Sri Ramakrishna on Sri Rama
“The one, who manifested Himself in Ayodhya, as Ramachandra, dear to Janaki, and in Brindavan as Krishnachandra, dear to Radha, for the purpose of establishing dharma in the past ages, has incarnated once more as Sri Ramakrishna in this human body for the establishment of dharma.”
Sri Ramakrishna became Hanuman
Sri Ramakrishna’s dâsya sâdhana is particularly interesting in that through his endeavours to enact the role of Hanuman, he was blessed with the vision of Sîtâ, the divine consort of Râma.
It was shortly after his vision of Kali that his attention was directed to Rama, the king of Ayodhya, an incarnation of the Lord Himself. Convinced that the quickest way to realise Him would be to become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of His greatest devotee, Hanumân, he took upon himself the task of reproducing as faithfully as possible Hanumân’s attitude towards Râma — that of the faithful servant’ towards the master. The following are his own words about the process and results of this form of practice:
“ By constant meditation on the glorious character of Hanumân I totally forgot my own identity. My daily life and style of food came to resemble those of Hanumân. I did not feign them, they came naturally to me. I tied my cloth round the waist, letting a portion of it hang down in the form of a tail, and jumped from place to place instead of walking. I lived on fruits and roots only, and these I preferred to eat without peeling. I passed most of the time on trees, calling out in a solemn voice, ‘Raghuvir! ’ My eyes looked restless like those of a monkey, and most wonderful of all, my lower backbone [coccyx] enlarged by about an inch. It gradually resumed its former size after that phase of the mind had passed on the completion of that course of discipline. In short, everything about me was more like a monkey than a human being. ”
At the end of this Sadhana he had a wonderful vision, so exceedingly vivid and no different from any of his previous ones, that it remained long in his memory. Referring to it the Master said. “One day I was seated in the place now known as Panchavati in quite a normal state of mind — not at all entranced when all of a sudden a luminous female figure of exquisite grace appeared before me. The place was illumined with her lustre. I perceived not her alone, but also the trees, the Ganges and everything. I observed that it was a human figure, being without such divine characteristics as three eyes and so on. But such a sublime countenance, expressive of love, sorrow, compassion and fortitude, is not commonly met with even in goddesses. Slowly she advanced from the north towards me, looking graciously on me all the while. I was amazed and was wondering who she might be, when a monkey with a cry suddenly jumped and sat by her. Then the idea flashed within me that this must be Sîtâ, whose whole life had been centred in Râma and who had misery only as her lot ! In an excess of emotion I was about to fall at her feet crying, ‘Mother,’ when she entered into my body, with the significant remark that the smile on her lips she bequeathed unto me ! I fell unconscious on the ground, overpowered with emotion. This was the first vision I had with eyes wide open, without meditation on anything.”
The Book on Rama
The Master said, “ On another occasion there came a Sadhu who bad absolute faith m the name of God. He also belonged to the faith of the Ramavat denomination. He had nothing with him except a water-pot and a book. The book was very dear to him. He used to worship it daily with flowers and opened and read it now and then. When I became acquainted with him, one day I persuaded him to lend me the book. When I opened it, I found that the only thing written in it with red ink in big letters, was “Aum Ramah”. He said, ‘What is the use of reading a large number of books? For, it is from the one divine Lord, that the Vedas and Puranas have come out; He and His name are non-separate. Therefore, what is contained m the four Vedas, the eighteen Puranas and all the other scriptures, is there in any one of His names That is why His name is my only companion.’ Such was the Sadhu’s faith in the name o£ God.