Reminiscences of Swami Premenanda and Sri Ramakrishna

Ah, my dear Baburam came to Sri Ramakrishna while he was a mere boy. Sri Ramakrishna used to make great fun with the boys. Naren (Swami Vivekananda) and Baburam would roll on the ground with side-splitting laughter. While living in the Cossipore garden, I was once climbing the steps, carrying a pitcher with five pounds of milk. I felt giddy and the milk split on the ground. My heels were dislocated, Naren and Baburam ran there and took care of me. There was a great inflammation of the feet. Sri Ramakrishna heard of the accident and said to Baburam, Well, Baburam,.

it is a nice mess I am now in. Who will cook my food? Who will feed me now?’ He was then ill with cancer in the throat and lived only on farina pudding. I used to make it and feed him in his room in the upper story of the house. I had, then, a ring in my nose. Sri Ramakrishna touched his nose and made the sign of the ring by describing a circle with his finger, in order to indicate me. He then said,

Baburam, can you put her (making the sign) in a basket and carry her on your shoulder to this room ? Naren and Baburam were convulsed with side-splitting laughter. Thus he used to cut jokes with them. After three days the swelling subsided. Then they helped me to go upstairs with his meals.

Baburam used to tell his mother, How little you love me ! Do you love me as Sri Ramakrishna does? ‘ How foolish ! ’ she would reply, 1 am your mother, and I do not love you ! What do you mean ? ‘ Such was the depth of Sri Ramakrishna’s love. While four years old, Baburam would say, ‘ I will not marry, or else I will die!’ When Sri Ramakrishna was suffering from cancer in the throat and could not swallow his food, he said one day, I shall eat later on in my subtle body through a million mouths.’ Baburam replying said, I do not care for your million mouths or your subtle body. What I want is that you should eat through this mouth and that I should see this gross body.’

Sri Ramakrishna never accepted anyone with numerous children. A man begetting twenty-five children! What a shame! Is he a man! No self-control ! He is a veritable beast! ”

Golap-Ma had been suffering from an attack of blood dysentery. She was slightly better today. The doctor observed that it would take three months to be cured completely. The Holy Mother said, “ Blood dysentery is not a simple disease. Sri Rama-krishna would often be down with that disease. It happened frequently during the rainy season. At one time he was rather seriously ill. I used to attend on him. A woman from Banaras had come to Dakshineswar. She suggested a remedy. I followed her directions and the Master was soon cured. The woman could not be seen any more. I never met her again. She had really helped me a great deal. I inquired about her at Banaras but could not find her. We have often seen that whenever Sri Rama-krishna felt the need, people would come of themselves to Dakshineswar and then disappear just as suddenly.

“ I also suffered from dysentery, my child. The body became a mere skeleton. I would lay myself down near the tank. One day I saw my reflection in the water and noticed that all that remained of my body was only a few bones. I thought, ‘ Dear me ! What is the use of this body ? Let me give it up. Let me leave it here.’ A woman came and said, 1 Hallo, Mother! Why are you here ? Come, let us go home.’ She took me home.” Late at night, I took my leave of the Holy Mother.