Kathamrita Volume II - Swami Vivekananda

Sri Ramakrishna is swimming in a sea of joywith his devotees around. He sits on the smallcot and imitates the manners of a woman kirtansinger [1] . The woman singer is in her bestdress. She stands, holding a colouredhandkerchief in her hand, and coughs as if itwere natural and then spits, raising her nosering. When any important person comes in, shewelcomes him, “Come in please,” while stillsinging. At times she raises her arms anduncovers her amulet, armlet, bracelet and otherjewelry for everyone to see.Seeing Sri Ramakrishna’s imitation, all thedevotees burst into laughter. Paltu can’t controlhis laughter. Thakur looks at him and says toM., “Isn’t he a child? He is beside himself withlaughter!”Sri Ramakrishna (to Paltu, laughing) — Don’ttell your father all this. What little regard hehas for me will disappear. He is an‘Englishman [2] ’.Gossip during japa and dip in the Ganges(To the devotees) “So many talk about worldlythings during their daily prayers and devotions.“Without uttering a word, keeping their mouthsshut, they speak by signs: bring this, take thataway, ’Uh, Huh’. They do all these kinds ofthings. (Laughter.)“And some bargain for fish with fishermenwhile counting their beads. Doing japa, with a