Holy Mother Sarada Ma: What hardship Naren (Swami Vivekananda) and Baburam (Swami Premananda) passed through! Even my Rakhal (Swami Brahmananda), who is now the President of the Ramakrishna Mission, had to cleanse the pots and kettles, many a day.
At one time Naren was travelling as an itinerant monk towards Gaya and Varanasi. He did not get any food for two days and was lying down under a tree. He found a man standing near with delicious food and a jar of water in his hands.
The man said, “Here is the Prasada of Rama. Please accept it.”
Naren said, “You do not know me, my good friend. You have made a mistake. Perhaps you have brought these articles for someone else.”
The man said with the utmost humility, “No, revered sir. I have brought this food solely for you. I was enjoying a little nap at noontime when I saw a sage in my dream. He said: ‘Get up quickly; a holy man is lying under yonder tree; give him some food.’ I dismissed the whole thing as a mere dream. Therefore, I turned on my side and again fell asleep.
“But once again I dreamt of the same sage, who said, giving me a push: ‘I am asking you to get up and still you are sleeping! Carry out my order without any more delay.’ Then I thought that it was not an illusory dream. It was the command of Rama. Therefore, in obedience to His command I brought these articles for you; sir.”
Naren realized that it was all due to the grace of Sri Ramakrishna, and cheerfully accepted the food.
Source: The Gospel of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, p. 138
