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Thakur: A life of Sri
Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna was a truly secular saint, going to great lengths to explore the germ of the idea of various faiths. It is said that he went about practicing every faith that attracted him, in a meticulous way, till he had met all the prophets ‘in person’ and was satisfied with what he came across. In truth, he unveiled the identities behind the personae. While most holy men are content to deliver to their followers Truth, as they perceived it during their brief revelation/s, Sri Ramakrishna was not satisfied with a mere rendezvous with God. He chipped away slowly and steadily at all identities and isms including those of caste, creed and even gender by not only adopting, in turns, each of these paths but actually ‘being’ one of its members. To the extent that when he sought Krishna by dressing up as Radha, so intense was his yearning that his close associates witnessed subtle hormonal changes in him. He traced each river of belief to its origin, analyzing rationally everything that crossed his path. Therefore he spoke from experience and did not merely mouth scriptures. During the last phase of his life, he sowed the seeds of his learning and laid the foundation of the Order which is known to the world today as the Ramakrishna mission. He also gave to the world a remarkable disciple, Swami Vivekananda, who carried on the good work of the Thakur, the Master. What strikes one as strange is Thakur’s friendly way of leading his disciples, each according to his temperament and ability, on the path of spiritual discipline. The book succeeds in giving an overview of the sketchy details of his life and brief introductions of his disciples, especially for the first-time readers or foreigners- with the glossary of ‘Indian’ spiritual terms at the end. For a more fervent searcher, who wants to perhaps know the man who was so human and yet a Saint, the Mission’s libraries provide a richer fare.
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WE know the saint. It
would have been nice to know the man. Sri Ramakrishna was an enigma not
easily unravelled. His mystic experiences, as well as those of his
devotees, have been documented well by his followers. And still the man
behind the soft radiant smile on the book cover eludes everyone.