Extracts from the book “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna”
by ‘M’ahendranath Gupta (conversations between Sri Ramakrishna, the Master, and
his disciples / devotees)
Different stages of spiritual progress
"The
first stage is that of the beginner. He studies and hears. Second
is the stage of the struggling aspirant. He prays to God, meditates on
Him, and sings His name and glories. The third stage is that of the
perfect soul. He has seen God, realized Him directly and immediately in
his inner Consciousness. Last is the stage of the supremely perfect, like
Chaitanya. Such a devotee establishes a definite relationship with God,
looking on Him as his Son or Beloved."
Proper time for spiritual unfoldment
MASTER:
"That is true. Distress of mind disappears for ever. I shall
tell you a few things about yoga. But you see, the mother bird doesn't
break the shell until the chick inside the egg is matured. The egg is
hatched in the fullness of time. It is necessary to practise some
spiritual discipline. The guru no doubt does everything for the disciple;
but at the end he makes the disciple work a little himself. When cutting
down a big tree, a man cuts almost through the trunk; then he stands aside for
a moment, and the tree falls down with a crash.
"The
farmer brings water to his field through a canal from the river. He
stands aside when only a little digging remains to be done to connect the field
with the water. Then the earth becomes soaked and falls of itself, and
the water of the river pours into the canal in torrents.”
"A
man is able to see God as soon as he gets rid of ego and other
limitations. He sees God as soon as he is free from such feelings as 'I
am a scholar', 'I am the son of such and such a person', 'I am wealthy', 'I am
honourable', and so forth.”
“'God
alone is real and all else unreal; the world is illusory'-that is
discrimination. One cannot assimilate spiritual instruction without
discrimination.”
"Through
the practice of spiritual discipline one attains perfection, by the grace of
God. But one must also labour a little. Then one sees God and
enjoys bliss. If a man hears that a jar filled with gold is buried at a
certain place, he rushes there and begins to dig. He sweats as he goes on
digging. After much digging he feels the spade strike something.
Then he throws away the spade and looks for the jar. At the sight of the
jar he dances for joy. Then he takes up the jar and pours out the gold
coins. He takes them into his hand, counts them, and feels the ecstasy of
joy. Vision-touch- enjoyment. Isn't it so?"
Spiritual inspiration comes from God
MASTER
(to the devotees): "Both worldliness and liberation depend on God's
will. It is God alone who has kept man in the world in a state of
ignorance; and man will be free when God, of His own sweet will, calls him to
Himself. It is like the mother calling the child at meal-time, when he is
out playing. When the time comes for setting a man free, God makes him
seek the company of holy men. Further, it is God who makes him restless
for spiritual life."
A
NEIGIHBOUR: "What kind of restlessness, sir?"
MASTER:
"Like the restlessness of a clerk who has lost his job. He makes the
round of the offices daily and asks whether there is any vacancy. When
that restlessness comes, man longs for God. A fop, seated comfortably
with one leg over the other, chewing betel-leaf and twirling his moustaches-a
carefree dandy-, cannot attain God."
NEIGHBOUR:
"Can one get this longing for God through frequenting the company of holy
men?"
MASTER:
"Yes, it is possible. But not for a confirmed scoundrel. A
sannyasi's kamandalu, made of bitter gourd, travels with him to the four great
places of pilgrimage but still does not lose its bitterness."
The
kirtan began. The musician sang of Sri Krishna's life in Vrindāvan:
RADHA:
"Friend, I am about to die. Give me back my Krishna."
FRIEND:
"But, Radha; the cloud of Krishna was ready to burst into rain. It
was yourself who blew it away with the strong wind of your pique. You are
certainly not happy to see Krishna happy; or why were you piqued?"
RADHA:
"But this pride was not mine. My pride has gone away with Him who
made me proud."
After
the music Sri Ramakrishna conversed with the devotees.
MASTER:
"The gopis worshipped Katyayani in order to be united with Sri
Krishna. Everyone is under the authority of the Divine Mother, Mahamaya,
the Primal Energy. Even the Incarnations of God accept the help of maya
to fulfil their mission on earth. Therefore they worship the Primal
Energy. Don't you see how bitterly Rama wept for Sita? 'Brahman weeps,
ensnared in the meshes of maya.'
"Vishnu
incarnated Himself as a sow in order to kill the demon Hiranyaksha. After
killing the demon, the sow remained quite happy with her young ones.
Forgetting her real nature, she was suckling them very contentedly. The
gods in heaven could not persuade Vishnu to relinquish His sow's body and
return to the celestial regions. He was absorbed in the happiness of His
beast form. After consulting among themselves, the gods sent Śiva to the
sow. Śiva asked the sow, 'Why have you forgotten yourself?' Vishnu
replied through the sow's body, 'Why, I am quite happy here.' Thereupon with a
stroke of his trident Śiva destroyed the sow's body, and Vishnu went back to
heaven."
