A GURU LESSON

Ramakrishna Paramhansa was great devotee of Kali, the mother Goddess. It was very difficult for Ramakrishna to discharge his normal daily routine as he was always in God Intoxicated state. Just small incidence was sufficient enough to put him in the state of Samdhi. Any devotional song acted as catalyst to make him unconscious and take him into the realm of absolute truth. Such a pure soul he was.

Still he was very much disciplined in carrying out daily worship to mother Goddess. He would wake up in the morning and after having bath in the Holy Ganges, used to spend hours and hours in practicing daily meditation. He could not miss this daily routine. He was very keen in observing that his inner disciples should follow the strict discipline of life and should practice meditation daily.

Vevekananda was one of his loved disciple. He always kept Vivekananda in high esteem. Ramakrishna was very much insistent that Vivekananda should follow all the disciple in his daily routine as well as he would spend hours and hours as Ramakrishna Paramhansa himself used to do.

Once Vivekananda was having one question that why Ramakrishan Paramhansa used to lead such a disciplined life. Why Ramkrishna Paramhansa used to spend hours and hours in spending time in mendiation? Ramkrishna was a God realized soul. He has already tasted the ultimate bliss. What was need for him to do all these daily rituals worshipping Goddess? One day Vivekanada put this question to his master. Ramakriishna did not say any this to Vivekanada.

Next day Ramakrishna ordered Vivekanada to fetch him a glass of water. Vivekanada taken one empty glass and washed it properly. Having washed the glass, he poured water into it and served it to Ramakrishna.

Ramakrishna asked,Naren (as Master used to refer Vivekananda with this name), why you have washed this glass. It was already so pure. What was need for purifying it again?

Vivekanada replied: Master some dirt must have been accumulated on this empty glass. Hence before serving water in this glass, it was required to be washed.

Ramakrishna Replied, Similarly is the situation with human body and mind. Irrespective of this fact howsoever pure is the body and mind of a man, dirt of maya is accumulated on it daily.

Just as in order to maintain the purity of human body, it is required to be fed on daily basis. It is required to be cleansed on daily basis. Similar is the situation with human mind and soul also.

Just imagine, if a man shall not cut his nails and hair, shall not take bath regularly, shall not urinate, what will happen to him? Naturally he can not remain healthy.

Similarly is the condition of human soul and consciousness. It is required to be cleansed on daily basis. It is required to be purified regularly. Such is the illusion of maya, that even Great Sage like Narada and Great Rishi Like Vishwamitra were not immune to it. What to say about such an ordinary soul like you and me.

Hence with meditation and worship, that dirt of maya is required to be washed away daily. Cleansing of mind is required to be done on daily basis. This is the reason why I purify my mind on daily basis by sitting in long hours of meditation on daily basis. This is the reason why I worship daily.

Since then Vivekanada understood the importance of doing practice of meditation on daily mediation and till his last days he continued with this.