A community of poor silk weavers lived in and around Jayrambati, the famed saint Sri Sarada Devi’s hometown. To make their situation worse, the former British Government of India banned domestically produced garments. This caused a loss of their subsistence, and these weavers turned to devious ways. Records indicate that dacoity peaked around this time.
One such affected person was Amjad, who alternated between being a part-time dacoit, cultivator, and laborer. A tall, dark, and well-built man, he appeared even more fearsome than he was in reality.
Deep in his heart, Amjad wanted to change his negative life habits but couldn’t because of poverty and his stubbornness. As a result of his internal conflict, he lived in confusion and frequently presented a disheveled appearance.
He once heard that receiving initiation from a monk could change his fate. So, along with two other associates, Amjad went to Swami Brahmananda (Rakhal), a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.
Initiating them means taking all the negative Karma of three dacoits, Rakhal mused, perturbed by their presence. He was already well-known for avoiding spiritual initiations. As had become his custom, he skillfully delegated responsibility to Sri Sarada Devi.
(Author’s note: There’s an undertone in some texts that Rakhal often indulged in politics because he did not like Sri Sarada Devi as much. It appears that Swami Vivekananda once reprimanded him for this. There is a possibility that Rakhal intentionally sent the dacoits to Sarada Devi to test if she was a true saint.)
Rakhal’s actions frequently irritated Sri Sarada Devi, yet as the kind saint that she was, she quietly initiated those who approached her. When Amjad and his friends went to her, she became concerned that her aged body would give way if she took their Karma, putting her spiritual purpose on hold. In a dilemma, Sarada Devi initially dodged the dacoits.
However, Amjad, a Muslim, was unfamiliar with the concept of initiation. Further, he was known for his unreasonable stubbornness, a common trait among people lacking spiritual insight. The more Sarada Devi resisted, the more the three dacoits became determined to get her initiation.
Swami Saradananda (Sharat) was worried. Out of his benevolent nature, he had braved every adversity to care for Sarada Devi more than his own mother. He did everything in his might to prevent Amjad and his associates from meeting her, fearing that the situation might end her life. But the three dacoits sat outside Sarada Devi’s residence for days with resolve.
One day, what Sharat had feared happened. Sri Sarada Devi looked at Sri Ramakrishna’s picture and said, “Your disciples have decided to kill me.” Then, she walked out of her residence and initiated all three dacoits.
After that, Amjad stopped being a bandit but remained a petty thief. Even though he had stopped harming people, everyone continued to fear and dislike him. So, he often walked to Sarada Devi’s residence, opened a window curtain, viewed her from a distance, and left.
At times, if Sarada Devi noticed him, she said, “My son Amjad! You have come? Where have you been for so many days?”
Amjad casually replied that he had recently been released from prison for stealing something. Even though she disapproved of his ways, his truthfulness melted Sarada Devi’s heart.
“You look unkempt. Go take a bath in the village pond, and then I will serve you lunch,” she insisted, setting out to prepare a meal for him.
Sarada Devi’s niece, Nalini, treated Amjad, a Muslim and thief, with prejudice and hatred. The young woman served him food by throwing it at his plate from a distance.
“Like Sharat, Amjad is also my son. They are equal to me. Leave the dishes near me. I will take care of him,” Sarada Devi stated, lovingly serving Amjad herself.
Shortly, though, Sarada Devi got bedridden due to a high fever. Alongside a vast ocean of people, Amjad had also rushed to be by her side.
“Is it my child, Amjad?” She asked feebly from her bed.
Nobody believed him when he answered yes since Amjad appeared to be a different man. Even though he was still poor, he appeared neat, clean, and joyful. He also carried presents and fruits for Sri Sarada Devi using his hard-earned money.
Nevertheless, his stubborn mind refused, and he was still unable to give up his crippling habit of petty thefts. “I know you haven’t given up your habit of stealing,” Sarada Devi said one day. Immediately after, she left her body.
Amjad sobbed at her feet and pledged never to steal again. This time, he was determined to follow through. A while later, he passed away as a wholly reformed man.
As Sri Sarada Devi demonstrated, compassion is the hallmark of a saint. It is the pinnacle of spiritual attainment, a divine trait exhibited only by those unattached to their body and the world.
Sadly, though, the compassion of sages often drives them to work in ways the world cannot comprehend. This causes many to act out of ignorance, leading them away from the sages. Even worse, it makes people react to genuine saints disrespectfully, as Rakhal did with Sri Sarada Devi (until he had a change of heart after she initiated the dacoits).
My two cents worth: If you believe you are in the presence of a genuine guru, don’t ever let them go because you don’t understand them. As the wise say, opportunity doesn’t knock on your door twice.
Who knows? Your guru may be your only hope for spiritual liberation; without them, you could be trapped on this planet for eons. I speak from experience because that’s the mindset I maintained with my mentor despite knowing who I was and why I didn’t need a guru.
Love,
Sri Devi Om
Image Credit: A painting of Amjad, Sri Sarada Devi, and Nalini — RKMath.org.
