Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda: From Doubt to Faith

Historical Context

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886) was a Bengali priest at the Kali temple in Dakshineswar who practiced various spiritual paths—Hinduism’s different sects, Islam, and Christianity—and found that all led to the same ultimate reality. His direct experiences of God in various forms, his childlike simplicity, and his profound wisdom attracted numerous disciples.

Narendranath Datta (1863-1902), later known as Swami Vivekananda, was a brilliant, westernized college student influenced by rationalism and skeptical of religious experience. His transformation under Ramakrishna’s guidance, and his subsequent work spreading Vedanta to the West, represents one of the most significant spiritual transmissions in modern times.

The Dialogues

The First Encounter: The Question

Narendranath (entering the temple compound, proud and skeptical): “Sir, I have heard you have visions of God. I come from the Brahmo Samaj where we believe in formless God perceived through reason and ethics, not these primitive idol worshiping practices.”

Ramakrishna (looking at the young man with extraordinary tenderness): “What is your name, my child?”

Narendranath: “Narendranath Datta. I am a student. I sing well and have come to sing for you.”

Ramakrishna: “Sing for me then. Sing about God.”

(After Narendranath sings with a beautiful voice)

Ramakrishna (with tears streaming down his face): “Ah, what a voice! But tell me, have YOU seen God?”

Narendranath (taken aback by the direct question): “No, sir, I have not. Have YOU seen God?”

Ramakrishna (with absolute simplicity and conviction): “Yes, I see God just as I see you here, only in a much more intense sense. God can be seen. One can talk to Him. But who cares to do so? People shed torrents of tears for their wife and children, for wealth and property, but who weeps for God? If one cries sincerely for God, He surely manifests Himself.”

(Narendranath is stunned. He has met many religious people, but none who spoke with such conviction based on direct experience rather than scriptural authority or philosophical argument.)

Early Encounters: Testing the Master

Narendranath (on a subsequent visit): “Master, you say you see God. But when I meditate as you suggest, I experience nothing. How do I know your experiences are real and not hallucinations?”

Ramakrishna (laughing): “Hallucinations? My child, do you think I’m mad? Let me tell you something: there are three kinds of people—worldly people who never think of God, spiritual aspirants who pray occasionally, and God-intoxicated souls who see God in everything and think of nothing else. You judge me from the worldly perspective, so I seem mad to you!

But here is the test: bring a physician if you like. Let him examine me. Or better yet, try the practices yourself! Don’t take my word. Experiment! Pray with your whole heart. Weep for God. See what happens!”

Narendranath: “But Master, I am a rationalist. I believe in what can be proved scientifically. These mystical experiences—how can they be verified?”

Ramakrishna: “Science! You believe in science because scientists report what they observe, correct? You trust their experiments though you haven’t performed them yourself.

I am reporting what I have observed in the laboratory of spiritual practice. I have tested various paths—worshiping Divine Mother Kali, practicing Vaishnavism, following Tantra, even Islam and Christianity. Each time, I reached the same destination—direct experience of the Divine!

But you won’t accept my testimony because you think spiritual experience is subjective. Yet your own consciousness is ‘subjective’ too! Can you prove to me scientifically that you are conscious? Yet you know you are!

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Practice, and you will see for yourself. But don’t stand outside judging—that’s like refusing to enter the house and then claiming there’s nothing inside!”

The Touch That Changes Everything

(One day, Ramakrishna touches Narendranath’s chest while Narendranath is resting)

Narendranath (suddenly): “What are you doing?”

Ramakrishna: “Just showing you something.”

(Suddenly, Narendranath’s consciousness explodes. The walls of the room disappear. Everything—his body, the room, the entire world—dissolves. All that remains is an ocean of infinite consciousness and bliss. He is terrified and ecstatic simultaneously, losing all sense of separate existence.)

Narendranath (crying out): “What are you doing to me? I have parents, family!”

Ramakrishna (touching him again, bringing him back): “That’s enough for now. Everything in its own time.”

(Later, when Narendranath has recovered)

Narendranath (shaken): “What happened? What did you do?”

Ramakrishna: “I showed you your true nature—infinite consciousness, existence-knowledge-bliss. This is what you are beneath the limited identity of Narendranath. This is what everyone is, though they don’t know it.

You come here with your doubts and questions, your rational mind judging everything. But there is a reality beyond the mind! I gave you just a glimpse. Now you know I’m not speaking from imagination or book learning. This is direct knowledge.”

Narendranath: “But I cannot experience it myself! You had to touch me. How does that prove anything?”

Ramakrishna (smiling): “In time, you will experience it yourself—not through my touch but through your own realization. I awakened what was already within you. The seed is planted. Now it will grow.”

On the Many Paths to the Same Truth

Narendranath: “Master, you worship the Divine Mother as Kali. But you also speak of practicing Christianity and Islam. How can all religions be true? They contradict each other!”

Ramakrishna: “Contradiction! You see contradiction because you cling to forms and names. Listen:

A lake has many ghats—many bathing places. Hindus bathe at one ghat and call the water ‘Jal.’ Muslims bathe at another ghat and call it ‘Pani.’ Christians bathe at a third and call it ‘Water.’ But it’s the same lake, the same water!

I have practiced the disciplines of different religions—I wore the sacred thread, I put on the dress of a Muslim, I lived with Christians. Each time, I reached the same ocean of infinite consciousness. The paths are different, but the destination is one.

As many faiths, so many paths. Some prefer roads with shade trees, some prefer open roads. Some like to climb the mountain from the north, some from the south. But the peak is the same!”

Narendranath: “Then why follow any particular path? Why not create a universal religion?”

Ramakrishna: “Universal religion? That itself would become another particular path! No, let there be many paths, many approaches. Different temperaments need different methods.

Some are predominantly emotional—let them follow the path of devotion (bhakti). Some are intellectual—let them follow the path of knowledge (jnana). Some are active—let them follow the path of work (karma). Some need formal rituals, some need formless meditation.

The mistake is thinking your path is the ONLY path. That’s like saying only one rung of the ladder is valid! You need all the rungs to climb.

My teaching is simple: Yato mat, tato path—as many opinions, as many paths. But the goal is to realize God, by whatever name and form you prefer. Everything else is secondary.”

On Divine Mother and the Personal God

Narendranath: “Master, you constantly speak to ‘Mother,’ you treat the stone image in the temple as alive. Isn’t this childish? God is formless, infinite—how can He have form?”

Ramakrishna: “Ah, you’ve touched a deep truth! God is both with form and without form—both personal and impersonal. It’s like water—can exist as ice (form) and also as invisible vapor (formless). Same water, different states.

For me, the Divine Mother is as real as you are—more real! I see Her, I talk to Her, She responds to me. She is not a stone image—She is the living presence that pervades everything.

But you want the impersonal, formless aspect? That too exists! Sometimes in deep samadhi, all forms disappear. There is only infinite consciousness, beyond description, beyond comprehension. That is Brahman—the absolute reality.

But here’s the secret: the same reality that is Brahman in the transcendent state is Shakti—the Divine Mother—in the immanent state. They are not two. The formless takes form out of compassion for us who are still bound by forms!

You’re like a child asking his father, ‘Which is greater, the father or the grandfather?’ The father says, ‘Silly child! Don’t you know they’re the same person? When your grandfather had children, he was a father. When his children had children, he became a grandfather. Same person, different roles.’

In the same way, God is one, but appears as Brahman to the jnani (seeker of knowledge) and as Divine Mother to the bhakta (devotee). The form or formlessness depends on the seeker’s approach!”

On Sin, Guilt, and Divine Grace

Narendranath: “Master, I have done many wrong things. According to religion, I should suffer for my sins. How can I approach God with such a stained heart?”

Ramakrishna (with great compassion): “My child, this is the ego’s final trick—using guilt to keep you from God! Listen carefully:

All talk of sin and merit is for beginners. When you truly approach God, do you think He looks at your accounts like a merchant? Does a mother reject her child because the child is dirty? No! She picks him up, wipes him clean, and hugs him!

The Divine Mother says: ‘I am in all beings.’ How can She be angry with Herself? Your sins are like dreams—they seem real while dreaming, but when you wake up, where are they?

Here’s what you must understand: The same heart that committed sins can experience God. It’s not about being sinless first—it’s about longing! God looks at the intensity of your longing, not at your past mistakes.

A prostitute came to see me once. People said, ‘How can such a sinner come here?’ I said, ‘She has done more sadhana (spiritual practice) than all of you! She thinks of her lovers constantly, with her whole being. If she turned that same intense longing toward God, she would realize Him instantly!’

So forget about your sins. They exist only as long as you identify with the body-mind. When you realize your true self, where is sin? The wave thinks it has individuality and responsibility, but when it merges with the ocean, where is the individual wave?”

On Spiritual Practice and Discipline

Narendranath: “Master, you say God can be realized. But what practices should I follow? There are so many—yoga, meditation, japa, worship. Which is most effective?”

Ramakrishna: “The most effective practice is the one that suits YOUR temperament! I’ll tell you about the main paths:

Jnana Yoga (path of knowledge): For the intellectual, who wants to understand through reasoning and discrimination. Ask ‘Who am I?’ Negate everything that is not the Self until only the Self remains. ‘Not this, not this.’ This is your path, Naren—the path of the razor’s edge!

Bhakti Yoga (path of devotion): For the emotional, who wants to love God as Divine Mother, or Father, or Friend, or Beloved. This is the sweetest path—relationship with the Divine. Sing, dance, weep for God! Love Him with your whole heart.

Karma Yoga (path of action): For the active, who wants to serve. Work without attachment to results. See God in everyone you serve. This is also your path, Naren—you will serve humanity as service to God.

Raja Yoga (path of meditation): For those who want systematic discipline of mind and body. Control the breath, concentrate the mind, practice detachment. This leads to samadhi.

But hear this clearly: all paths lead to the same goal! And in practice, they intermix. You cannot have pure jnana without bhakti’s love or karma’s service. Take what you need from each path.

Most important is earnestness—what I call ‘crying to God with a longing heart.’ If you have that, God will come to you even if your methods are imperfect. Without that longing, even perfect technique is useless.”

Narendranath: “How does one develop this longing?”

Ramakrishna: “Through viveka—discrimination between the real and the unreal, between the eternal and the temporary. When you clearly see that the world cannot give lasting satisfaction, that wealth, fame, pleasure all pass away—then longing for the eternal arises naturally.

Also, associate with those who have that longing! If you want to learn to cook, go to the kitchen. If you want to develop God-longing, associate with devotees. This is why you come here—not primarily for my teaching but for the atmosphere of God-consciousness.”

On the Future Mission

Ramakrishna (in his final illness, speaking to Narendranath): “Naren, I have given you everything. Now you must give it to the world.”

Narendranath (weeping): “Master, don’t leave me! I cannot do this alone.”

Ramakrishna: “You will not be alone. I will be with you always. But now you must take up the work.

You see, I experienced God in all those forms—as Divine Mother, as Krishna, as Christ, as Allah. I tasted all the dishes in the feast. But I cannot digest them! You must digest them and make them available to the world.

Your work will be to show that Vedanta is not dry philosophy but living truth. Show that all religions are valid paths to the same goal. Teach practical Vedanta—not just for monks in caves but for everyone living in the world.

And Naren, always remember: religion is not about believing doctrines. It is about REALIZING truth. Don’t just teach—help people experience God for themselves. Make them stand on their own feet.”

Narendranath: “But Master, I am full of doubts! Even now, sometimes I question everything.”

Ramakrishna (with a knowing smile): “Good! Keep your discrimination. Test everything. But don’t let intellectual doubt become an excuse for not practicing.

You know, I see you not as you are now but as you will become. You will be a great teacher, Naren. You will carry this message to distant lands. You will light countless lamps from the flame I have given you.

But always remain humble. Know that you are only an instrument. The real teacher is within each person—the Atman, the inner Self. Your job is only to awaken people to what they already have.”

After Ramakrishna’s Passing

(After Ramakrishna’s death, Narendranath—now Swami Vivekananda—reflects on his transformation)

Vivekananda (to his brother disciples): “The Master used to say, ‘When the flower blooms, the bees come of their own accord.’ He was that flower, and we were the bees drawn by the fragrance.

I came to him a proud, skeptical intellectual. I tested him at every turn, argued with him, doubted his experiences. But he never wavered. He saw through my external arrogance to the spiritual hunger beneath.

And he gave me something no book, no lecture, no philosophy could give—direct transmission of spiritual power. He showed me that God-realization is not theory but fact. Not belief but experience. Not for the future but available now.

Now our work is to share what he gave us—not to create a new cult or religion, but to awaken people to the divinity within themselves. As he used to say, ‘Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal.’

This is practical Vedanta. This is his gift to the world through us.”

Key Teachings

1. Direct Experience of the Divine

God can be seen and experienced as directly as any physical object—with even greater intensity. This experience is accessible through sincere practice and intense longing.

2. All Paths Lead to the Same Truth

Different religions and spiritual paths are like different routes up the same mountain. Each is valid for different temperaments and cultural contexts.

3. God is Both Personal and Impersonal

The Divine exists simultaneously as the formless absolute (Brahman) and as the personal God with infinite forms. These are not contradictory but complementary truths.

4. Intensity of Longing is Key

Techniques and methods are helpful, but the essential ingredient is passionate longing for God. Without this yearning, even the best practices are mechanical.

5. Religion is Realization, Not Belief

Authentic spirituality is about direct experience and realization, not about accepting doctrines or following traditions blindly.

6. Service as Worship

Serving humanity—especially the poor and suffering—is serving God. The Divine dwells in all beings; to serve them is to serve Him.

Practical Applications

Developing Spiritual Longing

• Contemplate the temporary nature of worldly satisfactions
• Ask yourself: “What do I really want? What will truly satisfy me?”
• Spend time with those who have spiritual depth
• Pray for the longing itself: “Give me yearning for You”

Testing Through Practice

• Don’t just accept teachings intellectually—practice them
• Experiment with different approaches to see what resonates
• Keep a spiritual diary to track experiences and insights
• Be honest about what you actually experience, not what you think you should experience

Respecting All Paths

• Study different spiritual traditions with openness
• Look for the common essence beneath different forms
• Don’t feel you must defend one path against another
• Practice your own path deeply while respecting others’ paths

Balancing Discrimination and Devotion

• Use intellect to discriminate between real and unreal
• But don’t let intellectual analysis become obstacle to heart-opening
• Combine knowledge with love, understanding with feeling
• Remember: the goal is experience, not just comprehension

Questions for Contemplation

1. Have I directly experienced spiritual reality, or do I live only in concepts and beliefs about it?

2. Am I truly seeking God/Truth, or am I seeking the idea of enlightenment to enhance my ego?

3. Do I cling to my particular path as the only true path, or can I see the validity in different approaches?

4. What is my predominant temperament—intellectual, emotional, active, meditative? Am I following a path suited to my nature?

5. Do I have the intensity of longing that Ramakrishna speaks of? If not, how can I develop it?

The Significance of This Dialogue

The relationship between Ramakrishna and Vivekananda represents the meeting of traditional spiritual wisdom with modern rationalism—and the transformation that results when these genuinely engage rather than simply oppose each other.

Ramakrishna demonstrated through his own life that mystical experience is not hallucination or wishful thinking but accessible reality. His practice of different religious paths and reaching the same destination has profound implications for religious pluralism and interfaith understanding.

Vivekananda’s transformation from skeptic to believer, from rational materialist to realized mystic—while retaining his intellectual rigor and practical approach—shows that spirituality need not require abandoning critical thinking. His synthesis of Eastern wisdom with Western values helped bring Vedanta to the modern world.

Their teaching addresses the contemporary crisis of meaninglessness and fragmentation. In a world divided by religious and ideological conflicts, the message that “all paths lead to the same truth” offers hope for reconciliation without requiring anyone to abandon their tradition.

For modern seekers, this dialogue validates both mystical experience and intellectual integrity. You don’t have to choose between your head and your heart, between reason and intuition, between this-worldly engagement and other-worldly realization. The highest spirituality integrates all aspects of being.

Most importantly, Ramakrishna’s insistence that God can be realized—that direct experience is possible for sincere seekers—offers hope in a secularized age where transcendence seems increasingly distant. The message is clear: ultimate reality is not a theory to understand but an experience to realize. And that experience is available here and now to those who seek with their whole being.

The transmission from Ramakrishna to Vivekananda, and through Vivekananda to the world, shows how authentic spirituality spreads—not through proselytizing or forced conversion, but through the transformative power of realized souls who embody the truth they teach.