CHAPTER IX

VISIT TO A HINDU PANDIT AND PREACHER

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IT was the day of the great car festival of Jagannath. The streets of Calcutta were crowded with people. Boys and girls were playing along the way and amusing themselves by blowing horns and pipes made of palm-leaves. A light rain was falling and the roads were wet and muddy. [Abesha of Ramakrishna.] About four o'clock in the afternoon the Bhagavan came out of Ishan's [**] house and entered a carriage which was waiting for Him at the door. Immediately after taking his seat He lost sense-consciousness and went into that state of pure God-consciousness which He had often called His Abesha. The disciples followed their Divine

[paragraph continues] Master on foot, for they were eager to be present at this memorable meeting with Pandit Sasadhar, [**] the great preacher of the Vedanta philosophy and religion.

The Pandit was visiting a friend in Calcutta. As Sri Ramakrishna's carriage drew up at the entrance-door, He was warmly welcomed by the host and his people. Coming upstairs the Bhagavan met Sasadhar advancing towards Him. He appeared to be a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and around his neck was thrown a rosary of Rudraksha beads. He came forward with a reverential air, saluted the Bhagavan, and led Him to the parlor which was intended for His reception. The disciples and others went in after Him and seated themselves as near Him as they could. Among the many disciples present was Narendra. The Bhagavan, smiling in His semiconscious state,

said: "Very good, very good! Well, what kind of lectures do you give?"

Sasadhar: Revered Sir, I try to explain the truth taught by the Holy Scriptures.

Bhagavan: For this age Bhakti Yoga, communion with God by love, devotion and self-surrender, as practised by the Rishi Narada, is enjoined. There is hardly time for Karma Yoga, for doing the works laid upon man by the Scriptures. Do you not see that the well-known decoction of the ten medicinal roots (Dasamul Pachan) is not the medicine for fevers of the present day? The patient runs the risk of being carried off before the medicine has had time to take effect. "Fever-mixture" is therefore the order of the day. Teach them Karma if you like, but leave aside the head and tail of the fish. I tell people not to bother with the long ritual of Sandhya, but to repeat only the short Gayatri. [**] You are welcome to talk of work to such people if you must.