- “The Great Inquiry”
- Anxious Longing for God
- Sri Ramakrishna is Omniscient
- “Serve The Devotees of God”
- “Lord, You Decide for Me.”
- Kankurgachi Yogodyan
- “Do Not Publish My Biography Now.”
Ramchandra Datta (1851-1899)—Eminent lay disciple of the Master, founded the Kankurgachhi Yogodyan. Born at Narikeldanga in suburban Calcutta on 3.10.1851 to Nrisimhaprasad and Tulsimani. Passed Entrance examination from General Assembly’s Institution and passed medical examinations from Campbell Medical School (1874). As a student lived at Viswanath Datta’s residence (3, Gourmohan Mukherjee Street) and later in the house of Raghumani Devi (7, Ramtanu Bose Lane), his cousin and maternal grandmother of Narendranath. Subsequently built a house on Madhu Rai Lane. Called “Ramdada” by Narendranath and his brothers and sisters. Discovered “Kurchicina” medicine from the bark of the Kurchi plant. Held a senior post at Calcutta Medical College. An atheist and hardened rationalist in his youth, was transformed into an ardent devotee after his first visit to the Master at Dakshineswar on 13.11.1874 in the company of cousin Manomohan Mitra and friend Gopalchandra Mita—the Master’s first lay devotees (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 49). Consoled by the Master upon the death of elder daughter (1881) and rebuked by him for doubting “mantra-diksha” received from him by Ramchandra in a dream, followed by bestowal of grace. Said to have taken Narendranath to the Master at this time (Ibid., pp. 984-85).
Ramchandra often took the Master to his house where the Master’s presence was celebrated with due festivity. Numerous devotees would congregate there on such occasions. The Master praised his generosity and hospitality and some of his disciples lived in Ram’s house as members of his household (Ibid., p. 226). Latu had been a servant there before going over to Dakshineswar. As advised by the Master he set up the Yogodyan at Kankurgachhi, his greatest achievement, where he later interred a portion of the Master’s ashes. The Master had blessed the place by visiting it on 26.12.83. On 6.11.85, the night of Kali Puja, it was Ramchandra who triggered the move to offer flowers etc. at the feet of the Master and worship the Divine Mother in him. Bore part of the expenses at Cossipore and was one of those who received the Master’s grace on 1.1.1886, the term “Kalpataru” having been conceived by him. One of the first to believe the Master to be a divine incarnation, he wrote two books based on the Master’s life and teachings, publishing them during the lifetime of the Master with the help of Manomohan Mitra. In the books and a monthly journal, Tattwamanjari, run by him, he propagated the Master’s teachings and his conviction that the Master was a divine incarnation. Another book, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsadeber Jiban Brittanta, published in 1890. A compilation of Ramchandra’s talks on the Master at the Star, City and Minerva theatre halls (1893-97) dealing with the subject of the Master’s divine incarnation also published. Ramchandra spent his twilight days at the Yogodyan where a temple had been built, leading a most humble, self-effacing lowly life and died on 17.1.1899. Said to have given the Master spiritual power of attorney.
From his boyhood Ram was very bold and straightforward about his convictions, and no one could persuade him to act contrary to them. When he was ten years old, he visited the home of a relative who lived about twenty-five miles from Calcutta. This relative knew that Ram was a strict vegetarian, but in spite of this he served Ram a non-vegetarian meal and tried to persuade him to eat it. Ram was furious and immediately left the house. He did not have any money to buy a train ticket, but a generous person bought one for him so that he could return home. Even in the later part of his life, in spite of his education in science, he remained firm in his convictions. Once a doctor prescribed meat soup for his ailing wife, but Ram would not approve of it. He said, “Let my wife die, but I won’t allow meat to enter my house.” Fortunately his wife recovered without the soup.
Even during his boyhood, Ram had been strong, assertive, and masculine. He was a leader in the local gymnasium, the theatre club, and other social organizations, and people respected him for his character and integrity. Knowing Ram’s faculty for leadership, Sri Ramakrishna called him “Captain,” and he also sometimes consulted with him. Once Girish Ghosh, while in a drunken state, humiliated the Master. The devotees were furious with Girish. But when Sri Ramakrishna told Ram about it, Ram defended Girish, suggesting that Girish was like the serpent Kaliya who had nothing to offer Sri Krishna but its venom. Immediately the Master forgot the affront and went with Ram to Girish’s house to forgive him.
Ram was free and frank with the Master, but he was also very outspoken and easily piqued. Once Adhar Sen arranged a recital of the Chandi at his house in Calcutta and invited the Master and many of the devotees. Ram was somehow overlooked. He became very upset when he heard about it and complained to the Master. But Sri Ramakrishna replied: “Suppose he didn’t invite you to his house. Why such a fuss about going to a place where the name of the Lord was sung? One may go unasked to participate in religious music. One doesn’t have to be invited.”
On Sundays and holidays many devotees would visit the Master at Dakshineswar and ask him questions about spiritual life. Ram wanted to preserve the Master’s words, so he always carried a pencil and paper with him. While Sri Ramakrishna was answering the devotees’ questions, Ram would write down what he was saying. Seeing Ram’s enthusiasm and sincerity, the Master said to him one day: “Why do you take so much trouble? Later your mind will be your guru and will give you the proper guidance whenever you are faced with life’s problems.”
In September 1885 Sri Ramakrishna moved to Shyampukur, in the northern section of Calcutta, for his cancer treatment. Ram took an active part in the arrangements that were made for the Master’s care. As the day of Kali Puja approached, the Master expressed a desire to celebrate the occasion with a worship of the Divine Mother and asked the devotees to collect the necessary materials. Accordingly, they procured flowers, fruits, sweets, sandal paste, incense, and candles. When the auspicious time came they placed them in front of the Master, thinking that he would perform the worship. There was no image. The devotees sat around the Master silently waiting, but he remained absorbed in meditation. All of a sudden the thought came to Ram’s mind: “It is needless for the Master to perform worship. We shall worship him.” Ram whispered this idea to Girish, who responded: “What did you say? Is the Master waiting to accept our worship?” Immediately Girish took some flowers and offered them to the Master, saying, “Victory to Sri Ramakrishna! Victory to Mother!” The hair of the Master’s body stood on end and he entered into samadhi. His face was radiant with a divine smile. The rest of the devotees also offered flowers to the Master and were blessed.
It is noteworthy that Ram was the first person to publish a biography of Sri Ramakrishna, the first to build a temple for the worship of the Master’s relics, and the first to preach publicly that Sri Ramakrishna was an avatar.
Ram realized that people would not listen to his lectures on Sri Ramakrishna, who was the embodiment of renunciation and purity, if he himself did not renounce lust and gold. According to Sri Ramakrishna, true religion is in uniting the mind and speech; and Ram sincerely endeavoured to translate the Master’s teachings into his own life.
God tests His devotees in many ways. A real lover of God is one who can overcome all temptations. Once a Calcutta merchant imported four shiploads of kerosene oil from England. Before marketing the oil, however, he had to bring a sample to Ram for chemical analysis. Ram tested the sample three times and found that it was short by three points, so he would not approve the kerosene for marketing. The merchant was deeply distressed, for it meant the loss of millions of rupees. He offered Ram a bribe of forty thousand rupees to approve the merchandise, but Ram refused to accept the money and told the merchant that he could never write a false certificate.34 Although Ram received many such offers, he never deviated from the truth.
Ram’s surrender to the Master was phenomenal. During the later part of his life someone asked him why he had not saved some money for his wife and children. He replied: “If I had wanted, I could easily have saved a lot of money, but I never felt that I was maintaining my family. I know the Lord provides everything for my wife and children, and after my death He will continue to do so.”
Ordinarily, when people get together, they love to chat, gossip, or criticize others. But to Ram worldly conversation was like deadly poison, and he would not allow anyone in his presence to talk about anything other than the Master or spiritual life. Whenever he talked about Sri Ramakrishna, his face would beam with joy and tears would flow from his eyes. His faith and devotion were palpable.
One day Swami Vivekananda came to see him. It was a wonderful reunion between these two great disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. While they were talking about their time with the Master, Ram had to go to the bathroom. Since there was no one else present, Swami Vivekananda helped him put on his slippers. Seeing Swami Vivekananda’s humility, tears came to Ram’s eyes and he said: “Bille [Swami Vivekananda’s family nickname], I thought that after travelling to America and becoming famous you would have forgotten us. But now I see that you are my same little brother Bille.” (Ram Chandra Datta and Swami Vivekananda were cousins.)