A Ramakrishna story: Own Address

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Own Address

 

A rich man went to Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and said: " I've heard that

Godess Maha Kali herself comes to meet you. "

 

Shri Ramakrishna: " Yes, that is true. "

 

" When does she come? "

 

" That is not fixed. Is there a particular time when the God and the saints

pay a visit? They come at their own goodwill. "

 

" I want that you should help me a little. Whenever the Godess Maha Kali

comes at your place next time do send her to my house also. "

 

This person appeared very clever to Shri Ramakrishna therefore He said:

" That's OK! But you give me your address. "

 

The richman wrote his address on a piece of paper and gave it to Shri

Ramakrishna. Then Shri Ramakrishna said:

" Is this your address? "

 

" Yes Sir! This is definitely my address. "

 

" No, this is the address of your body. I can send the Mother (Goddess) only

if you give me your address. "

 

" My address! The rich person was bewildered. "

 

Shri Ramakrishna smiling said: " How can a person invite the Mother (Goddess)

without knowing his own address? "

 

The rich person stepped back silently and went away.

This is a fact! How can a person who thinks of the address of his body as

his own address invite the God? But he who comes to know of his address does

not need to invite God but he himself becomes God-like. '

 

" There is nothing that does not come from him.

Of everything he is the inmost Self.

He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.

You are that, Shvetaketu. "

 

 

" Please, Father, tell me more about this Self. "

 

 

" Yes, dear one, I will, " Uddalaka said.

" Strike at the root of a tree; it would bleed

But still live. Strike again at the top;

It would bleed but still live. The Self as life

Supports the tree, which stands firm and enjoys

The nourishment it receives.

If the Self leaves one branch, that branch withers.

If it leaves a second, that too withers.

If it leaves a third, that again withers.

Let it leave the whole tree, the whole tree dies.

Just so, dear one, when death comes and the Self

Departs from the body, the body dies.

But the Self dies not.

 

 

" There is nothing that does not come from him.

Of everything he is the inmost Self.

He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.

You are that Shvetaketu. "

 

 

" Please Father, tell me more about this Self. "

" Yes, dear one, I will, " Uddalaka said.

" Bring me a fruit from the nyagrodha tree. "

 

 

" Here it is, Sir. "

 

 

" Break it. What do you see? "

 

 

" Nothing at all. "

 

 

" That hidden essence you do not see, dear one,

From that a whole nyagrodha tree will grow.

There is nothing that does not come from him.

Of everything he is the inmost Self.

He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.

You are that, Shvetaketu. "

 

 

" Please, Father, tell me more about this Self. "

 

 

" Yes dear one, I will, " Uddalaka said.

" Place this salt in water and bring it here

Tomorrow morning. " The boy did.

" Where is that salt? " his father asked.

 

 

" I do not see it. "

 

 

" Sip here. How does it taste? "

 

 

" Salty, Father. "

 

 

" :And here? And there? "

 

 

" I taste salt everywhere. "

 

 

" It is everywhere, though we see it not.

Just so, dear one, the Self is everywhere,

Within all things although we see him not.

There is nothing that does not come from him.

Of everything he is the inmost Self.

He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.

You are that, Shvetaketu. "

 

 

" Please, Father, tell me more about this Self. "

 

 

" Yes, dear one, I will, " Uddalaka said.

 

 

" As a man from Gandhara, blindfolded,

Led away and left in a lonely place,

Turns to the east and west and north and south

And shouts, 'I am left here and cannot see! "

Until one removes his blindfold and says,

'There lies Gandhara; follow that path,'

And thus informed, able to see for himself,

The man inquires from village to village

And reaches his homeland at last-- just so,

My son, one who finds an illumined teacher

Attains to spiritual wisdom in the Self.

There is nothing that does not come from him.

Of everything he is the inmost Self.

He is the truth; he is the Self supreme.

You are that, Shvetaketu. "

 

 

-From the Chandogya Upanishad

 

--

With Love,

Ganesh Baba