Life and teaching of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Direct Questions From the Book – The Path Divine – Pages 34-57

1. “Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s life is a story of religion in practice; and it enables us to see God face to face; he was a living embodiment of Godliness & Divinity.” Who said this?
   ANS: Mahatma Gandhi.
2. What is the meaning of the term Paramahamsa?

   ANS: Paramahamsa – The one who with his discriminatory vision discerns the soul apart from and distinct within the body, the spirit behind the matter, the God behind the appearance of the world, and revels himself in God only, just as the swan is able to separate the milk from water and drink and enjoy the milk alone.

3. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s life was a holy confluence of three streams of ___________, __________ and ___________; the __________

   ANS: Vairagya (renunciation), Bhakti and Jnana; the sacred Triveni Sangam.

4. Name Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s parents

   ANS: A pious Brahmin couple Khudiram Chattopadhyaya and his wife Chandramani

5. Name the village where Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s family originally lived and where they eventually settled?

   ANS: They originally lived at village Derepore, district Hoogly, Bengal. They eventually settled at a neighbouring village called Kamarpukur.

6. What was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s family deity?

   ANS: Sri Ramachandra (Raghuvir)

7. Name Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s elder brothers.

   ANS: Ramkumar and Rameshwar.

8. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s original name and date of birth.

   ANS: His original name was Gadadhar and he as born during the early hours of the morning on February 18, 1836.

9. Whose vision did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s father get before RKP’s birth and at which temple?

   ANS: He got Gadadhar Vishnu’s vision in the temple of Gadadhar Vishnu at Gaya.

10. What was the Lord’s message in this vision?

    ANS: The lord said, “I am well pleased at your sincere devotion Khudiram! I shall be born in your cottage accepting you as my father”.

11. What strange vision did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s mother have before his birth?

    ANS: Chandra Devi was having lots of strange visions while she was at Kamarpukur. One of those visions was: She was standing along with Dhani(the village blacksmith woman) before the Shiva temple adjacent to her house, and she saw a bright beam of divine effulgence dart from the image of Lord Shiva and enter her body.

12. When did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa first lose his consciousness?

    ANS: One day in the month of Ashadha, when Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was six or seven years old, he was walking along a narrow path separating the paddy field, eating puffed rice from a basket. Looking up at the sky he saw a beautiful sombre thunder cloud. As it spread rapidly enveloping the entire horizon, a flock of snow white cranes flew overhead in front of it. This beautiful contrast sent his mind wandering off to far-off regions, lost to outward senses and he fell down. His puffed rice got scattered in different directions. Some people found him in this plight and carried him home. That was the first time that RKP completely lost consciousness in ecstasy.

13. (a) RK Paramahamsa fell into a deep trance at the sight of his own make up as ____.
    ANS: Lord Siva.
    (b) What was enough to trigger him off into a trance?

    ANS: A loving thought of God or a glimpse of beauty of nature revealing the handiwork of God was enough to trigger him into a trance.

14. In which year did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s father die?

    ANS: 1843.

15. (a) After his father’s death what was the promise he gave to his mother?

    ANS: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa promised his mother that he would not take to sanyasa and that he would not leave home without her permission.

    (b) How old was RKP when he was given Gayatri Upadesh? What happened on that occasion?
    OR
    How did RKP convey the message to the people around him that “Caste does not lie in birth but in the qualities of the heart”
    ANS: Refer to parah 2 on page 39 of ‘Path Divine’ Text Book.

16. Which role did RKP frequently play in the dramas? What happened on such occasions?
    ANS: Lord Krishna; He frequently fell into a trances.
17. a. Name Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s wife
    b. He worshipped her as an embodiment of __________ or the _______ herself.
    c. She too lived like a ____________ to him.

ANS:
a. Sharada Devi
b. Shakti or the Divine Mother Kali.
c. Like a mother to him.

18. Whenever RKP went into a trance, his family members thought that he was ________
    ANS: They thought that he was suffering from an epileptic disease.
19. To which place did Ramkumar shift and what did he do there?
    ANS: Ramkumar shifted to Calcutta where he started a Sanskrit school in the central part of the city as he needed to take care of the financial difficulties they were facing back at the village.
20. For two reasons Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was asked to join his brother Ramkumar at Calcutta. What are they?
    ANS: Ramkumar wanted Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to join him because
    a) Ramkumar needed assistance to cope up with the growing work at school and
    b) he was hoping that he would be able to guide Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in his studies and put him back on the right track.
21. At Calcutta what did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa do?ANS: At Calcutta, RKP did not take any interest in studies. He performed pujas as a priest in many houses , which he was entrusted with by his brother.
22. Who said this to whom and why?ANS: “ Brother what shall I do with a mere bread winning education. I would rather acquire that wisdom which will illumine my heart and with which I will be satisfied forever.”
    Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said this to Ramkumar since the latter admonished RKP for not taking his studies seriously.
23. When was the temple of Dakshineshwar built and who built the temple? When was it consecrated?
    ANS:The temple at Dakshineshwar was built in 1847.It was built by a rich widow called Rani Rasmani.It was consecrated on May 31 1855
24. (a) Name the deities installed there.ANS: Kali, Radha, Krishna and Siva (12 Shiva shrines)
    (b) Which incident marked the beginning of many splendorous chapters in RKP’s life and in the religious renaissance of India?ANS: After the consecration of the Kali temple at Dakshinehswar, RKP began to live with his brother in the sacred temple garden, wherein RKP found great opportunities to pursue his spiritual practices. This incident marked the beginning of many splendorous chapters in RKP’s life and in the religious renaissance of India.

    (c) Who was Mathur Babu and what did he persuade RKP to do?

    ANS: Mathura Nath Biswas (Mathur Babu) the son-in-law of Rani Rasmani, persuaded RKP to take charge of decorating the image of Kali with flowers, leaves and sandal paste in the morning and costly jewellery and clothes in the evening.

    (d) An incident occurred soon after RKP’s appointment in the Dakshineshwar temple, which enhanced RKP’s worth in the eyes of Rani Rasmani. Describe in brief
    OR
    Briefly explain the circumstances under which RKP was appointed as the priest of the Radha Krishna temple at Dakshineshwar

    ANS: Refer to parah 1 on page 42 of ‘Path Divine’ Text Book

25. (a) Who initiated Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in the ritualistic temple worship?
    ANS: Kenaram Bhattacharya, a person well versed in the elaborate ritualistic temple worship of Lord Kali.
    (b) Kali or the Holy Mother is believed to combine in herself both the ___________ as well as the ____________ aspects of Nature
    ANS: Destructive & Creative
    (c) Who said these words and why?

    “Mother! Where art Thou? Reveal Thyself to me.” OR

    “Another day spent in vain, Mother, for I have not seen Thee! Another day of this short life has passed and I have not realized the Truth.” OR

    “….I felt as if my heart was being squeezed like a wet towel….”
    ANS: RKP uttered these words in agony, when he had not been blessed with Mother’s vision

    (d) “I jumped upon it like a mad man and seized it for ending my life……”
    I refers to__________; it refers to ____________; Why did he do so? Did he end his life?
    ANS: I refers to RKP / it refers to the sword that was kept in Mother Kali’s temple. Not being blessed my Mother’s vision, RKP was restless and felt that his life did not seem worth living and hence he decided to seize the sword in the temple and end his life with it. However Mother suddenly revealed Herself to RKP and he fell unconscious on the floor

    (e) RKP would feel Mother’s breath on his hand while offering ___________
    ANS: Naivedya or Bhoga

26. To practice what yoga did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa go to the cremation ground? What happened there?ANS: Hatha yoga. “One evening…………………………………………Divine Mission.”
    [Refer to last parah of Page 44 of Path Divine]
27. Name the bhava of the faithful servant to the master? What happened to RKP when he adopted this Bhava?ANS: Dasya bhava (attitude of Hanuman towards Rama – that of a faithful servant towards the Master). When RKP adopted this Bhava, he totally identified himself with Hanuman and changed his habits also from that of a man to a “monkey”, living on nuts and fruits and climbing trees and even jumping from branch to branch. And as a result of this Sadhana, he had a vision of Mother Sita. The luminous form then entered his body. Thereafter he had the vision of Sri Rama himself.
28. (a) Who guided Ramakrishna Paramahamsa into Tantric sadhana?ANS: Bhairavi brahmani
    (b) Who said this to whom? “My son, you are here. I have been searching for you so long and now I have found you…..”
    ANS: Brahmani Bhairavi to RKP
    (c) Brahmani Bhairavi was well versed in ____ & ____ literature & their spiritual practices
    ANS: Vaishnava and Tantric
29. Who were the two people appointed as judges to prove that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was in a Maha Bhava state?
    ANS: Vaishnava Charan, one of the leaders of Vaishnava society and an authority in Vaishnava philosophy and Gaurikant Tarakbhushan, a reknowned authority in Tantric school were invited as judges.
30. Who said this to whom?ANS: “ You are that mine of spiritual power, only a small fraction of which appears in the world from time to time in the form of incarnations. “Vaishnava charan and Gaurikant Tarakbhushan said this to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
31. a. Through the Dasya Bhava, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had the vision of__________________.
    b. Through Vatsalya Bhava, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had the vision of __________________.
    c. Through the Sakhya Bhava, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had the vision of ____________.
    d. Through the Vaishnava Sadhana, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa identified himself with ________ and had the vision of _______.

ANS: a. Mother Sita and Lord Rama
b. Child Rama (Ramlala)
c. Lord Krishna
d. Radha & Lord Krishna.

32. What is the highest step of Advaitic philosophy called?
    ANS: Nirvikalpa Samadhi
33. (a) Who taught Advaitic philosophy to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa?
    ANS: Totapuri, a monk who came to Dakshineshwar.
    (b) _________ was a great Jnana Yogi, adept not only in the philosophy of Advaita but also in its practical realization.
    ANS: Totapuri.
    (c) “Would you like to learn Vedanta?” Who said this to whom?
    ANS: Totapuri put forth this question to RKP
34. Who used to feed Ramakrishna Paramahamsa when he was continuously in Samadhi?ANS: Hriday, RKP’s nephew.
35. Who said this to whom and why? “Great God, it is nothing short of a miracle. ”
    ANS: Totapuri said this as he was simply surprised that on the very first day of Vedanta practice, RKP straight away went into Nirvikalpa Samadhi and remained in that state for 3 days; whereas it had taken Totapuri forty years of strenuous practice to achieve it.
36. Who said this to whom and when?“Remain on the threshold of relative consciousness for the sake of humanity.”
    ANS: Lord Kali said this to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, when RKP went into Nirvikalpa Samadhi after learning Advaitic Sadhana from Totapuri
37. (a) Who initiated RKP into IslamANS: Govinda Ray, a Sufi
    (b) Name any two Islamic practices adopted by Ramakrishna Paramahamsa when he was initiated into Islam.
    ANS: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to repeat the name of Allah, wear clothes in the fashion of the Mohammedans, and perform Namaaz regularly.
38. What was the result of the above?ANS: He first had the vision of Mohammed (the prophet) and then the experience of Absolute Godhead(Allah).
39. What happened when RKP was looking at the picture of Madonna with Divine child?
    ANS: When RKP was looking at the picture of Madonna with the Divine child, he felt as though the images of Mary and Christ got animated and that rays of light entered his body. For three days he had visions of Christian church, Christian devotees and prayers, etc. On the 4th day, as he was walking in the Panchavati, he saw Christ approach and embrace him and then entering into his being.
40. When Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was walking in the Panchavati he saw ____________ approach him and embrace him and enter into his being.ANS: Jesus Christ
41. There is no difference between the doctrines of Buddha and those of _______ says RKP.ANS: Vedic Jnana Kanda(Upanishads)
42. In his room Ramakrishna Paramahamsa kept a small idol of _____________ANS: Tirthankara Mahavira
43. What did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa say about the sikh gurus?ANS: He said that they were all incarnations of the saintly King Janaka.
44. a. Name three systems of Indian Vedanta Philosophyb. What does Ramakrishna Paramahamsa say about these 3 systems of philosophyANS: a. Dvaita, Vishsishtadvaita and Advaita
    b. He says that these are different stages in man’s progress towards his goal and that they are not contradictory to each other but complementary. They are suited to different mental outlooks and to different stages of psychological development of men.
45. The _________ is the last word in realization, it is something to be felt in ________ for it transcends mind and speech.ANS: Advaita, Samadhi
46. Explain how Ramakrishna Paramahamsa preached Unity of Religions through the example of water.ANS: The tank has several ghats; Hindus draw water from it and call it Jal, Mohammedans draw water in leather bags and call it pani; the Christians call it water. The water is not Jal or pani but only just water. The Substance is One with different names and everyone is seeking the same substance.
    Every religion of the world is such a ghat. Go direct with a sincere and earnest heart to any of these ghats and you will obtain the water of Eternal Bliss.
47. Who said this to whom and when?“Oh Jaganmatha Oh Jagathjanani, today I offer at your feet the sadhana done by me all these years. Distribute it to your children”
    ANS: When RKP celebrated the Shodasi Puja for Sarada Devi, as if she were Mother Kali herself; both RKP & Sarada Devi sank into deep Samadhi. After they recovered from Samadhi, RKP said the above words to Sarada Devi.
48. a. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was revered as Avatara ________ and Sarada Devi as Avatara ___________b. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had become ___________ and Sarada Devi had become _____________
    ANS: a. Purusha, Shakthi b. Jagathpitha, Jaganmatha
49. Name a few disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.ANS: Vivekananda, Premananda, Bramhananda, Niranjanananda
50. Once, Mathur Babu, son in law of ______ saw Ramakrishna Paramahamsa pacing up and down the verandah; but suddenly started seeing sometimes ___________, and sometimes ________________ and sometimes ____________,
    ANS: Rani Rasmani.The Divine Mother, Jatadhari Siva , Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
51. When told about this Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said that it was all mother’s doing and that he was uttering _______ and ______ as he was walking.ANS: Jai Bhairavi, Jai Mahadev
52. Who said this to whom and when? “Pardon me I was blinded by my wealth and ego and arrogance. Mother has opened my eyes today.”ANS: Mathur Babu said this to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa when he saw the vision of the Divine Mother and Jatadhari Siva in Ramakrishna Paramahamsa himself.
53. Who gave Ram lala to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa?
    ANS: Jatadhari, a great Vaishnavite devotee
54. Sarada Devi’s father: _____________ ; Sarada Devi hailed from which village?
    ANS: Ramachandra Mukhopadhyaya ; Jayarambati
55. When Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sarada Devi were married what were their ages?
    ANS: 25 and 6
56. What were Rani Rasmani’s last words?
    ANS: Put out the lights! Put out the lights! Don’t you see, Mother Bhavatarini is coming in and flooding the whole house with her light? Come in Ma! Come in Ma! Come in Ma!
57. Describe Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s experience at Kasi.
    ANS: At the Manikarnika Ghat at Kasi, RKP saw Lord Mahadev uttering the Holy Mantra to the ears of a burning body after which the subtle body rose from the funeral pyre and Goddess Parvati helped it to rise heavenwards. (in accordance with Skanda Purana)
58. RKP initiated Narendra with the ______. What was the effect of the above on Narendra?
    ANS: Mantra of Rama Nama
    Narendra instantly went into Divine ecstasy.
59. Who said this to whom and when? “Today I have given all my powers to you and have become a fakir myself. Through this power you will do immense good to the world.”ANS: RKP said this to Vivekananda, after passing on all his spiritual treasures to Narendra
60. Date, month and year of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa passing away.
    ANS: 15th August 1886
61. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s final wordsANS: He said “Kali” thrice before entering Maha Samadhi.
62. On seeing the Master suffering, a doubt crept into Vivekananda’s mind whether RKP was really divine. How did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa clarify this?ANS: RKP said “He who was Rama and who was Krishna is now Ramakrishna in this body, not just in the vedic sense, but in reality.”