Sri Ramakrishna's Smile-Divine Ecstasy

'Brahman is Truth, Knowledge and Infinity,' says Vedanta. This includes the ever blissful nature of Brahman, for that which is Infinite is blissful. There is no joy in the limited. Thus, to realize God or to attain the knowledge of Brahman is to become one with Supreme Bliss. What everyone seeks is joy; what everyone wants to overcome is sorrow. Unfortunately, few care to pause and find out which is the best way of doing it. Nothing in the world can give us everlasting joy and nothing can take away our sorrows permanently. This is what we all know, but are reluctant to admit. Our attachment to the world is just too strong! But a time comes, sooner or later, when one realizes that God-realization is not only the best way, but the only way to uninterrupted peace and happiness. As someone remarked, there is only a spiritual solution to the problems of life.

Adhar Lal Sen, a lay devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, had a friend named Saradacharan who used to go into ecstasy while listening to devotional songs. During his 'ecstasy' his face appeared to be full of pain and sadness. Adhar was much disturbed by this and used to dread the thought of ever experiencing divine ecstasy himself. When he saw for the first time Sri Ramakrishna entering into divine ecstasy at Dakshineswar, Adhar was pleasantly surprised. He saw the heavenly bliss and joy overflowing the Master's face and electrifying the atmosphere around. Later, he told his friend Saradacharan:

By seeing your trance I conceived a disgust for it. It seemed to suggest a great suffering within you. Can divine ecstasy ever cause pain? The blissful ecstasy of the Master has opened my eyes. I would have found it impossible to go to him anymore if his ecstasy had been like yours.

Sri Sarada Devi the Holy Mother used to say that she never saw Sri Ramakrishna in a depressed mood even once throughout her stay of about fourteen years at Dakshineswar. 'I always felt as if a pitcher full of bliss was kept in my heart,' she said, reminiscing about those never-to-be-forgotten days in the blissful company of the Master. The joy Sri Ramakrishna embodied in himself and freely distributed to one and all can become ours too. Every one of us is an heir to it. We are the 'children of immortal bliss.' Seek your heritage and be free — this is the first message that comes to us from Sri Ramakrishna's smile, which is bewitching.

To be continued

About the author

Swami Tyagananda

This article, about Sri Ramakrishna's smile is written by Swami Tyagananda of the Ramakrishna order, published in the Vedanta Kesary.