The legend of Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -
Pranams at the lotus feet
of Thakurji!
Chapter – 6
On the same day of arrival
of Gadhadhar in Kolkata, a miracle took place in the royal family of
Kolkata. Rani Rasmoni had a desire to visit Kashi and
have a Dharshan of Lord Vishwanatha and Goddess Annapurna, all the
arrangements were made for their journey. Unfortunately, her husband passed
away eventually the trip got canceled.
Rani Rasmoni had to take care of huge responsibilities and properties of
the royal house, after a few years, Rani Rasmoni decided to go to Kashi, on the
previous day night, she had a dream in that Goddess Ma Kali gave an instruction
“You need not go to Kashi, build a shrine for me in a beautiful place on the
banks of river Bhageerathi, install my idol and arrange for worship and
offerings, I will reside in that idol and will receive all your offerings and
services.” Rani Rasmoni shocked and got up from sleep, later she canceled the
trip to Kashi and immersed in the arrangements related to the building of
shrine on the banks of river Bhageerathi.
while construction of Shrine she had many thoughts back in her mind, ‘ I
am a Shudhra, if there is no Bhramin come for performing Puja it would be
inauspicious, or people refuse to accept offerings of a Shudra, what would I
do?” She consulted with intellectuals and scholars in her palace, they affirmed
that according to Purana it is impossible for a Bhramin to perform Puja or
receive offerings or install idol in a temple built by Shudra. Rani
Rasamon felt terribly upset about the advice of intellectuals. The shrine was built with great devotion and
enthusiasm, what to do next? idol also ready to be installed. Ramkumar Chattopadhyay advised Rani Rasmoni,
if the whole property of the shrine is given as charity to a Bhramin, a
twice-born can perform all the rites of the temple and carry out regular worship
without any obstacles. It would not be a problem if a Brahmin perform offerings
to a deity and distribute offerings among people, even the higher class /Varnna
of people take part in offerings would not attain any sin. Rani Rasmoni was extremely happy to hear the arrangement, she again discussed with the Pundit Mandali and they remained
silent, she offered a high amount as salary for the priest. People called it against the social norms,
but none of the intellectuals are ready to say it openly, they said Ramkumar’s
idea is against the law of scriptures.
