Ramakrishna and Girish

[Guest guest]

Namaste: Ramakrishna had a wonderful disciple, Girish. He was a

playwrite and actor, and was famous for his writting and acting

skills. When he met Ramakrishna for the first time, he felt

something, but it took him several years to really see and feel the

fullness of the Master. In the meantime he lead a very actrive life

of a libertine and actor / playwrite.

There is a famous story of Girish's surrender and it is published in a

book called: THEY LIVED WITH GOD, STORIES OF DIRECT DICISCIPLES OF

RAMAKRISHNA.

Girish could not give Ramakrishna a commitment regarding regular

worship and meditation. He said he was too undisciplined and too

independent and his schedule too erratic to make and keep any

commitment. So Ramakrishna proposed he just think of Him once or

twice a day. Girish still sensed a " commitment " and refused.He was

very honest and wanted to keep his word. If he made a promise, he

knew he had to keep it.

Finally Ramakrisha said, " ...do not concern yourself with commitments,

just give me your " power of attorney " , and I will take care of you.

You will not have to make any commitments.

Well. Girish thought he was getting the best deal. No commitments,

just give Ramakrishna " power of attorney " .

So, he did. Immediately Girish said, " I have to go now " . Quickly

Ramakrishna replied: " ...you must say, can I depart now? For it is

through my blessing that you do whatever you do. You no longer have

any say in the matter. You have given me your " power of attorney " . Do

you think you have been bitten by a harmless water snake? No, you

have been bitten by a King Cobra. "

Well, brothers and sisters, Girish now knew he had given Ramakrishna

his all, and forever, Ramakrishna would take charge of his life. No

more " me and mine " , but now, " Thee and Thou " .

Girish went on to become a very powerful disciple of Ramakrishna, and

many came to know of the Master through him. Even in his old age,

long after Ramakrishna had passed, Girish said he could not even

breath without the Master's consent. He would be in bhav samadhi just

talking about the Master.

I have taken liberties with the actual statements from the text, and

the book is very well written and engaging, but the central point of

the story, which I have read many times is this: A Master has the

power to bring freedom to His disciple. So what is the disciple's

responsibility?

I leave you all with that question and hope we can discuss this point.

 

Jai Ma Jai Swami

 

vishweshwar

[Guest guest]

, " inspectionconnection108 "

<inspectionconnection108 wrote:

> I love that book! My copy is well worn. Girish's story is one of my

favorites and also the one that raises the most questions for me

about the Guru/Disciple relationship. They had a very unique

relationship. With most teachers, the student is first asked to

purify his/her life, and to abstain from meat, alcohol, smoking, sex

and excessive social interaction. Yet Shri Ramakrishna never asked

Girish to change his lifestyle and even defended Girish against the

complaints of more conservative-minded devotees.

 

" A Master has the power to bring freedom to His disciple. So what is

the disciple's responsibility? "

 

Honesty and trust...

In the case of Shri Ramakrishna and Girish it seems to me as if Shri

Ramakrishna, as a Real Cobra, had the power to read the hearts, the

karma of those who came to him. Girish knew he had been " read " most

fully and intimately by the Master including all his faults and

merits. I think that Girish had the intense feeling inside that the

Master knew who he was the deepest level of his being, and Girish was

able to see the Light of the Mother within himself under the Master's

gaze. Seeing even a small spark of the Light of the Mother within

one's own self opens the inner eyes to the Blazing Light of the

Mother in the Guru. I think that Girish's act of surrender was rooted

in a feeling of perfect honesty and trust arising from his experience

of who the Master was. The Master then guided Girish's life to work

out his karmas in the way that was the most spritually beneficial to

all, including us who are inspired by his story today.

Love,

Leela

 

 

> Namaste: Ramakrishna had a wonderful disciple, Girish. He was a

> playwrite and actor, and was famous for his writting and acting

> skills. When he met Ramakrishna for the first time, he felt

> something, but it took him several years to really see and feel the

> fullness of the Master. In the meantime he lead a very actrive life

> of a libertine and actor / playwrite.

> There is a famous story of Girish's surrender and it is published

in a

> book called: THEY LIVED WITH GOD, STORIES OF DIRECT DICISCIPLES OF

> RAMAKRISHNA.

> Girish could not give Ramakrishna a commitment regarding regular

> worship and meditation. He said he was too undisciplined and too

> independent and his schedule too erratic to make and keep any

> commitment. So Ramakrishna proposed he just think of Him once or

> twice a day. Girish still sensed a " commitment " and refused.He was

> very honest and wanted to keep his word. If he made a promise, he

> knew he had to keep it.

> Finally Ramakrisha said, " ...do not concern yourself with

commitments,

> just give me your " power of attorney " , and I will take care of you.

> You will not have to make any commitments.

> Well. Girish thought he was getting the best deal. No commitments,

> just give Ramakrishna " power of attorney " .

> So, he did. Immediately Girish said, " I have to go now " . Quickly

> Ramakrishna replied: " ...you must say, can I depart now? For it is

> through my blessing that you do whatever you do. You no longer have

> any say in the matter. You have given me your " power of attorney " .

Do

> you think you have been bitten by a harmless water snake? No, you

> have been bitten by a King Cobra. "

> Well, brothers and sisters, Girish now knew he had given Ramakrishna

> his all, and forever, Ramakrishna would take charge of his life. No

> more " me and mine " , but now, " Thee and Thou " .

> Girish went on to become a very powerful disciple of Ramakrishna,

and

> many came to know of the Master through him. Even in his old age,

> long after Ramakrishna had passed, Girish said he could not even

> breath without the Master's consent. He would be in bhav samadhi

just

> talking about the Master.

> I have taken liberties with the actual statements from the text, and

> the book is very well written and engaging, but the central point of

> the story, which I have read many times is this: A Master has the

> power to bring freedom to His disciple. So what is the disciple's

> responsibility?

> I leave you all with that question and hope we can discuss this

point.

>

> Jai Ma Jai Swami

>

> vishweshwar

>