Ramakrishna Paramhansa death, Sarada Ma Devotion to Ramakrishna

Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dying from Cancer
Ramakrishna’s Paramhansa Leaving the Body and Sharda Ma

1: Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dying (leaving body) from Cancer

Ramakrishna was dying. He had cancer of the throat, and in his last days it became impossible for him even to drink water.

Vivekananda said to him, ”Bhagwan, can’t you ask God to do you just a little favor? If you simply ask God that at least you should be allowed to eat and drink it is bound to happen. It is becoming too great a suffering for your body – and not only for your body but for us all. We cannot eat because we know you cannot eat. It has become impossible for us to drink because we know you cannot drink. How can we drink? So if you don’t care about yourself, okay, but think of us – we are also suffering. Just for our sake close your eyes and say to God, ’Do me just a small favor.’”

Ramakrishna closed his eyes, opened them and started laughing. He said, ”You fool! If I listen to your advice God will laugh at me. I asked him....”

That was his way. He had not asked – there is nobody to ask – that was his way. He would not hurt Vivekananda. He closed his eyes, he may have even moved his lips to show Vivekananda that he was praying to God. And then he opened his eyes and he said, ”God laughed at me and he said, ’Ramakrishna, you are listening to these fools? You follow their advice? Are they your disciples or are you their disciple? Who is who? You have eaten with this throat for so many years – can’t you now eat and drink with the throats of your disciples?’

” And Ramakrishna said, ”Vivekananda, his argument appeals to me. So stop torturing yourself, suffering, because now that I have lost my throat, I have to depend on your throats. Eat as much as you can – a little more than usual, because a part of it has to go to me. Drink a little more than usual because there will be my share, too. So eat, drink and rejoice, because God has said, ’Ramakrishna, you can eat through your disciples’ bodies. Why depend on this body? And this body is gone and rotten!’ ” There is a certain invisible unity, an organic unity, between the Master and the disciple.

2: Ramakrishna’s Paramhansa Leaving the Body and Sharda Ma

At the time of Ramakrishna’s death, it had become clear three days before that Ramakrishna is taking leave now. So his wife Sharda became very worried and upset. Ramakrishna asked her, ”Why do you cry? Because the one who is, is not going to die. And did you love this body known as me or did you love the one who is?” Sharda said, ”I loved the one who is.” Ramakrishna said, ”Then drop the worry. Then, when he who is not dies, do not break your bangles.” There was only one widow in India who did not break her bangles after her husband’s death Then Ramakrishna died.

Everybody else cried and wept but Sharda did not agree to break her bangles. She remained the same as she always was. Everybody said, ”What are you doing? Ramakrishna is dead.” She said, ”One who has died was not there in the first place, and the one who was there, still is. These bangles are in this memory. Sharda remained a bride even after Ramakrishna’s death. She never said that Ramakrishna is dead and whenever somebody asked she would say, ”That body had become worn and torn, he has only changed clothes.” In reality, only clothes are changed, only garbs are changed.

Source:
Sri Ramakrishna Dying from Cancer from "Walking in Zen, Sitting in Zen” - Osho
Ramakrishna’s Paramhansa death and Sharda Ma from "Sun of Consciousness " by Osho

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