Interviewer:
Gurudeb, my respects to you.
Gurudeb:
Blessings, my child. Blessings.
Interviewer:
We have been listening to you on various important topics on the YouTube channel, Gupta Sadhak Shyama Kheyapa. Already, we have heard from you about the Dashamahavidya (the ten Mahavidyas), and the relationship between the planets and the Dashamahavidya. In one of the episodes, you mentioned that you would speak separately about the saints of Bengal. Today, we would first like to hear from you about Ramprasad Sen, whom we know as Sadhak Ramprasad.
Gurudeb:
You all know about Ramprasad, and perhaps everyone knows he was born in Halisahar. But that's not quite the case. Some of his descendants, who are still around today—there are many branches now—came to me from Garalgacha. A team came to me and said, "You must come to Garalgacha." I asked, "Why, my child?" They said, "You must visit Ramprasad's ancestral home there." I immediately agreed. I'm not sure if a Tantra practitioner as great as Ramprasad has been born since. I don't know; I can't think of any. My own Gurudeb held him in high regard. My Gurudeb, Sarvananda, who was the father of Bamdeb Baba, would always sing Ramprasad's songs. And Bamdeb Baba also loved listening to Ramprasad's songs very much. As far as I know, Ramprasad's descendants even came to Bamdeb Baba to receive initiation, and he initiated them. He loved Ramprasad's songs immensely because Ramprasad expressed everything through his songs. The spiritual practices (kriyas) he performed are unknown to the common people. Truly, they don't know. He performed some very powerful practices that are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Gurudeb:
His Guru was the powerful Krishnananda Agambagish. He received his initiation much later. Since childhood, he was a great devotee of Kali at home. His father was a physician—a kobiraj of those times. He would scold the boy often. From a young age, Ramprasad was absent-minded, his mind was never on anything, and he would wander here and there. Finally, he brought a Kali deity and established it at home. His father, being a physician, understood his son's tendencies and what might happen. He would say, "Look, child, do what you want, but find a job. I'm getting old; how much longer will I live? How long will we survive on these savings?" He would say such things to him, but Ramprasad didn't care. He had only one thought.
Gurudeb:
He would suddenly go off to cremation grounds and such places and then return home. Ramprasad's father then thought about getting him married. He grew up in his maternal uncle's house in Garalgacha. I went and saw documents in Ramprasad's name there. They showed me everything—very old documents from about 350 years ago. They told me some things about Ramprasad and his maternal family. I also saw his maternal uncle's name and details written on the gate. Later, around the age of 30, he left his maternal uncle's house, and a marriage was arranged for him. He eventually had children—probably two daughters and a son.
Gurudeb:
He expressed everything through his songs. Whatever he did, he would come back and write a song. He was busy writing songs all day long. By then, he had children, and his wife would also nag him constantly, saying, "Why don't you find a job?" His father passed away, and it became very difficult. His mother managed the household for a while with whatever old savings they had. After some time, she said she had no more money left. His wife also tried hard and sent her brother to talk to him. His brother-in-law came and said, "Ramprasad, how can things go on like this? Find a job." He replied, "Where will I find a job? Who will hire me?" and so on.
Gurudeb:
Then he decided to look for work at Raja Krishnachandra's place. At that time, Gopal Bhar was also there in Raja Krishnachandra's court, which had the Navaratna (nine jewels). The King heard that a young man was asking for a job and agreed. He told the Nayeb (manager), "A young man will come; show him some work." The manager agreed, and Ramprasad was to come, though he had no desire to. How could he leave his mother alone at home? But his wife and brother-in-law were persistent. "You must go; we can't go on like this. Find a job." So, he went reluctantly. He went to Raja Krishnachandra's office and met the manager. The manager was a bit taken aback by him, wondering what kind of work he could do. Others around him also mocked him.
Gurudeb:
One day, something interesting happened. The manager came as Raja Krishnachandra was due to visit the office for an inspection. He said, "Hey, Ramprasad, is everything in order? The King will ask you first." Ramprasad said, "Yes, everything is fine." The manager asked to see his ledger. He saw the entire ledger was filled with songs. He hadn't written many songs yet, but the first one he wrote was, "Amai de maa tabil dari, ami nemokharam noi Shankari" (Give me the charge of the treasury, Mother, I am not ungrateful, O Shankari). He had written this song.
Gurudeb:
When Raja Krishnachandra came, he called for him. His colleagues were laughing, thinking Ramprasad was done for. His job was gone, and who knew what the King would do? The King called him and said, "Hey, Ramprasad, where are the accounts? Let me see." The manager was trembling, wondering what would happen when the King saw the ledger. The King read it. After reading, he remained silent for a long time, and tears welled up in his eyes. He said, "No, Ramprasad, you are not meant for this." He told the manager, "Send him home. Let him write songs instead. And arrange a monthly allowance for him."
Gurudeb:
Ramprasad had told his family he would send money when he got paid. Two, three, four months passed, but he hadn't received any pay and couldn't send any money. Meanwhile, his wife and children were starving. It was even seen that the children were crying, and Ramprasad's wife was hitting them. They were hungry. His mother was still alive then. She was hitting them out of frustration. Her mother-in-law asked, "What is their fault? Why are you hitting them?" She replied, "What will I feed them? There's nothing in the house." Then a dark-skinned girl, looking like she was from a marginalized community, came with a large basket of things on her head. She asked, "Is this Ramprasad's house?" They said, "Yes." She said, "Ramprasad has sent these things." She had everything—from jaggery to rice and lentils. They accepted the things and told her, "Mother, sit for a while and have some sweets and water." His wife went inside with the things, and when she came back with water and sweets, the girl was gone.
Gurudeb:
They were suspicious. Later, Ramprasad returned home and asked, "Who gave all this rice and lentils?" His wife said, "Why, you sent them! A dark-skinned girl came and delivered them, saying Ramprasad sent them." Ramprasad said, "But I haven't even received my salary yet! How could I send them? Who sent them?" Then he realized. He said to his mother and wife, "You saw Mother with your own eyes, and I call her so much but never see her. You both saw Mother with your own eyes; it was Mother herself who came."
Gurudeb:
Thus, his days went on. He had a habit of smoking ganja, and he would wander around cremation grounds writing songs. That's why he says in one of his songs, "Ami koto ki je khai bhasma aar chai, taba premamrita khai na... ami kar torei apana bilai, o pado tole bikai ne" (I consume so many things, ashes and dust, but I haven't tasted the ambrosia of your love... For whom do I expend myself, when I haven't sold myself at your feet?). He says he has sold himself to people but couldn't sell himself to the Mother. It was a regret. "Ami koto ki je khai bhasma aar chai"—this confirms he smoked ganja; it's right there in his writing. He was very fond of it. "Bhasma aar chai"—that's nothing but ganja or perhaps bidis or something similar; he had that habit.
Gurudeb:
One day, he sat down to write at home, but nothing was coming together. It was getting late. His wife said, "Go and bathe, it's already 2:00 or 2:30 PM, you need to eat." He said, "Look, it's not working. I'm writing a song, but I can't get it right. I can't match the lines." He left the notebook open, put down the pen, and went to bathe. When he came back after eating and sat down to write, he saw the song was completed. He was puzzled—who could have written it? He felt that Mother must have come, but she never showed herself to him.
Gurudeb:
When his situation was very bad, he consulted many people and went to many places to have his palm read. One person told him, "Hey, child, do one thing. Chant the name of Durga, and everything will be fine." He said, "Is that so? Okay." He chanted Durga's name for many days, but the situation remained the same. Then he wrote, "Aharnishi Durga name bhasi, duhkha rashi tabu gelo na... ami jadi mori o harasundari, Durga nam keu labe na" (Day and night I immerse myself in Durga's name, yet my heap of sorrows remains... If I die, O beautiful one, no one will take Durga's name).
Gurudeb:
In another place, someone told him, "You bathe, don't you? Go into the water, draw a line in the water, and then drink that water. Do this, and your situation will improve." He tried many things. But a saint's life is often pathetic. He would bathe and drink the water every day as told. After many days, there was no improvement. Then he wrote, "Ami kuhaka mohe bhule bhule, dag ketechi jale... pan korechi bishoy madhu, shanti pabo bole" (Bewitched by illusion, I repeatedly drew lines in the water... I drank the honey of worldly matters, hoping to find peace). He wanted peace; there was so much unrest at home due to money. But that didn't happen either. He then wrote that song, "Aharnishi Durga name bhasi...". The same happened with the lines in the water. He wrote, "Ami kuhaka mohe bhule bhule...". Nothing brought him peace. He had a great yearning to see the Mother. He always felt Mother was helping him, but he could never see her. She never appeared before him.
Gurudeb:
His mother was quite old then. Krishnananda Agambagish came once; Ramprasad hadn't been initiated yet. He used to perform Kali Puja. Krishnananda would go to the cremation grounds, and he went there. He told Ramprasad, "I will come again after your mother passes away and initiate you." Ramprasad had already accepted him as his Guru in his heart. After his mother died, while they were at the cremation ground, a madman appeared as the funeral pyre was lit. The madman was covered in ash and running around. Ramprasad heard and saw his madness. He seemed to say there's nothing but ash. Then Krishnananda arrived. He said, "I am initiating you, but you must perform all the spiritual practices." Ramprasad said, "I am a devotee of Kali; why should I perform Tara Sadhana?" Krishnananda said he must. We say, "As is Kali, so is Tara." One who worships Kali must also worship Tara; it comes automatically. One must complete each of the ten Mahavidyas one by one. Ramprasad said, "I don't know the mantras; I understand nothing but Kali." Krishnananda said, "I am giving you the mantra; you will surely attain perfection." And much later, he did attain it. He had already received the initiation.
Gurudeb:
There was a Vaishnava saint named Aju Gosai there. He had a following, and there were some Tantrics too, but none like Ramprasad. Aju Gosai's followers were many. When Ramprasad wrote a song, Aju Gosai would write a satirical version of it. Ramprasad wrote, "Dub de re mon Kali bole, hridi ratnakaro ogadh jale, dub de re mon Kali bole" (Dive, O mind, in the name of Kali, into the bottomless waters of the heart's ocean). Then Aju Gosai, who was a leader there, wrote, "Dub dish ne mon ghori ghori, tor kophero nari atke gele, jabi re tui jomer bari" (Don't dive so often, O mind, if your breath gets stuck, you'll go to the house of Death). He wrote this as a mockery. Whatever Ramprasad wrote, Aju Gosai would write a parody. They were total opposites and couldn't stand each other. Even at the riverbank, they would mock each other.
Gurudeb:
To settle this, some people decided to bring Raja Krishnachandra. They wanted to see who was greater—the Tantric or the Vaishnava. Raja Krishnachandra came with Gopal Bhar. A debate of sorts took place. Raja Krishnachandra couldn't decide who was greater. As he left, he said, "I couldn't decide who is greater. You decide for yourselves." Later, Aju Gosai went to Ramprasad with a flower garland one night after the debate. He said, "Ramprasad, are you home?" Ramprasad said, "Yes, I am. Aju Gosai, you?" Aju Gosai put the garland around his neck and said, "Today I lost, and you won." Many such small incidents happened in his life.
Gurudeb:
Once, there was a terrible storm in Halisahar, and the thatched roof and fence of his house were damaged. One morning, he called his two daughters and said, "I won't do any other work today; let's fix the fence." He called his daughter and said, "While I tie the fence, you hand me the rope." His daughter said, "Okay, Father, you fix the fence, and I'll give you the rope." But the other daughter came with some fruit and called her, and she left. Ramprasad was fixing the fence alone, yet someone was handing him the rope. When he finished, he called his daughter, "Where are you going?" She said, "Father, I wasn't there while you were fixing the fence." Then Ramprasad realized who had been handing him the rope. He realized it, but every time, he failed to see the Mother. He felt her presence and her help every time, but he could never see her. He felt it with all his heart. He has many such songs.
Interviewer:
Gurudeb, we are listening to you about Ramprasad Sen and the various events of his life. Much remains to be known. In the next episode, we would like to hear more from you about his spiritual practices and kriyas through his songs. I'm telling our friends, just as you are subscribing to our Gupta Sadhak YouTube channel, please subscribe even more, and share and like the videos. My respects to you, Gurudeb.
Gurudeb:
Blessings.