Chunilal Basu (1849-1936)—Lay disciple of the Master. Born in parental home at 59-B, Ramkanta Basu Street. Studied at Hindu School, employee of Calcutta Corporation. Visited Dakshineswar (March 1881) for the purpose of meeting a sage and had first darshan of the Master. Cured of asthma, an offshoot of practising yoga, by following the Master’s instructions. The Master visited his residence and wrote a “bija-mantra” on his tongue. Accompanied the Master to the rathayatra festival at Mahesh (July 1885). One of those blessed by the Master on 1.1.1886 at Cossipore. On 23.12.1885 the Master commented to M., “Chuni’s spiritual consciousness and yours, too, have been awakened by frequent visits to me” (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, p. 934). Died on 30.5.1936 at his above mentioned residence. Affectionately called “Narayan” by Swamiji who visited him a week before his demise and while drinking milk remarked to Chunilal’s son Asim that his own disease was “mrityu-rog” (death-disease) and left (Swamijir Smritisanchayan, pp. 136-37). Asim had been initiated by Swamiji at Alambazar Math.
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