#014, Why allude to the oil-man caste and all that

Shri Ramakrishna, though a benevolent-speaking and pious man, has also the characteristics of a worldly man. Strangely, he advises his devotees against taking up worldly activities.

Here is a quote from the Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna, Volume I. The incident was said to have taken place at Calcutta on 7th Aprll 1883.

The people of Basirhat, Rakhal's birth-place, had been suffering from a severe drought during the summer months.

MASTER (to Manilal): "Rakhal says that the people in his native village have been suffering seriously from a scarcity of water. Why don't you build a reservoir there? That will do the people good. (Smiling) You have so much money; what will you do with all your wealth? But they say that telis (The oil-man caste to which Manilal belonged. It is a comparatively low caste in Hindu society in Bengal.) are very calculating." (All laugh.)

Manilal was truly a calculating man, though he suffered no lack of money. In later years he set up an endowment of twenty-five thousand rupees for the maintenance of poor students.

Manilal made no answer to these words of the Master about his caste characteristics. Later on, in the course of the conversation, he remarked casually: "Sir, you referred to a reservoir. You might as well have confined yourself to that suggestion. Why allude to the 'oil-man caste' and all that?"

Some of the devotees smiled to themselves. The Master laughed

BLOGGER'S VIEW
*The question raised by Manilal "why allude to my caste" was very apt. It shows his indignance and the worldly thinking of Shri Ramakrishna.