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.
Chunilal was eager to serve the Master, but his poverty was an obstacle. Seeing his mental agony, Sri Ramakrishna said to him: “My hand becomes paralyzed if I touch anything metallic. Why don’t you buy a regular glass for me?” Delighted, Chunilal bought him one.
According to orthodox Hinduism a nonbrahmin should not utter the pranava mantra (OM) unless he is initiated, so this also was a source of great mental affliction for Chunilal. But Sri Ramakrishna consoled him by saying, “It is enough to repeat any name of God; there is no need to utter the pranava mantra.” From that time on, Chunilal followed the spiritual instructions of the Master and practised japa and meditation accordingly.