Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

“ If by the mercy of the Lord one realizes "I am a non-doer, " instantly that man becomes emancipated in this life. This sense of "I " is like a thick cloud. As a small cloud can hide the glorious sun, so this cloud of "I " hides the glory of the Eternal Sun. If the cloud is dispersed by the mercy of a Guru, or spiritual master, the glory of the Infinite becomes visible. When Rama, the Divine Incarnation in a human form, was walking in the forest, Lakshmana (the individual soul) , who was at a short distance, could not see Him because Sita or Maya, or the sense of "I," was vStanding between. ”

“ Sri Ramakrishna (to the doctor, with folded hands) : No, oh no; why should my feelings be worked upon? I am very well. But as soon as these words were uttered, the Bhagavan, who was already losing sense-con-sciousness, went into deep Samddhi. His body became motionless. The eyes moved not. He sat speechless like a veritable figure of wood or stone. All sense-consciousness had ceased to be. The mind, the principle of personal iden-tity, the heart, had all stepped out of their wonted course towards that One Object, the Mother of the Universe. ”

“ He who thinks of the Lord with unwavering mind and a heart overflowing with devotion and love for God, is undoubtedly taken care of by the Lord. The Lord carries every- thing for him like the guardian of the Zemindar's son. Oh, when shall I reach such a state! How blessed are those who have attained it! A Brahmo devotee: Revered Sir, can true wisdom be acquired in the world ? Can God be realized in the world? ”

“ We mould our character according to the company we keep; and we keep such company Character and associations. as is in harmony with our character. For this reason the Paramahamsas (perfected souls) like to keep the company of innocent children because their minds are pure, simple and unstained by worldliness. As Sri Ramakrishna was speaking these words, a worthy Brahmin entered the room and bowed down at His feet. The Bhagavan had known him before and loved him because he was sin-cere and simple. He had studied Vedanta in Benares, the seat of great learning. ”

“ Not one original idea crosses anyone's brains, all fighting over the same old, threadbare rug—that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was such and such—and cock-and-bull stories—stories having neither head nor tail. ”

“ If there is any being I love in the whole world, it is my mother. Yet I believed and still believe that without my giving up the world, the great mission which Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, my great Master came to preach would not see the light, and where would those young men be who have stood as bulwarks against the surging waves of materialism and luxury of the day? ”

“ When an elephant is washed, immediately he throws dust and dirt over himself; but if he is kept in a clean stall after his bath, then he cannot cover himself with dirt. By the power of the Holy Name a man may be purified, but he may once more commit sinful acts because his mind is weak. He cannot promise that he will never sin again. The water of the Ganges may wash away past sins, but there is a saying that sins perch on the top of trees. When a man comes out of the Ganges and stands under a tree, the sins drop over his shoulders and seize upon him ”

“ I would have, before this, returned to India, but India has no money. Thousands honour Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, but nobody will give a cent — that is India. . . . In the meanwhile live in harmony at any price. The world cares little for principles. They care for persons. They will hear with patience the words of a man they like, however nonsense, and will not listen to anyone they do not like. Think of this and modify your conduct accordingly. Everything will come all right. Be the servant if you will rule. That is the real secret. Your love will tell even if your words be harsh. ”

“ But when God is attained, all worldly attachment vanishes. After realizing the absolute bliss of God-consciousness one cannot enjoy sense-pleasures or run after fame, honor or any worldly object. Moths after once seeing the light do not return to the darkness. As much as one thinks of God and meditates on Him, by so much will one lose one's taste for worldly pleasures. As much as one's love and devotion for God increases, by so much will diminish worldly desires and care for the body. Then one will look upon every woman as mother, upon his own wife as a spiritual helpmate ”

“ It is none else than the power which was manifested here as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. For, you and I, and sages and prophets, nay, even Incarnations, the whole universe, are but manifestations of power more or less individualized, more or less concentrated. Here has been a manifestation of an immense power, just the very beginning of whose workings we are seeing, and before this generation passes away, you will see more wonderful workings of that power. ”

“ Offering food to them is the same as offering it to God Himself. These, indeed, are not ordinary men. They are parts of Divinity manifest in the flesh." And many a time had the devotees met there "at the Durbar of God's love." Mahendra, [3] who taught in a neighboring school, had heard that Sri Ramakrishna was visiting at Balaram's house, so having a little leisure he came about noon to see Him. The mid-day dinner was over and the Bhagavan was in the drawing-room resting. His young disciples were seated round Him. ”

“ By its light he sees everyone's face and people see each other, but no one can see him. If any onewishes to see the watchman, he must beg him to turn the light towards himself. Similarly, he who wishes to see the Lord must pray to Him thus: "O Lord, in Thy mercy do Thou turn the light of Thy wisdom towards Thine own face that I may behold Thee." If there be no light in a house, that is the sign of extreme poverty. Therefore one must light the lamp of wisdom within the heart. "O mind, why dost thou not see the face of the Divine Mother by lighting the lamp of wisdom in the chamber of the soul!" ”

“ I am a disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a perfect Sannyâsin whose influence and ideas I fell under. This great Sannyasin never assumed the negative or critical attitude towards other religions, but showed their positive side — how they could be carried into life and practiced. To fight, to assume the antagonistic attitude, is the exact contrary of his teaching, which dwells on the truth that the world is moved by love. You know that the Hindu religion never persecutes. It is the land where all sects may live in peace and amity. ”

“ They cannot raise a few rupees to help the work of the greatest man their country ever produced — Ramakrishna Paramahamsa; and they talk nonsense and want to dictate to the man for whom they did nothing, find who did everything he could for them! ”

“ In that case, sir, do you not think it would be better to throw open the door of your mind, at least out of pity for your friends? You well see that your friends do not under- stand you. Doctor: Shall I say it? Well, my feelings are worked up even more than yours. (To Vivekananda) I shed tears in solitude. Doctor (to Sri Ramakrishna) : Sir, may I say that it is not good that you allow people to touch your feet with their body while you are in Samddhi? Sri Ramakrishna: You do not mean that I am conscious of this ? Doctor: You feel that it is not a right thing to do, do you not? ”

“ SWAMI VIVEKANANDA: It must have been the training under Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. We all went by his path to some extent. Of course it was not so difficult for us as he made it for himself. He would eat and dress like the people he wanted to understand, take their initiation, and use their language. "One must learn", he said, "to put oneself into another man's very soul". And this method was his own! No one ever before in India became Christian and Mohammedan and Vaishnava, by turn! ”

“ Let people speak out their own opinions, why should we object? Without studying Ramakrishna Paramahamsa first, one can never understand the real import of the Vedas, the Vedanta, of the Bhâgavata and the other Purânas. His life is a searchlight of infinite power thrown upon the whole mass of Indian religious thought. He was the living commentary to the Vedas and to their aim. He had lived in one life the whole cycle of the national religious existence in India. ”

“ The devotee who has seen God in one aspect only, knows Him in that aspect alone. But he who has seen Him in manifold aspects is alone in a position to say with authority: "All these forms are of one God and God is multiform." He is formless and with form, and many are His forms which no one knows.
God is not only personal and with form but He can take the form of Krishna, Christ or any other Incarnation. It is true that Different aspects of Divinity. He manifests Himself in infinite forms to fulfil the desires of His devotees. ”

“ I am a pupil of a great Indian sage, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was not what one might call a very learned man, as some of our sages are, but a very holy one, deeply imbued with the spirit of the Vedanta philosophy. When I say philosophy, I hardly know whether I ought not to say religion, for it is really both. ”

“ God is beyond the power of reasoning; He is something more. I see that whatever is, is God. What then is the necessity of reason-ing about Him? I do actually see that what-ever is, is God. It is He who has become all these things. This is a stage at which the mind and the intellect (Buddhi) are lost in the Ab-solute and Indivisible Being. At the sight of Narendra my mind becomes merged in the In-divisible Absolute. What, pray, do you say to this? Girish (smiling) : Surely, Revered Sir, we do not pretend that we understand everything except this. ”

“ And Bhagavân Srî Râmakrishna was such a real Mahâtman.
Even in this age when the vast majority of educated people do not believe in the existence of God and of the human soul, when scientific knowledge has turned the minds of students away from the path of spirituality, when sense-pleasures and the luxuries of life have become the ideals of earthly existence and human beings have degenerated into money-making machines, we have witnessed with our eyes a Great Soul who is recognized as a Real Mahâtman by hundreds and thousands of thoughtful men and women of India, Europe and America. ”

“ If a fried grain is planted it will not germinate; in the same manner, he whose inner nature is fried in the fire of wisdom is no longer subject to evolution, but attains to absolute freedom from rebirth. In the Puranas the doctrine of dualistic Ve- danta prevails, which teaches that the Jiva Dualistic and monistic Vedanta. (the individual soul) is one thing and God is another: "I am distinct and separate from you." This body is like a bowl; mind, intellect and egoism are like water within it, while the Personal God is the sun which is reflected in the water ”

“ The more one approaches God, the more does one's love toward Him increase. The more the river nears the sea, the more it is subject to ebb and flow. The Ganges of knowl- edge flowing in the soul of a wise man runs only in one direction. To him the whole universe is a dream. He always lives in His own True Self (Atman) . But the Ganges of love in a devo- tee's heart does not run in one direction. It has its ebb and flow. A devotee laughs, weeps, dances, sings. He wants sometimes to enjoy his Beloved, to merge into his Beloved! ”

“ God can be reached through many paths; each of these sectarian religions points out a path which ultimately leads to Divinity. Yes, all religions are paths, but the paths are not God. I have seen all sects and all paths. I do not care for them any more People belonging to these sects quarrel so much! After trying all religions, I have realized that God is the Whole and I am His part; that He is the Lord and I am His servant; again I realize, He is I; I am He.
People dispute among themselves, saying: "God is personal, with form. ”

“ For the first time it was absolutely demonstrated by Râmakrishna that all religions are like so many paths leading to the same Goal, that the realization of the same Almighty Being is the highest Ideal of Christianity, Mahometanism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, as well as of all other smaller religions of the world. Srî Râmakrishna's mission was to proclaim the eternal Truth that God is one but has many aspects, and that the same one is worshipped by different nations under various names and forms ”

“ Unlike the non-dualists, you do not believe that this world is only a dream. You are not Jnanis, but Bhaktas; you believe in a Personal God, that is good. You are Bhak- tas. If you can sincerely and earnestly cry for Him, you will surely obtain Him. (To Keshab) You talk against child mar- riage and the caste system, about female eman- cipation and female education. I say one thing is needful, — the realization of God and devotion to Him. First realize God and all other things shall be added unto you. Jadu Mullik is a rich man. ”

“ It is impossible to preach the catholic ideas of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and form sects at the same time.... Only one kind of work I understand, and that is doing good to others; all else is doing evil. ”

“ The devotee sometimes laughs, sometimes weeps like a madman. He loses all control over his body. This state is not attained by ordinary human beings who are not capable of conquer- ing the flesh. It is reached by Incarnations of God who appear in this world for the salvation of mankind. The sixth stage, Prema or ecstatic love, goes hand in hand with Mahabhava. It is the most intense love of God and is strictly the highest state of spirituality. The two marks of this stage are the forgetfulness of this world and the forgetfulness of self, which in- cludes one's own body. ”