Sl. No. 6 - Sermon - (Dear father, take me across the river)

Dhaka - East Bengal Brahmomandir
Sunday, 24th Jaishtha 1293 Bengali Calender [1887 A.D.]

While coming to Dhaka on a boat, the other day I saw three girls standing on the river bank, shouting, “Oh father, take us across the river.” Their father was on the other side. They were standing on the side of Dhaka and were shouting desperately, “Oh father, take us across the river”. I have heard these words many times earlier, but never before did I hear them as penetratingly as at that time. All three of them were standing on a broken ghat and were screaming with intense urge, “Oh father, take us across the river”! Seeing such a situation I felt that this was the ideal state. If standing on the sea shore of the world we can meaningfully and earnestly pray just once, “Make me cross the ocean”, then does it leave any room for delay in crossing? The girls were calling with all their might. They knew that on hearing them, their father would definitely take them to the other side of the river. We do not know how to call with absolute concentration while standing on the shore of the world. Sometimes I do call, but I fail to call like them. Ever since hearing them that day I have developed a great desire to call wholeheartedly, “Oh father take us across the ocean.” He cannot stay away any longer when he hears such a call.

Our days too are almost over. How long should we continue to stay at the broken ghat? Can we remain unperturbed when the mind becomes earnestly eager for Him. Thousands of material objects cannot satisfy us as long as we are unable to see Him, to achieve Him. A thirsty person will not even look at jewels brought to him. A hungry person will not even turn his face to look at a very costly gem. If we too are earnestly desirous of the object we love, then can the thousands of objects around us, so many trees, rivers, oceans, stars, the moon, the sun satiate us? Where is the object of our soul? Other things are nothing. I can no longer wait when my soul cries like this. Still now infatuation misguides me, temptation disturbs me, attachment deludes me as I am yet to understand that He is the core of everything. I say it verbally but do not understand it in my heart. If I could really understand this then I could not stay a moment without Him. A child does not like to leave his mother’s lap to go to someone else’s lap, but so often do I remain busy with worldly things leaving Him aside! That is why I say that I have not yet understood Him to be the core of everything. I have not recognised Him to be the mother. Still now temptation frowns at me. So what have I done all these years? How do I call Him ‘all in all’. If I could understand that He is my father and mother, I could cry out. “Dear father, take me across the river.”I would not even be able to eat or sleep. For days together I do not find Him, yet I make merry. If I could understand Him to be the treasure of my soul, this would not have happened. Can a man who is mourning the death of his son, like any enjoyment? His heart keeps wailing all the while for his son. Could I stay carefree on losing the life of my life? I therefore say that these are only words that I speak, I do not understand in my heart. When shall I be able to say from the core of my heart, “Dear father, take me across the river”. Please bless me, all of you, so that I may call wholeheartedly.