Swami Abhedananda’s Birthday
Swami Abhedananda (Kali) wrote in his autobiography:
Ramakrishna also used to teach us to chant “Haribol, Haribol,” [literally, “chant the name of the Lord”] loudly while clapping our hands. When somebody asked him the reason for clapping one’s hands, he said: “As the birds of the tree fly away when one claps one’s hands loudly, so the sinful thoughts of the mind go away when one chants God’s name while clapping one’s hands.” Every evening in Dakshineswar the Master would sit on his bed facing the north and repeat, “Haribol, Haribol” while clapping his hands. Sometimes he would repeat “Hari is my guru, my guru is Hari.” “O Krishna, O Krishna.” “O Govinda, you are my life and soul.” “Not I, not I- but Thou, Thou.” “I am an instrument, you are the operator.” Then he would go into ecstasy. In that state he would importune Mother Kali, but his words would not be audible to us. Watching his god-intoxicated state we were amazed. We felt that the Master was in communion with the Divine Mother, that he was talking to Her, and that the Mother was answering his questions. We realized that Sri Ramakrishna was not a human being. He was God.
–God Lived with Them, Swami Chetanananda