Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

June 15, 1884  PRATAP: "Revered sir, are those who live with you making progress in spiritual life?" MASTER: "I tell people that there is nothing wrong in the life of the world. But they must live in the world as a maidservant lives in her master's house.' Referring to her master's house, she says, 'That is our house.' But her real home is perhaps in a far-away village. Pointing out her master's house to others, she says, no doubt, 'This is our house', but in her heart she knows very well that it doesn't belong to her and that her own house is in a faraway village. She brings up her master's son and says, 'My Hari has grown very naughty', or 'My Hari doesn't like sweets.' Though she repeats, 'My Hari' with her lips, yet she knows in her heart that Hari doesn't belong to her, that he is her master's son. "Thus I say to those who visit me...

June 15, 1884  MASTER: "To love these objects, regarding them as one's own, is māyā. But to love all things is daya, compassion. To love only the members of the Brahmo Samaj or of one's own family is māyā; to love one's own countrymen is māyā. But to love the people of all countries, to love the members of all religions, is daya. Such love comes from love of God, from daya. "Māyā entangles a man and turns him away from God. But through daya one realizes God. Sages like Sukadeva and Nārada always cherished daya in their hearts." Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Chapter 23, Festival at Surendra's house

June 15, 1884  MASTER (To Pratap): "Let me tell you something. You are a learned and intelligent and serious-minded soul. Keshab and you were like the two brothers, Gaur and Nitai. You have had enough of lectures, arguments, quarrels, discussions, and dissensions. Can such things interest you any more? Now gather your whole mind and direct it to God. Plunge deep into God." PRATAP: "Yes, sir, you are right. That is surely my only duty now. But I am doing all these things only to perpetuate Keshab's name." MASTER (with a smile): "No doubt you say now that you are doing all this to keep his name alive; but in a few days you won't feel that way. Listen to a story. A man had built a house on a hill. It was only a mud hut, but he had built it with great labour. A few days after, there came a violent storm and the hut began to rock. The man became very anxious to save it and prayed to the god of the winds...

June 15, 1884 Master sang in his sweet voice:   Dive deep, O mind, dive deep in the Ocean of God's Beauty; If you descend to the uttermost depths, There you will find the gem of Love. Go seek, O mind, go seek Vrindāvan in your heart, Where with His loving devotees Sri Krishna sports eternally. Light up, O mind, light up true wisdom's shining lamp, And let it burn with steady flame Unceasingly within your heart. Who is it that steers your boat across the solid earth? It is your guru, says Kubir; Meditate on his holy feet. The Master continued, addressing Pratap: "Did you listen to the song? You have had enough of lectures and quarrels. Now dive deep into the Ocean of God. There is no fear of death from plunging into this Ocean, for this is the Ocean of Immortality. Don't think that this will make you lose your head. Never for a moment harbour the idea that by thinking too much of G...

June 15, 1884  DEVOTEE: "What, sir, are the signs of God-vision?" MASTER: "Yes, there are such signs. It is said in the Bhagavata that a man who has seen God behaves sometimes like a child, sometimes like a ghoul, sometimes like an inert thing, and sometimes like a madman. "The man who has seen God becomes like a child. He is beyond the three gunas; he is unattached to any of them. He behaves like a ghoul, for he maintains the same attitude toward things holy and unholy. Again, like a madman, he sometimes laughs and sometimes weeps. Now he dresses himself like a dandy and the next moment he goes entirely naked and roams about with his cloth under his arm. Therefore he seems to be a lunatic. Again, at times he sits motionless like an inert thing." Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Chapter 23, Festival at Surendra's house 

June 20, 1884 MASTER: "You may feel a thousand times that it is all magic; but you are still under the control of the Divine Mother. You cannot escape Her. You are not free. You must do what She makes you do. A man attains Brahmajnana only when it is given to him by the Ādyāśakti , the Divine Mother. Then alone does he see the whole thing as magic; otherwise not. "As long as the slightest trace of ego remains, one lives within the jurisdiction of the Ādyāśakti . One is under Her sway. One cannot go beyond Her. "With the help of the Ādyāśakti , God sports as an Incarnation. God, through His Śakti, incarnates Himself as man. Then alone does it become possible for the Incarnation to carry on His work".  Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Chapter 23, Festival at Surendra's house