Excerpt from book Ramakrishna and the Vitality of Hinduism

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This is an excerpt from the book

 

" Ramakrishna And the Vitality of Hinduism "

by Solange Lemaitre

published by (1984) Overlook Press, New York.

(pages 59 and 60)

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Rani Rasmani spent a fortune for the construction of the garden

temple of Dakshineswar and its appurtenances, and she spent another

fortune for the ceremony of its dedication, which was held

on May 31, 1855. Since she was a sudra, she found it difficult to

enlist a Brahmin who would be willing to serve as a priest.

........

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But the atmosphere of the temple and its surroundings, the holy

solitude of the place, the respect shown to Ramkumar by Rani Rasmani

and Mathur Babu, the proximity of Ganges,

that great sacred river, and above al the living presence of the

Goddess, Kali, in the end overcame his (Ramakrishna's) last scruples.

Very rapidly Ramakrishna's religious zeal attracted the attention of

Mathur Babu, who one day asked him to take part in the service of

adoration in the temple of Kali. At about the same time,

Ramakrishna's sixteen year old nephew , Hriday, an intelligent,

inductrious youth arrived at Dakshineswar in search of employment.

This visit which gave Ramakrishna so much pleasure induced him to

become the officiant of the temple on condition that Hriday be made

his assistant.

The nephew was later to play an important part in the uncle's life.

Always quick to help him regardless of the cost in personal

sacrifice, Hriday was to follow Ramakrishna everywhere, like his

shadow, faithfully watching over him, especially during Ramakrishna's

spiritual experiments,which were sometimes dangerous when they were

of long duration.

 

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