Sri Ramakrishna’s knowledge of God (Brahma-Jnana) covered the essences of all other faiths as well, for he tasted Him in them too. He found the Same God in every faith and in every being. He proclaimed his ultimate spiritual finding to the world in a word that suited the material man and upheld the truth of a “God in man” equality of mankind, like the ancient Hindu seers. It was the tenor of his message, by which he wished to knit humanity in a family and bind man in brotherhood.

Sri Ramakrishna chose Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda) as the instrument to carry his message and teaching forward. Narendranath was a teenage product of modernity. He left Hinduism and became its bitter critic. He was supple, sharp, argumentative, and skeptical, but pure at heart and a stickler for truth ~ just the one Sri Ramakrishna required. He was like a restive horse to be brought to heel, harnessed and trained ~ which Sri Ramakrishna did successfully as his skillful Master, despite the fact that the task was quite arduous and challenging. There were moments when he was too restless for Samadhi and realization of God, which were tactfully utilized by his Master dexterously to transform and prepare him for his purpose.

Samadhi is a condition in which a spiritual aspirant experiences God and His bliss within himself, remaining shut out from the external world. It is the acme of realization, born out of his spiritual endeavor and productive of Eternal Liberation (Moksha) from all miseries. That was the reason why Narendranath had an unqualified fascination for it. Sri Ramakrishna taught him that to achieve such a thing for the sake of personal peace and joy was utterly selfish and said there was a still higher state of God-realization. He asked him sarcastically why God is there only if the........

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