[My first visit to Banagram Ashram]
Although we are in the episode of ‘My first visit to Banagram Ashram’ now, I can remember a funny man. So, let’s talk abot him (if I forget, later). After then we will come back to the main discussion again. These incidents took place few years later of my first visit at Banagram Ashram. The time of incident may be 1986/1987.
Today’s discussion will be about “Bhonte”da. Bhonteda’s real name was Sunil Mandal. He was a very strong and stout person ! His house was in Belut village near Rasulpur of Purba Bardhaman. At that time, the office of Charaibeti magazine as well as the place to take rest of the devotees in the noon and night, was in an earthen room, which was situated then in the starting point of the playground. There were two bedsteads on either side of the room, one in which Swami Swarupananda used to stay and the other was used by Joydeep . We(devotees from outside) used to lie down in the floor of the room on date-mats. We used to attend Guru Maharaj’s morning-sitting and after the ‘sitting’ was over, we took our meal. After then we used to take rest in that “Charaibeti karyalaya- room” .
One day, it was very hot summer-noon and we all(Joydeep, Swami Swarupananda and a few outsiders)were resting there. Suddenly the door opened with a loud sound and ‘Bhonteda’ entered !!
As soon as he entered, he started shouting ” What for– do you all stay in the ashram ? What have you all become saints or celibates for(looking at Joydeep and Swami Swarupananda)? God Himself is sitting in there(pointing at the Guruji’s kuthia) and you all are sleeping here_shutting doors and windows ?? Nothing will be happened by you !! Can’t you get such a guru with full of spiritual treasure and don’t you want to take spiritual wealth from him ?? Look at me ! I don’t stay at ashram like you !! I haven’t come here since morning also !! But when everyone in the Ashram like you, are resting after taking meal___ I went to Guruji and now I am leaving Ashram with the spiritual treasure, which I forcibly took away from my great guru !”
Everyone in the room got up immediately at his shouting. Now it was time to ask – “What happened Bhonteda”??? But there was a problem here – Bhonteda had a bad habit to slap anyone in front of him while talking ! There were few people who listened to Bhonteda’s words by bearing his strong slaps !
However, we had to listen to about the actual incident of taking spiritual treasure of him from Guru Maharaj ! So we took the risk . Then he began to say, but I am sure that you will be surprised to hear what we heard that day !! Bhonteda continued , ” Today when I reached the ashram, I got down from my bicycle and went straight to Guruji’s kuthia. When I knocked his door, Guruji said_” who is there??” “It’s me. Don’t you recognise me – I’m Bhonte”? He replied_ “Oh yes! Come in!” Then I entered his room and told _ “You are sitting here with all the spiritual treasures, give some of it to me ! Do you hear__Give something !”
He (Guruji) said _”I have no such treasures, don’t disturb me, you may go!!” Hearing this, I said, “I don’t believe it . Is my guru a normal guru? You have no treasure —means?? Give me some _ from your spiritual house !”—- Saying this, I grabbed Guruji’s shoulders with my two hands and leaned him against the wall. Then…….”
–“Then??” We were so keen!!!
—“Hne-hne(laughing mysteriouly)!! He is my guru__ dears!!!! He is not such a normal person or a common guru!!! So In a sudden reverse attack he(guruji) took my hand off, grabbed my shoulders and pushed me against the wall in the opposite direction !! Then he said – ‘Take this!!’
And I finally got my extreamly desired ‘treasure’ ! __Now I am going back home with full of spirituality in myself !” He went away_as if a storm or a whirlwind passed over !!And we all, present there, remained speechless for a long time !! We were only thinking _”What type of man he is !! Is he a mad or he is a very special-type-disciple of Swami Paramananda!!!” [To be continued]…….
[Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten of Dhatrigram and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]
Although we are in the episode of ‘My first visit to Banagram Ashram’ now, I can remember a funny man. So, let’s talk abot him (if I forget, later). After then we will come back to the main discussion again. These incidents took place few years later of my first visit at Banagram Ashram. The time of incident may be 1986/1987.
Today’s discussion will be about “Bhonte”da. Bhonteda’s real name was Sunil Mandal. He was a very strong and stout person ! His house was in Belut village near Rasulpur of Purba Bardhaman. At that time, the office of Charaibeti magazine as well as the place to take rest of the devotees in the noon and night, was in an earthen room, which was situated then in the starting point of the playground. There were two bedsteads on either side of the room, one in which Swami Swarupananda used to stay and the other was used by Joydeep . We(devotees from outside) used to lie down in the floor of the room on date-mats. We used to attend Guru Maharaj’s morning-sitting and after the ‘sitting’ was over, we took our meal. After then we used to take rest in that “Charaibeti karyalaya- room” .
One day, it was very hot summer-noon and we all(Joydeep, Swami Swarupananda and a few outsiders)were resting there. Suddenly the door opened with a loud sound and ‘Bhonteda’ entered !!
As soon as he entered, he started shouting ” What for– do you all stay in the ashram ? What have you all become saints or celibates for(looking at Joydeep and Swami Swarupananda)? God Himself is sitting in there(pointing at the Guruji’s kuthia) and you all are sleeping here_shutting doors and windows ?? Nothing will be happened by you !! Can’t you get such a guru with full of spiritual treasure and don’t you want to take spiritual wealth from him ?? Look at me ! I don’t stay at ashram like you !! I haven’t come here since morning also !! But when everyone in the Ashram like you, are resting after taking meal___ I went to Guruji and now I am leaving Ashram with the spiritual treasure, which I forcibly took away from my great guru !”
Everyone in the room got up immediately at his shouting. Now it was time to ask – “What happened Bhonteda”??? But there was a problem here – Bhonteda had a bad habit to slap anyone in front of him while talking ! There were few people who listened to Bhonteda’s words by bearing his strong slaps !
However, we had to listen to about the actual incident of taking spiritual treasure of him from Guru Maharaj ! So we took the risk . Then he began to say, but I am sure that you will be surprised to hear what we heard that day !! Bhonteda continued , ” Today when I reached the ashram, I got down from my bicycle and went straight to Guruji’s kuthia. When I knocked his door, Guruji said_” who is there??” “It’s me. Don’t you recognise me – I’m Bhonte”? He replied_ “Oh yes! Come in!” Then I entered his room and told _ “You are sitting here with all the spiritual treasures, give some of it to me ! Do you hear__Give something !”
He (Guruji) said _”I have no such treasures, don’t disturb me, you may go!!” Hearing this, I said, “I don’t believe it . Is my guru a normal guru? You have no treasure —means?? Give me some _ from your spiritual house !”—- Saying this, I grabbed Guruji’s shoulders with my two hands and leaned him against the wall. Then…….”
–“Then??” We were so keen!!!
—“Hne-hne(laughing mysteriouly)!! He is my guru__ dears!!!! He is not such a normal person or a common guru!!! So In a sudden reverse attack he(guruji) took my hand off, grabbed my shoulders and pushed me against the wall in the opposite direction !! Then he said – ‘Take this!!’
And I finally got my extreamly desired ‘treasure’ ! __Now I am going back home with full of spirituality in myself !” He went away_as if a storm or a whirlwind passed over !!And we all, present there, remained speechless for a long time !! We were only thinking _”What type of man he is !! Is he a mad or he is a very special-type-disciple of Swami Paramananda!!!” [To be continued]…….
[Translated by Rajarsi Basak, a student of class Ten of Dhatrigram and corrected by Ramprasad, a former student of Banagram Ashram.]