Ramchandra Datta, Narendra’s cousin and a devotee of Ramakrishna, was aware of Narendra’s genuine hunger for God. Ramchandra told him, “If you really want to cultivate spirituality, then visit Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar.” However, Narendra first met Ramakrishna in Calcutta in November 1881 at the house of the Master’s devotee Surendra Nath Mitra. Surendra had arranged a religious gathering and had invited Narendra to entertain the Master and the devotees with his devotional singing. The Master was extremely impressed with Narendra and after a few inquiries asked him to visit him at Dakshineswar.
Narendra first visited Dakshineswar sometime in the early part of 1882. He entered the Master’s room by the western door that faces the Ganges. Indifferent to his external appearance, Narendra’s clothes were disheveled; his impressive eyes were partly indrawn. Ramakrishna marvelled: “How is it possible that such a great spiritual aspirant can live in Calcutta, the home of the worldly-minded?” There was a mat spread out on the floor. The Master asked him and his friends to sit on it, and then asked Narendra to sing a song. Narendra sang a song of the Brahmo Samaj:
Let us go back once more, O mind, to our proper home!
Here in this foreign land of earth
Why should we wander aimlessly in stranger’s guise?…
This song put the Master into ecstasy. When the singing was over, he took Narendra to the northern veranda and closed the door. With tearful eyes the Master said to Narendra: “You’ve come so late! Was that proper? Couldn’t you have guessed how I’ve been waiting for you? My ears are nearly burned off, listening to the talk of these worldly people. I thought I should burst, not having anyone to tell how I really felt.” Then with folded hands he said: “I know who you are, my Lord. You are Nara, the ancient sage, the incarnation of Narayana. You have come to earth to take away the sufferings and sorrows of mankind.” The rational Narendra was dumbfounded, regarding this as the babble of an insane person.
When they returned to the Master’s room, Narendra’s mind was agitated by the strange words and conduct of Ramakrishna. However, he asked the Master: “Sir, have you seen God?” Without a moment’s hesitation Ramakrishna replied: “Yes, I have seen God. I see Him as I see you here, only more clearly. God can be seen. One can talk to Him. But who cares for God? People shed torrents of tears for their wives, children, wealth, and property, but who weeps for the vision of God? If one cries sincerely for God, one can surely see Him.” “That impressed me at once,” said Narendra later. “For the first time I found a man who dared to say that he had seen God, that religion was a reality to be felt, to be sensed in an infinitely more intense way than we can sense the world.” Narendra felt that Ramakrishna’s words were uttered from the depths of his inner experience. Still, he could not comprehend the Master’s words and conduct. Bewildered, he bowed down to the Master and returned to Calcutta.