Chapter VI – Marriage to Sarada

Stories reached the people at Kamarpukur that Sri Ramakrishna had gone completely mad. Naturally this news made his mother Chandramani and Rameshwar extremely anxious. Chandramani repeatedly wrote to Dakshineswar asking her God-intoxicated son to come to Kamarpukur, where under her maternal care and in the pleasant climate of the country his strained nerves might be soothed and his health regained. Sri Ramakrishna obeyed the call and found himself once again in the midst of the calm and peaceful surroundings of his native village. But even here, not withstanding all the tender care of an affectionate mother and other relations, Sri Ramakrishna was at times overwhelmed with the same feelings as those of the Dakshineswar days when he was struggling to obtain a vision of the Divine Mother. There were two cremation grounds at Kamarpukur. Sri Ramakrishna intended to practise stern Tapasya (austerity); and choosing one of those places for this purpose, he began to spend the whole day and a great part of every night there in worship and meditation. However, a few months stay at Kamarpukur did him much good, and he soon recovered his normal state of mind to the great relief and joy of his aged mother.

Sri Ramakrishna was now twenty-three years of age, and he was as indifferent as ever to all worldly concerns. His mother and brother wanted to get him married so as to interest him in domestic affairs, and began to search for a suitable bride. The search was made with all vigor but with no definite result. Sri Ramakrishna, finding his mother and brother in a dejected state, said to them in a semi-conscious mood, “It is useless to try here and there. Go to Jayrambati (a village three miles to the northwest of Kamarpukur) and there you will find the bride providentially reserved for me in the house of Ram Chandra Mukhopadhyaya.” His prophetic words proved true to the letter. A girl was found there who was just five years and a few months old. But Chandramani agreed to accept the girl as no other bride was available, and the wedding ceremony was performed without delay. The bride returned to her parents after the marriage. Sri Ramakrishna stayed at Kamarpukur for about a year and a half, as Chandramani would not allow him to leave her until he was completely cured. Then taking leave of his mother and brother, Sri Ramakrishna returned to Dakshineswar and resumed his office of the priest.