Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita - Vol. 1

my words. I may repeat them a million times. What is it to you?’

I smiled and said — Quite right, quite right.

After sometime he sat down and while repeating, ‘Om, Om’ he began to hymn a song.

Dive, dive O my mind, dive deep into the sea of His beauty.

Singing a couplet or two, and repeating, ‘Dive, dive,’ he himself dived deep.

The samadhi over, he began to pace up and down. He was wearing a dhoti. Pulling it up with both hands, he brought it right up to his waste. An end of it trailed on the ground while the other dangled a little. My companions and I began to make signs and whisper to each other, “He was wearing the dhoti nicely!” But after a while, saying, “Away, away you rag of a dhoti,” he threw it away and began pacing up and down naked. Bringing an umbrella and a walking stick from the northern side he asked us, “Are these yours - this umbrella and the walking stick?” I replied, “No, Sir.” He immediately said, “I already knew that these are not yours. Just by looking at umbrella and walking stick I can know a man. Surely these belong to that fellow who had swallowed so much like a demon.’’

After a while he sat to the north of his cot facing west (just as naked) as he was. As he sat, he asked me, “I say, do you consider me uncivilized?”

I said — No, you are very civilized. But why are you asking this?

Thakur — You see, Shivanath and others like him take me as uncivilized. When they come, I have to somehow wrap myself in this dhoti. Do you know Girish Ghosh?

I — Which Girish Ghosh? The one who runs a theatre?

Thakur — Yes. I — I have never seen him but I know him by name.

Thakur — He is a good man.

I — I hear he takes liqour. Doesn’t he?

Thakur — Maybe he drinks, but how long will he drink?

He says — Do you know Narendra?

I — No, sir.

Thakur — I would like you to meet him. He has passed his B.A. and he does not marry.

I — As you please, I shall meet him.

Thakur — There is kirtan (community singing of devotional songs) in Ram Dutta’s house today. You will find him there. Go there in the evening.

I — As you please.

Thakur — Will you go? You must definitely go.

I — Shall I disobey your order? I shall certainly go.

He showed me a number of pictures in the room. Then he asked me, “Is a picture of the Buddha Deva available?”

I — I hear, it is available.

Thakur — Bring me one picture of his.

I — As you say, I shall bring it next time when I come.

I could never meet him again. I was not lucky enough to sit again at his holy feet.

I went to Rama Babu’s house in the evening that day. I saw Narendra. Thakur was sitting and resting against a bolster in a room with Narendra to his right. I was in front. He asked