Book Extract - The Glory of God Name

by Life Positive

Who is there?” “Two wandering Sadhus come for the darshan of Kali,” replied Ramdas.

“That is all right, you cannot come in now, you may do so tomorrow morning.”

So saying the friend was about to close the door in the face of the Sadhus, but both of them quietly got in, in spite of his remonstrances, and he was found later to be the night-watchman. Both the Sadhus walked into the large square of the temple, fully resolved not to turn back until they obtained the darshan of Kali. The kind watchman who got wild at first, softened, and told the pilgrims that they could get the darshan of Kali, but they must not think of staying in the temple for the night, as it was against rules to do so.

“That is Kali’s affair – none of ours to think of at present,” replied Ramdas.

They walked to the place whence a light was proceeding, and found themselves standing in front of the image of Kali. A thrill of joy coursed through Ramdas’ frame at the sight of the figure of Kali – the beau ideal of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa – that well-known Saint of Dakshineshwar. While they were standing with folded hands before the idol, a friend issued out of the temple, and finding the Sadhus, gave them some of Kali’s prasad to eat. Ramdas then questioned if it was the wish of Mother Kali to grant them refuge for the night in the temple. The pujari – this kind friend was such – hesitated, and said:

“According to the rules of the temple, no outsiders are allowed to sleep during nights inside the temple precincts. However, since it is nearly midnight now, it would be hard indeed to send you out in the darkness and cold.”

O Ram! No rules, no regulations are binding upon Thy bhaktas. To utter Thy glorious name means to be at once free from all bonds, all ties, all rules and all fetters. Then the kind pujari friend led the Sadhus to an open dharmashala on the banks of the Ganges. He again provided them with some eatables and pressed them to eat. Ram’s kindness knows no bounds. In the place occupied by the Sadhus, sleep was out of question. Not only was the cold very severe due to the chill breeze blowing from the river, but also quite a host of mosquitoes commenced attacking the Sadhus in grim earnest.

“This is a terrible state of things,” cried out the Sadhuram. “In Tirupati, there was only cold which was comparatively tolerable, but here, it is coupled with the sharp stings of mosquitoes.”

“It is all right, friend,” replied Ramdas. “Ram’s kindness cannot be sufficiently praised. He has found a most efficient method to keep Ramdas awake to enable him to perform Rambhajan without sleep encroaching upon it in the least.”

“Well, well,” was all what the Sadhu said, who was now busy driving away the winged guests by waving to and fro the piece of cloth with which he covered his body. The Sadhu spent a very disturbed night, complaining, fretting and grumbling while Ramdas was struggling to bear it all by absorbing his mind in the meditation of Ram, who in a short time made him unconscious of his body, in which state he remained most of the night.