28-11-2016 Monday
Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 278

Chapter 12 – Spiritual Ministry : 021

We shall conclude this rather bizarre section about the deranged devotees with one more incident. A young man, who later came to be known as Padmabinode, was a student in the school of ‘M,’ the compiler of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. He had visited Sri Ramakrishna and received his blessings. Afterwards he joined a theatre and furthermore became addicted to alcohol Padmabinode knew Swami Saradananda intimately and addressed him as ‘friend.’ While returning home late night from the theatre he used to talk incoherently, under the influence of drink. Often he called for his ‘friend’ while passing by the Udbodhan. But the residents of the house were instructed not to respond for fear of disturbing Holy Mother’s sleep. One night, finding no one paying attention to his call, he started to sing in a plaintive voice:

‘Waken, Mother! Throw open your door.
I cannot find my way through the dark;
My heart is afraid.
How often I have called out your name,
Yet, kindly Mother,
How strangely you are acting today!

Soundly you are sleeping in your room,
Leaving your poor child alone outside.
I am all skin and bones from crying,
“Mother, O Mother!”
With proper tone, pitch, and mode, using
All the three gamuts,
I call so loud, and still you sleep on.

Is it because I was lost in play
That you shun me now?
Look on me kindly, and I shall not
To Whom can I run, leaving your side?
Who but my Mother will bear the load
Of this wretched child?’

As Padmabinode sang in the street with all his soul, the shutters of a window of the Mother’s room opened. He saw this and said with great satisfaction: ‘Mother, so you have awakened. Have you heard your son’s prayer? Since you are up, please accept my salutation.’ He began to roll on the ground and take its dust on his head. Again he sang:

‘Cherish my precious Mother Shyama1 ( A name of Kali)
Tenderly within, O mind;
May you and I alone behold Her,
Letting no one else intrude.’

With emphasis, he improvised a new line: ‘And surely not my “friend,” referring to Swami Saradananda. Next day Holy Mother asked about him and was told his story. ‘Did you notice his firm conviction?’ she remarked. At least once more he saw Holy Mother thus. When the devotees complained about the disturbance of her sleep, she replied: ‘I cannot contain myself when he calls on me in that way.’

A few days later Padmabinode became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital. At the hour of death he wanted to hear something from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. As he listened tears rolled from his eyes. Repeating the name of the Master, he breathed his last. When the Mother heard about this she said: ‘Why should it not be like that? Surely he was child of the Master. No doubt he covered himself with mud. But now he has gone back to the Master’s arms, where he belongs.’

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Holy Mother - Being the Life of Sri Sarada Devi Wife of Sri Ramakrishna And Helpmate in his Mission By Swami Nikhilananda p: 172 – 174

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