Tulsi Maharaj's first meeting with Sri Ramakrishna.

[Guest guest]

Sri Ramakrishna Charanam Saranam; Sri Sri Ma

 

Dear list members,

Today is a holy day; the 138th birth anniversary of Swami Nirmalananda,

or lovingly known among the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna as Tulsi Maharaj

(1863-1938). He met Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna for the first time in late 1881

or probably in early 1882 at Balram Bose's house. As all of us know, Sri

Ramakrishna had many unique ways of attracting His Chosen Disciples to Him.

Tulsi Maharaj's first meeting with Sri Ramakrishna is worth reading. Just by

a mere glance, the Master aroused the latent spiritual power in the

disciple!

This is all we have in published versions about his first meeting, in

his own words:-

" Nivedita Lane and the tank on that side formerly belonged to us. The

quadrangle in front of the house occupied by the Boses now (1928) was the

place where we boys used to meet. There, we were chatting one day when we

heard that a paramahamsa had come to the house of 'the new kayasthas'.

Balaram Bose had bought that property from the Bannerjees and so the house

was called thus. At once, all the boys ran. I also hurried to my place, put

on a chhaddar and went to Balaram's house. I found that the hall, parlour

and the verandah was full. In the middle of the hall, a carpet was spread on

a cushion with pillows on it. The paramahamsa was not there. I learnt that

He had gone inside the house so that the ladies might have an opportunity to

meet Him. "

" I was but a lad of seventeen or eighteen summers and so I did not

venture to get inside the hall. I stood outside leaning against the wall of

the verandah. A little later, I saw a person clad in a towel of gerua

(ochre) colour coming towards me. His eyes seemed to observe nothing, for

they were half closed as in a state of reverie. Behind Him were a few

persons whom I did not know. Suddenly, He came to where I was standing and

looked at me! He did not exchange a single word with me. After that, He

staggered into the hall. "

" I stood non-plussed and forgot even to salute Him. At the moment, O

God! I felt a creeping sensation within my bososm, a thrill from head to

foot as if my body was becoming paralysed and I was inclined to weep. I ran

home and laying myself on the bed, I said to myself, 'O! What kind of a

Paramahamsa! I shall not go that way again'. That was my first meeting with

the Master " .

But, after a few days, Tulsi Maharaj went to Dakshineshwar Kali Temple

in the company of Hari Maharaj(Turiyananda) to meet Him. But Ramakrishna had

gone to Calcutta on that occasion. Then another day, he went alone to see

the Master walking all the way on foot from Calcutta to Dakshineshwar and

met the Master. The Master received the boy lovingly and hinted him to

accept Him as his Guru. Also, the Master clearly gave a definition to the

boy for the word, Guru. The Master said, " ........I mean, the one who brings

about the meeting of a person with his beloved Lord. He is the Guru; He is

everything. There is no difference between Him and God " .

Tulsi Maharaj understodd that it was a hint thrown to him to accept Him

in that light. Tulsi Maharaj finishes his narration thus:-

" After a while, He rose from the cot and placing His left hand on my

shoulder as a mark of favour, He said to me with great tenderness, 'Come

here now and then'. At this, my heart was filled with great joy " .