(Translated from Bengali)

Salutation to Bhagavan Shri Ramakrishna

GHAZIPUR.
February, 1890.

RESPECTED SIR,

I have received an anonymous letter which I have been unable to trace back to the gigantic soul who wrote it. Indeed, one should pay homage to such a man. He who considers a great soul like Pavhari Baba to be no more than water in a hoof print, he who has nothing to learn in this world and who feels it a disgrace to be taught by any other man—truly, such a new incarnation must be visited. I hope that if the government should discover the identity of this person, he will be handled with special care and be placed in the Alipore garden [zoo]. If you happen to know this man, please ask him to bless me, so that even a dog or a jackal may be my Guru—not to speak of a great soul like Pavhāri Bābā.

I have many things to learn. My master used to say: “As long as I live, so long do I learn”. Also please tell this fellow that unfortunately I do not have the time to “cross the seven seas and thirteen rivers” or to go to Lanka in order to sleep after having put oil in the nostrils [1].

ⓘ[1] Here the Swami is referring to Kumbhakarna, the brother of the villain Rāvana of the Rāmāyana. He was of such a lethargic and evil nature that Brahmā granted the boon that he should sleep for six months at a stretch. putting musdard oil in the nostrils is considered to be an aid to sleeping soundly.

“Crossing seven seas and thirteen rivers” is a Bengali phrase meaning to travel a great distance. Lanka is the ancient name for the island of Sri Lanka and was the capital of Rāvana‘s kingdom.

Your servant,
NARENDRA.

P.S. Please have the rose-water brought from Ishān Bābu’s [Ishān Chandra Mukherjee’s] residence if there is delay [in their sending it to the Baranagore Math]. The roses are still not in bloom. The rose-water has just been sent to the residence of Ishan Babu.