Birth and Boyhood-kn

Gadadhar is Born

The blessed hour for which Kshudiram and Chandramani were anxiously waiting at last drew near. In the early hours of February 18, 1836, in a thatched shed where a husking machine and the small oven were kept, Chandramani gave birth to a baby boy whom the world was to know afterwards by the name Sri Ramakrishna. Learned astrologers predicted a great future for the child, and Kshudiram was overjoyed that the prospective greatness of his son confirmed his previous vision and the experience of Chandramani. He named him ‘Gadadhar’, in memory of his wonderful dream at Gaya.

Since his birth Gadadhar cast a spell of fascination not only over his parents and relatives but also over his neighbours, who could not help paying visit to Khudiram’s house whenever possible just to have a look at ‘Gadai’, as he was lovingly called.

Gadadhar at School

The years rolled on, and Gadadhar turned five. He began to show wonderful intelligence and memory even at this early age. He learnt the names of his ancestors, the hymns to various gods and goddesses, and tales from the epics.

As he grew to be very restless, Kshudiram sent him to the village school. At school Gadadhar made fair progress, but he showed great distaste for mathematics. He was fond of singing and acting plays with his friends. He directed all his attention to the study of the lives and characters of spiritual heroes.

Gadadhar’s First Ecstasy

Constant study of the lives and characters of spiritual heroes often made him forgetful of the world and threw him into deep meditation. As he grew older, he began to have trances whenever his religious feelings were roused. Soon it was found that not only religious subjects but beautiful scenery or some touching incident was also sufficient to make him lose himself. Once an occurrence of this kind caused great anxiety to his parents and relatives.

Sri Ramakrishna, in his later years, narrated this incident to his devotees in the following way:

“In that part of the country (Kamarpukur) the boys are given puffed rice for snack. This they carry in small wicker baskets, or, if they are too poor, in a corner of their cloth. Then they go out for play on the roads or in the fields. One day in June or July, when I was six or seven years old, I was walking along a narrow path separating paddy fields, eating some of the puffed rice which I was carrying in a basket. Looking up at the sky I saw a beautiful sombre thunder cloud. As it spread rapidly enveloping the whole sky, a flock of snow white cranes flew overhead across it. It presented such a beautiful contrast that my mind wandered to far-off regions. Lost to outward sense, I fell down, and the puffed rice was scattered in all directions. Some people found me in that plight and carried me home in their arms. That was the first time I completely lost consciousness in ecstasy.”

This was not the only time he had such experience.

Serving the Wandering Monks

In 1843 Kshudiram died, and the entire burden of the family fell upon the shoulders of Ramkumar, his eldest son. The death of Kshudiram brought a great change in the mind of Gadadhar, who now began to feel very sad at the loss of his affectionate father as also the transient nature of earthly life. Though very young, he began to frequent the mango-grove or the cremation ground in the vicinity and pass long hours there absorbed in thought. But he did not forget his duty to his loving mother. He tried by every means to lessen the burden of his mother’s grief, and to infuse into her life whatever joy and consolation he could.

Gadadhar soon found a new source of pleasure in the company of wandering monks who used to stay for a day or two in the rest-house built by the neighbouring Laha family for wayfarers. Association with these itinerant monks and listening to their readings from the scriptures inclined the naturally emotional mind of the boy more to meditation and kindled in him the latent spirit of dispassion for all worldly concerns.

Bala Sanyasi

One day Chandramani was startled to find her dear boy appear before her with his whole body smeared with ashes, wearing saffron coloured cloth around his waist, carrying a long stick in one hand and Kamandalu (water-pot carried by Hindu ascetics or Sanyasis) in another, looking like a real Bala Sanyasi. His mother, instead of being amused, cried out in anxiety and fear. He began consoling his mother saying that he had not become a sanyasi (monk) but he just wanted to give her some fun and amusement. He also added that he wanted to show her how he looked in the dress of a sanyasi. However, the mother took a promise from him that neither he would take to sanyasa (monkhood) nor leave home anytime in his life, without her permission.

Ecstacy for the Second Time

Another event of this period caused Chandramani a great deal of anxiety about Gadadhar. One day, on his way with some women of Kamarpukur, to well-known temple of Goddess Vishalakshi, at Anur, about two miles to the north of Kamarpukur, he suddenly lost all external consciousness as he was singing the praise of the Goddess. Then Prasannamayi, one of the ladies in the group, repeated several times the name of Goddess Vishalakshi into Gadai’s ears which got him back to consciousness.

When Chandramani heard about this, she was alarmed. She thought that her dear son might have some physical malady. But on this occasion also Gadadhar insisted that he was in that condition, only because his mind had become merged in the Goddess, as he was contemplating on Her.

This was not the only time he had such experience.

Gadai’s Love of Truth

Gadadhar was now nine, and it was time to invest him with the holy thread. A curious incident happened in this connection.

It is the traditional custom in a Brahmin family that just after the upanayanam ceremony (investiture with the sacred thread), the newly initiated should accept his first alms from some relative or at least from a Brahmin of the same social standing. But Dhani, the blacksmith woman who had tended the child in the lying-in room, had long ago prayed to Gadadhar to extend her the privilege of giving him the first Bhiksha (alms), and the boy, moved by her genuine love, had agreed. After the investiture ceremony was over, Gadadhar, in spite of the repeated objections of other members of the house, kept his promise and accepted his first alms from Dhani in contrast to the time-honoured custom of his family.

But the event, however trifling, is not without significance. This unyielding love of truth and rising above social convention at this tender age reflected in no small measure Gadadhar’s latent spiritual inclination and foresight and disclosed the real nature of the boy. It showed that true love and devotion were more precious to him than social restrictions.

Solving a Disputed Point of Scholars

Gadadhar’s inborn qualities of head and heart became manifest on more than one occasion at this time. Shortly after the thread ceremony an incident occurred bringing him for the first time before the villagers as a teacher. He was then only ten years old. One day he was listening with rapt attention to an animated discussion held by certain scholars on some subtle point, at the house of the local zamindar (landlord). The boy, understanding their difficulty in arriving at the proper solution, made a suggestion to one of the Pandits and asked whether such might be the answer. The solution of Gadadhar was so appropriate to the point under discussion that the scholars were amazed at such maturity in the young boy. The scholars praised and blessed him heartily.

Ecstacy for the Third Time

After he had put on the sacred thread, Gadadhar had the privilege of touching and worshiping Raghuvir. His heart was filled with a new fervour of devotion. He also worshipped God Rameshwara, Shiva and Goddess Sitala. With his intense devotion he would experience the state of Bhava Samadhi (God consciousness) on several occasions. He had this kind of Samadhi and vision on the Shivaratri of that year.

It was the tradition to have a Jatra (traditional-type play) on Shivaratri night. The play would always centre on Shiva and would help people keep awake.

After finishing the worship in the first quarter of the night, Gadai’s friend Gayavishnu ran to him and conveyed the message that he would have to act the part of Shiva and speak a few words in the play. His other friends also explained that the person who usually played that role had suddenly taken ill and was unable to act. When Gadai refused to do so, they convinced him to play this role which would make him think of Shiva. Gadai got convinced and was soon dressed with matted hair, rudraksha beads and his body smeared with ashes.

He approached the stage with slow and measured steps, supported by his friends. He looked the living image of Shiva. The audience loudly applauded, but soon they discovered that he was really lost in meditation. His countenance was radiant and tears flowed from his eyes. He was lost to the outer world. The effect of this scene on the audience was tremendous. The people felt blessed as by a vision of Shiva himself. Unable to bring Gadai back to normal, the performance had to be stopped for the night. Gadai was taken back home and he regained consciousness only the next morning.

Gadadhar was in this kind of ecstasy from time to time. He would forget himself and his surroundings when meditating, or listening to music in praise of gods and goddesses. On occasions, when his absorption became very deep, he would appear like a lifeless statue. This caused great alarm to Chandramani and other family members for a long time. But their fear passed away when they found Gadai’s health was not affected in any way, and that he was efficient in all kinds of work and was always happy.

Gadai, A Budding Artist

Gadadhar’s progress at school was not bad. Within a short time he could read and write in a simple way. But his aversion to arithmetic continued. On the other hand, he became more and more adroit in imitating others and showed his originality in various ways. Seeing the village potters making images of gods and goddesses, he began to visit them, and learning their art, started practising it at home. It became one of his hobbies. Similarly he socialised with those who painted pictures and started painting.

Once Gadai found a village artist painting a Durga image. After having a close look at it, he felt that the eyes of a goddess should not be drawn that way. He took the brush from the artist and painted the eyes of the goddess so well that the image had a divine touch.

Gadadhar with his Drama Troupe

But from now on the boy’s aversion for school increased. He organised a drama company with his young friends. The stage was set in the mango orchard. The themes were selected from the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha. Gadadhar knew by heart almost all the roles, having heard them from professional actors. His favourite theme was the Vrindavan episode of Krishna’s life, depicting those equiste love-stories of Krishna and the milkmaids and the cowherd boys. Gadadhar would play parts of Radha or Krishna and would often lose himself in the character he was portraying.

At times the whole mango-grove would ring with the loud sankirtanas which the boys sang in chorus. Thus, deeply absorbed in these divine sports, Gadadhar lost all taste for school education and engaged himself more in the study of the epics, Puranas, and other sacred books, which gave him a spiritual stimulus. But this other-worldly attitude of the boy caused a great deal of anxiety to his elder brothers.

Farewell to Kamarpukur

Soon another misfortune overtook the family. Ramkumar’s wife died, leaving an infant son behind to be taken care of by the aged grandmother. At this time Ramkumar’s income also unexpectedly declined, and being forced into debt, he went to Kolkata and opened a Tol (school for the study of Sanskrit) at Jhamapukur to earn some money to meet the financial needs of the family. The management of the house naturally fell on Rameshwar. But as before, Gadadhar was unmindful of his school studies. He spent a great portion of his time worshipping Raghuvir or in reading passages from the holy books, and in helping his aged mother in her domestic duties. As days rolled on, his aversion to academic education became more pronounced. And soon the idea dawned on him that he was destined to fulfil some great mission in life, though he did not know what. The realisation of God was to him the only purpose worthy of consideration. Much as he would have liked to have taken up the begging bowl and renounce everything for the Lord’s sake, the thought of the plight of his unprovided mother and brothers made him forgo his desire. In the struggle between the two ideas he was powerless to decide, and could do nothing but resign himself to the guidance of Raghuvir, fully believing that He would show him the way out of this distressing situation.

Meanwhile, Ramkumar began to experience great difficulty in managing alone all his duties in Kolkata. On one of his visits to Kamarpukur he noticed Gadadhar’s peculiar indifference towards school, and when he learned that Gadadhar had given up his friends and playmates, he decided to take him to the city, where he might supervise Gadadhar’s studies and have him help in his works. Gadadhar readily agreed to this proposal, and on an auspicious day set out for Kolkata with the blessings of Raghuvir and his mother.