judgments but they revealed to me in a vision of the night: “Behold, you yourself chose the alternative of falling into the hands of the Lord [as above] and now you wish to nullify it. An accuser cannot become a defender.” So I then desisted from recitingtheincenseportionandfromprayingforthis.ButonHoshanaRabbaIwent
tothesynagoguetogetherwiththecompany,utteringthewhilemanyconjurationsin
greatdread,andIrecitedtheincenseportionjustoncesothattheepidemicshouldnot spreadtoourdistricts,andthankGodIwassuccessful….Longmayyoulive.Amen.
Selah.
IsraelBaalShemTovofMedzibezh
FromaletterbytheBaalShemTovtohisbrother-in-law,RabbiAbraham
Gershom.
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TWELVE
BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
1817–1892,IRAN
BORN IN Teheran, Iran, in 1817, Bahá'u'lláh descended from a noble and wealthy family whose lineage could be traced to the ruling dynasties of imperial Persia.
Trained in the princely arts of horsemanship, calligraphy, swordsmanship, and
classical poetry, he married at the age of sixteen. His wife gave birth to three daughtersoverthecourseofthenextthirteenyears.Decliningtheministerialposition offered to him, Bahá'u'lláh chose instead to devote his time and energy to
philanthropyandbecameknownforhisgenerosityandkindness.
Hisprivilegedpositioncametoanabruptendafter1840whenBahá'u'lláhbecame
oneoftheleadersoftheBabimovement.FoundedbyayoungmerchantfromShiraz
whotookthenameof“theBab,”thismessianicsectprovidedanewreligionthatwas
independent of Islam. The secular and religious establishments reacted to the
movement with tremendous fear and persecution. The authorities issued a death
sentencefortheBab,tobecarriedoutby750soldiers.Miraculously,theBab'sbody
disappearedafterthefirstroundofbullets,onlytobefoundbackinhiscell.Hisluck ranoutthesecondtime.
Soon after the Bab's execution, Bahá'u'lláh was arrested, brought in front of the court in shackles, and threatened with death. His personal reputation, family
connections, and the protests from Western Embassies saved him. He was cast
insteadintothenotorious“BackPit,”whereheremainedforfourmonths.Itwasin
the dark, dank confines of his dungeon that Bahá'u'lláh realized the breadth of his missiononEarth.Uponhisrelease,hesufferedbanishmentfromPersia.
Sobeganfortyyearsofexile,incarceration,persecution,wandering,andreflection.
Bahá'u'lláh announced in 1863 that he was the Promised One that the Bab had foretold.
Beginning in 1867, he addressed the leaders of the world, warning of political upheavals of great magnitude unless they disarmed and joined together to establish lastingpeace.TheTurkishgovernmentrespondedbyexilingBahá'u'lláhtoadreaded
penalcolony,hometothemosthardenedofcriminals.Sofoulwastheairthatbirds
soaringoverheadwouldfalldeadfromthesky.HereBahá'u'lláhandhisfamilyspent
theremainingtwenty-fouryearsofhislifeuntilhediedin1892.
ThefundamentalmessageofBahá'u'lláhwasthatofoneGodandonehumanrace.
Headvocatedtheunionofallpeopleintoapeaceful,integratedglobalsocietyfreeof
prejudiceandwithfullgender,socioeconomic,andreligiousequality.Includedinhis
visionwereuniversaleducation,asustainablebalanceoftechnologyandnature,and
a world federation. The fruits of Bahá'u'lláh's forty years of exile were his sacred scriptures,whichoutlinedaplanforthereorganizationofhumansocietyonalllevels.
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TodaytheBahá'íFaithisoneofthefastestgrowingreligionsoftheworld,withmore than 5 million members in at least 233 countries and territories representing more than2,000differentethnicgroups.Itisonlythroughanunwaveringconsciousnessof
theonenessofmankind,saytheBahá'ís,thatworldpeacecanberealized.
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INBONDAGE,YETFREE
BAHÁ'U'LLÁHwasimprisonedwithhiscomrades,theBábis…“amidstthedarknessof
a subterranean dungeon in Tihrán—an abominable pit that had once served as a reservoirofwaterforoneofthepublicbathsofthecity.”
Herelateshisexperiencethere:
We were all huddled together in one cell, our feet in stocks, and around our necksfastenedthemostgallingofchains.Theairwebreathedwasladenwith
the foulest impurities, while the floor on which we sat was covered with filth and infested with vermin. No ray of light was allowed to penetrate that
pestilentialdungeonortowarmitsicycoldness.Wewereplacedintworows,
eachfacingtheother.Wehadtaughtthemtorepeatcertainverseswhich,every
night,theychantedwithextremefervor.“Godissufficientuntome;Heverilyis
theAll-Sufficing!”onerowwouldintone,whiletheotherwouldreply:“InHim
let the trusting trust.” The chorus of these gladsome voices would continue to pealoutuntiltheearlyhoursofthemorning.Theirreverberationwouldfillthe
dungeon, and, piercing its massive walls, would reach the ears of Nasiri'd-Din Sháh, whose palace was not far distant from the place where we were
imprisoned.“Whatmeansthissound?”hewasreportedtohaveexclaimed.“Itis
theanthemtheBábisareintoningintheirprison,”theyreplied.TheSháhmade
nofurtherremarks,nordidheattempttorestraintheenthusiasmhisprisoners,
despitethehorrorsoftheirconfinement,continuedtodisplay.
Oneday,therewasbroughttoOurprisonatrayofroastedmeatwhichthey
informedUstheSháhhadorderedtobedistributedamongtheprisoners.“The
Sháh,”Weweretold,“faithfultoavowhemade,haschosenthisdaytoofferto
you all this lamb in fulfilment of his pledge.” A deep silence fell upon Our companions.WhoexpectedUstomakeanswerontheirbehalf.“Wereturnthis
gifttoyou,”Wereplied,“wecanwelldispensewiththisoffer.”TheanswerWe
madewouldhavegreatlyirritatedtheguardshadtheynotbeeneagertodevour
the food We had refused to touch. Despite the hunger with which Our
companions were afflicted, only one among them, a certain Mirzá Husayn-i-
Mutivalliy-i-Qumi, showed any desire to eat of the food the sovereign had
spread before us. With a fortitude that was truly heroic, Our fellow-prisoners submitted, without a murmur, to endure the piteous plight to which they were reduced.PraiseofGod,insteadofcomplaintofthetreatmentmetedouttothem
bytheSháh,fellunceasinglyfromtheirlips—praisewithwhichtheysoughtto
beguilethehardshipofacruelcaptivity.
EverydayOurgaolers[jailers]enteringOurcell,wouldcallthenameofone
of Our companions, bidding him arise and follow them to the foot of the
gallows. With what eagerness would the owner of that name respond to that
solemncall!Relievedofhischains,hewouldspringtohisfeetand,inastateof
uncontrollable delight, would approach and embrace Us. We would seek to
comforthimwiththeassuranceofaneverlastinglifeintheworldbeyond,and,
filling his heart with hope and joy, would send him forth to
win the crown of 90
glory. He would embrace, in turn, the rest of his fellow-prisoners, and then proceedtodieasdauntlesslyashehadlived.Soonafterthemartyrdomofeach
ofthesecompanions,Wewouldbeinformedbytheexecutioner,whohadgrown
tobefriendlywithUs,ofthecircumstancesofthedeathofhisvictim,andofthe
joywithwhichhehadenduredhissufferingstotheveryend.
DuringthedaysIlayintheprisonofTihrán,thoughthegallingweightofthe
chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequentmomentsofslumberIfeltasifsomethingflowedfromthecrownof
MyheadoverMybreast,evenasamightytorrentthatprecipitatethitselfupon
theearthfromthesummitofaloftymountain.EverylimbofMybodywould,
asaresult,besetafire.AtsuchmomentsMytonguerecitedwhatnomancould
beartohear.
Onenight,inadream,theseexaltedwordswereheardoneveryside:“Verily,
We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy pen. Grieve Thou not
forthatwhichhathbefallenThee,neitherbeThouafraid,forThouartinsafety.
Ere long will God raise up the treasures of the earth-men who will aid Thee throughThyselfandthroughThyName,wherewithGodhathrevivedthehearts
ofsuchashaverecognizedHim.”
WhileengulfedintribulationsIheardamostwondrous,amostsweetvoice,
callingaboveMyhead.TurningMyface,IbeheldaMaiden—theembodiment
oftheremembranceofthenameofMyLord—suspendedintheairbeforeMe.
So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the
ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the
brightnessoftheAllMerciful.Betwixtearthandheavenshewasraisingacall
which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My
inwardandouterbeingtidingswhichrejoicedMysoul,andthesoulsofGod's
honoredservants.PointingwithherfingeruntoMyhead,sheaddressedallwho
are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: “By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but
understand.ThisistheMysteryofGodandHisTreasure,theCauseofGodand
HisgloryuntoallwhoareinthekingdomsofRevelationandofcreation,ifye
beofthemthatperceive.”
InHisEpistletoNasiri'd-DinSháh,Hisroyaladversary,revealedattheheightofthe
proclamation of His Message, occur these passages which shed further light on the DivineoriginofHismission:“OKing!Iwasbutamanlikeothers,asleepuponMy
couch,whenlo,thebreezesoftheAll-GloriouswerewaftedoverMe,andtaughtMe
theknowledgeofallthathathbeen.ThisthingisnotfromMe,butfromOneWhois
Almighty and All-Knowing. And he bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understandingtoflow….ThisisbutaleafwhichthewindsofthewillofThylord,
the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred…. His all-compelling summons hath
reachedMe,andcausedMetospeakHispraiseamidstallpeople.Iwasindeedasone
dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of Thy Lord, the
91
Compassionate,theMerciful,transformedMe.”“ByMyLife!”Heassertsinanother Tablet, “Not of Mine own volition have I revealed Myself, but God, of His own choosing,hathmanifestedMe.”Andagain:“WheneverIchosetoholdMypeaceand
bestill,lo,theVoiceoftheHolySpirit,standingonMyrighthand,arousedMe,and
theMostGreatSpiritappearedbeforeMyface,andGabrielovershadowedMe,and
theSpiritofGlorystirredwithinMybosom,biddingMeariseandbreakMysilence.”
FromthewordsofBahá'u'lláhasrecordedbyhiscloseassociate,Nabil.
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RAMAKRISHNAPARAMAHAMSA
93
THIRTEEN
RAMAKRISHNAPARAMAHAMSA
1836-1886,INDIA
RAMAKRISHNA, a well-known and beloved nineteenth century Indian saint and
master,wasborntoapoor,orthodoxBrahmanfamilyinaremotevillageinBengal,
India.Hiscominghadbeenforetoldtohisfatherthroughavision.Duringaspiritual
pilgrimage, the Hindu god Vishnu proclaimed to Ramakrishna's father that Vishnu himself would incarnate in the body of his son. While Ramakrishna was still quite young, his father died. Having little interest in school or the material world, young Ramakrishnaoftendriftedofffromtheouterworldintostatesofecstasy.Infact,he
oncelostconsciousnesswhileplayingtheroleoftheLordShivainaperformanceat
school.
Disillusioned with the material emphasis of academics, Ramakrishna chose to
devotehimselftoalifeofspiritualpursuitand,inordertosupporthimself,becamea temple priest. It was there, amidst an image of the blissful Mother Kali, that Ramakrishna worshiped. More important, it was in this temple that the boy was seized, to the point of obsession, with a single question: Does Kali (the Divine Mother) truly exist? Kali's dark color, necklace of skulls, and belt of human limbs, symbolizing the death inherent in every birth, is fearsome to many. But to
Ramakrishna,shewasthegentlest,mostlovingofmothers.
Ramakrishna'srelatives,despairingofhisapparentmadness,soughttorestorehim
tosanitybybetrothinghim.DedicatedsinglytodiscoveringthetruthofMotherKali,
Ramakrishna left the temple, discarded his few possessions, and took a vow of poverty and chastity. His bride, Sarada Devi, threw herself at her husband's feet, givingherlifetohisservice.ShedesiredonlytoworshipandserveRamakrishna.
Vision upon vision was bestowed on Ramakrishna by his Divine Mother, Kali.
Convincedofherexistence,hesetouttolearnthetruthabouttheworldreligions.A
practitionerofVedanta(anondualisticapproachtoHinduism),inwhichthebeliefis
that there is only one in the universe, not two, and that one is consciousness, manifesting itself in and as all beings and things, Ramakrishna also undertook practices of Islam, Christianity, and various other sects under the guidance of knowledgeable teachers. He concluded that the goal of all religions is the same: to embodytheDivine.Determinedtoknowgenuinehumility,hecleanedthehomesof
untouchables,beseechingKalitomakehimtheirservant.Inordertoexperiencethe
feminine principle and to relinquish sexual desire, Ramakrishna, living in a
household of women, dressed, spoke, and behaved like they did. Offering humble salutationstotheMotherinallforms,hesawonlyHerimage,regardlessoftheface
orthebody.
Devotees came by the thousands for the blessing and wisdom of Ramakrishna.
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Though Ramakrishna lacked advanced education, scholars and villagers alike thronged to experience his presence. Renunciation and the eternal oneness of all religionsformedthebasisofRamakrishna'steachings.Knownforhisintenselovefor
those who sought his wisdom, he made himself available twenty hours a day for monthsonend.Evenwhendiagnosedwiththroatcancer,hecouldnotbedissuaded
&
nbsp; fromansweringthequestionsofanyandallvisitors.Knowingthathistimewasshort,
and surrounded by thousands of devotees, Ramakrishna announced one day that he would leave his body. And so he did at the age of fifty. Ramakrishna continues to remainoneofIndia'smostbelovedsaints,andthemonksoftheVedantaSocietyhave
spreadhisteachingsthroughouttheworld.
TheselectionsthatfollowarefromvariousdiscussionsthatRamakrishnahadwith
hisdisciplesinwhichherelatedhisownspiritualexperiences.Theyaredrawnfrom
thebook SayingsofRamakrishna.
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THEECSTATICLOVEROFMOTHERKALI
WHEN THE great yearning for God had developed in him, the Master found life unbearablewithoutHisvision.Hewasthereforeabouttoputanendtohislife,when
theblessedvisiondawnedonhimsuddenly.DescribingittheMastersaid:“Theroom
withallitsdoorsandwindows,thetempleandeverythingaroundme,vanishedfrom
sight.Ifeltasifnothingexisted,andintheirsteadIperceivedaboundlesseffulgent oceanofintelligence.WhicheversideIturnedmyeyes,Isawfromallquartershuge
wavesofthatshiningoceanrushingtowardsme,andinashortwhile,theyallcame,
andfallinguponme,engulfedmecompletely.Thusgettingsuffocatedunderthem,I
lostmyordinaryconsciousnessandfelldown.”Referringtothesameexperiencehe
saidonanotheroccasion:“Ifelldownontheflooroftheroom,completelylostinthe
ecstasyofthevision.Iwasperfectlyunconsciousastowhathappenedoutside,and
also how that day and the next passed. The one thing which I was internally consciousofwasthatthroughmysoulwasrollinganoceanofineffablejoy,thelike
ofwhichIhadnoexperiencebefore.AtthesametimeIwasalsoconscious,tothe
innercoreofmybeing,ofthehallowedpresenceoftheDivineMother.”
Soon after the Master's return to Dakshineswar after his marriage, his old divine madness seized him again. About the state of his mind in those days he said: “The ordinarymanwouldhavedied,ifheweretoexperienceevenafourthofthespiritual
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