Talk Excerpt 249. Swamiji explains how the great Ramakrishna Math and Mission centres originated.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

After Sri Ramakrishna passed away in Calcutta one of his devotees was living in the south. It appears that this man was afraid of a Tantric man who had some supernatural powers. Actually Master’s devotee was irritating the Tantric man and would start him off every day. At night he would sit down and pray to Sri Ramakrishna to bless him. He did this for a couple of years. Then he went to visit the Holy Mother [Sri Sarada Devi] She told him to stop irritating other people. Sri Ramakrishna cannot protect you if you do wrong things. 

So do not underestimate Sri Ramakrishna – whatever you desire, he is the wish-fulfilling root itself. The wish-fulfilling tree is a tree, it can dry up and lose power. But this is the root that gives power to those trees and branches and leaves. So be careful.

Sri Sarada Devi said: “One day I sat and prayed to Master about the disciples: ‘Oh Master! your sons have given up the world for you. They have no shelter, no place to sleep. Please give them a place where they can live and do your work.’”

That is how these great Math and Centres [ashrams, temples, shrines] have sprung up and the devotees have made progress.

The free-to-read or download, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.