It was on a New Year Day Sri Ramakrishna blessed every one saying: “May you all be blessed with the spiritual awakening?” Some one may raise a question: ‘Does God bless only on new year day or on all days too? Whoever presents himself/herself before God with prayerful attitude then it is a New Year day and surely it is a day of blessing. It is said by Sri Ramakrishna that the wind of God’s grace is incessantly blowing. One who keeps the sail of one’s mind unfurled will catch the favourable wind of His grace and reach one’s destination. Jesus Christ also said, “… One who seeks will find, and for one who knocks it will be opened” (The Gospel of Thomas,94).
This wonderful incident happened on 1st January in1886. At that time Ramakrishna was suffering from cancer and lying sick at Cossipore Garden House[see picture] in Kolkata. On that particular New Year day he felt better. Being a holiday many of his devotees had come to see him and have his blessings. Though he used to lie down all the time in his room he came down for a walk in the vast garden.
“When Sri Ramakrishna came downstairs at 3 pm more than thirty devotees were there. As soon as they saw him, all got up out of reverence and bowed down to him. When he came to the middle of the path leading to gate, he saw devotees Girish (known as the father of Bengal Drama), Ram (a doctor), Atul and a few others. Sri Ramakrishna addressed to Girish [see the picture], “Girish, I find, you say to one and all every where so many things about ‘this’ [that I am an incarnation of God]; what have you seen and understood (about me) to make you to do so?” Girish remained completely unmoved, and kneeling down on the ground near his feet, said in a choked voice with his hands folded and face turned upwards, “what more can I say of Him, whose greatness Vyasa and Valmiki [great poets of Indian Epics Mahabharat and Ramayana]could not find words to express?” Sri Ramakrishna was charmed at fervent utterance of Girish, and blessing all the devotees assembled there through their representative Girish, said, “what more shall I say to you? May you all be blessed with the spiritual awakening?”Beside himself with love and compassion for the devotees, hardly had he said those few words when he went to Bhavasamdhi. Those words of profound blessing, untouched by the slightest tinge of the ego-sense, directly entered the devotees’ hearts, where they raised high billows of bliss [see below picture: Sri Ramakrishna in Samadhi].
The devotees became eager to bow down to him and take the dust of his feet; and filling the quarters with cries of “Victory to Ramakrishna”, began to saluting him one after another. As they were bowing down to him, the sea of Sri Ramakrishna’s compassion transcended all bounds and brought a wonderful phenomenon. He now began touching each of the devotees assembled on that day in that divine mood. The joy of the devotees knew no bounds at that act of Sri Ramakrishna.
Some devotees like Ramachandra have described the happening of that day as the transformation by Sri Ramakrishna of himself into the Wish fulfilling tree (Kalpataru- as per the Indian mythology is a magical tree, which blesses a person with anything which he or she desires.). But it is more reasonable to call it “the Self –revelation of Sri Ramakrishna or “the bestowal of freedom from fear on all devotees by revealing himself”.
It is very interesting to know about the spiritual experiences of the following two devotees whom Sri Ramakrishna touched on that occasion:
1. Ramlal Chattopadhyaya[See picture], a relative of Sri Ramakrishna was present that day and received his grace. When asked about his experience he said, “I could formerly see a part only of the holy Person of my chosen Ideal [Deity] with my mind’s eye at the time of meditation – when I saw the Person from the face to the waist, but could not see the holy feet; and whatever I saw never seemed to be alive. But no sooner had Sri Ramakrishna touched me that day then the form of my chosen Ideal appeared suddenly from head to foot in the lotus of my heart and looked benign and effulgent.”
2. Another devotee Vaikunthanath also received Sri Ramakrishna’s grace on that day. Sri Ramakrishna had earlier given him spiritual instruction and moulded his life. Further he rendered his life full of bliss by initiating him in a mantra.
“As soon as Sri Ramakrishna had blessed two or three of the devotees by his potent touch, Vaikunthanath came before him, bowed down to him with devotion and said, “Sir, please bestow your grace on me!” “But you have been given every thing,” said Sri Ramakrishna. “When you say,” said Vaikuntha, “every thing has been given, it is certainly so; but kindly do so, and that I too can understand it. Saying, “So be it,” Sri Ramakrishna touched his chest only for a moment in the ordinary way. “But,” said Vaikunthanath, “as the result of it, a great revolution took place in my mind. I saw the figure of Sri Ramakrishna lit up with gracious smile in the sky, in the houses, trees, plants, men and in whatever else I looked at. I did not know how to contain my delight within myself. That mental attitude and vision of mine continued for some days throughout my waking state. I became amazed and charmed with the holy vision of Sri Ramakrishna in all things. It continued to be so wherever I went, to the office or elsewhere on any business.”
Let us all pray to God on this New Year Day to bless us with eternal joy, peace and enlightenment.
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