Some Glimpses of Ramakrishna-Part VI

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The Master's Bathing

The Master would bathe in the Ganges at the Chandni ghat, but if he had a cold he would have his bath from a bucket of water heated by the sun. He had a separate cloth (oil dhoti) for bathing. Either he or someone else would rub oil on his body before his bath. We do not have any record that he ever used soap, but he once told the Holy Mother to rub his body with basan (lentil powder), which cleanses the body.21 The body is the temple of God, so the Master always kept it clean.

Once the Master went to hear a spiritual discourse and the speaker remarked: 'Those who chant Rama's name become free from dirt.' The Master had the faith of a child. He immediately pointed out, 'Then why is there dirt on my body?' Krishnakishore explained, 'The inner impurities go away and not the external dirt.'22

How the Master's Beard Was Trimmed

During his second visit to the Master (28 February 1882), M. saw that the Master was about to have his beard trimmed on the southeast veranda of his room. The Master's skin was so soft and sensitive that he could not be shaved with a razor. The barber would simply trim his hair and beard with a scissors. M. later recalled:

'When we first saw the Master, his beard had begun to turn grey. The barber would trim his hair and beard when they became long. . . Before the barber started, the Master would tell him: "Please wait. Let me think about God." Thus he withdrew his mind from the body before having his hair and beard trimmed.'

Swami Ambikananda said:

'When the Master was at the Cossipore garden house suffering from cancer, his beard grew long. For this reason the doctor could not see or touch his throat properly, so he suggested shaving that area. The Master asked Latu to bring a scissors and told him, "I shall give you a signal when I have withdrawn my mind from the body, and then you trim my beard." After seeing the signal, Latu began to trim it with a pair of dull scissors, but the Master did not feel anything at all.'

About the author

Swami Chetananda

The author is the Minister-in-charge of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, USA. He is well-known for his numerous books in Bengali and English particularly God Lived With Them and They Lived With God. His recent English translation of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Leelaprasanga titled Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play has received wide acclaim.

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