Portraits of Thomas Carlyle (left) & John Stuart Mill (right)

After some days Mill knocked at his door one night and entered the hall in a dazed condition, ‘What is it Mill?’ asked Carlyle.

‘My friend,’ stammered the philosopher gasping; ‘I am ….. I am ….sorry; your manuscript was swept away by the maid and destroyed except for a few torn pages.’

Carlyle was stunned!

Gathering his wits, he slowly said, ‘Why do you keep standing? Pray sit down. Well, what has happened has happened. So do not worry.’

Mill sat down with a sigh. He talked with his friend for hours, well past midnight thinking that he should console Carlyle. In the end Carlyle came closer to him and said ‘Listen, my friend! Now do not think about it any more. Take it like this; it is like a master asking a pupil who has written a bad essay to rewrite it to perfection.’

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‘Why are you crying, Grandma?’, asked Mohammed.

She said ‘This big flour sack fell down from my head. It is too heavy for me to carry, my son! I could manage to carry this far…. But…. Now it is impossible to go any further’

‘But why should you carry such a big sack full of flour?’ Mohammed enquired.

If I do not carry this to my master’s place soon I will be beaten to death. My master is very strict.’

‘Alright!’ Said the prophet ‘I will carry it on my head for you. Please show me the way to your master’s house.’

‘God bless you’ said the lady thanking him profusely, ‘you are like God - kind and compassionate to the helpless.’

When they reached their destination the master was astonished to see the kind man and he shouted,

‘Arre! Is it you, Paigambar sahib?’

‘Yes’ said the great prophet; ‘I gave a helping hand to this old lady.’

The master fell at the feet of the prophet and asked for pardon.

The Paigambar said, ‘All are same in the eyes of the Lord. We should not harass people. We should have consideration for the poor and the aged.’

The master agreed and said that he would never do it again.

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One morning, he went to bathe in a nearby river. There, he saw a beautiful girl who had actually come out of his palace. He stopped her and asked, ‘Oh Mother, who are you? Where are you going at this hour all along?’

She replied ‘O King! I am the goddess of wealth, I don’t stay at one place for long. But I stayed here for a long time, as you are a good man. Now I am leaving this place.’

‘Is it so? If you are not happy here, you may go’ said the king.

After some time another girl was passing along, ‘O Mother! Where are you going?’ asked the King. She said, ‘Your Majesty! I am the goddess of virtue. I follow the goddess of wealth.’

‘As you wish mother. You may go’, said the king

After sometime another lady came along. ‘Who are you and where are you going? asked the king. She replied ‘I am the goddess of justice. I reside where the goddess of virtue resides. So I am leaving.’

‘All right! I will not stop you’ said the king.

After sometime, he saw yet another lady ready to leave. The king asked, ‘Mother! Who are you and where are you going?’ She replied, ‘I am the goddess of truth. I stay where my sisters are. I am leaving as all my sisters have left.’

Hearing this, the king became very sad. He instantly fell at her feet and said, ‘Mother! Please be gracious. I did not worry where the other three left, but I cannot exist without truth. So kindly do not forsake me.’

The goddess of truth was moved by these words of the king and said, ‘All right, I am not leaving your kingdom.’ The king was happy and he said.’O Compassionate Mother! Glory to thee.’

Since Truth stayed back, the goddess of justice returned. She said, ‘O King! I stay only where the goddess of truth resides.

‘ It is my good fortune Mother! You are welcome!’ said the king.

Goddess of virtue returned and pointing to her two sisters said, ‘ I do not stay without them. So let me also stay back.’ After a while, the goddess of wealth too returned. She said, ‘without justice, virtue and truth, wealth will be the cause of disaster. So I too have returned.’

The happy king prostrated before the goddesses and said, ‘ O Mothers! Let the people of my kingdom too realize the greatness of truth and understand that wherever truth is, there will be justice, virtue and wealth.’

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Tongston lost all his interest in life. He used to sit in his house and watch through the window. He could only see the feet of the people walking. He could recognize all the shoes he had mended.

One day, a monk came and asked him to stitch his boots. Tongston replied that he had given up his job. The monk heard his whole story and said, “You want to live for your own happiness.” Tongston asked him ” What else should I live for?”

The monk said, ” You should live for Nirvana.” “How should I live for Nirvana?” Tongston asked.

The monk said, “Give up craving for desire, personal gratification and selfish living. By this you will get Nirvana”

Tongston got interested. He asked for more teaching. The monk went on teaching.

Tongston was also mending shoes for the king. The king saw his new life and asked him about this transformation in him.

Tongston narrated everything. The king asked him to bring the monk. The monk came and the king was very much impressed.

One day the king asked the monk, “What is happiness and how can it be obtained?”

The monk replied,”There is no absolute happiness. All happiness is temporary followed by suffering. Indeed dukha is inherent in our lives. It is due to our craving for individual satisfaction that we fall into dukha.”

The king asked how to get over it? The monk replied, “by noble 8 fold path. They are right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right recollection and right meditation.”

The king asked, “What is suffering?” The monk replied, “Birth, ageing, disease, death and every desire unfulfilled”

“How to avoid suffering?” the king asked. “It is by stopping the thirst,” replied the monk. “Can I also see Buddha?” the king asked.

“Why not? Sit along, with expectation - he will surely come.”

The next day the king sat in the room all alone looking at the window. Till noon, no one came. It was winter cold. An old man came with a spade to clear the snow. He had not enough cloth. He started talking to him for a while and gave him a cup of tea.

Then came an old lady with a child. The king gave her food and some milk to the child.

In the night he had a dream in which he saw Buddha. Buddha told him, I live in the form of these sufferings. Serving them is serving Me.

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…The next form that God had to take was that of a tortoise. The tortoise is the ugliest of all animals, but because it saved so many souls from death it could not but seem very beautiful. It came about thus. All living beings were subject to death, as they are now, and they hated it very much. Even the gods wished to escape from death and everyone was asking how it could be done. The gods held a great conference in the north polar regions, situated on the northern axis of the Earth. You know there is a line running from the pole star through the centre of the Earth and its two poles, which does not move. The Pole Star, you know, does not move. If you observe the heavens, you will see that all stars and heavenly bodies are moving round this line which is called the celestial axis. This line alone is fixed and every other particle of which the universe is composed is describing a circle round this fixed unchanging line. In that secluded and least changing spot, the gods had their meeting. The gods are the least changing among living beings. They do not die as often as we do; they only die at the end of a cycle, so they need a more fixed place to dwell in, and heaven, their abode, is therefor situated somewhere around this celestial axis. Hence it was at the North Pole that the gods congregated to consider how all people might avoid death. Everyone was very much troubled on account of the fear of death, and for this reason the gods were trying to find out the means of escaping it. Vishnu, the Protector of the universe, came forward and said to them: “My friends, I can tell you how to avoid death. Churn the ocean steadily for certain period and out of it nectar will come; drink that you will escape death.” “Very well, Master,” they all said, “ we are very thankful to you.” But what did the Lord mean?

When you churn, you separate the grosser part from the finer or more essential part. As for example, the more essential part of milk is butter, which comes out in churning. So when the Lord Vishnu advised to churn the ocean, He meant to separate the essential from the non-essential part; and how was that to be done? By incessant activity, not by stagnation. Stagnation is always death, so you must create commotion by incessant activity. Therefore, the Lord said, churn the ocean, stir it up; thus separate the essential from the non-essential and then you will avoid death. This advice of the Lord Vishnu was communicated to all the inhabitants of the universe and everyone was so happy to think of escaping death that all wished to help in the churning. Now there is a race of demons who are extremely powerful. They are the step brothers of the gods, their common father being Kashyapa. These also, wanting to be immortal came forward to help in churning the ocean; so demons and gods joined together to accomplish the task.

To churn, however, a big churning stick was needed, for the ocean was not like little water contained in a vessel. There was a big mountain, Mandara by name, which extended many hundred feet above the earth and many hundred feet under it; that alone would make a good churning stick. But they all declared they were too weak to uproot it from its base. SO, the Lord said: “Tell that most powerful and pious snake, Ananta, who holds the whole universe on his head, to take it up.” Ananta then lifted it up and carried it to the ocean. All found, however, that if it was placed on the earth, by its very weight it would enter into the earth again and they did not know what to do. Then the Lord, said. “ I shall support it for you; just place it on my back. What is it to Me to hold this mountain, when I have created the whole universe, and support it?” SO He assumed the form of a tortoise, a form which alone could suit the purpose, and they placed the mountain on His back.

Next a rope was necessary. Where to get a rope, long and strong enough? There was a great snake called Vasuki and the Lord said, “ That will do for your purpose”; so they wound that snake round the mountain. The gods took the tail and the demons the head and they began to churn. As they churned, millions of aquatic beings had to perish on account of the rapid revolution of the peak Mandara. Trees and plants and big boulders began to fall from it and were torn or broken to pieces and violently whirled with the frothy water. The demons had to suffer much because they had cought hold of the head side of Vasuki, which now and then began to throw out puffs of poison because of the tremendous strain upon its body. The gods did not suffer so much because they had caught hold of the tail end. After some time they all got tired; but in the meanwhile a considerable portion of the churned water had transformed itself into clarified butter of ghee, for it was the ocean of milk. Neither th gods nor the demons, however , were now able to continue further and they had to rest for a time. The Vishnu filled their bodies and minds with fresh strength and again they began to churn.

Out of the churned ocean as first product came the most beautiful moon. The churning continued and Lakshmi (the goddess of beauty) robed in white came out of the newly formed sea of ghee as the second product. Then came, one after the other, Varuni (the goddess of spirit and vigour), a spirited and beautiful white horse by name Uchchaishrava, a brilliant diamond by name Kaustubha, a wish yielding tree called Parijata and a wish-yielding cow by name Surabhi. Then Dhanavantari (the god of health) came out with a big white jar full of nectar in his hand and went towards the gods. Next, a beautiful elephant, named Airavata, with four white tusks came out and Indra secured the noble animal for himself. At last Vasuki, who by this time was tired to death, vomited an enormous quantity of poison that threatened to destroy the whole universe. At the request of the gods, Siva, the Father of all, swallowed the terrible poison and kept it inside His throat, which on that account became blue, and thus saved the universe from destruction.

As soon as the demons saw the jar of nectar, some of them went and snatched it from the hand of Dhanavantari and secured it for their own party. At this all the gods began to complain. Vishnu then assumed the form of a charming, beautiful lady and went to the side of the demons to entice them. The latter were so struck by her unparalleled beauty that when she came smiling to them and begged of them the jar of nectar, they were only too glad to give it to her. She slowly receded from them to the side of the gods, quite unperceived by the demons, who have been infatuated by her irresistible charm. As soon as she reached the gods, she made them all sit down and distributed to them the nectar, which they began to partake of with great joy and thankfulness.

The demons at last found out that they had been deceived by the woman but it was too late. When the gods were thus enjoying the nectar, a demon by name Rahu, assuming the form of a god, also sat along with them. This was found out by the Sun and the Moon, who communicated it to others and Vishnu at once struck off the head of the demon before the latter could swallow the little quantity of nectar that he had put into his mount. The big carcass of his body fell on the earth, while the head, having tasted the nectar, became immortal and has ever since been the greatest enemy of the Sun and the Moon, both of whom he swallows occasionally on new-moon and full-moon days, causing solar and lunar eclipses.

When the gods had taken their fill, the remainder of the nectar was kept with the moon, and that is why the moon is so very charming and soothing. A terrible fight then ensued between the gods and the demons, which ultimately ended in the total overthrow of the latter.

From all this we must learn one thing. The ocean has been regarded to be the home of waters. And what is the tendency of water? To go down. And what is the lowest level of it? The sea level. Therefore all water has the tendency to go down to the sea. As the sea is the home of waters and water is the source of all life, so the sea is the root of all life. What happens if it does not rain for one year? People die by millions. What does this mean? It means that water is the source of life. The Sanskrit word “Jivana” means both water and life. Hence water stands for life, and churning the ocean means churning life. Lazy people never achieve anything. But that man who is active knows how to churn life and such a man turns out to be the greatest explorer, the greatest writer, the greatest scientist or the greatest artist. The lazy people must ever remain the bullocks of society. They will have to do such work as bullocks do. They want to do nothing, and that is regarded by them as the highest ideal. The lazy man’s ideal is laziness. He thinks that that man is the happiest who has enough money to do nothing but eat, sleep and rest. Such people will naturally have to remain stagnated. They will never care to go anywhere or do anything. Churning the ocean means, therefore, making our life perfectly active and fruitful.

Life is made of two forces, - spiritual and material. Is man wholly spiritual ? No. If he were, he could not be able to live in this world at all. Is he absolutely material? No, if he were, he would be no better that a chair or a table. He is spirit because he can taste, touch, smell, see, hear and has the power to know. He is material when he sleeps, rests, and is inactive. What is man then? Man is a mixture of matter and spirit; and not only man but every living creature up to Brahma. The spirit aspect is the knowing side of existence, and matter side is that which comprises the form. Life thus is a mixture of matter and spirit. Hence if we churn life we separate matter from spirit. The ocean of life is a mixture of mortality and immortality and by its churning, that which is mortal and perishable is separated from the immortal and permanent. We should make our life perfectly active. We should make our eyes living eyes, our ears living ears, we should make all our senses, both external and internal living, all our faculties living. We should make the whole of our body living. We should never allow it to be lazy, or our mind to be lazy; we must make then all seek the highest ideal.

Again, of the changeable things that make up the earth, the mountain is the least changeable : and of all the changeable factors that make up the man, such as the body, the mind and the egoism ,the last is least changeable. And just as a mountain is fixed very strongly on account of the gravitation of the earth, in the same manner egoism is firmly fixed in earthly attractions or desires, that is, it is deeply rooted in matter. In order to churn this ocean of life, we must make this ego the churning stick, by pulling it away from all worldly attractions and fixing it firmly upon the eternal basis of God (Kurma), knowing Him to be the source of all attractions, enjoyments and powers. We must do this by the infinite power of of Viveka or discrimination (Ananta), which alone can clearly show that is real and what is unreal. We must equip our ego with patient application (Vasuki). The churning consists in the steady performance of various rounds amidst all the duties of life and perform them with unabated steadiness and unswerving zeal, uniting all the physical, mental and spiritual powers (demons and gods) together. This is what is called churning the ocean of life.

And out of such churning what will come? As the first product of it, you, who are a god and not a demon, will get a clear and unbiased mind which is presided over by them moon. Next, the goddess of beauty will favour you so that your appearance will be attractive (sattvic), and prone more to conserve than to dissipate the energies of the mind. Then you will be filled with vigour and spirit (Varuni). Fourthly, your limbs will be as swift as those of a fine horse (Uchchaisrava). Fifthly, your heart will be illumined to a certain extent as if by the lustre of a priceless diamond (Kaustubhamani). Sixthly, on account of this you will gain the rare power of a Yogi to get whatever you want or to give whatever others want of you (Parijata and Surabhi). Then in a healthy body and mind will rise up that nectar of immortalising wisdom, contained in the receptacle of your heart robed in the white dress of purity or sattva. When the highest wisdom is realised all activities cease to exist. “Partha, all Karmas come to an end at the appearance of wisdom.” (Gita IV, 33) “Just as burning flame reduces all fuel to ashes, so the ire of wisdom reduces all activities to ashes.” (Gita IV, 37). So wisdom threatens the life of the entire cosmos, which is ever active, and hence, in order to preserve the Creation from destruction, Siva, the ever-auspicious Lord of the universe, keeps the resulting death (poison) confined in one of His eight ever-active forms, namely, earth, water, fire, air, ether, the sun, the moon and the sacrificer.

This nectar of wisdom, you, the god, alone will have the privilege to enjoy and not the demon of your physical self, which must naturally have to remain mortal as before. Incontinence (Rahu) assuming the form of Zeal (Abhyasa and Vairagya) may try to deceive you in order to pass for a god, but he is sure to be detected by your clear and bright senses (Sun) and unbiassed and healthy mind (Moon), although they may now and then fall a prey to Rahu, but only for a very short time. Your immense physical and mental strength, being inoffensive and non-injurious, will be directed like that of a good elephant (Airavata) and not like that of a lion.

With the death of your physical body, your mind and senses do not die. When you give up this body, you take along with you your mind and senses. This you know when you drink the nectar of wisdom. Before that you idea of death is most frightful. Because by death you mean the annihilation not only of your body and mind, but of your entire being! Hence the desirability of churning this life which is made up of a peculiar mixture of spirit and matter…..

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Also he met Narendranath in college with whom he became a close friend. On hearing about Sri Ramakrishna he went to see him in Dakshineswar in the dress of a wrestler. Sri Ramakrishna received him warmly and asked him to play horse so that he may ride on him. In ecstasy Sri Ramakrishna rode on him. Every small incident of Sri Ramakrishna’s life is loaded with so much meaning and significance. In later years, it flashed to Bhavani that, in this funny act that day, Sri Ramakrishna meant that He wanted him to be a carrier of His message. But alas! The time was not yet ripe.

Bhavani was much attracted by the Christian teachings of Keshab Chandra Sen and Pratap Chandra Mazoomdar and so he embraced Protestantism. Within, one year he left Protestant faith and became a Catholic. In fact, from the very beginning of his life, his career was a bundle of paradoxes. He was a spiritual seeker as well as a heroic fighter, an orthodox Hindu Brahmin as well as a Christian neophyte. He preached Advaita Vedanta in England and Christianity in India. But at the base of these dichotomies there was his basic integrity of character and an openness of mind ever ready to absorb whatever was good and great.He emerged as a powerful preacher of Catholic Christianity.

He started a magazine called “Sophia” which became very popular. When Swami Vivekananda triumphed at Parliament of Religions at Chicago Bhavani waged a war against this new force of Hindu revivalism. He joined in the furore of the Christian missionaries against Vivekananda which threatened to sweep the Christian missionaries off their feet. He openly raised his voice against the tumultuous welcome that Vivekananda received on his arrival at Calcutta from the West. He protested against characterising Sri Ramakrishna as an incarnation of God and criticised Vivekananda for most hypocritically extolling the divinity of Sri Ramakrishna. Again, as in the case of Panchakori, Bhavani also had constant thoughts of Vivekananda even though with hatred. At this time the Christian ecclesiastics excommunicated him from Catholicism for calling himself an Indian catholic. He now became more drawn towards Vivekananda. He went to Belur Math, met Swami Vivekananda and talked with him for sometime. Swamiji, in spite of so much insult heaped on him by this old friend, most cordially invited and spoke to him of his plans about rejuvenating the decaying India. From that moment Bhavani felt strongly that it was his duty to serve his motherland than anything else. As years rolled on, he gradually realised what a great transformation his friend had brought on him in a single brief meeting. The greatest moment, however, came at the passing away of Vivekananda. Then and there Brahmabandhav took a vow on the funeral pyre that he would sacrifice the rest of his life for the good of his country.

A historian of Bengal later explained this significant event. He wrote : “Two fires were kindled from Swami Vivekananda’s funeral pyre. One was Nivedita and the other was Brahmabandhav Bandopadhyaya”. Shortly after this Brahmabandhav sailed for England in a monk’s saffron robe with only 27 rupees in hand. Unknown and inexperienced, initially he suffered from acute poverty and even thought of taking refuge in an orphanage. Fortunately, divine help came from somewhere and he lectured in Oxford and Cambridge Universities on Hindu Vedanta. After several lectures, he returned triumphantly to his native place.

He said, “Now I understand what Vivekananda is. He whose inspiration can drive a humble person like me across the seas, penniless, is no ordinary man. It was all like a dream that such a great work was accomplished by me. All these wee miracles brought about by the inspiration and power of Vivekananda. That is why, I sometimes wonder, “Who really is this Vivekananda? Swamiji, I was your friend in youth. How much of merry making I enjoyed with you. But then I never knew that there was a lion’s strength in your soul, a volcanic love for India in your heart. Today with all my humble strength, I have come to follow your way. In the midst of these fierce struggles, whenever I get torn and tossed, whenever despondency comes and covers my heart I look up to the great ideal you set forth, I recollect your leonine strength, meditate on the unplumbed depths of your passion – then all at once my weariness withers away.

A divine glow and a divine strength comes from somewhere and fills my mind and heart when I think of you in despondency”Brahmabandhav remained a great force in the renascent Bengal, defending his motherland and its cultural traditions and resisting the infiltration of western ideals into India, to the end of his life.Thus we see how Swami Vivekananda could transform completely the lives and attitudes of powerful personalities for the good of the mankind. There are of course still many persons in this field for discussion, but we shall wind up this series today.

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The creative mutation of Narendanath into Vivekananda, the metamorphosis of the Calcutta boy into a world prophet at whose feet the West had literally sat to learn of the ancient Indian wisdom was too great a fact for this Bengali conservative to act without heart-burn. He emerged as a powerful anti-Vivekanandist his pen writing denouncing of the Swami. It read in part, “When it is claimed that Vivekananda is the saviour of Hinduism, he is a monk, a dandi, a yogi or a Paramahamsa, the only we are compelled to raise a protest. But if Vivekananda is presented to us in his previous name, Babu Narendranth, we shall welcome him with all due ceremony.” Thus Panchkori succeeded in creating detractors.

The Maharaja of Darbhanga who had earlier agreed to preside over the Calcutta reception now declined. The Bangabasi tried to create a public opinion against the Calcutta public’s official recognition of Vivekananda’s success. But somehow the meeting went on successfully.Panchkori’s attacks, nevertheless, continued. The next explosion came when Vivekananda visited the Dakshineswar temple along with the Maharaja of Khetri. Under the influence of Panchkori, Trailokyanath Biswas, the owner of the temple, arranged cold reception for the Maharaja and Swamiji. He absented himself from receiving the Maharaja, in spite of Swamiji’s previous request. Immediately after this visit, Panchkori almost launched a war on “Shudra Vivekananda” who had defiled himself by crossing the seas and eating with the Mlechhas, by arrogating the power of calling himself a swami, which was so far allowed to no shudra. The Bangabasi published a distorted report of the Swami’s visit to the temple. It again compelled Babu Trailokyanath Biswas to publish a statement which reported how he was seriously concerned to protect the temple and Hinduism from the evil influence of Vivekananda, who was an outcaste on account of Western travels, and who had defiled the image of Mother Kali by his unholy presence.

The tail-end of this episode is worse than shameful. The image was reconsecrated and purified after this “unholy” visit of Vivekananda who was the embodiment of holiness itself. Bangbasi had won the battle at last. Bengali conservatives were crowned with the ineffaceable shame of banishing Vivekananda’s entry into the Dakshineswar Kali temple for the rest of his life. And all this happened due to the power of Panchkori ‘s pen. Swami Vivekananda’s heart was pained to learn that he can no more see his mother at Dakshineswar, that he can no more visit the place where he had first met Sri Ramkrishna and was so much transformed by his personality.Vivekananda, on his part, not only spurned the very idea of prayaschitta or purificatory penance after the sea-voyage, but held his ground with adamantine firmness. He quoted scriptures in his support. The conservative reaction increased. Numerous Bengali journals joined Bangabasi and attacked Vivekananda openly in the most perverse manner. But Swamiji treated them with an air of total indifference and sometimes even with humour. He never replied to their attacks.

It was for history and posterity to decide of Sri Ramakrishna had led him along the right way for the welfare of his countrymen or not. When the matter of attack was pointed out to him by a disciple, he spoke of the calm equanimity that a monk should possess with regard to worldly praise or blame. On an earlier occasion, when Vivekananda was warned to be cautious and compromising with the Christian missionaries, Swamiji replied, “The duty of an ordinary man is to obey the commands of the society. But the children of light never do so. This is an eternal law. The ordinary men accommodate themselves to the surroundings and social opinions and get all the things that are good from the society in return. But children of light draw the society up towards them. The ordinary man finds a path of roses. The spiritual man finds the path of thorns. Ultimately the ordinary men go to annihilation in a moment. But the children of light live for ever.”

These wonderful words, which Swamiji had uttered years back, now found practical demonstration in his own life at this stage.But Swamiji had irresistible power of attracting towards him all sincere souls who came into his contact. It is said in the Bhagavata that the Gopikas attained Sri Krishna through the love of Him, Kamsa attained him through constant fear and Sisupala through intense hatred. Such is the magnetic power of God and God-man with those who come in contact with them. Gradually all their passions are transmuted into one continuous absorption in God. The same thing happened to Panchkori. Constant friction with the world-force Vivekananda brought him the revelation of truth. He saw now in his boyhood Narendra, a new being transformed by the touch of Sri Ramakrishna. It was no more possible for Panchkori to continue in Bangabasi anymore. His period of conflict was coming to an end.

When Vivekananda passed away he was free to look at him with a clear conscience. He wrote in the obituary: “Bengal will not have, in ages to come, another jewel as that which it lost in Vivekananda. I remember his strong, well formed angelic body, the songs from his soft, cuckoo-like melodious voice, his pride, his dignity and radiance of knowledge. And above all, his fascinating power, simplicity and love of ascetic life. Slowly, one by one, memories are coming up and crowding my mind only to make me more tormented. We have to bear with the lot of common mortals. He who was divine left us in no while.”His opinion about Swami Vivekananda took the opposite turn gradually. He wrote his most stirring reminiscences on Vivekananda every word of which was charged with sincerity and pathos from a heart which knew not how to react to the happy return of this long rejected friend.

Panchkori wrote: “Vivekananda, who could make the luxurious baboos of Calcutta sit by the bedside of pox-afflicted patients unafraid, is verily the son of God, no, he must be God incarnate in man. He has passed away scattering abroad the seeds of his master and sounding the drums of his master’s glory. He has passed away after spelling out with thunderous solemnity the gospel of the great harmony of life in the ears of his people. The time to understand him and preach him has not yet come. That is why, buried in his memories, I am waiting for his coming. Come, my friend. It is said that you come when they call you with the fullness of their hearts. That is why I am calling you. Come in a different guise and fulfil your mission divine”

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Originally Rockefeller had an iron constitution. He possessed stalwart shoulders, erect carriage and a strong, brisk gait. Yet at 53, when most men are at a prime of their career, his shoulders drooped and he shambled as he walked.When he looked in a mirror he saw an old man. The ceaseless work, the endless worry the streams of abuse, the sleepless nights and the lack of exercises had exacted their toll. He was the richest man in the world, yet he had to live on a diet that a pauper would have scorned. His income was a million dollars a week, but two dollars would probably have paid for all that the doctors would allow his to eat. His skin had lost its colour it looked like old parchment drawn tight across the bones. And he could not survive without constant medical attention.All this was because of high tension living. He literally drove himself to the grave. Nothing lighted his countenance except the news of a good bargain. He pursued his goal of making money with grim determination. When he made a big profit, he would laugh and dance but if he lost money he would fall ill.

Once he shipped 40000 dollars worth grain but refused to insure it for a mere 150 dollars, though many of his colleagues suggested him to do so. That night a vicious storm raged on the sea and Rockefeller felt so worried about losing his cargo that the whole night he kept pacing the office floor without sleep. Morning, when one of his colleagues arrived he asked him to rush and get an insurance for the cargo. When the insurance arrived Rockefeller was in even worse state of nerves. For, in the meantime, a telegram had arrived intimating that the cargo had safely reached the destination. He was now sicker than ever for having wasted 150 dollars. He was so sick that he was bedridden for many days over 150 dollars, the man who, at that time was earning, 500000 dollars a year.

He had no time to play, no time for recreation, no time for anything except making money and teaching in Sunday school. When his partner purchased a pleasure boat and requested Rockefeller one Saturday afternoon to join him in the ride, Rockefeller was annoyed and said, “You are the most extravagant man I ever knew. You are injuring your credits at the banks and my credits too. You must know that you are wrecking our business. I am not going to join in your pleasure ride.” So saying, he stayed plugging in the office all Saturday afternoon.The same lack of humour, the same lack of perspective characterised Rockefeller throughout his career. With millions at his command he never put his head on the pillow without worrying about losing the future. It never occurred to him that this success may be only temporary, he was sane in every respect but mad about money.Rockefeller once confessed that he wanted to be loved. He was so cold and suspicious that few people ever liked him , let alone love him.

Rockefeller’s own brother hated him so much that he did not allow his family to enter the next house of Rockefeller’s. His employees and associates lived in a holy fear of him and ironically he was afraid of his employees- afraid that they may tell outside his office and give away his trade secrets. He signed a ten year contract with a partner and made him promise that he will not tell about it to anyone including his wife. Such was his suspicion and self-centredness.Then at the very peak of prosperity with gold flowing in his coffers like hot yellow lava down a volcano, his private word collapsed. Books and articles denounced the robber baron of the Standard oil Company for secret rebates with the rail roads and the ruthless crushing of his rivals. In the oil fields of Pennsylvania, Rockefeller was the most hated man of earth. He was hanged in effigy by the men he crushed.

Many of them, wanted to tie a rope around his withered neck and hang him onto the limb of a sour apple tree. Letters breathing fire and brimstone poured into his office – letters even threatening his life. He hired bodyguards to keep his enemies from killing him. He attempted to ignore this cyclone of hate. Once he said cynically, “You may kick me and abuse me provided you let me have my own way of making money. But he discovered that he was after all a human being. He could not digest the hatred heaped on him. His health began to crack down. He was puzzled and bewildered by this new enemy – illness- which at first attacked him from within. At the first he remained secretive about his occasional indispositions and tried to put his illness out of his mind. But insomnia, indigestion and loss of hair – all of physical symptoms of worry and collapse began to manifest themselves.

Finally the doctors told him the shocking truth. He could make his choice: Either his money and worries or his life. They warned him that he must either retire from the business or be ready to die. He retired. But before he did so, worry, greed and fear had already shattered his health.This was a period of transition in his life. He was confronted with his greatest enemy, his own self.

At this psychological moment of his life, he learnt of the wonderful and extraordinary Hindu monk Vivekananda staying in the house of one of his business colleagues in Chicago. Rockefeller was invited many times by this friend but he refused the invitation.One day, although he did not want to meet the Swamiji, he was pushed to do so by an impulse and went directly to the house of his friend, brushing aside the butler saying that he wanted to meet the Hindu monk. The butler ushered him into the living room and not waiting to be announced, Rockefeller entered Swamiji’s adjoining study room and was much surprised to see Swamiji behind the writing table, not even lifting his eyes to see who has entered.

After a while, in a quiet voice Swamiji, who had not seen Rockefeller even once, talked to him of his innermost secrets and anxieties. He talked of things which even his closest friends and relatives would not have known. It seemed miraculous, supernatural to Rockefeller. “How do you know all this? Who has talked of this to you?” he burst out. Swamiji looked at him with a quiet, calm smile on his lips as if a child standing before him had asked a foolish question. Swamiji said, “Forget the past. Became gay again. Build up your health. Do not dwell on your sorrows; Transmute your emotions into some form of creative external expression. Your spiritual health requires it. You are only a channel for God’s money that you have accumulated and it is your duty to do good to the world. God has given you all His wealth in order that you may get an opportunity to serve Him and His starving millions of children.”

On hearing this, Rockefeller was annoyed that anyone dared to talk to him in that manner. He left the room in irritation, not even saying goodbye. But after a week, again without being announced, he entered Swamiji’s study and finding him the same as before, threw on his desk a paper which told of his plans to donate an enormous sum of money towards financing a public institution. “Well, there you are Swami”. Rockefeller said, “You must be satisfied now and you can thank me for it.”Swamiji did not even lift his eyes, did not move for a time. Then taking the paper he quietly read it and said, “It is for you to thank me.” That was all.

That was Rockefeller’s first large donation to public welfare. From then on, he started giving his millions away. Sometimes it was not easy. When he offered a huge sum to church, all the pulpits over the country thundered back with cries of tainted money. But he kept on giving. When he learned of a starved little college on the shores of Lake Michigan that was being closed for the want of funds, he came to their rescue. He poured millions of dollars into that college and built it into the now world famous University of Chicago.

He tried to help the Negroes. He gave money to the Negro universities like the Tuskegee College, where funds were needed to carry on the work of George Washington Carver. He spent millions stamping out the greatest scourge disease that ever handicapped South America. And he went further – he established the great international foundation – the Rockefeller foundation – which fights diseases and ignorance all over the world even today.Never before in the history had ever there been even remotely anything like the Rockefeller foundation. It is something unique.

Rockefeller knew that all over the world there are many fine movements that men of vision start. Research is undertaken; colleges are founded; doctors struggle to fight the diseases. But only too often this high minded work has to die for the lack of sufficient funds. He decided to help these pioneers of humanity, not to take over their institutions, but to give them money and help them to help themselves. Today the world is thankful to Rockefeller for the discovery of penicillin, the cure of spinal meningitis a disease that used to kill 4 out of every children, and malaria, influenza, diphtheria and others.When Rockefeller gave away his money in this manner, he began to feel peace and happiness in him. He became contented and was so completely changed that he did not worry at all. In fact he refused even to lose on night’s sleep when he was forced to accept the greatest defeat of his career.

And that defeat came when the corporation he had built, the huge Standard Oil Company, was ordered to pay heaviest fine in the history of litigation. According to the US Govt the standard Oil company was a monopoly in direct violation of anti trust laws. The battle raged on for five years. The legal brains in the land fought interminably in what was up to then the longest court war in the history. At the end the Standard Oil Company lost.When the judgement was announced, the lawyers for the defence feared that Rockefeller would take it very hard. Little did they realize how much he had changed.

The lawyers contacted him over phone discussed the matter as gently as they could. But Rockefeller, far from being disheartened, consoled the lawyers and asked them not to bother, but to have a sound sleep that night. The very man who had taken to bed for having wasted 150 dollars in insurance could now digest the insult and penalty with light heart. Such was his transformation after meeting Vivekananda, even though on two brief occasions. This man whom the doctors gave up the hope of surviving at the age fifty three, now lived to see his ninety eighth year in a hale and healthy condition.

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Then he narrated an incident.A nephew of Sri Ramakrishna, named Ramalal was in Dakshineswar as the Head Priest after the Master’s passing away. Once a sadhu came from Ayodhya to Dakshineswar early in the morning. Ramalal saw this sadhu standing there covered with dust from head to foot. As soon as the man saw Ramalal, he said, “ I have come to meet the Paramahamsa. Where can I meet him?”. Ramalal was taken aback and said, “ Now the mangalarathi is going to begin. Come inside the temple.” That man did not enter because he was full of dust and he stood faraway in the temple hall. He saw the mangalarathi and then recited a beautiful stotra in praise of Mother Goddess. It was full devotion and it seemed as though the whole temple hall was vibrating with that and the Mother was highly pleased with it.

Ramalal took a long time cleaning the room and so on because he did not want to face the sadhu again. When he came out, the sadhu was standing in the same place with the same question. “I have come to meet the Paramahamsa. Where is he?”.Ramalal brought him to the room of Sri Ramakrishna and said, ‘This is the room where he used to stay. This is the small bed where he used to take his nap in the dytime and this is the big bed where he used to sleep’. Ramalal was using the past tense, ‘used to sleep, used to take rest’, so the sadhu said, ‘Why do you talk in this manner? I want to meet him. Where is he?’ . Very reluctantly Ramalal had to disclose him that Sri Ramakrishna was no longer alive, ‘Unfortunately you have come seven days late. He passed away a few days ago.’ I

t was a shock to the man!He later narrated that he was a sadhu doing tapasya in Ayodhya for a very long time. And one day he had the vision of his chosen deity, his Ishtam, who told him, ‘Now go to Dakshineswar. I have come in the person of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Why don’t you come and meet me?’. In the beginning the penniless sadhu did not believe it. He thought that it was his imagination. Later, thrice he had the same vision. Then he decided to go. He walked all the way as he had no money. He took rest at some places asking people on the way about the direction to go to West Bengal. After three months, he arrived at Dakshineswar, believing the words he had heard in his vision. He had reached his destination, and now here was this person saying that the Paramahamsa was no longer alive.

He was simply taken aback, ‘What is this? What do you say? It can not be!’ he exclaimed.Ramalal said, ‘I am very sorry. If you had come even fifteen days earlier you could have met him. He was not here of course. He was ill and was living in the Cossipore garden house and you could have met him there. But unfortunately, he no longer lives’. The sadhu was crestfallen. He could not believe it. He just rolled on the ground moaning, ‘What is this? Why did you cheat me like this? You could have told me you were’nt going to live, that you were not going to be in the body for more than three months and asked me to come immediately. You should have told me! Why did you deceive me?’.The tremendous blow was too much for him. That continued for some time. Later, it was time for worship in the room. People were coming and the sadhu just went outside and sat on the verandah. He sat there while the day passed and the night came. The sadhu did not move. Ramalal came and tried to console him, ‘Get up and have some rest. Take some food’. The sadhu just snubbed him saying, ‘Get out! I have not come for all that!’. Ramalal was afraid of this very tall and strong sadhu. He went away and did not say anything.

Another day and night passed. The sadhu was sitting in the same position. Sometimes he used to cry, but otherwise, he was quiet and calm. One more day passed, two days passed and third day came. Ramalal was afraid, because he was the person who spoke first with the sadhu. If he were to die there, Ramalal would be blamed. So again Ramalal went to console the sadhu and to make him get up and eat something, but he could not make him budge. The night also passed. It was hot that night. So Ramalal and others who were working in the temple slept outside on the verandah.That early next morning, before four o’clock, suddenly, Ramalal saw the sadhu, coming upto him on the verandah. He shook Ramalal and laughed shouting with great joy, ‘Did you not see him?’. At first Ramalal did not understand. He thought that may be the man had gone mad as he had not eaten for days and tired from travelling.

Then the sadhu said, ‘Did you not hear the sound of his wooden slippers? He came! Look here! He has given me this Payasam. He came from the side of the Panchavati. I heard the sound of his wooden slippers. He came near me and put his hand behind my back and said, ‘ What are you doing? Why are you crying? Where have I gone? See, look at me’. I was simply overwhelmed and looked at him. He embraced me and told me to get up, “Come, you must have a good wash”. He took me to the steps leading to the Ganga and then said, “Put some water in you burning eyes. Let them be cool”. With such loving words, he consoled and said, “Eat, you have not eaten for the last seven days. Eat my dear!” I could not eat. Tears of joy were flowing from my eyes and I was just looking at Sri Ramakrishna. After some time I could not see him any longer, but my heart was full of joy.”

After narrating this incident, Swami Vishuddhananda said, “Now do you believe it or not? You will say, this is just one of those stories”. He told us that even now that earthen pot in which the sadhu got the Payasam is kept at Dakshineswar and continued, “Tell me, how was his intense sorrow removed? How did he full of joy? Do you see how prayers are answered!’.Intense longing prayer… “I have come all the way…. and three days and three nights”. That is what the Master has promised in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. So three days and three nights of one constant, longing prayer, brought Sri Ramakrishna down. He had to come. Prayer has that wonderful power to bring the Almighty down to this earth.

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The queen Chudala by her spiritual power came to know the whole thing and during the absence of the King looked after the administration of the Kingdom after informing the ministers that the King had gone out somewhere in connection with an urgent work. After sometime, one day Chudala dressed herself as a celibate ascetic (Brahmachari) and went to the place where the King was. The king, seeing the arrival of a saintly ascetic saluted and welcomed him. He had a dialogue with him in the subject of attainment of Self realisation. The king was so impressed with the views of the ascetic (Chudala) that he requested him to become his preceptor and guide him.Chudala preached to the king that realisation of the Self could not be attained by performing Karmas (rituals etc), penances but it could be attained only by annihilation of all types of desires and renunciation.

As it is said,“Neither by performing sacrifices (that is vedic rites and rituals) nor by the help of subjects (servants, sons and families) and not by money but with renunciation alone can one achieve realisation and immortality.”(Maha- Narayano Up. Na karmanaa na prajayaa…..)Chudala frankly told the King that whoever had gained the nectar of Supreme Peace had always gained it by renunciation and not by performing any ritual or action not by money nor by the help of subordinates because all such things simply made a man indifferent to Self. She further exhorted the King to abandon the love of material things and take refuge in renunciation. The King had already renounced his kingdom, his wealth and his subordinates and had come to the forest and his love for worldly things had disappeared but even then his preceptor was exhorting him for renunciation.

He, therefore, felt surprised and could not understand what was left with him to renounced. He by and by also gave up his idea of considering his physical body, vital breath and his sense organs respectively as his Self. Even after that his preceptor exhorted him for renunciation. At last the king pleaded that nothing was left with him to be renounced. Then Chudala told him, “O King, give up even the pride of renunciation. Only then will your renunciation be complete and by that renunciation alone will you be able to protect your Self.” After that the King gave up his egotistical pride and became fully absorbed in his Self and realised it. Similar type of renunciation is hinted in Isavaasya Up. This egotistical pride is very dangerous and it is considered equal to killing the Self.

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