In the description of Banagram that was presented the day before, it is clear that at that time_ the two sides of the village mud-road from Banagram(village) to the Ashrama(Paramananda Mission) was less habitation. Only a few thin and tall palmyra trees(taal) were silently standing with their bushy head beside one side and a village-pond in other side. It was mere a passage leading towards the Maya river in the north and the village mud-road was so desolate that even the thatched cottage of Guruji could be seen from the village Banagram. In addition to the banyan tree, there were two or three peepul (pakur) trees in the Nairit(south-west) corner of the Ashram’s pond where the godown is now located and there was a bell tree(wood apple ) on the left side of the Guru maharaj’s thatched cottage adjacent to another cottage made of same material for prayer and worship. The the terrace or courtyard under such bell tree was clean and tidy. The Prayer —– chanting of hymns from Upanisada in every morning and the song ‘Khandana vaba bandhana – -‘ of Swami Vivekananda was sung in the evening there. The dining area was also there. There was also another bell tree on the Ishaan(north-east corner )side (which is still there). There was also a drain at the back of Guruji’s cottage . A few other trees(5 or 7 coconut trees and a few number of mango trees) were barely planted along the side of that drain and around the office of Murari Maharaj.
Most of the devotees who came to the Ashrama did not stay at night, if anyone stayed, they mingled with the Maharajs. The women from outside, generally did not stay at night, but if they wanted to, they had to stay under the supervision of Murari maharaj.
And how one will be managed to stay there!! There was not a single complete bathroom in the Ashram. There was only a small incomplete bathroom for Guru Maharj’s bath, the roof of the bathroom was opened and one could easily see up to the throat who was in the bathroom. Only Guruji bathed or freshed and made toilet there. He also had to go to the field of Ishaan(north-east cornar) side with a water bottle for defecation. And the others had to go at the bank of pond, field or the bank of Maya river(which is situated at the north of the Ashram) for doing that. There was only one tubewell then.
On the Bayu(North-west corner)side there was a small barn in which one or two cows were tamed . Because before the evening prayer —- sung the song ‘Khandana Vaba bandhana- – ‘ sitting on the tidy terrace or courtyard under that Bell tree, when Keshab Thakur(from the very beginning, Khyapa thakur or Keshav thakur or Swami Debananda, was in charge of the arati) used to blow conch shells, immediately a calf named ‘Multan’ came and joined in prayer with everyone. Guru Maharaj later explained about him.
Now it is the time to come back to my first visit to the Ashrama. At first I am mentioning the incident of taking prasada from Guruji. The fact that Prasada fallen a little did not affect my mind much at that moment but later when I had a little idea about Guru Maharaj, two things stroke at my heart. The first one was that – Guru Maharaj gave me one handful of prasad, but how my two hands were filled with it !!!!
And the second one was – The temporary annoyance that I could notice on His face when some prasadas were fallen ! It may mean “Even if I want to offer ‘kripa’, where is the power in you to take that all ??” (The quote might be given to explain his thinking).
[The then state of my mind was something boastful that I’ve just finished my college ! That I live in kolkata!(not so but at Howrah, Shibpur).Now I have come to a poor village(Banagram) ! So I am something different and I should get special caretake from the Ashram members!!! ] At that time it was not very cold in kolkata or the feeling of winter was less due to being young. So I went out in the morning to Ashrama from Shibpur, thinking that I would be able to come back in the evening ! So, I wore a half-sleeved sweater and a muffler as winter clothing. But I couldn’t return home that day. Not only that day, I had to stay at Banagram for three days successively. [Why??__It’ll be explained later] …….
(Translated by a student of class ten from Dhatrigram, corrected by Mukul sir and Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram)
Most of the devotees who came to the Ashrama did not stay at night, if anyone stayed, they mingled with the Maharajs. The women from outside, generally did not stay at night, but if they wanted to, they had to stay under the supervision of Murari maharaj.
And how one will be managed to stay there!! There was not a single complete bathroom in the Ashram. There was only a small incomplete bathroom for Guru Maharj’s bath, the roof of the bathroom was opened and one could easily see up to the throat who was in the bathroom. Only Guruji bathed or freshed and made toilet there. He also had to go to the field of Ishaan(north-east cornar) side with a water bottle for defecation. And the others had to go at the bank of pond, field or the bank of Maya river(which is situated at the north of the Ashram) for doing that. There was only one tubewell then.
On the Bayu(North-west corner)side there was a small barn in which one or two cows were tamed . Because before the evening prayer —- sung the song ‘Khandana Vaba bandhana- – ‘ sitting on the tidy terrace or courtyard under that Bell tree, when Keshab Thakur(from the very beginning, Khyapa thakur or Keshav thakur or Swami Debananda, was in charge of the arati) used to blow conch shells, immediately a calf named ‘Multan’ came and joined in prayer with everyone. Guru Maharaj later explained about him.
Now it is the time to come back to my first visit to the Ashrama. At first I am mentioning the incident of taking prasada from Guruji. The fact that Prasada fallen a little did not affect my mind much at that moment but later when I had a little idea about Guru Maharaj, two things stroke at my heart. The first one was that – Guru Maharaj gave me one handful of prasad, but how my two hands were filled with it !!!!
And the second one was – The temporary annoyance that I could notice on His face when some prasadas were fallen ! It may mean “Even if I want to offer ‘kripa’, where is the power in you to take that all ??” (The quote might be given to explain his thinking).
[The then state of my mind was something boastful that I’ve just finished my college ! That I live in kolkata!(not so but at Howrah, Shibpur).Now I have come to a poor village(Banagram) ! So I am something different and I should get special caretake from the Ashram members!!! ] At that time it was not very cold in kolkata or the feeling of winter was less due to being young. So I went out in the morning to Ashrama from Shibpur, thinking that I would be able to come back in the evening ! So, I wore a half-sleeved sweater and a muffler as winter clothing. But I couldn’t return home that day. Not only that day, I had to stay at Banagram for three days successively. [Why??__It’ll be explained later] …….
(Translated by a student of class ten from Dhatrigram, corrected by Mukul sir and Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram)