Re: Thakur could not touch metal

[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

Dear Devottes,

We all know that apart from women & money (Kamini and Kanchan), Thakur’s body used to experience great pain when it came in contact with any metal whether or not it was gold. However, He had no problem touching any other materials which are otherwise as innocuous as the metals (excluding gold), except that they were poor conductors or non-conductors.

I am curious to know why He treated metal (excluding gold) differently.

Any takes?   

Jai Thakur

[hemant hv]

 

Simplicity and Frugality

 

Money is an obstacle in the path of spiritual progress; this idea was so deep rooted in the mind of Sri Ramakrishna that he could not touch even a coin without getting pain or reflex withdrawal of the hand. Later in his life he was unable even to touch any metal because he thought that it also represented money. Sri Ramakrishna used to take a few coins in one hand and a few clumps of earth in the other; and sitting on the banks of Ganges used to throw both in the river telling both were equally useless for realizing God.

 

Simplicity and frugality are the divine virtues, rare to find in today's world. Only a few great souls reveal these qualities for the welfare of the common man. The naturalized intuitive simplicity and frugality in the life of Sri Ramakrishna and The Holy Mother are to be studied and meditated upon; for these rare qualities are the qualities of future human evolution! The highly developed consciousness in such persons, brought about by constant prayers, meditation, and contemplation, is the source of these values. Just as greed and lust are natural to ordinary human consciousness, renunciation, discrimination, simplicity, and frugality are the natural characteristics of spiritual persons. Truthfulness and purity go hand in hand with simplicity. These are the desired qualities for the well being of the human race that should enable us to reach the state of divine social consciousness.
 

Source: net

 

(Hemant)
 

[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

I am sorry brother but it is completely wrong and perhaps tantamount to blasphemy to say " Sri Ramakrishna used to take a few coins in one hand and a few clumps of earth in the other; and sitting on the banks of Ganges used to throw both in the river telling both were equally useless for realizing God." He did not "use to" do it, He did it only once.

 

Swami Saradananda in His biography refers to this incident and writes that ordinary people may keep throwing lumps of earth and coin everyday in the river but never realize what He realized by a single action. The reason He says is Thakur's mind, body and speech were completely tuned together. 

 

Later on (?)  when Srimat Totapuri told Him that one had to perform spiritual practice regularly just as the brass pot had to be cleaned everyday so that it did not stain, Thakur had cited the example of a Golden pot and said that the Golden pot would not stain even if it was not cleaned regularly. He is Gold.   

 

Thakur's analytic power, sense of logic, sharpness of intellect etc. were too sharp to have made the mistake and "thought that it (metal) also represented money" as though He did not know.

 

I happen to see a drama "Nati Binodini" which was staged here. I am sure everyone knows Binodini's name. She is the actress who used to work at Srimat Girish Ghosh's theatre who was blessed by Thakur. It completely sucked! They portrayed Thakur as though He was a mad person. I believe there are many who think that He was a mad person although none of His biographers have ever given any such impression. I only hope that the above explanation that He "thought that it (metal) also represented money" does not come from the assumption that He was a bit eccentric or something.   

 

It may sound preposterous and myself haughty and I am not sure but I think it has something to do with His unique nervous system which was such that by thinking of being Mahabeerji He grew a rudimentary tail and by thinking of being woman, His body behaved like that of a woman. 

 

Brother, it was certainly not because He was mistaken simple because He did not make any mistake ever. Let us delve deeper and meditate on Him to find out the true reason - it is certainly worth the effort. 

 

 Jai Gurumaharaj 

[hemant hv]

Dear Utpalji

Very clearly said. Thank you for educating me :-)

Hemant

[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

Hemant Babu,

 

Namaskar,

 

I can only share what I read in some of the books, my understanding of them, thoughts & sentiments and express my views - I have no intention of educating anyone.  

 

Jai Thakur

[hemant hv]

The fact is Thakur considered "Money" as the biggest evil of society and that is why He declared that "Money is Mud". Whether He actually did it once or many times but He actually said time and again "Taka Mati, Mati Taka", which is relevant for all times. He was very perceptive and farsighted.

 

Hemant

 

[radha ravivarma]

[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

 

According to Swami Chetananda's English translation of Thakur's biography by Swami Saradananda, Thakur chucked both clay and rupee to the River and His desire for money along with it. I used to think that He did so because He found that money and clay equally inadequate in helping Him achieve His mission of life. There is no reference to suggest that He "used to" throw clay and rupee in the few books that I read. I inferred that since He chucked His desire for money, He did it only once but I may be wrong (on a lighter vein - He would not have had so much money as to throw away).

 

I am not sure if there is any record to suggest that Thakur had actually condemned money as the biggest evil of society. I used to think that He was too practical to do that and it was the desire for money that He condemned. This is due to the following facts from Thakur's divine life:

 

1.   After He threw away money and clay to the River, He (due to His childlike nature) was a bit worried that by doing so He would have offended Goddess of wealth and thereby jeopardized His food supply.  

2.   He was a paid employee at the Kali Temple - His salary was Rs. 7 a month.

3.   His widow, Holy Mother, was entitled to pension (which however She did not get due to His nephew Ramlal Chatterjee but that is besides the point).

4.   Thakur had asked the Holy Mother as to how many rotis She used to eat in order to work out how much saving She would require for Her sustenance in His absence.

5.   Holy Mother had given a trunk to Her niece Radhu as a dowry at the time of her marriage. She was not aware that there was Rs. 1000.00 in it. Thakur appeared in Her vision and asked Her to retrieve the money.

6.   Holy Mother was travelling in a train sitting next to the window. She used to wear gold bangles. Thakur appeared to Her and cautioned Her lest someone snatched the bangle. 

7.   Thakur has advised us to provide for our wives’ (if they are faithful) sustenance in our absence.

I do not think it is right to think that Thakur did not altogether deal with money but He treated money just as He treated clay. Also, if Thakur thought metal represented money, how about paper – there was paper money at His time – would He have not thought that paper also represented money.   

He did not want His direct disciples to engage themselves in service because He had different plans for them.

Hari Guru, Guru Hari

[Tirtha Mitra]

I think Thakur did not condemn money as such. He thought money would come in his way of His total renunciation. He used to sign for his salary monthly. This money was being managed by Hriday. A Sanyasin should not save, so he could not carry food from devotees place or keep up something for tomorrow. Once he pressed ctrl+alt+del  with his mind, his body also rejected it permanently and that is what we see in his life. No wonder Mother used to say that He was 'Tyagider Badsha' - King of the renuncist. He understood the importance of money. He also wanted his disciple to be practical in life. We find that Yogen Maharaj was sent to buy a pot and inspite of Thakur's warning he believed the shopkeeper and he was cheated. He said that He performed 16 anna Tapasya and never asked others to repeat his practice as it is not possible for ordinary human beings. He also helped one householder devotee Tejchandra to locate his lost salary. He also blessed Upen so that he earns lot of money. He considered money as an evil for many things in society and was against accumulating wealth.
Thakur also decorated himself with ornaments while He was doing sadhana in Radha bhava. Mathur babu got him all those ornaments. He also had a gold Tabiz (armlet) on his arm. Mother commented that He was so fair that the armlet used to match his complexion. Therefore, it appears he must have left using metal much later as othewise he would not have worn ornaments. Do you have any idea of the chronology of this. He also got a pair of gold bangles made for Mother.

Jai Thakur
Tirthankar

[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

1. Throwing of clay and rupee to the River was an act of Thkur's own initiative and preceded His meeting Vairabhi Lady or taking monastic vows from Srimat Totapuri. Hence at that stage it was not necessary for Him not to save.  
2. I am not sure if He had pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del against touching money or it happened automatically, (consequent to His taking up monasticism just like He could not perform funeral rites for His Mother even after attempting it thrice) 
3. There is no record to suggest that He ever pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del against touching metal at any stage. 
4. Holy Mother came to Dakhinswar much after Thakur took up monasticism and after Mathur's passing away. It is possible that He could bear the touch of the Gold amulet till much after He became a monk. 
5. It is not known as to till when He could touch money.
6. He avoided signing at least two legal documents - I am not sure the chronology of the same
7. At least in one occasion He had said that His mood was changing - this change happened after Sri M met Him because Sri M has recorded this verbatim in the Gospel.  
8. His inability to touch metal had nothing to do with His "throwing of clay and rupee to the River" or because "He treated metal to represent money".

I suspect that His nervous system underwent some major change at some stage after 4 above - I do not know what and how. Perhaps His nervous system became much finer or the spectrum of frequency of perception widened so much that the frequency of metal caused some sort of discord or something in His system. I do not know - I hope someone explained this.  

Jai Thakur

[Sudip Roy]

WANT TO KNOW ABOUT BAMAKHEPA AND VIPADNASHINI MA TARA OF TARAPITH....   HOW SRI RAMAKRISHNA WAS DIFFERENT FROM BAMAKHEPA   DUJONEI TARA MAYER CHELE KINTU PARTHOKKO KOTHAYE

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[UTPAL CHAKRABARTY]

 

Although I try not to be blinkered but the thought of comparing Thakur with anyone else never crosses my mind just like I would not compare my mother with anyone else’s.

However, for the sake of record, it is significant that Thakur Himself provided a comparative analysis which tells us as to how He is different from others –

1.      Big ship (referring to Himself) can take several people across the water unlike a wooden log which sinks when one tries to grab it.

2.      Cobra (referring to Himself) instantly kills its prey unlike a water snake which struggles to swallow the prey to the discomfiture of both.

3.      The old currency system (others) which was used during previous ages is not useful in the present age.

 

Jai Thakur

[Tirtha Mitra]

Dear Utpal,
How wonderfully you explained taking cue from Thakur's own words.

Jai Thakur

Tirtha da

[Sudip Roy]

WANT TO KNOW ABOUT TARAPITH......IT IS SAID THAT THERE IS A JIVITAKUNDA NEAR TARAPITH MAHASHASHAN WHERE A BUSINESS SON WHO DIED WAS BROUGH ALIVE BY THE WATER OF JIVITAKUNDA SPRINKLED OVER HIM....WAT IS THE MYSTERY BEHIND THIS STORY....WAT IS THE REAL FACE OF MA TARA....IS JIVITAKINDA STILL THERE......

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[Tirtha Mitra]

Dear Sudip babu,
I think you post this mail to a forum for Tarapith devotees who would be able to clarify your doubts.
Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swamiji and other direct disciples of Thakur were spiritual powerhouses. The only Goal set by Sri Ramakrishna to His devotees was - God realization. He acquired all the Tanrtic powers (Astha siddhi) which could have brought a dead back to life and many others. But he never used them, lest the main focus of God realization is lost. He wanted to pass on all these Siddhis to Swamiji but Swamiji rejected these as he only wanted to realize God. Many Sadhakas acquire miracaluous powers after practicing intense spiritual discipline. We know of Girija and Chandra the two other disciples of Bhairavi Brahmani who had such miracleous powers, but they fell in life and Sri Ramakrishna had to withdraw these powers from them. We also find in the life of Buddha rejection of miracle. He told the mother, who lost her child to bring a handful of mustard from a house where no one died. An Avatara like Buddha could have brought the child back to life. Instead of doing this, He spiritually transformed the mother of the child. She could distinguish between real and unreal. So the mother got enlightened. What a blessing she received! Therefore, an Avatar is capable of transforming the life of an ordinary person. (Bikshane Moha Jaye - One glance to remove attachment, Tomader Sabar Chaitanya Houk - May you all be illuminated) We find that many devotees came to Thakur or Mother after losing their near or dear ones. With their blessing they enhanced spiritually and got transformed. Once the transformation comes, he /she does not feel sorrow. Thakur has given 3 boons to the devotees who take his name. The first one amongst these is freedom from sufferings. What does it mean? Does it mean that one will not suffer? No! He will give us strength to face and overcome suffering. A realized soul maintains sameness in pleasure and sufferings. This is to have control over one's emotions. As one progresses spiritually, step by step, the control over senses come automatically.
Therefore, the devotees of Holy Trio should not bother about or run after miracles. There are many miracles associated in the lives of Holy Trio and their disciples, Thakur willing such things might happen in our life also but we should not have any expectation.

Jai Thakur

[Sudip Roy]

BORO DHOOM LEGECHE RIDI KOMOLE BORO DHOOM LEGECHE RIDI KOMOLE MOJA DEKHIBE AYE MON PAGOLE BORO DHOOM LEGECHE RID KOMOLE   HOTECHE PAGOLER MELA KHYAPA KE KHEPITE NIYE HOTECHE PAGOLER MELA KHYAPAKE KHEPITE NIYE EBAR ANONDETE SHODANONDE ANONDOMOYI PORCHE DHULE BORO DHOOM LEGECHE RIDI KOMOLE   PREMIK PAGOL KORE SHOKOL TAYI BOLE AMAR MON KI BOLE JAR PITA MATA BODDHO PAGOL BHALO HOYE KI TADER CHELE BORO DHOOM LEGECHE RIDI KOMOLE

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[Sudip Roy]

DOOB DOOB DOOB DOON SHAGORE AMAR MON TOLA TOL KHUJLE PATAL TOLA TOL KHEUJLE PATAL PABIRE PREM ROTNO DHON DOOB DOOB DOOB DOOB SHAGORE AMAR MON     KHUJ KHUJ KHUJ KHUJLE PABI HRIDOYE MAJE VRINDABON DEEP DEEP DEEP GYANER BATI HRIDE JOLBE ONUKHHON DOOB DOOB DOOB DOOB SHAGORE AMAR MON   DANG DANG DANG DANGAYI DINGE JALAYAE AMAR SHEKON JON KUBIR BOLE SHON SHON SHON BHABO GURUR SRI CHORON DOOB DOOB DOOB DOOB SHAGORE AMAR MON

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[sabuj biswas]

Respected Sudipji,

It really good to see you ask this question here, as Sri Ramakrishna is the vent containing the whole concept of SPIRITUALITY in it, the meaning of the name signifying the person has expired years ago. Before answering your questions, let us get a brief history of Tarapeeth and the spirituality concerned with it.

Tarapeeth is a small village in the Birbhum area. Its easily accesible from Bolpur, and the nearest station being Rampurhat. Many centuries old, the Tarapeeth temple is to be build on the site where Sage Vasistha acquired the darshan of Sri Sri Tara, the second Mahavidya in the row of Dasa-Mahavidya(10 forms of Goddess kali). Sage Vasistha was meditating on Sri Sri Tara to get her darshan. He failed, and a heavenly voice declared unto him to go search Janardana, the avatara of Vishnu as he would be able to tell vasistha the exact path to get her darshan. He got instructions from Janardan that Sri Sri Tara has to be worshipped at the roots of white Shimul tree where here MON(the area between the two eyebrows) had fallen during Shiva-Tandava with sati's body. Vasistha went on doing his sadhana at the place and received mother's Darshan on the day of Kojagari Purnima.She was said to look radiantly dangerous mounting on a corpse, with four hands having a blue lotus, skull, dagger and snake in them. She wore nothing but a tiger skin around her waist and a fearful garland of human skulls. Her hairs were held in a mound tied with a snake. Though with all the scary appeal, her face seamed to shine with joy, her eyes showering love and affection and a beautiful un-mundane smile on her lips. She also gave him her Matri-rup Darshan, which showed her sitting legs folded, and shiva laying on her laps, drinking milk from her breast. Shiva, then was not her husband,but her child, whom she was saving. As the mythology goes, during the process of Samudramanthan, or great chruning, all the poison was drunk by Shiva, which led him to death, but for Mother's milk, he got his life back. The same stone idol is kept under the silver covering of Mother Tara we see in the temple.

Tarapeeth became more famous as the life of Sri Bamavatara is related with it. Sri Bamavatara or Bamakhepa, was a great mystic saint who lighted the area with his divine gleam and majestic power. People used to term him as the walking Shiva. All his life, he had loved Tara Ma as her won mother, so much so that he termed Ma Tara as her BoroMa(Elder Mother) and her biological Mother Rajeswari Devi as her Choto ma. He was like a child, with all the innnocence and purity of a child yet full of great power and devotion. I would like to refer you the book, "MAHAPEETH TARAPEETH" by Sri Bipul kumar ganguly where all your thirst will be quenched. Sri Ramakrishna and Bamavatara have never been said to meet in their mortal form but have met loads of times in their subtle form, Bamavatara being the choto bhai or the younger son and Thakur being the Elder son of Mother. you see, it all comes from the same start. Swami Vivekananda met Sri Bamavatar once, and seeing him Bamavatara termed him as "Bagher Baccha"(Son of a Lion)...and predicted about the cyclone Swamiji is to bring. Swamiji afterwards told that great Incarnations seem to have one of the qualities amongst the three, Jara bhav(clustered), SishuBhav(Child ) and Pisach Bhav(Monster)..and he saw all the three in Bamavatara.

As per your questions, Jivita-kunda got its name from an incident. Zamindar Jayadev was coming along on the river on his houseboat with his son when a violent thunderstorm struck the river. His son died struck by thunder and he could manage to the shores barely with the body. The next morning he found a small pond near, at the bank of which a few dead fish lay fallen. Absent-mindedly he tossed them back in the water, and to his great surprise found the fish regain life as soon as they came in contact with the water. He tried the same thing with his dead son and to hsi great joy, his son regained life. Just then, a heavenly voice called after him with the order to make a temple on the shores,as the boy's life was regained with teh mercy of Mother Tara. The temple came to existance thus.though the pond doesnt obviously have the same powers anymore, it is said that the water contains healing powers and destroys the sins of those who bathe in it. The pond is adjacent to the beautiful temple of Mother.

I hope I could quench your thirst a bit, with Mother's grace.


--
Jay Mahamai ki Jay!!
Jay Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishnadev ki Jay!!
Jay Swamiji Maharajji ki Jay!!

[Sudip Roy]

I DONT KNOW HOW WILL I THANK U.....THANK U SIR......   I LIVE IN DELHI AND WHENEVER I FALL IN ANY SITUATION OF DIFFICULTIES I CHANT THE NAME OF MA TARA....AND MY DIFFICULTIES GOES AWAY...   CAN U PLS TELL ME HOW CAN I GO TARAPITH FROM SHANTINIKETAN   REGARDS

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[Arnab Lahiri]

Well, it was simple superb explaination by Sabuj and I am sure that it is more than sufficient for a clear picture of Tara Ma to the devotees. To extend a little further, it is said that It was Bamakhyapa who inspired Debendranath Tagore (father of Poet Rabindranath Tagore) to meditate on the divine at a place called Shantiniketan. On instruction of Bamakhapa, Debendranath Tagore brought the place of Shantiniketan where he meditated and achieved the vision...

Bamakhapa led a life which was not known to many during that time. He led the life of a hermit, and had no home of His own. Most of the time He slept on the temple floor. It is said that nobody dare to sleep near the temple of Goddess Kali except Him. Such was love and affection of Mother for Her child.  It was in later life when one of His devotee aided Him to make a small hut for His stay (If I am not wrong that hut is still there in Tarapeeth). His life was simple, and most of the time He used to meditate on Kali at the burning Ghat. Most of the devotees had to return without the Saint's darshana as no one dare to disturb him during the time of His meditation. Even it is claimed that some of the devotees failed to find His location despite searching Him. One interesting fact about Him is that He had 12 faithful dogs with whom He spend most of His time. The dogs used to accompany the Saint where ever he used to roam. One of the dog, He called by the name of Bhairavi (A name of Divine Kali) in whom He had vision of Kali. This was also one of the reason that He was called Khyapa (Mad Man). 

Regards,

Arnab

2009/10/23 sabuj biswas <sabuj...@gmail.com>

--
Nature evolves a world full of woe and desolation to raise the soul from its slumber

[Prabesh Lohani]

Dear Arnab and Sabuj,

Your explanations were simply awesome. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.

Om