Having left his home, Raicharan journeyed on foot across the plains and villages of Bengal, seeking only to follow the unseen hand of the Lord. For days, he walked through fields and forests, sleeping under trees, eating little, his heart absorbed in remembrance of God.
When he reached the banks of a broad river — the Padma — he stood for a long time gazing at its flowing waters. The river shimmered under the golden sun, as if carrying on its waves the reflections of eternity itself. There was no bridge, only a small ferryboat tethered near the shore.
A humble ferryman, whose name was Dvārika, sat nearby repairing his net. Raicharan approached him and asked softly, “Brother, will you take me across?”
The ferryman looked up and nodded, but before stepping into the boat, Raicharan asked, “Tell me, my friend, what do you charge for the passage?”
Dvārika replied, “For you, Bābu, there is no fare. I will take you freely.”
Raicharan smiled. “Why this kindness?”
The ferryman bowed his head. “I don’t know, sir. Ever since I saw you standing there, I felt as if I should serve you. Something in my heart tells me that taking you across this river will bring me good fortune.”
Raicharan stepped into the small boat. As they crossed the river, the breeze blew gently, and the sound of the oar striking the water seemed to chant “Rāma, Rāma…” With each stroke, his heart grew lighter, as if he too were crossing the great river of worldly life.
When they reached the other shore, Raicharan folded his hands and said, “My friend, you have not merely carried me across water — you have helped me cross one stage of this human journey toward God.”
He placed his hand upon the ferryman’s head in blessing. Dvārika felt a divine shiver through his body, tears filled his eyes, and he prostrated before the saint. From that day, the villagers said that Dvārika the ferryman had become a changed man — gentle, humble, and always chanting the Lord’s names.
Reflection
This beautiful meeting on the riverbank carries profound symbolism. The ferryman represents the guru or devotee who helps souls cross the ocean of material life by the boat of bhakti. Śrīla Prabhupāda often compared human existence to a vast sea of suffering, and the spiritual master to the captain who guides us safely to the other shore.
Dvārika’s service was simple, yet it became sacred because it was done with devotion. Raicharan’s gratitude shows the humility of a true saint — he saw divine grace in every person and every act.
The crossing of the river reflects the inner passage from attachment to surrender, from material bondage to spiritual freedom.
When we serve others with love and faith, we too become ferrymen for the souls around us — guiding them gently toward the light of God.
Let us remember that the Lord can appear to us as a ferryman, a friend, or even a stranger. Whoever helps us move closer to Him is a messenger of His mercy.
Source:
All content from The Life of Love: Biography of Śrī Śrīmat Rādhā-Ramaṇa Caraṇa Dāsa Deva
by Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor (Ādikeshava Dāsa), Sarasvatī Jayashrī Classics / Paramārtha Prakāśana, Vṛndāvana, 1993.
