Divine Bridges

In Ramakrishna's ashram in Dakshineshwar, in Calcutta, there were many disciples, and Vivekananda was one of the most intellectual. There was a very simple man who was also a disciple--his name was Kalu, a poor man. He was so faithful, religious, emotional, that he had in his room hundreds of statues of different gods. Early in the morning he would take a bath in the Ganges, and then the worship of these gods would begin--and of course each had to be worshipped equally; otherwise somebody may feel offended. So Kalu's whole day was lost, and everybody was laughing at him: "What are you doing? Just one god is enough!"

Vivekananda was the most prominent in making a fool of Kalu. He said, "You are simply stupid--these are just stones! And you are wasting your life."

One day Ramakrishna gave Vivekananda a certain method of awareness to practice: "Go into your cell, close the door and practice it." When Vivekananda came to a certain stage, he felt himself so full of power that the idea came to his mind, "If I say at this moment just within myself, to Kalu, 'Take all your gods and throw them into the Ganges,' he will do it."

And he did it, he said--in his own cell, just within himself--"Kalu, just collect all your gods and throw them all into the Ganges." Kalu collected all his gods into a big bag and was dragging the bag down the steps when Ramakrishna ran after him and said, "What are you doing?"

Kalu said, "Suddenly I heard a voice--it must have come from God himself, because there was nobody in the room--saying, 'Kalu, collect all your gods and throw them into the Ganges.' It was so powerful that I could not doubt it."

Ramakrishna said, "Come. Bring your gods back and I will show you from where the voice has come." He knocked on Vivekananda's door. Vivekananda came out and Ramakrishna was very angry. He said, "Vivekananda, this is the last thing I had ever expected of you. I had told you to be aware--not to destroy a poor man's life. He is so simple-hearted, so loving, such a beautiful man--how could you do it? From now onwards you will never attain to the same power again."

And it is said Vivekananda died without attaining enlightenment. Although he became Ramakrishna's successor because he was a great orator, had a certain charisma, influenced people, he himself died a poor man, knowing nothing. And the reason was that he disturbed a simple-hearted man because he got just a little power and he immediately used it--not for the benefit of somebody, but to harm somebody.