Hear the rippling holy waters of the Hooghly… the hearty hymns of divine love are in the air… What nectary voice! What ardent love for God!
"Mother, Yours is the bliss, Yours is the sorrow…
Just for pure devotion, I pray… I am a mere chariot,
Mother, You are the Charioteer… Please guide my way…"
More than a century has passed. Yet, these enlightening words of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa echo in the garbhagriha of Dakshineshwar Kali Temple. On the blessed occasion of his birth anniversary, let us voyage through his oceanic devotion.
One may wonder how he could attain such a height of boundless love. What made him “Paramhansa”? Let us understand this through his teachings on devotion, cast into a conversation with his disciples…
Devotees had gathered around him when Sri Ramakrishna was absorbed in divine rapture. A devotee interjected, “What I wanted did not happen. How can I immerse myself in devotion when it is harming me? People are beginning to consider me insane...”
Sri Ramakrishna explained, “People remain bereft of true devotion due to such constricted thinking. Cast away your doubts and love God unconditionally. Love for the sake of love without any expectation, desire, or motive. Rise above conditional love. Appreciate the different shades of love, different forms of expression. Then you shall attain the pinnacle of true selfless devotion! Tell God, “I’ll keep loving you, whether you love me or not.”
The devotee was not satisfied, “What is unconditional devotion?”
Sri Ramakrishna smiled, “Look all around you. The so-called practical people always have a purpose behind whatever they do. Many flatter others with an ulterior motive: ‘If I make him happy, then he will fulfil my need sooner and better. It is important to please her to seek her cooperation.’ As soon as their work gets accomplished, they stop heaping praises. This is conditional love.
“People not only expect love in return for love, but also expect to be loved in the same style and manner that they have loved others. Some may feed the other to express their love; some may give respect to the other as a token of their love; some may offer flowers, while some may offer their time and attention out of love. Love has many forms, and everyone has a different way of expressing it. However, when one wants others to reciprocate their love in the same manner, such love becomes conditional.
“True love does not come with any conditions attached. When love is devoid of conditions and stipulations, it is boundless. Such love brings about transformation within us. This is ‘unconditional devotion’.”
Another devotee questioned, “Have you really seen God? Some worship the form of God; some experience the formless divinity. There are so many such paths. How do I know what’s best for me?”
Ramakrishna persisted, “No path is of use as long as your devotion is lukewarm! Lukewarm water doesn’t steam up. It has to boil. It takes intense thirst, sincere rigorous effort, and uncompromising devotion to be worthy of God. Whether you wish to pursue God as a form, or as the formless truth, believe in whatever you want, but be steadfast in your conviction.”
Soon, he was absorbed in meditative stillness. His radiant smile silently answered everything.
Sri Ramakrishna was the epitome of divine devotion. During his time, not many people could understand his devotion; they considered him insane on account of his irrational behavior. As he was less educated, he didn’t know Sanskrit or any other formal language. So, he transmitted God more through his actions than words. He had soulful conversations with the few who could understand his devotion. They realized that he was beyond what they could ever comprehend!
He would always speak forthrightly. Only those, who could understand him, could grasp his wisdom and tread the path of Truth.
The way he could pick out the nectar of devotion from the grime of worldly life, the way he could distinguish the merit of intense thirst from lukewarm devotion… rightfully led to him being addressed as “Paramhansa.”
He remained absorbed in the sublime state of unconditional love for God and thus became instrumental for the awakening of the masses.
“Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa – the Devotee of Divine Devotion” authored by Sirshree
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