One day two English women came to Latu Maharaj at Balaram Babu’s residence. It is said they were atheists. But they were believers in doing good to humanity. Might be they were positivists. They heard of the humanitarian activities of the newly started Ramakrishna Mission. Then the Mission’s meetings used to be held at Balaram Babu’s house. The author played the interpreter that day. The elder one of the English women asked Latu Maharaj, ‘To do good to humanity is the ideal of human life. We are one with you regarding this point. But you give a higher place to God, there we differ; we do not like that idea. We hold, God is invisible something; it is doubtful whether He exists at all. What we do not understand of your Mission is, why you preach that people should first have faith in such an unknown and unknowable entity and then do good to humanity.’
Latu Maharaj: ‘Those who do not believe in God and try to serve humanity cannot carry on for a long time. Sometime after, this question naturally crops up in their minds: “What benefit do we derive from these so-called humanitarian activities?” And when they reach this stage these activities appear stale to them, they lose interest in their works. And this change is bound to come, it is but natural; for all philanthropic activities entail personal sacrifice. Those who are no believers in God do not find any reason or meaning in such sacrifices.’
Hearing this the two ladies laughed out and the younger one said, ‘That is no argument, that is no argument.’
Latu Maharaj: (without turning a hair) ‘Will you tell me why do you engage yourselves in these activities?’
The younger lady: ‘For the good of others, of course.’
Latu Maharaj: ‘How am I benefited therefrom? Why should I slave for others? What for?’
The elder lady: ‘We live in this society. As such we have some duties towards it. Our religion is to serve this society. As long as we live in this society we should mutually try to mitigate our sufferings and enlarge the sphere of happiness. That should be the end of our lives.’
Latu Maharaj: ‘There is a higher ideal than what you have said just now. It is (to know and) to fulfil the ideal of our own life. To realise God is the one grand end of human life. He really is wise who has done it or at least tries to do it. To do good to others is after all a social matter. It has no necessary connection with that highest aim of human life. Moreover, look at it from another point of view. Benefit accrues to those for whom you work. What about yourselves? How do they benefit you? Can you explain to me how working for others is profitable to you?’
At this the ladies blushed and kept mum. Latu Maharaj went on: ‘So you see, there is a loophole in your argument, a fallacy. In all arguments, that want to base humanitarian activities on social benefits and leave aside God, you will invariably find some fallacy or other. But once you bring in God the distinction between you and others vanishes, then others become a component part of my self. Though outwardly, i.e., with relation to body, others appear different from me, inwardly, i.e., as Sachidananda we are all one; we don’t find any difficulty in understanding and feeling that we are one in God. Then nobody helps another, one that is different from himself, but serves his own self, the abiding part of himself, the better and truer self of himself. Our attitude is plainly this: we go out to serve others, not because there are others who are suffering but because we want to obliterate, blot out, the false distinction that exists between others and myself— and this seeing others as distinct from myself is the root cause of all the evils in society. So to us, to do good to others really means to do good to ourselves—not others but myself. And who is there who would not do good to himself? Hence if you leave out God, and try to do good to others you may lose your zest for such activities after some time.’
The elder lady: ‘One thing in your argument I do not still understand—how can five others become part of me?’
Latu Maharaj: ‘It is not a mere argument—it is a fact. That the multitude, not five or ten, but millions over millions, are parts of one Sachidananda is a fact. The difference lies in names and forms only; just as one earth is transformed into cups, saucers, and all kinds of earthenwares. Now it is everywhere the same earth, the difference lies in name and form and their use. Their being used in one way or other is immaterial to the thing itself; and the names and forms, also do not enter into the substance of the things. Similarly you, I, or they are different in our names and forms, in our material bodies, which change every moment we use them; but the substance is the same and abiding. In this true sense we are all one—one God sporting as many.’
The elder Lady: ‘Have you got any proof of this?’
Latu Maharaj: ‘Of course. But this proof is not something to be demonstrated to others. It is something which everyone should feel for himself or herself. Take for example the phenomenon of love. Can anybody really demonstrate it to another? He who loves understands it, and whom he loves understands it too. Do others understand what that attraction is? Similar is the case with God. The Lord Himself and to whomsoever He shows His favour, alone understand it. Others may not, cannot.’
The elder lady: ‘Very nice argument.’
The younger lady: ‘Still the question remains unsolved. Take for example the case of one who does not believe in God but does good to others—what about him. Will he not get merits out of these?’
Latu Maharaj: ‘You know, every action produces effects— good acts good effects. But these relate to society only. Yes, society is improved. Still man suffers from his false ego, identifies himself with the body. So it does not bring him spiritual progress. When ego is there even meritorious acts bring in bondage, the sense that he is the body does not go. For them to do good to others means giving them more creature comforts, necessarily his own good means the same thing, hence bondage. So that kind of philanthropic activity cannot take him away from the wheel of karma. Unless our works become absolutely devoid of all motives, our sense of ego will not go, we would continue thinking ourselves as personalities in the midst of other personalities—hence bondage continues. All motives vanish when we and others are rounded up in one vast substance, the Sachidananda, then comes salvation.’
The younger lady: ‘I don’t understand what you mean by “unmotivated activity.” I am yet to see one who does such work. All are actuated by motives—of course, the motive is a noble one in case of philanthropists. But it is surely not an “unmotivated“ one.’
Latu Maharaj: ‘We don’t go so far as that. When you go to work for others there must be some motive. What we do say is: let the motive be orientated towards God. All cannot see Him; let them have faith in Him—this is necessary. This faith is the cue that will lead you to Him. With this faith in Him let us love His children, work for them. For example, you do some outstanding good work for society. It reaches the Emperor’s ears. He calls you and thanks you; you see him. Similarly through the loving service of the Lord’s children you get the Lord’s grace, you see Him—men are His children.’
What they understood we do not know. Latu Maharaj purchased Rs. 2/- worth of good mangoes and presented these to them. They accepted them, highly pleased. But from the letter they wrote from Rome, on their way home, it was evident that Latu Maharaj’s words had made a deep impression on their minds.
( Source: Swami Adbhutananda As We Saw Him (pp. 382-386). )