Ramakrishna (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886), also known as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, was an Indian Hindu mystic. His birth name was Gadadhar Chattopadhyay. He was also lovingly known as Thakur. His wife was Ma Sarada Devi. In his later years, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Thakur’s cancer kept worsening day by day. In December 1885, he was brought to Cossipore Garden House (Kashipur Udyan) for treatment. Here began the final phase of his earthly life. The time had come for him to withdraw his divine play (līlā) from the world.
Many years earlier, Thakur had told Ma Sarada, “When ordinary people begin to recognize me as an incarnation, know that the time has come for me to conclude my līlā.” Now, exactly that was happening. Crowds of people began to gather around him in large numbers. Thakur once said to Mahendranath Gupta (M.), the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: “My work of giving spiritual instruction is almost complete. Now I can no longer instruct people frequently. I see the entire world itself as God—so towhom should I give instruction now?”
Thakur lived in the Cossipore Garden House for the last eight months of his life. Yet, during this period, he spiritually uplifted countless people. Swami Vivekananda also attained a very high spiritual state during this very time. It was 1 January 1886. Thakur felt the desire to come out of his room and walk in the garden. As soon as he came down, about thirty devotees who were present in the garden gathered around him. Suddenly, Thakur asked Girish Chandra Ghosh: “Hey Girish, what is it that you have seen in me that you go around everywhere proclaiming me to be an incarnation?”
Without the slightest hesitation, Girish folded his hands, fell at Thakur’s knees, and softly replied: “Even sages like Vyasa and Valmiki could not fully comprehend Your glory. What can a petty soul like me possibly say about You?” Hearing these words spoken with deep devotion, Thakur entered into an exalted spiritual state and said: “I bless you all—may you all become spiritually awakened.”
Then, while standing, he entered samadhi and began touching each devotee one by one. Through this divine touch, different people experienced different inner states. Some were moved to tears, some were filled with joy, some began to laugh, some entered deep meditation, some felt as if they were becoming unconscious, some had visions of their chosen deity, some saw divine light, and some felt a powerful current rising upward through their body. Each experienced according to their own inner disposition and spiritual state. This was a profoundly divine event.
Everyone realized that Thakur had become Kalpataru—the wish-fulfilling divine tree—and had showered his grace upon all. Thus, on this day, Sri Ramakrishna awakened spiritual consciousness in the hearts of his devotees. Therefore, this day is known as Kalpataru Day. It holds immense significance for spiritual awakening. Sanskrit Verse (Invocation): ॐ स्थापकाय च धर्मस्य सर्वधर्मस्वरूपिणे । अवतारवरिष्ठाय रामकृष्णाय ते नमः ॥
Meaning: Salutations to Sri Ramakrishna, the establisher of dharma, the embodiment of all religions, and the greatest among divine incarnations.💐🙏💐🙏💐🙏💐🙏💐🙏
