http://www.kathamrita.org/kathamrita/k1sec11.htm.
June 25, 1884. Calcutta. Shashadhara was the first scholar, whose house Ramakrishna visited on the day. Initial appearance was, that Ramakrishna was going to listen to what the scholar had to say from his knowledge. Instead, in a few minutes Ramakrishna makes a declaration:
“ ... If one has received the commandment, it is not wrong to teach mankind. When a person teaches after getting the commandment, nobody can defeat him. ... "
“ ... When one lights a lamp, swarms of moths come to it by themselves – they don’t have to be called. Similarly, one who has received the commandment doesn’t have to invite people by announcing that a lecture will be delivered at such and such time – no news has to be given. He has such attraction that people themselves rally round him. Then princes and babus come there in groups. And they ask again and again, ‘What will you accept? I have brought mangoes, sandesh (a Bengali sweet), money, shawl etc. What will you accept?’ I tell all those people, ‘Keep them away. I don’t like all this. I don’t want any of these.’ ... "
" ... he who has received the commandment can go on preaching as much as he likes. The Mother keeps on pushing heaps of knowledge towards me from behind. This knowledge never comes to an end. If the Mother but once casts a glance, does there remain any scarcity of knowledge then? That is why, I ask whether you have received the commandment or not.”
Hazra — Yes, surely he has received the commandment. Isn’t that so, Sir?
The Pundit — No, I haven’t received such a commandment.
The Host — He may not have received the commandment but he lectures with a sense of duty.
Sri Ramakrishna — What will the lectures achieve if the preacher has not received the commandment? ... "
" ... When you have the badge of authority, then alone people listen to you. Unless you receive God’s commandment, you cannot teach humanity. He who has to preach must have sufficient spiritual powers. In Calcutta there are so many Hanuman Puris (wrestling clubs) – you will have to wrestle with them. These people (who are seated all around in congregation) are mere animals for sacrifice! ... "
BLOGGER'S VIEW
What is the essence of all the above "talk of commandment" by Ramakrishna?
1. He alone has the authority to preach! He alone has the commandment to preach.
2. He alone will get heaps of knowledge in succession from Goddess Kali for the purpose of preaching.
3. The listeners are like animals for sacrifice. Or they are like swarms of moths, bringing mangoes, money, shawls, sweets.
4. The scholar has no authority to preach.
The scholar is modest and truthful enough to say that he did not have the commandment or the authority.
QUESTIONS
1. Who gave Ramakrishna the authority to preach? Temple priesthood? Who gave him commandments? Self-declared.
2. Whether swarms of moths or animals for sacrifice or not, listeners particularly the rich and influential persons visit God persons because the affluent and elite have more problems and lack peace of mind. They have infinite variety of desires. They have hidden desires and diseases. They want the God persons to solve them or suggest solutions. In return, they will pay the coach fares, feed them with luchis and sandesh (sweets), offer them shawls, bear all their expenses etc. As long as at least a part of the desires are being fulfilled, the devotees visit the God persons, shower them with gifts and wait at their beckoning.
3. What a God person needs is not much knowledge of scriptures or philosophy, but a capability to talk convincingly. He must be able to exit safely whenever inconvenient questions are asked, saying "maayaa (illusion)". He must be willing to flatter and occasionally show reluctance to, the rich devotees.
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