love and affection for Buddha and proposed him, Buddha simply denied. It was a blow for Vasantsena’s pride. She became angry and revengeful. She threatened Buddha that he would have to suffer consequences. Buddha smiled and said nothing. As per her hold on king, Vasantsena managed to throw Buddha out of the town.
Buddha had to leave anyway, because he would not stay at one place for long.
10 years later, he returned to Patna after much apologies and requests from the King. There were new beauties in the city but there was no trace of Vasantsena’s past glory. He inquired about her and came to know that she was suffering from leprosy and all her suitors, relatives and even servants had left her due to the fear of infection. She was living alone in her isolated room, managing anyhow to eat one time.
Buddha went to see her. Disfigured, lying half-conscious, she even couldn’t recognize him first. Surprised to see someone coming, she thought it was her most favorite suitor. When she recognized him, she started crying.
“Why have you come here? You will get infection, please go out. I don’t have anything to offer you now, but the fear of disease.”
“Let me first wash your wounds and change your dress which are dirty and soiled. We can talk later.”- As Buddha said so he did.
Later he said-
“You had shown affection to me, I had to respond. You had your own level of understanding, accordingly you offered. I couldn’t offer mine at that level, and my level you would not be able to grasp at that time, so I had to deny. You were filled with pride, money, power and lust, your soul was lost who could see and receive my love.
I had to wait to return your affection. This is my level of love only which can I offer you and that I offer you now. Practice it, master it “
Vasantsena* - name may differ as I can’t remember.
posted by Kabeer @ 1:01 AM
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