Three years after the passing away of his father, Nag Mahashay became seriously ill with colic and dysentery. He said to his wife: “My prarabdha karma [action performed in a past life, the fruit of which is being reaped in the present life] has almost come to an end — only a little is left. Don’t worry about this cage of flesh and bones.”63 He refused any medical treatment, but he would take a little juice of the hinche green, a kind of medicinal creeper that grows on the surface of ponds, which Sri Ramakrishna had mentioned as being good for the stomach. He had very little body-consciousness. In spite of the cold winter weather, he left his room and moved to the porch, using only a torn blanket for his bed.
Sharat Babu hurried to Deobhog as soon as he heard of Nag Mahashay’s illness, and tended on him the last thirteen days of his life. Nag Mahashay said to him, “As long as life remains in this cage of flesh and bones, please talk to me about Sri Ramakrishna and the scriptures.” Three days before he passed away, he asked Sharat Babu to consult the almanac and find an auspicious date for a journey. As soon as Nag Mahashay heard the date, he said, “If you permit me, I shall start my journey on that day.” Sharat Babu was dumbfounded. With tearful eyes he reported the conversation to Sharatkamini.
During his last few days Nag Mahashay was in samadhi off and on. Because Sri Ramakrishna had asked him to stay at home and live the life of a householder, he had never gone on pilgrimage to the holy places, although he had gone to Gaya to perform the last rites for his father. Two days before he passed away, at 2:00 a.m., he said to Sharat Babu: “Sri Ramakrishna has come here to show me the holy places. Please tell me the names of holy places you have seen, and I will visit them one after another.” As Sharat Babu mentioned the name of each place — Hardwar, Prayag, Varanasi, and Puri — Nag Mahashay immediately had a vision of it and vividly described what he was seeing.66 Sharat Babu knew he was witnessing the blessing of Sri Ramakrishna upon his disciple, yet, seeing Nag Mahashay’s pain and suffering, he could not help thinking that God was a cruel Master. But Nag Mahashay read his mind and said: “Please, never doubt the boundless mercy of God. What good will this body be to the world? Look, I am bedridden; I cannot serve you, so Sri Ramakrishna, out of compassion, is taking away this body.” Then he said in a feeble voice, “Let the body and its suffering know each other; O my mind, you dwell in bliss.”
On 27 December 1899, the auspicious time of his final departure came. Nag Mahashay was in bhava samadhi. Sharat Babu began to chant the name of Sri Ramakrishna in his ear and, placing the picture of the Master in front of him, said, “This is the picture of your Master, in whose name you have renounced everything.” Nag Mahashay opened his eyes and saw the face of his beloved Master. With folded hands he saluted him and murmured, “Grace, grace — you blessed me out of your boundless mercy.” He then slowly merged into mahasamadhi. (Source: They Lived with God)