Such was Paramhansa’s personality and aura that he could easily win over a formidable rival like Keshav Chandra Sen, says OSHO

Ramakrishna Paramhansa lived just outside Calcutta, on the bank of Ganga river in a small temple. At that time Calcutta was the capital of India, so the cream of intellectuals was in the city.

Keshav Chandra Sen was one such genius. Being the co-founder of Brahmo Samaj, he was known all over India. Ramakrishna was not known, except to a few people in Calcutta. He was uneducated, and people thought he was mad, because his behaviour was not explainable by mental concepts. But slowly his influence and fame was increasing people started coming to see him.

And Keshav Chandra Sen was worried that an uneducated man like Ramakrishna was getting so much prominence. Finally, one day he decided to go and argue with this man and finish this whole thing.

Hundreds of people gathered to see what would transpire. Ramakrishna’s followers were much afraid, knowing that Keshav Chandra could defeat anybody if it was a question of rationality.

When Keshav Chandra arrived, Ramakrishna hugged him. Keshav Chandra was not prepared for that. He had come to fight, and he made it clear to Ramakrishna, “These things won’t help. I have come to discuss each and every point of your philosophy. Don’t try to create a friendship. I have come as an enemy: Either you defeat me and I will be your follower, or be ready to become my follower.”

Ramakrishna said, “That we will be doing soon — hugging has nothing to do with it! I have always loved you. Whenever I have heard about you and your ideas, that you say there is no God... and I know there is God, but still I enjoy and love you. In fact, your great intelligence is proof that existence is intelligent; otherwise from where does intelligence comeIJ You are a proof to me that God is — but that we will discuss later on. What is the hurryIJ”

He added, “And you know, I am a poor man. I don’t know any logic. I have never discussed with anybody. It is going to be a very easy job for you. I have prepared some sweet for you; first take the sweet. And then you can start your discussion.”

Keshav Chandra was finding it a little difficult. The man was strange; he offered him a sweet, he hugged him. He had already destroyed the animosity. And strangest of all, he says that Keshav Chandra’s presence is enough proof of God, there is no need of other proof. Without God how is such intelligence possibleIJ

After taking his sweet, Ramakrishna said, “Now you start your game!” And Keshav Chandra was arguing against whatever he had found in Ramakrishna’s small books and sayings. And Ramakrishna would enjoy and praised it, and many times he would stand up and hug Keshav and say, “You are a genius! Your criticism is perfect.”

Keshav Chandra said, “I have not come here to get your approval; I have come to argue.” Ramakrishna said, “I don’t see there is any question of argument. You are the proof. I don’t need to give any other proof.”

Keshav Chandra had never come across such a man, and what he was saying had immense significance; it was penetrating Keshav Chandra’s heart. Something was happening to Keshav Chandra that his followers could not believe.

By the end of the discussion, Ramakrishna said, “You tell me who is defeated and who is victorious, and I will follow it.” And people were shocked to see that Keshav Chandra fell at the feet of Ramakrishna. Everybody was asking, “Keshav Chandra, what happened to youIJ”

He replied, “I don’t know. One thing is certain, that that man has experienced something about which I have been only talking. I can talk efficiently, but he has it; he radiates it. I have that much intelligence at least to see the aura of the man, to feel the radiance of his love, to see his simplicity and sincerity. And as I was sitting by his side, something melted in me slowly — the antagonism, the aggressiveness. And this is the first time this has happened with anybody. People think he is mad, but if he is mad, then I would like also to be mad. He is far superior to our so-called sanity.”

Excerpts from Beyond Psychology