Sri Sri

Ramakrishna Kathamritam

    MASTER: "In order to bring people spiritual knowledge, an Incarnation of God lives in the world in the company of devotees, cherishing an attitude of love for God. It is like going up and coming down the stairs after having once reached the roof. In order to reach the roof, other people should follow the path of devotion, as long as they have not attained Knowledge and become free of desire. The roof can be reached only when all desires are done away with. The shopkeeper does not go to bed before finishing his accounts. He goes to sleep only when his accounts are finished.

    (To M.) "A man will certainly succeed if he will take the plunge. Success is sure for such a man.

    "Well, what do you think of the worship conducted by Keshab, Shivanath, and the other Brahmo leaders?"

    M: "They are satisfied, as you say, with describing the garden, but they seldom speak of seeing the Master of the garden. Describing the garden is the beginning and end of their worship."

    MASTER: "You are right. Our only duty is to seek the Master of the garden and speak to Hi,. The only purpose of life is to realize God."

    Sri Ramakrishna then went to Adhar's house. After dusk he sang and danced in Adhar's drawing room. M., Rakhal, and other devotees were present. After the music he sat down, still in an ecstatic mood. He said to Rakhal: "This religious fervor (referring to himself) is not like rain in the rainy season, which comes in torrents and goes in torrents. It is like an image of Siva that has not been set up by human hands but is a natural one that has sprung up, as it were, from the bowels of the earth. The other day you left Dakshineswar in a temper. I prayed to the Divine Mother to forgive you."

    The Master was still in an abstracted mood and said to Adhar, "My son, meditate on the Deity whose name you chanted." With these words he touched Adhar's tongue with his finger and wrote something on it. Did the Master thereby impart spirituality to Adhar?