Narendranath's Father died - 1884

Narendra's life got a violent stroke early in the year 1884, sometimes before the result of B.A. examination was out. His father Viswanath suddenly died at 10 PM of heart failure when Narendra was engaged in singing devotional songs till about eleven at night. His father was suffering from a nervous breakdown due to over work. Narendra was attending invitation of one of his friend at Baranagar.Narendra had gone there  in the afternoon took meat at night and was engaged in conversation with his friend till late in the night. At about 2 AM his friend Hemali arrived with the startling news of his father's sudden demise. Narendra started immediately for Calcutta to his residence.

Narendra returned home and performed obsequies of his father. On making inquiries afterwards, he came to know that the worldly circumstances of the family were extremely deplorable. Instead of leaving some property behind, his father had left only a debt, having spent more than what he had earned.  Their relatives had increased their worldly properties with the help of Narendra's father, but instad of being grateful to the family, they found them in its present  helpless condition, a splendid opportunity for self- aggrandisement. They turned inimical and even plotted to eject the family from their home.It might well be said that there was in fact no income for the family and yet five or six persons had somehow to be maintained. Brought up in a grand style of living till now, Narendra now found himself helpless. He did not know  what he should do to maintain his family.He went about from place to place in search of a job, only to meet with frustration. .Days after days, months after months passed but Narendra did not get any service.

The rainy season followed the summer but Narendra continued his search for a job. One day renched in rain and with no food for the whole day he was returning home at night with his legs being tired and his mind more weary for the night. The exhaustion was so great that he being unable to proceed a single step further laid himself like log of wood on the open verandah of a nearby house. He was about to be fainted while thinking about the mystery of god. He thought to see Ramakrishna for the solution.