Ramakrishna Charitam VII Vol III Book X Chp 8 Shlokas 16 - 27
अप्र्राप्य सद्गुरुं श्रेष्ठमास्तिक्ये क्रुतहेलनः |
बभूव नास्तिकप्रायो नरेन्द्रो बुद्धिमानपि |
तथापि तस्य चित्तेपि निर्मले तु स्वभावतः |
भगवद्दर्शनालाभाद्ववृधे दुःखमुत्तमम् ||
रामकृष्णस्य माहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा सन्दिग्धमानसः |
नितरां दुःखितः प्राप दक्षिणेशपुरञ्च सः ||
तत्र गङ्गातटे रम्ये शाद्वलश्यामलस्थले |
वटवृक्षस्य मूले तु निषण्णं मृदुलासने ||
रामकृष्णं महात्मानं नरेन्द्रः संददर्श च ||
तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण तस्मिन् विक्ष्वासमुत्तमम् |
संप्राप्य परमानन्दमुग्धोsभूद्गतसंशयः ||
नरेन्द्रं प्राञ्जलिं तत्र प्रणम्य च पुरः स्थितम् |
विलोक्य रामकृष्णक्ष्च पप्रच्छ प्रेमपूर्वकम् ||
श्रीरामकृष्ण उवाच
स्वागतं ते महाभाग गङ्गातीरे दिने दिने |
प्रतीक्षमाणस्त्वामेव निषण्ण्नोस्मि महामते ||
तथापि त्वं मामुपेक्ष्य वृथा भरामसि भूतले |
मरुभूमौ पर्यटनात्किं जलं प्राप्यते नरैः ||
श्रीसद्गुरुरुवाच
इत्येवं रामकृष्णस्य श्रुत्वा सुमधुरं वचः |
नरेन्द्रो विस्मयं प्राप्य तदा वचनमब्रवीत् ||
नरेन्द्र उवाच
भगवन् मां विलोक्याद्य दृष्टपूर्वं यथा नरम् |
करोषि कुशलप्रक्ष्नं प्रेमभक्तञ्च मय्यहो ||
अहं करोमि ते स्वामिन्नद्य प्रथमदर्शनम् |
तथापि वर्धते स्नेहस्तत्र कारणमुच्यताम् ||
Though very wise, Narendra started ridiculing the belief in the existence of God, as he could not find a sad guru who could enlighten him on that point. But yet, as he was, by nature, very pious, his heart was immersed in sorrow born out of the inability to realize God. he had heard of Shri Ramakrishna. But he could not accept all that he heard. Hence he came to Dakshineshwaram with a heart full of sorrow. There, on the banks of the holy Ganga, he saw Shri Ramakrishna seated on a soft asana on the grass under a Banyan tree. Narendra had the darshan of Shri Ramakrishna, the mahatma who was capable of bestowing immense happiness, who was in a serene mode, and was spreading lustre around him. The very sight of him dispelled all darkness of doubts from the mind of Narendra and made him develop high esteem of Shri Ramakrishna with strong faith in his holiness. He was immersed in untold bliss. Shri Ramakrishna looked at Narendra standing before him with folded hands and said the following with prem.
Shri Ramakrishna said
Oh! Blessed youth! Intelligent man, you are welcome. I am waiting on the banks of the holy Ganga, anticipating your arrival only. But you are wandering all over the earth, leaving me waiting for you. Will people get water in a desert, however much they roam about?
Shri Sadguru continued
Narendra was taken by pleasant surprise at the sweet words of Shri Ramakrishna. Then he said:
Narendra said
Oh! Bhagavan! It is quite surprising to see you expressing such love and affection for me as though you knew me for the past many years. Swamiji! I meet you for the first time only now. But my love for you knows no bound. Kindly give me a reason for that.
