Keshub Chunder Sen - Ramakrishna's Influence

Ramakrishna's Influence

In 1876 the then unknown Ramakrishna Paramhansa came looking for Sen and first met him at Sadhan Kanan. Ramakrishna's poor, rough, unconventional exterior had earlier repelled other Brahmo celebrities like Debendranath Tagore whom Ramakrishna had approached; and even Sen initially showed no affinity towards Ramakrishna's mysticism, and was hostile. He was won over to Ramakrishna less by his teachings than by his manner, which Keshab Sen identified with the behavior of an authentic saint. When Ramakrishna met him, Keshub had accepted Christianity, and had separated from the Brahmo Samaj. Formerly, Keshub had rejected idolatry practised by his family, but after coming under Ramakrishna's influence Keshub again accepted Hindu polytheism and established the "New Dispensation" (Nava Vidhan) religious movement, which was based on Ramakrishna's principles—"Worship of God as Mother", "All religions as true". Keshub's acceptance of idolatry also created factions within his organization. Keshub also publicized Ramakrishna's teachings in the journals of New Dispensation over a period of several years, which was instrumental in bringing Ramakrishna to the attention of a wider audience, especially the Bhadralok and the Europeans residing in India. Ramakrishna too had deep respect for Keshub. Ramakrishna, said of him shortly before his death that "the rose tree is to be transplanted because the gardener wants beautiful roses of him.". Afterwards he said, "Half of me has perished."