Click on the image above
to read a brief biography of
Swami Saradananda
Sarat Chandra Chakravarti - Swami Saradananda
Sarat's soul longed for the all-embracing realization of the Godhead.
When the Matser inquired whether there was any particular form of God
he wished to see, the boy replied that he would like to see God in all
the living beings of the world.
"But", the Master demurred, "that is the last word in realization.
One cannot have it at the very outset."
Sarat stated calmly: "I won't be satisfied with anything short of that.
I shall trudge along the path till I attain that blessed state."
Sri Ramakrishna was very much pleased.
Excerpted from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Page 62
Re: Seeing God in all the living beings of the world
In seeing God in all the living beings of the world,
one must also use a certain amount of discrimination. The Master said:
"“In a certain forest lived a sadhu. He had a number of disciples. One day he taught them saying, ‘Narayana is in all things. Knowing this you will offer namaskar to all.’ One day a disciple went out to collect firewood for homa (sacrificial fire). Suddenly, there was a shout, ‘Run, run away wherever you may be a mad elephant is rushing out.’ Everyone ran away except this disciple. He reasoned, ‘There is Narayana in elephant too, why should I then run away?’ Thinking thus, he kept standing there. Offering namaskar to the elephant (as the Lord), he started offering prayers. The mahut (driver of the elephant), on the other hand, shouted, ‘Run away, run away.’ Still the disciple did not move. At last, the elephant came and seized him with his trunk, threw him aside and went away. The disciple stunned, scratched and torn, lay unconscious.
“Hearing this, his guru and other disciples carried him to the ashrama and gave him medicines. After sometime when he came to himself, one of them asked him, ‘Why did you not move away even when you heard that an elephant was coming?’ He answered, ‘Because gurudeva told us that Narayana Himself is present in all human beings and other living creatures. Seeing the elephant Narayana coming I did not, therefore, quit the spot.’ At this the guru said, ‘My son, indeed, it is true that the elephant Narayana was coming but my child, Mahut Narayana (the driver God) had warned you. If everybody is Narayana, why did you not listen to the latter? You should have paid heed to the Mahut Narayana.’.."
