Swami Vivekananda                           

Sri Ramakrishna visited the house of Dinu Babu (in North Calcutta ) one day, and my second brother, Girish, went to see him. When he returned I asked him: "What is this man like?" "A hypocrite," he replied. Thus I was dissuaded from making any further inquiries about the Master. But my brother soon became a frequent visitor to Dakshineswar, and I began to observe that Deven Babu and my brother were always whispering about him, keeping everything secret from me. One day, probably in March 1885, I came home to find Deven Babu and Haripada with my brother, and when I entered the room they began whispering as usual. "What are you whispering about?" I asked. "Is it about the Paramahamsa? Your Master is not a Paramahamsa, he is a Rajahamsa. He wears a red-bordered cloth, beautiful shirts, polished slippers and sleeps on a comfortable bed." It was in this vein that I was talking when Sri Ramakrishna entered the room, accompanied by Narayan, saying: "Girish, it is by the grace of God that I have come to you." The Master had crossed the courtyard and climbed the steps to the first floor without any of us being aware of his presence until we heard his voice. My brother and the others saluted him by lying full length on the floor, and since it was our family tradition that `a brahmin should be respected', I too saluted him, with folded hands. The Master then took a seat and my brother sat in front of him while the rest of us sat in a circle around him. My brother, Girish, introduced me saying: "This is my younger brother, but he has just been criticising you." Then he looked at me and said: "Why are you silent now? Are you charmed by his presence?" I was somewhat embarrassed but not at all fearful or intimidated by the Master. So I said to him: "Sir, you are not a Paramahamsa, you are a Rajahamsa - that is what I was saying when you arrived." Whereupon the Master said to my brother: "But this is not a criticism. When milk and water are mixed together, the swan separates them and drinks only the milk. Moreover, if you go to Varanasi you will find innumerable Paramahamsas all over the place, and he has made me their king. It has been well said." I could see that the Master was very intelligent and was not to be caught out by my comments. I wanted to test his ego, so I asked: "Sir, what is your name?" Caressing my back, the Master replied: "Do we have names?" `Hei,' `Hallo' - in this way one can call me and I will know who is being called." "What is this?" I thought to myself. "Is he reading my mind?" I knew a little about thought-reading and had practised it for some time. Anyhow the Master continued: "Before today I was a little frightened of you. The other day I was passing by your house. Knowing that Girish was not at home, Narayan, who was with me, pointed out to me that you were seated on the veranda and asked whether he should speak to you as to the whereabouts of Girish. I forbade him to and we went on to Balaram's. Seeing your long beard I was frightened of you, but now it is all gone." "Sir," I replied, "how do I know the cause of your fear and why it has gone away today? I am the same man with the same beard." About that time, M., Paltu, and the younger Naren entered. The Master said (to M.): "Welcome, O three-and-a-half degree holder, come in." They saluted the Master, smiling at him, and took their seats. The conversation got underway with a discussion as to whether God is formless or with form. Then came the question of knowledge and devotion - which was the higher way. The Master: "Both are the way and one can attain God through both of them. The path of knowledge and the path of devotion both lead to the same destination, and after arriving there one understands that pure knowledge and pure devotion are one and the same." The conversation continued in this way for a time and then all left. As time passed I learned that many devotees always took something to the Master when they visited him. I rarely presented anything to him. One day, sitting near the Master at Cossipore, I was thinking to myself that it would give me so much pleasure if he would ask me to bring him something. Immediately he said: "My stock of barley has run out. Rakhal, would you check the can?" Rakhal opened the can and found it empty. Then the Master asked me: "Could you buy a can of barley for me and bring it tomorrow?" I hesitated since it would not be possible for me to bring it the next day. Right away he said: "Please buy the barley tomorrow morning and send it to Balaram. Inform him that I have no barley and that it must reach me without delay. He will make the necessary arrangements."