Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda were two of the most influential spiritual figures of the 19th century. Both men were deeply committed to the practice of meditation, and they both claimed to have had profound spiritual experiences as a result of their meditation.
Sri Ramakrishna’s Experiences
Sri Ramakrishna was a highly intuitive and mystical person. He had a deep understanding of the different paths to God, and he was able to experience the truths of these paths firsthand.
In his early years, Sri Ramakrishna was a devotee of the goddess Kali. He would often meditate on Kali, and he would sometimes have visions of her. These visions were so real to Sri Ramakrishna that he would often believe that he was actually in the presence of Kali.
Swami Vivekananda’s Experiences
Swami Vivekananda was a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. He was also a highly intelligent and articulate man. He was able to synthesize the different spiritual traditions that he had learned from Sri Ramakrishna, and he was able to communicate these truths to others in a clear and concise way.
Swami Vivekananda never spoke about having visions of God in the same way that Sri Ramakrishna did. However, he did say that he had experienced God in a deep and profound way. He said that he had experienced the unity of all things, and that he had felt the presence of God in everything.
Conclusion
Whether Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda ever saw God while meditating is a question that can only be answered by each individual. However, there is no doubt that both men had profound spiritual experiences as a result of their meditation. These experiences helped them to understand the true nature of reality, and they inspired them to share their wisdom with others.
Whether its while meditating or not meditating, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or Swami Vivekananda never saw anything other than God.
Once Sri Ramakrishna closed his eyes to meditate. But the very next he moment, he opened his eyes and muttered to himself, “Does God exist only when I close my eyes? Does He not exist when my eyes are open?”
Young Narendranath (future Swami Vivekananda) once asked Sri Ramakrishna to grant him his request, “Sir, I want to remain in Samadhi all the time, 3–4 days at a stretch, only coming back to the body consciousness for the sake of food.”
Sri Ramakrishna on hearing this request of Narendranath scolded him, “I see that you are a very mean minded person. I thought you would be like a huge banyan tree where millions could find shelter (from the heat of samsara). But now I see that you are interested in your own liberation.”
Chided thus, Narendranath was ashamed. But Sri Ramakrishna assured him thus, ”You will attain a state much higher than the Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Is it not you who sing, ‘Whatever exists, art Thou alone (jo kuch hai so Tu hi hai)?’”
Sri Ramakrishna meant that Narendranath would even see God with open eyes.
In meditation, Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda saw the unconditioned aspect of God. And outside meditation they saw the same God conditioned by various names and forms.
Meditation is like seeing pure gold bereft of all name and form; and outside meditation, its like seeing the same gold fashioned into various ornaments like necklaces, bangles, rings, chains etc…
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