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North Kolkata: The Leela Kshetra

Between 1881 and 1886 — the last five years of Sri Ramakrishna’s sojourn on earth —twelve of the sixteen direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna lived in North Kolkata. They were eitherborn there or had moved there for education or work. In hindsight we can see the Divine Mother’splan in placing these young men in this…

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Preface

This is in response to a great demand for a shorter biography of Sri Ramakrishna whose message is spreading far and wide with ever-increasing rapidity. The matter is taken mostly from the Life of Sri Ramakrishna, published by us, though other available books have been consulted and the plan is quite different. A few sayings…

I-Introductory

The history of a nation is not made in a day. It is the result of centuries of silent working of manifold creative forces. It is in this way that the distinctive culture of a nation is formed. The history of India proves that a nation which stands loyal to its cultural traditions can never…

II – Parentage

Towards the middle of the eighteenth century there lived in the village of Derepore in the District of Hooghly, Bengal, a Brahmin family of which Manik Ram Chattopadhyaya was the head. He was a pious and kind-hearted man. With fifty acres of land at his disposal, he was able to meet the needs of his…

III – Birth and Boyhood

The blessed hour for which Khudiram and Chandra were anxiously waiting at last drew near. In the early hours of the morning of February 18, 1836, Chandra gave birth to a boy whom the world was to know afterwards by the name of Sri Ramakrishna. Learned astrologers predicted a great future for the child, and…

IV – In the Temple- Garden of Dakshineswar

At that time there was living in Calcutta a rich widow of great piety named Rani Rasmani. In 1847 she spent a fortune to found a temple to the great goddess Kali on the eastern bank of the Ganga at Dakshineswar, which is four miles to the north of Calcutta. In the midst of a…

V – The Divine Mother

Sri Ramakrishna adapted himself to his new station and forgot everything else. Ramkumar, being troubled by Sri Ramakrishna’s love for solitude and growing indifference to the world, resolved to teach him the elaborate procedure of the worship of Kali, so that, later, he might assume the task quite efficiently. As it is not considered advisable…

VI – God -Intoxication

All these but confirmed the belief of the temple officials that Sri Ramakrishna must be mad. So they sent a detailed report about these things to Mathur at Calcutta. Soon after this, Mathur paid a surprise visit to the temple, and he was struck with wonder at what he saw. It did not take Mathur…

VII-Bhairavi Brahmani and a Vaishnava Saint

One morning in 1861 Sri Ramakrishna was plucking flowers in the garden of Dakshineswar when he saw a country-boat coming towards the smaller bathing ghat of the temple. A middle-aged, beautiful Bhairavi Sannyasini with long dishevelled hair stepped out of the boat. Though nearly forty years of age, she looked much younger. Sri Ramakrishna calling…