The legend of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -

Pranams at the lotus feet of Thakurji!

Chapter – 22

Once Haldhiyaram told Thakurji, ‘ Mama, there as so many noble-soul and saints visiting this shrine,  no one knows their  spiritual strength, and they are performing various supernatural powers, why do not you request Ma Kali for spiritual powers?’  Thakurji replied ‘ My mother does not want to deviate my attention to supernatural powers, anyway I will ask her once.” Saying so he entered inside the shrine of Ma Kali, he folded hands together and said “ Ma, Hridhu wanted me to have some supernatural powers, whatever you feel you can do to me. I do not know anything about it,” later he told Hridhyaram, ‘supernatural powers keep an ascetic away from supreme bliss; it will not give any benefit to the worshiper.” Thakurji continued ‘ Listen I will explain a story to you, a person had two sons, the elder son grown up he went out of the house, and became an ascetic, the younger son became Dharmic teacher after his studies.  There is a rule among ascetics that if an ascetic wants to return home in twelve years he can do that, so the elder son came back to the village and saw his younger brother has his own family, he went near the door of the home and called his younger brother’s name.  They have met after several years, so they had to share a lot of happiness and sorrows, younger brother asked ‘ What did you gain after leaving home and your beloved people?” the elder brother said ‘ you want to see what I have gained, come with me.” finally these two brothers arrived on the shore of the river bank, the elder brother walked over the water and crossed the river, younger one took a ferry and crossed the river, the elder brother said’ You have seen what I have gained all these years, I have crossed the river walking on it.” The younger brother said, ‘ I have also performed the same task but I have adopted ferry to cross the river, you have wasted your twelve years on it,’  elder brother’s eye remained wide open after listening to the words of the younger brother, therefore supernatural powers have no value in the Dharmic world.  Later the elder brother became too devoted to the Supreme Lord and Dharmic way of life.”