Love is reciprocal. If you love, you will be loved. We read about the devotees’ love for God in the biographies of the saints, but God’s boundless love for the devotees has seldom been recorded, because it is not possible for ordinary human beings to comprehend it. Sri Ramakrishna’s niece Lakshmi Devi told the following story of the Master’s love for Balaram and his family:
Once Balaram Babu came to Dakshineswar by boat with his wife and children. They visited with the Master for a while, and they all left for Calcutta in the afternoon. The Master himself went to the chandni ghat to see them off. Smiling at them, he said, “Come back again.”
Their boat pulled out into the river, and the Master stood there watching until they had gone quite a distance. In the meantime a storm began to blow and the sky quickly became dark with clouds. I noticed that the Master was quite worried. He started pacing back and forth like a restless boy, his anxiety increasing as he watched the progress of the violently rocking boat.
Impatiently he was asking everyone: “What will happen? Will Balaram and his family survive this storm? Alas! What will happen? People will say that Balaram went to see that worthless, unfortunate holy man in Dakshineswar and lost his life coming back. Tell me, what will happen?” Gradually the boat disappeared from sight. The Master returned to his room, his face gloomy, his mind very much disturbed, and he resumed his restless pacing, lamenting: “Mother, will You tarnish my face? Won’t You hear my prayer? Mother, what will happen?”
Seeing the Master’s state of mind, Jogin, without saying anything, set out for Calcutta in the midst of the storm to get what news he could of Balaram Babu. He took a share-carriage from Alambazar, and within a few hours he was back (by then night had fallen) and was able to report to the Master that Balaram Babu and his family had arrived home safely. The Master was overjoyed.
On another occasion Balaram’s wife, Krishnabhavini, was seriously ill. When the news reached the Master in Dakshineswar, he immediately said to the Holy Mother, “Please go and see her.” “How shall I go? There is no conveyance,” the Holy Mother replied. “What!” said the Master. “Balaram’s family is on the verge of a disaster, and you will not go to see them because you can’t get a vehicle! Walk! Go on foot!” Fortunately a palanquin was found, and the Holy Mother went in that to see her. (Source: They Lived with God)