Once Sri Ramakrishna was on his way to a disciple’s home when he saw someone standing on the verandah outside a particular house. It was Girish Ghosh. Sri Ramakrishna looked at Girish and bowed to him, and Girish also bowed to Sri Ramakrishna. Then Sri Ramakrishna and his disciples continued on to their destination.
There the disciples were asking Sri Ramakrishna questions and he was going into trance. Suddenly Sri Ramakrishna said to one of them, “Go and invite Girish.” The disciple ran and gave Girish the message.
Girish said, “Since he has invited me, let me go and see him.”

At that period in his life, Girish was having a tremendous struggle between doubt and faith, between the existence of God and the non-existence of God. All positive and negative feelings were in conflict inside him. As a result, he was utterly miserable.

Not long before, he had gone to visit a friend of his who was a painter. This friend told him, “Without a Guru, one cannot realise God. One needs a Guru.”

Girish returned home weeping. He cried, “O God, when am I going to get a Guru? The one that I saw, Sri Ramakrishna, is no good. He is a fake. When will I find a true Guru?”

This was Girish’s inner condition when he accepted Sri Ramakrishna’s personal invitation. He went to that particular house and entered the room where Sri Ramakrishna was sitting with the disciples. Then he asked Sri Ramakrishna, “What is a Guru?”

Sri Ramakrishna replied, “A Guru is a matchmaker. He makes the appointment between man and God. Then his job is over.”
When Girish heard these words, his heart melted a little. He sat in silence for some time and then he asked, “What is mantra?”

“Mantra is the Name of God,” said Sri Ramakrishna.
Gradually, gradually, Girish was melting. Sri Ramakrishna was giving Girish many indications that he was Girish’s Guru, but still Girish could not fully accept Sri Ramakrishna.
So that was their fourth meeting.

(Girish Chandra Ghosh)

Excerpt from From The Undivine Tree To The Divine Fruit: Girish Chandra Ghosh by Sri Chinmoy.