Ramakrishna and Christ

Shri Ramakrishna was hailed as one of the greatest prophets of harmony. After realising the great spiritual truths according to Hinduism, he traversed the spiritual paths shown by other traditions. His encounter with Christianity is unique and extraordinary.

One day he visited the Garden House of Jadulal Malick which was situated near the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple where Shri Ramakrishna was staying. He was sitting alone in the parlour and waiting for Jadulal Malick when his eyes fell on a magnificent picture of child Jesus on the lap of Madonna. As he intently watched the picture, thinking about the wonderful life of Jesus, the picture became animate and luminous ways of light emanated from the bodies of mother Marry and the child Jesus and entered Shri Ramakrishna’s heart. Deeply absorbed in that mood he returned to the temple garden. He remained uninterruptedly absorbed in meditation on his experience pertaining to Jesus for 3 days and nights. He completely forgot to visit the Divine Mother in the temple. At the end of 3 days, when he was walking in the temple garden he saw the figure of a beautiful and unfamiliar godman with a fair complexion advancing towards him, gazing at him steadily. Shri Ramakrishna realised that he was from a different land and race. He was charmed by the unique divine expression on the serene face of the godman and wondered who he could be. As the figure drew near, a voice from within told him “This is Jesus Christ, the Great Yogi and loving son of God”. Then Jesus embraced Shri Ramakrishna and merged into him. In ecstasy Shri Ramakrishna lost external consciousness. When he regained his consciousness, he was convinced that Jesus was truly an incarnation of God. In honour of this event, the Ramakrishna Mission celebrates Christmas Eve in almost all their centers throughout the world, thus laying the foundation for true and genuine religious harmony.