Guest guest Posted August 11, 1999 Report Share Posted August 11, 1999 Dear friends, Please find below wonderful association and discussion between Sri Ramakrishna and his treating doctor. It will be completed in four parts. (DR. C. S. SHAH) -------------------- Sri Ramakrishna and Dr. Mahendra Lal Sarkar Part 2 In the Company of Sri Ramakrishna 1. Initial Encounter Sri Ramakrishna had a peculiar gift of taking even the stranger into confidence. He used to speak to strangers about his visions and experiences without any pride and boasting. Sri Ramakrishna did not discount the role of dedicated intellectuals in the spiritual search. He held a high opinion about Dr. Sarkar whom he used to call a good doctor of noble character. The doctor developed sound friendship and relationship with the devotees namely, Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda), Master Mahashaya, and Girishchandra Ghosh. Was this deliberately planned by Sri Ramakrishna thinking that a cultured person like Dr. Sarkar would be benefited by the company of such devotees! Many times the conversation with the doctor was full of wit and humour. Sri Ramakrishna once took a dig at the modern educated people when he said, " They cannot believe in any fact simply because it is not so reported in the newspaper! " At other time the doctor was talking of a very improbable cause and effect relationship: a patient of his fell ill on ingesting the milk of a cow that had got wet in the rain! To this Sri Ramakrishna remarked with great sense of humour, " It is like saying that a man had an acid stomach because his coach passed under a tamarind tree! " Dr. Sarkar used to get excited during his conversations with Sri Ramakrishna and his devotees. The approach of Sri Ramakrishna was one of immense understanding and sympathy even at the excited behaviour of the doctor. Once the doctor said: " … But if anybody says that he has understood the whole of the endless and beginningless God; he is a liar and a cheat; a lunatic asylum is his fit residence. " Sri Ramakrishna smiled and said, " Right you are; those who ascribe a limit to God are low minded; I can't bear their words. " 2. From worldly beliefs to spiritual truths Thus, having taken the doctor into his confidence, Sri Ramakrishna asked one of his devotees to sing a particular song. He also explained the nuances therein. The doctor was very much pleased with Sri Ramakrishna. Then gradually the scope of discussion enlarged and the devotees also took part. It was brought to the notice of the doctor that his views may be rational and scientific, but this very fact is leading the scientists and the educated class away from God. They deny the power and existence of God outright. The doctor was thus gradually led from dry scientific materialism to the scientific spirituality. Doctor started accepting that different opinions were possible and equally true. Once the doctor went to see Sri Ramakrishna with his son, Amrita. During the conversation many topics were raised, like the definition and the need of Divine incarnation, value of faith on the path of spiritual progress, and about doing good to the world etc. During the talk, Sri Ramakrishna advised the doctor about the need to develop spiritual consciousness. He said to the doctor: " Your son is a nice boy. Why shouldn't he be? Does a mango tree of the fine variety ever bear sour mangoes? How firm his faith in God is! That man is true man whose mind dwells on God. He alone is a man whose spiritual consciousness has been awakened and who is firmly convinced that God alone is real and all else is illusory. He does not believe in Divine Incarnation; but what does that matter? It is enough if he believes that God exists, and that all this universe and all its living beings are the manifestations of His Power -like a rich man and his garden. " Sri Ramakrishna went on to tell that a fruit is said to be incomplete if we take only the fleshy portion neglecting the seeds and the shell. The seeds and shell are made of the same material as the fleshy portion itself. Similarly, in this world everything comes from the same God; God Himself has become everything. dr c s shah -- ==================================== E-magazine on science and spirituality. Visit: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/1704/index.html http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/index.html ==================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 12, 1999 Report Share Posted August 12, 1999 Whether anything else is Real or Not, Sri Ramakrishna's Words are Real! Dr C S Shah <drcssha Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna > Thursday, August 12, 1999 9:19 AM [ramakrishna] Dr Mahendra Lal Sarkar Part 2 >Dr C S Shah <drcssha > >Dear friends, >Please find below wonderful association and discussion between Sri >Ramakrishna and his treating doctor. It will be completed in four parts. >(DR. C. S. SHAH) >-------------------- > Sri Ramakrishna and Dr. Mahendra Lal Sarkar >Part 2 > >In the Company of Sri Ramakrishna > >1. Initial Encounter >Sri Ramakrishna had a peculiar gift of taking even the stranger into >confidence. He used to speak to strangers about his visions and >experiences without any pride and boasting. Sri Ramakrishna did not >discount the role of dedicated intellectuals in the spiritual search. He >held a high opinion about Dr. Sarkar whom he used to call a good doctor >of noble character. > >The doctor developed sound friendship and relationship with the devotees >namely, Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda), Master Mahashaya, and >Girishchandra Ghosh. Was this deliberately planned by Sri Ramakrishna >thinking that a cultured person like Dr. Sarkar would be benefited by >the company of such devotees! > >Many times the conversation with the doctor was full of wit and humour. >Sri Ramakrishna once took a dig at the modern educated people when he >said, " They cannot believe in any fact simply because it is not so >reported in the newspaper! " > >At other time the doctor was talking of a very improbable cause and >effect relationship: a patient of his fell ill on ingesting the milk of >a cow that had got wet in the rain! To this Sri Ramakrishna remarked >with great sense of humour, " It is like saying that a man had an acid >stomach because his coach passed under a tamarind tree! " > >Dr. Sarkar used to get excited during his conversations with Sri >Ramakrishna and his devotees. The approach of Sri Ramakrishna was one of >immense understanding and sympathy even at the excited behaviour of the >doctor. > >Once the doctor said: " … But if anybody says that he has understood the >whole of the endless and beginningless God; he is a liar and a cheat; a >lunatic asylum is his fit residence. " >Sri Ramakrishna smiled and said, " Right you are; those who ascribe a >limit to God are low minded; I can't bear their words. " > >2. From worldly beliefs to spiritual truths >Thus, having taken the doctor into his confidence, Sri Ramakrishna asked >one of his devotees to sing a particular song. He also explained the >nuances therein. The doctor was very much pleased with Sri Ramakrishna. >Then gradually the scope of discussion enlarged and the devotees also >took part. It was brought to the notice of the doctor that his views may >be rational and scientific, but this very fact is leading the scientists >and the educated class away from God. They deny the power and existence >of God outright. The doctor was thus gradually led from dry scientific >materialism to the scientific spirituality. Doctor started accepting >that different opinions were possible and equally true. > >Once the doctor went to see Sri Ramakrishna with his son, Amrita. During >the conversation many topics were raised, like the definition and the >need of Divine incarnation, value of faith on the path of spiritual >progress, and about doing good to the world etc. During the talk, Sri >Ramakrishna advised the doctor about the need to develop spiritual >consciousness. He said to the doctor: > > " Your son is a nice boy. Why shouldn't he be? Does a mango tree of the >fine variety ever bear sour mangoes? How firm his faith in God is! That >man is true man whose mind dwells on God. He alone is a man whose >spiritual consciousness has been awakened and who is firmly convinced >that God alone is real and all else is illusory. He does not believe in >Divine Incarnation; but what does that matter? It is enough if he >believes that God exists, and that all this universe and all its living >beings are the manifestations of His Power -like a rich man and his >garden. " > >Sri Ramakrishna went on to tell that a fruit is said to be incomplete if >we take only the fleshy portion neglecting the seeds and the shell. The >seeds and shell are made of the same material as the fleshy portion >itself. Similarly, in this world everything comes from the same God; God >Himself has become everything. > >dr c s shah >-- >==================================== >E-magazine on science and spirituality. Visit: > http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/1704/index.html > http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/index.html >==================================== > > >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > >Transfer your big list to ONElist and earn $500! >For program details, go to >/info/biglistbon_intro.html > >------ >Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah >Vivekananda Centre London >http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.