People believe that Sri Ramakrishna is an Ocean of Compassion (Dayasagar) for his devotees. Is it true? How to understand this? - Sri. M. Nagarajan, Thanjavur
Answer: Know this very question has arisen in you due to Sri Ramakrishna’s grace. May be you have read books on Sri Ramakrishna and have tasted a few drops from it, hence you have this question. Not only devotees but all can receive grace from Him.
Enquire from any devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and you will find how each one of them comes up with scores of his or her own experiences as to how He has been guiding them, solving their problems and protecting their lives from the clutches of merciless fate.
Shall we understand with the help of Puranas how Sri Ramakrishna emerged as an ocean of compassion?
Bhagavan Sri Ram incarnated in human form, out of compassion for mankind after the Devas prayed and praised Sri Narayana for ages to kill Asuras like Ravana and others. Similarly Sri Krishna descended on earth out of compassion, subsequent to the prayer of Devas for long to kill Asuras.
And when Sri Ram and Sri Krishna incarnated together in the form as Sri Ramakrishna, immeasurable demoniac qualities were prevalent on earth. Yet we have not heard any Deva praying to him. Then who presented our sufferings and ignorance before the All Pervading One? After all who bothered about our sufferings at all?
But Sri Ramakrishna cherished human beings. Hence, as Swami Vivekananda says, one who is 'unable to bear the sufferings of people', He incarnated among us out of compassion to redeem us. His compassion was an empathy for people, not mere sympathy.
In addition, he also brought Swami Vivekananda, one of the Seven Rishis (Saptha Rishis) along with him for our sake. Thus even in his Avatarhood Sri Ramakrishna demonstrates that he is an ocean of compassion.
Lastly, know for sure, that no Tsunami will arise from this Ocean but only Swamis will arise to serve mankind and God together.
Swami Vimurtananda
24 January, 2021
Ramakrishna Math, Thanjavur