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Thakur — A Life of Sri Ramakrishna
Born to Kushdiram Chattopadhyay and Chandra Devi at Kamarpukur in Hooghly district, he was the "greatest explorer of inner realms that world has known". Later, the Dakshineshwar temple became his home. Sri Ramakrishna’s yearning for the vision of Mother Kali grew more and more as he worshipped but he did not believe in rituals. The book is replete with many instances. Once he was worshipping without the sacred thread on his body. His nephew, Hriday, pointed this out to him but Ramakrishna replied him in a very composed manner: "Sacred thread symbolises bondage, it says I am a Brahmin and therefore superior. We should be free from the eight bonds (hatred, fear, shame, aversion, egoism, vanity, pride of noble descent and obsession with formal good conduct) that tie us down." His journey towards divinity is beautifully depicted. He would go into samadhi for long hours or at times for days. He was not satisfied with one vision of Mother Kali as his restless spirit hungered for more. He accepted nothing short of continuous union with Her. He constantly held conversation with the Mother. During intense moments, he composed and sang songs to Mother Kali. His close followers were disturbed by his unconventional behaviour. At times people thought he was insane. For Ramakrishna, religion was not to practice only rituals but the "celebration of divinity in diverse forms". He believed in harmony between all religions. He said: "All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. One should not think that ‘My religion alone is the right path and other religions are false’. I had to practise each religion for a time — Hinduism, Islam, Christianity. Infinite are the paths and infinite the opinions." His great mystic yearning for God was so deep and intense that people thought him to be crazy, but even his temperamental utter devotion commanded the same devotion from his disciples. His simplicity, transparency, serenity and devotion did not fit him in ordinary categories. He was a challenge and a riddle in every sense. Ramakrishna was trusting, open and naive like a child. These qualities attracted his followers from all walks of life. They received new strength from him, which helped them to move further in their spiritual journeys. The biography is highly illuminating, giving us the picture of Ramakrishna’s spiritual quest. His life has all the charisma, which attracts devotees to him. His boundless power and magnetism is inspiring. The author’s simple language and the vivid description of the incidents of his life, his spiritual journey and his intense yearning for Ma Kali transport readers to another world. His innocent child-like behaviour, practical approach towards spirituality and his utter devotion to the extent of insanity are beautifully brought out by the author. Ramakrishna was both divine and intensely human. It is difficult for anyone to fully understand and interpret the life of an "avtar", but Rajiv Mehrotra has done it well.
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THIS
biographical account is a tribute to the great mystic Sri Ramakrishna
who inspired people from diverse backgrounds and told them that
"with sincerity and earnestness, one can realise God through all
religions".