4. The Divine Mother Śrī Ramakrishna adapted himself to his new station and forgot everything else. Rāmkumār, being troubled by Śrī Ramakrishna’s love for solitude and growing indifference to the world, resolved to teach him the elaborate procedure of the worship of Kālī, so that, later, he might assume the task quite efficiently. As it is not considered advisable to

5. God-intoxication All these but confirmed the belief of the temple officials that Śrī Ramakrishna must be mad. So they sent a detailed report about these things to Mathur at Calcutta. Soon after this, Mathur paid a surprise visit to the temple, and he was struck with wonder at what he saw: It did not take Mathur long to decide

6. Bhairavī Brāhmaṇī and a Vaishnava Saint One morning in 1861 Śrī Ramakrishna was plucking flowers in the garden of Dakshineswar when he saw a country-boat coming towards the smaller bathing ghāṭ of the temple. A middle-aged, beautiful Bhairavī Sannyasini with long dishevelled hair stepped out of the boat; though nearly forty years of age, she looked much younger. Śrī

7. One with the Absolute Śrī Ramakrishna had by now practised all the different phases of devotion laid down in the scriptures of Bhakti, namely, Śānta, Dāsya, Sakhya, Vatsalya, and Madhura, and realized the same goal through each one of them. At this time there came to the garden of Dakshineswar a wonderful monk, Totāpuri by name. He was a

8. Travelling into other faiths As a result of the Advaita realization the mind of Śrī Ramakrishna had acquired a wonderful breadth, accepting all forms of religion as so many ways of reaching perfection. Towards the end of 1866, soon after his recovery from dysentery, Sri Ramakrishna was attracted by the faith and devotion of a Sufi mystic, Govinda Ray

9. FINDING DIVINITY IN THE WIFE As already stated, Śrī Ramakrishna became very weak after the attack of dysentery. About the month of May in the year 1867 he started for Kamarpukur accompanied by Hriday and Bhairavī Brahmāṇi for a change. The Master stayed at Kamarpukur for six or seven months. It was a great relaxation for him to enter

10. Pilgrimage About four years before the incidents narrated towards the close of the last chapter—in 1868— Mathur and his wife arranged for a pilgrimage to Northern India and wanted Śrī Ramakrishna to accompany them. At their earnest request the Master consented to be one of the party. They started on 27 January, and halted for a few days at

11. Contact with some notables Śrī Ramakrishna would find delight in meeting the leaders of thought and other prominent men of his time and in studying the spiritual condition of their life. In 1875 he saw Keshab Chandra Sen , who was the greatest figure of the Brāhmo movement of the time. Hearing of his piety, Śrī Ramakrishna wished to

12. Devotees Śrī Ramakrishna was now burning with a tremendous desire to meet his devotees—the favoured children of the Divine Mother—to whom he might pass his realizations for the good of humanity and the world. About this he would say later: “There was no limit to the yearning I had then. During the day-time I managed somehow to control it.