Why I feel closer to Thakur.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shyam,

 

Sorry it took me some time to reply to your post. I was out of station.

 

Though it was Swamiji who came to me first, I took a liking to Thakur the moment I set my eyes on him. I remember the incident vividly even if it was during my very early childhood. I was not yet into school but I could read bengali fluently, thanks due to my mothers efforts. I was going through a comic strip on Swamiji. It was very interesting but I really perked up when I came across a sketch of Thakur. Instantly there arose the thought in my mind, "Here is the person I'm looking for." And that was that.

 

Two years later I was taken to the Bhubaneswar center of the Ramakrishna Mission. The atmosphere within was electric and I remember wonderting if that was the heaven people talk about. I remember looking around at the trees in the campus, wide eyed and searching for God. There was a trick picture in the main hall, it is still there, where you could see all the three, Thakur, Ma and Swamiji, depending on the angles you looked from. I spent the most part of my time in front of that picture frame. I don't remember much but I was under the impression that I had seen a very bulky Sadhu. Later I realised that I had actually seen a oil painting of Raja Maharaj. The monk in charge was most probably Revered Swami Suparnanandaji. That was 1967. I was five years old.

 

Another reason for my bias towards Thakur is that I was born in Bankura, in a village called Bhuteswar. The village, where I spent my childhood, is almost a replica of Joyrambati and Kamarpukur and carries a similiar atmosphere. This may be due to the presence of a Shiva temple in the village which has not survived the ravages of time. So Thakur always seemed very close to me, almost a resident of my own village. I have never felt that he is God. To me he is a close relative, my baba. Mother too similiarly evokes more familiarity than devotion.

 

I have no preference for wealth and luxury, nor name or fame. Thakur suits me to a T. I like him as it is, a simple man clad in a dhoti. My dream is to be a small child sitting in his lap, clasping his hands around me. That is all that I ask for. I could spend all eternity without asking anything else from him. I'm sure he would let me play around in his village and occasionaly dirty myself in the banks of the river. Mother would give me some rice and muri to chew upon. There is a small child within me whom I carefully nurture with this particular aim in mind.

 

I know what Swamiji is worth. That is why I respect him so much. I cannot ignore a divine being whom Thakur himself worshipped. But to me Swamiji is God and Thakur is a relative. I hope you understand. I would prostrate before Swamiji and playfully tug at the dhoti of Thakur. I could hide myself behind the anchal of Mothers sari. Incidentally Swamiji lives in my own Guruji, the present President Maharaj. He doesn't know me personally but I have had the good fortune of serving him a little.

 

Regarding President Maharaj, Most Revered Swami Ranganathanandaji, I hope he is well. His phone is constantly engaged and I'm not getting through to Revered Swami Asimatmanandaji, his Secretary.

 

Love & Regards,

Jagannath.

 

 

 

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