Brahmamanda Spirtual Talks 1933

THE BOOK WAS
DRENCHED
<OU1 60473 >m
SWAMI BRAHMANANDA
SPIRITUAL
TEACHINGS
OF
SWAMI BRAHMANANDA
TRANSLATED FROM CONVERSATIONS AND
LETTERS
IN
BENGALI
Second Edition
SRI
RAMAKRISHNA MATH
MYLAPORE, MADRAS
1933
(All Bights Reserved)
SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS
OF
SWAMI BRAHMANANDA
FOREWORD
Swami Brahmananda was one of
the
most
eminent
and one of the most beloved of the
disciples
of
come
as
to
His own
intimacy.
Ramakrishna
Sri
Him.
Sri
the
first
also
to
regarded him
Ramakrishna
son and admitted him to the utmost
In this
familiar
intercourse
daily
of
the
the
Master's
efful-
to dispute.
This
the
caught
glint
shone
gence.
through all he said, all he did, all
he was. It gave him unlimited power and insight,
disciple
It
and an authority no one thought

last he used sparingly.
He led
appeal
than
mighty was
suggestion
by more
his
was
insistent
spiritual
to those
force
who
rather
by quiet
methods, but so
that
heard
it,
his
gentlest
word of
command.
It
was my blessed
privilege to be closely associat-
ed with the Swami during the six months of his first

visit to Madras.
When the present book of coun-
sels
was put
for
pare
into
my
hands to
revise, edit
once again the picture of that majestic, yet

in the twilight
moving
the dim monastery
figure
and pre-
my mind
before
publication, there rose
child-like,
shadow up and down
Mylapore; once again his

gentle voice sounded in my ears; once again the
hall at
benediction of his loving presence fell in refreshing
shower over
my
spirit.
have striven
unmuted through
voice sound
to lit that
these pages; to leaê
unbarred the benediction of that presence.
The
spiritual instructions
spoken in largest
Belur,
or
in
elsewhere,
Some were
earlier
measure
days
written in
of
the
at
which follow were

Benares,
informal
personal
Swami's
Kankhal,
conversations.
letters.
In
administration
the
as
President of the Ramakrishna Mission he remained

nearly always in retirement at Puri, or at the
Head
Monastery of the Order on the Ganges above

At that time he was reluctant to assume
Calcutta.
At Madras, if any one asked

him a question he would answer: "Go and ask
Sasi Maharaj.
He knows everything. I know
the place of teacher.
nothing."
vi
Later he emerged from his seclusion and be-
came an
and stimulating
active
The
Centres of the Mission.

the present
It
in
volume belongs
visitor at the various
teaching set
down
in
to this second period.
was preserved by devout disciples and published

the "Vedanta Kesari," the Official Magazine of
the
work
Mission's
reverently revised,
Madras.
at
it
now
appears
and
Carefully
in
more perma-
nent form.
*
The
They
counsels given are pre-eminently practical.
are
Swami's
the
spontaneous
own wide
experience.
Their
vision
transform and redeem.

in
the
heart.
and profound
power
of
expression
spiritual
irresistible.
is
They kindle
They transmute
life
the
They
fresh ardour
into
living.
Charged with a holy message they go forth now,

bearing to world and cloister alike, the promise of
spiritual achievement.
DEVAMATA
ANANDA-ASHRAMA,
LA CRESCENTA, CALIFORNIA, U.
June, 1931.
vii
S.
A.
CONVERSATIONS
PRINTED AT
THE MADRAS PUBLISHING HOUSE,
MOUNT
ROAD, MADRAS.
LTD.,
CONTENTS
PAGIi
FOREWORD
CONVERSATIONS
J.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
MEDITATION AND REALIZATION
VI.
HAPPINESS
WORLDLY
IX.
X.
XI
XI]
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI
XVIJ
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXL
XXII.
XXIII.
WORSHIP AND MEDITATION

THE KUNDALINI
WORK AND WORSHIP
VII.
VII!
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
11
17
21
29
AND SPIRITUAL LIFE

REALIZATION THROUGH SELF-SURRENDER
LIFE
36
43
DIVINE GRACE
52
POWER OF RENUNCIATION
BRAHMACHARYA
COMPANY OF HOLY MEN
THE WORLD AND GOD
NATURE OF MAN
SEEK GOD ONLY
CONTROL OF THE MIND
TURNING THE MIND TO GOD
EXAMPLE OF HOLY MEN
60
68
75
82
89
95
100
.
103
112
MEDITATION
GOD- VISION
124
DIFFERENT METHODS OF ATTAINMENT
130
SAMADHI
POWER OF MIND
144
117
139
xi
PAGE
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
WORSHIP OF GOD
FRAGMENTS OF CONVERSATIONS
GOD-MINDFULNESS
ATTACHMENT FOR GOD
WHAT A SADHU SHOULD DO
NAME OF THE LORD
THE PROCESS OF MEDITATION
....
TRUE VISION
WHAT IS TAPASYA?
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
LETTERS
XXXIII.
150
.
AND STRAY
155
163
169
175
183
.189
193
196
COUNSELS.
LETTER TO A DISCIPLE
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS
229
STRAY COUNSELS
234
203
216
MEDITATION AND REALISATION

(CONVERSATION AT BENARES,
1921)
p
tion,
Maharaj, I am practising ]apam and meditabut I have not yet acquired any taste for these.
Somehow
I
or other
am
struggling on.
What must
do?
THE SWAMI
in
Is
the beginning?
Concentrate
it
possible to have that taste
No.
Struggle hard to attain
your energies on
its
achieve-
ment, and never for a moment pay heed
to other
it.
all
matters.
to
it
Apply yourself whole-heartedly to

alone.
Onward, onward! Never be
it
and
satis-
with your present state of mind. Try to create

within yourself a burning dissatisfaction. Say
fied
to yourself
a bit."
Mother
Sri
"What
progress
am
Ramakrishna used
making?
Not
to say to the Divine
"Mother, another day
not seen Thee!"
is
gone and
have
Spiritual Teachings
Every night before you go to bed, think for a

while how much time you have spent in doing good
how much
deeds,
again in doing useless things;
how much time you have utilised in meditation and

how much you have wasted in idleness. Make
your
mind
strong
through
Tapasya
and Brahmacharya (continence)

In
rich men's houses they
austerity)
keep
Darwan
whose duty is to prevent thieves, cows,

The
sheep, etc., from entering the compound.
mind is man's Danvan. The stronger the mind
(porter)
Mind
becomes, the better.
ed to a
restive
horse.
takes the rider along
who can hold

go the
are you
the
a tight rein
right way.
doing?
Is
has also been compara horse generally
Such
wrong
path.
Only he
and check the horse can
Struggle,
struggle on!
everything
achieved
What
the
by
mere wearing of the Gerua cloth (ochre-coloured

cloth of the Sannyasin) or by renunciation of hearth
and home?
flying.
Do
What have
you
realised?
not waste a single moment.
Time
You
is
will
be able to work hard only another three or four

2
Meditation and Realisation

years at the most.
Afterwards both body and mind
become weak and infirm and you will not be

able to do anything. What can be achieved withwill
out diligence?
You
are thinking, "Let us
and devotion;
ing, faitfe
Sadhana
Can we
(spiritual
first
then
practices)."
have yearnshall do our
of
all
we
that possible?
Is
dawn?
see the day without the break of
When
the Lord comes,
follow
Him
as
His
love,
devotion and faith
retinue.
Can anything be achieved without Tapasya?

Brahma at first heard "Tapas (meditate), Tapas
Do
(meditate), Tapas (meditate)/*
you not see
what a severe Tapasya even the Avataras (Incarnations of God) had to perform?
Has anybody
gained
Sankara
ties
anything
and
labour?
without
others
what
tremendous
What
they practised in their lives!
renunciation they possessed!
What
Buddha,
austeri-
burning
severe Sadhana
they performed!
Real faith cannot be had in the beginning.

realisation,
then faith.
But
3
at
first
the
First
Sadhaka
Spiritual Teachings
(aspirant)
may
be
to
the precepts
or of
teacher)
"
has to pin his faith
some great
blind faith"
Guru
of his
it
(spiritual
soul; then only can he
advance toward the goal.
Do
you not know the parable of the oyster as

The oyster floats about
told by Sri Ramakrishna?
on the surface of the sea with

just for a little
its
shell
wide open,
drop of the Swati-rain (rain falling
when the star Swati or Arcturus

As soon as it gets a rain drop,
is
in the ascendant)
it
dives
down
to the
ocean-bed and there forms a fine pearl. Like the

oyster, you too should be up and doing and then
dive deep into the ocean of meditation.
You have no
Personal exertion
self-reliance.
an indispensable factor for success

life.
years.
gress,
in the spiritual
Do
something for a period of at least four

Then if you do not make any tangible pro-
come and take me
to task.
Japam and meditation
are impossible unless you
transcend the limitations of Rajas

vity)
is
and
Tamas
(inertia
or
(excessive acti-
lethargy).
After-
wards, you have to rise even above Sattwa (illumi-
Meditation and Realisation
and attain the high

where there is no return.
nation)
How
Yet
it
tion
is
difficult is the
Strive
possible.
human
birth!
birth that God-realisa-
hard in
from which you
that state
from
attainment of a
human
only in this
is
spiritual plane
this life
will not
and reach
have
to
come
back.
^he mind
be raised, step by step, from the

gross state to the subtle, then to the causal state,
to
further to the Great Cause
still
yourself
There
to
fully
is
nothing
this is
the
is
Life
is
achieved.
eternal.
most a hundred
years.
and, with
it,
if
is
Is
that
One must
The span
is
is
Resign
everything.
ggfeq^ 3^jj
Everything
When
these hundred years,

life
calculating.
possible in a day?
thing
He
Lord.
besides.
Brahman."
Never be
only.
(Mahakarana) and
Samadhi (highest illumination).
finally to
all
is
"Verily
His and His

self-surrender
achieved, every-
struggle hard for
it.
of man's life
at
is
Give up the pleasures of

you want to enjoy eternal
eternal bliss.
II
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
(CONVERSATION AT BENARES)
THE SWAMI
Are
your
religious
practices
going well?
S
No, Maharaj.
spiritual
mind.
With
hence
unfoldment;
Evidently
we
all
I
my
efforts I see
find
no
peace
no
of
are born with evil Samskaras
(impressions) and these stand
in the
way of our
spiritual progress.
THE SWAMI My
thus.
Practise
cannot do
hours
Do
of
the
dead of night. If you

that time, do it during the early
Japam
at
it
boy, you should not think

at
Perform Puras charana*.
morning.
not waste your valuable time any more.
yourself
in
prayer
and
meditation.
All
Lose
inner
it
implies regular Japam or the repetition of the
the Deity a prescribed number of times, followed by
Homa and other ceremonies. Additional Jtipam is also permissible in place of these ceremonies.
*Usually
name of
Spiritual Practices
come by themselves,
Sadhana for some time.
will
truths
The
At
Then reduce
may
the quantity
much food
to
In
half.
the
some weakness of the body.

be all right after some time, and
feel
body will
will remain active and
the*
practise
take three-fourths of your usual
first
beginning you
But
you
spiritual aspirant should not take
at night.
diet.
if
in perfect condition.
(The Swami then referred to the days when he

practised Sadhana in the company of his brotherdisciples
and
said:
<f
We
used to take only a single
meal during the whole day and night.")

THE SWAMI A Sadhaka should
first
learn
about the spiritual path from some great soul, then

follow it methodically. If he does it haphazard,
he cannot achieve much

it
Again
if
he gives
up, he will have to put forth double the
effort to
is
success.
lost.
gain the desired

Lust,
anger,
vity)
is
and Tamas
now
But no endeavour
go
away
covered over by Rajas
(acti-
gradually
greed,
from him who leads the
Your mind
result.
usual
spiritual life.
(inertia).
It
must be made pure
Spiritual Teachings
and
subtle,
and raised
(illumination).
the
mind
Sattwa
will
find
pleasure
in
and will
also
feel
inclined
to
more and more time
devote
of
state
Then you
religious practices
when
the
to
attains
to them.
perfect
purity,
Later
on,
you
will
naturally devote yourself to spiritual culture.
mind
it
ly
on the gross
at present
is
leans
toward
becomes awakened,
spiritual.
increases
When
it
gross
it
plane.
ConsequentBut when it
*
things.
inclines naturally
grows
and the aspirant
The
toward the
subtler, its capacity also

is
able
understand
to
within a short time the truths about God.
When
you
sit in
meditation,
first
think of a bliss-
This will have a soothing effect

on your nerves and mind. Otherwise meditation
ful Divine form.
will
become dry and
tedious.
Think of the form
of your Ishtam (Ideal) as smiling and
While away your time no
full
longer.
This
is
Sadhana continuously for seven or eight

you
Now
must be kept under

no doubt a troublesome task. But
senses are strong and
of
bliss.
the
control.
practise
years, then
will enjoy the fruits of your practices, the peace
Spiritual Practices
and
attained
also
thereof.
bliss
That
women have
But
strive for it?

is
have
devotees
Should
illumination.
spiritual
than men.
women
Many
not
you
greater faith
they succeed in a compa-
why
ratively short time.
Belie^ me, the Lord

practise a
He will extend His

He who is protecting
little,
to you.
It is
miseries
and
How
grace!
troubles.
can
You have been

things.
Now
them.
Now
up
When
you
will feel the joy of
you
helping hand
us all from
His
is
you?
all these spiritual
You have done enough

do some
that aspect
appeals to you most.
Sadhana.
to
it
\'L
unbounded
only hearing of
realise
First take
How
describe
study and reasoning.

tice.
always with you.
is
of
Follow your
God
realise
realising
Him
spiritual prac-
God which
own path of
through
also
it,
in
you
other
aspects and through other paths.

One should meditate on the form of the Ishtam
does
not
along with Japam.
Otherwise
become
you cannot think of the whole
effective.
If
form, think only of a part.
Japam
Begin your meditation
Spiritual Teachings
on the "lotus feet" of the Deity. Continue to do

it even if you fail in the
Why should
beginning.
until
you stop
Practice will
Is
you succeed?
make
Succeed you must.
everything easy.
meditation an easy affair?
next only to Samadhi.
it
is
to leave everything to
Resign yourself wholly unto Him. Then,
the Lord,
through
Try
Remember,
your
thing will
Sadhana, self-surrender
come from
within.
10
and
every-
Ill
WORSHIP AND MEDITATION

Maharaj, you spoke to us of the practice of
Puja (worship) meditation, continence and study
of the Scriptures. What does Puja mean?
K.
THE SWAMI
mental
worship.
Puja means both external and

In
external
worship certain
and water are
accessories such as flowers, incense,
necessary.
It is difficult
So mental
worship
is
to get these things always.
more convenient
for you.
After worshipping the Ishtam (Chosen Ideal) mentally with Padya (water for washing the feet)
flowers and incense, which are offered in external
worship, practise meditation and mental Japam.

In purely mental Japam the Mantram (name of
the Deity)
lips.
is
to be repeated without
moving the
But in ordinary Japam one has to utter the

11
Spiritual Teachings
Mantram and
there
is
movement of
therefore
the
lips.*
In meditation you should think of the form of
your Ishtam as effulgent.

is
shining through
its
Imagine that everything
Think of
lustre.
gence as non-material and possessed

This
gence.
kind
of
meditation
this efful-
wirt\, intelli-
will
later
on
)>
develop into meditation on the formless and

aspect of God.
infinite
In the beginning the aspirant has
to take the help of imagination; later on,
when he
develops his spiritual sense, he will feel the presence
of
the
Divine.
Next,
when he
highest spiritual vision, he will
with Truth.
He
is
come
gets
the
face to face
then transported into a different
realm altogether, of which
this
world of matter
appears to be a mere shadow and, as such, something unreal.
Samadhi
The mind
(superconscious
is
then lost in Savikalpa
vision
with
Next comes Nirvikalpa Samadht

vision without thought).
There
thought).
(superconscious
is
then the
reali-
*Japam may be (i) loud, that is, audible to all, (ii) (a)
audible to oneself only, or (b) silent but with the movement
of the lips, and (iii) mental without any movement of the lips.
12
Worship and Meditation

sation of that
which
In this state there
be heard.
When
beyond thought and speech.
is
nothing to be seen; nothing to
is
Everything
lost in the Infinite.
is
one attains to
one can bring

down the mind only with great effort to the world
of phenomena, which appear to be unreal. It is
%cfT%cT - fcrefsrcf "beyond duality and non-duality,
Seme
persons
upon the body

broken
Samadhi.
Sri
state,
to
attaining
as
spiritual
this
an obstacle
way of
un-
off
in
the breaking of an earthen
jar,
Ramakrishna used
tration to explain
the
in
and
experience,
It is like
Suppose
sun
the
reflected
water,
the
cast
it
to give a beautiful illus-
highest
there are
realisation.
of
state
nine
in each one.
broken.
it;
finally
Then whatever
is,
is
even
spiritual
pots
You
pots one after another until only one
the sun reflected in
look
state
this
is
break the
left,
this last
there. It
of
full
with
pot
is
can neither
be seen nor described.
Maharaj,
all-pervading
some think of the Ishtam
Spirit.
Is
this
meditation ?
13
as
not also a form
the
of
Spiritual Teachings
THE SWAMI
meditation
this
practise
some progress
ning.
The
in
but
spiritual
Everyone has to
so.
Yes, quite
life;
He who
also impersonal
is
making
not in the begin-
presence of the Ishtam
everywhere.
after
only
is
to
be realised
personal and with form
He
and without form.
is
dwells in
every being.
He
prevades land and water, hills
and
and
stars,
dales, sky
K
the
everything.
Maharaj, the Scriptures speak of service to
Guru
as a necessary
How far is
THE SWAMI
tion.
stage.
means
to spiritual realisa-
this true ?
It is
necessary at the preliminary
But afterwards one's mind
itself
plays the
part of the Guru.*
The Guru should not be looked upon

His physical body
ordinary human being.
temple in
which resides the Lord.
If the
an
as
is
the
Guru
is
served with this idea in mind, one comes to acquire

love and
devotion
for
him, which can then be
directed toward the Lord.
*The guidance
of
God
the
Guru
comes through one's purified mind.
14
of Gurus, dwelling within
Worship and Meditation

There are Sadhakas
upon
the
Guru
who
(aspirants)
in the Sahasrara (thousand-petalled
and next they merge the form
lotus in the brain),
Sri
Rama-
"The
Guru
of the Guru into that of the Ishtam.
used
krishna
meditate
to
say
very clearly:
appears before the disciple in his spiritual vision;

then pointing out the Ishtam to him he says, 'Look,
Aere
your Ishtam?
is
Really the
Guru
is
and
loses
can
you about
I tell
Follow the
in
it."
not different from the Ishtam.
There are so many practices
How
himself
spiritual
all
in the spiritual life.
of them ?
path in right earnest.
When
the
mind becomes pure through
you
will understand all the truths of the spiritual
world.
are
Remember, there
The
countless.
is
religious practices
no end
spiritual
to
them; they
aspirant
remains
wholly absorbed in them.
Sadhaka gets a little taste of Ananda

(Divine bliss), he is very much encouraged to proceed on his spiritual path. Is this not so?
If the
THE SWAMI
ual state there
is
But
True.
in the higher spirit-
neither bliss nor sorrow, pain nor
15
Spiritual Teachings
existence nor non-existence.
pleasure,
that
you speak of
of Sadhana.
able
wind
tion.
The
only a help during the period

boat stands in need of a favour-
is
so long as
But when
The Ananda
it
it
has not reached
has once reached
it
its
destina-
there
no
is
need for wind, whether favourable or unfavourable.
Ananda
helps the aspirant in his onward course like
the favourable wind.
Knowledge, the object known and the knower,

all three lose
been
only have the Scriptures
what takes place
One
describe.
so
much
say.
But
themselves in the Absolute;
after this,
able
to
none has the power
has to realise
it
to
for oneself through
spiritual practice.
How
wonderful
neither
is
want nor
there
is
of
elevates the soul.
it
men who
Infinite
fear.
Existence
The
where
very thought
There are some
spiritual
Absolute (Nitya) as distinct

Others
(Lila, Divine Sport).
realise the
from the Relative
look upon both of these as one and the same.

There is yet another state of spiritual experience,
which
is
beyond both Absolute and Relative.

16
IV
THE KUNDALINI
how
%Maharaj,
can
Kundalini*
the
be
awakened ?
THE SWAMI
practice of
Through the
]apam
(repetition of the Lord's name) Dhyana (meditaAccording to

tion) and other spiritual exercises.
,
some Yogis
there are special forms of meditation
and practices which awaken it, but I believe

be best done through ]apam and Dhyana.
practice of
Japam
*Lit. co /led.
sleeping in the
latent in all
It is
is
it
can
The
specially suited to our present
described in the Tantras as a coiled serpent
human body. Kundalini is the spiritual power

With its awakening begins the real religious
beings.
of the aspirant.
According to the Yogis there exists in the
column a hollow canal called Sushumna with seven
spinal
These centres begin with the Muladhara
lotuses or centres.
or the centre at the base of the spinal column, and end in the
Sahasrara or the thousand-petalled lotus in the brain. As the
life
Kundalini
rises
higher and higher, wonderful psychic powers and
When
it reaches the Sahaspiritual visions come to the Yogi.

srara the Yogi attains the highest spiritual illumination.
17
Spiritual Teachings
iron age (Kali
Yuga)
practice easier
than
There
this.
is
But
no other
spiritual
must
meditation
accompany the repetition of the Mantram.

Q Does meditation mean thinking of the form
of the Deity ?
THE SWAMI
It
of
thinking
implies
the
Divine, both with form and without form.
Q
one
the
Guru who decides whethe.
for meditation
on God with form or with-
Maharaj,
is fit
is it
out form?
THE SWAMI
But the pure mind itself

At times the mind is
plays the part of the Guru.
Yes.
At other times
inclined to think of the form.
formless aspect of
God
cannot be had always.
with
his
spiritual
comprehension also
appeals.
As
The
outer
Guru
the aspirant goes
on
power of
Then his mind can
practices,
increases.
the
his
act as a guide.
The Yogavasishtha-Ramayana
that
mental
wasted through various distractions. A

is drawn to the body, another
part to the
energy
part of
is
senses,
still
it
says
another
part to the
18
objects
of sense.
The Kundalini
The mind
bonds.
tied to
is
Collect
forces of the
mind
in a particular direction.
This
the task of the spiritual
Concentrate
the
life.
whole mind and
spiritual practices until the goal
Be up and doing.
You
are
is
direct
reached.
young now.
not be able to do anything
exercises as
the
mind
it
is
part of the
likes it or not,
some
these
old.
is
will
In
spiritual
Whether
routine.
daily
to
Strive,
This
when you grow
necessary to do
it
You
the time to practise spiritual exercises.
the beginning
the
all
Snap
things.
the scattered
and make them flow

is
many
must be followed
regularly.
Begin your spiritual life in right earnest. If

you can concentrate all the distracted powers of
the mind, you will find that this will generate a
tremendous
through
Know
energy.
meditation
that
all
these
Do
or
it
through
through
Japam
or
discrimination.
means are equally
effective.
Take up any one and merge yourself in Sadhana*

Do not question any more. First do something;
then come and ask questions, if you have any.
19
Spiritual Teachings
Maharaj,
is
true
it
that
Kundalhri
the
awakens by the grace of the Guru?
THE SWAMI
Through
the grace of the
Guru
not only can the Kundalini be roused, but everything else can
Brahman.
One
easily.
Ask
But
the
be had,
this
êven
grace
the knowledge of
cannot
to this
mind
in your
thing
discipline.
and
else.
attained
has to strive one's utmost to get
calm moments
done any spiritual practice. It will

you have done absolutely nothing.
spiritual
be
it.
if
you have
tell
you that
Practise
some
Devote yourself
not pay heed to any-
Begin now.
this alone.
Do
Plunge into the very depth of your
soul.
20
WORK AND WORSHIP

THE SWAMI How
are you getting
on with
your spiritual practices?
Maharaj,
There
is
too
do not
much work
THE SWAMI
Sadban a
for
(spiritual
want of
time.
It
find
enough time for them.
to do.
is
mistake to
think
that
cannot be practised
The real cause is the restlessness
exercises)
of the mind.
Work and
very good
ual
if
worship must go hand in hand.

one can devote oneself solely to
But
practices.
how many
can do
it?
It is
spirit-
Two
men can sit still doing nothing. One is

The other
the idiot, who is too dull to be active.
As
is the saint who has gone beyond all activity.
types of
the Gita says,
"
Without performing work none can

21
Spiritual Teachings
reach worklessness."
One can
attain
knowledge
As we
merely through the discipline of work.

even those
have
who
give up work and lead
see,
a retired life
spend a good deal of their time in putting

up thatches, cooking food and doing other things.
Instead of working for yourself, work for the
to
Know
sake of the Lord.
have
do
to
is
Vivekananda's.
your work
Ramakrishna's
Sri
If
work you
and Swanu
that all the
you can work with
will not bind you.
On
this
idea,
the other hand,
improve you in every way, spiritually, moralOffer your

ly, intellectually and also physically.
soul
of
these
at the feet
body and
great teachers.
it
will
Give yourself up wholly to them; be their servant

and tell them, "I give you my body, soul and all I
have.
Do
with them what you will;
serve you to the best of

this,
rests
self
the
responsibility
with them.
any more.
the right
spirit.
my
power/'
of your
You need
am
If
ready to
you can do
spiritual
welfare
not bother about your-
But you should resign yourself in

You should not do it with a doubt-
ing heart "taking the
name of God and

22
at the
Work and Worship

time keeping your clothes untouched
We
then
led a
set
life for five
wandering
ourselves
called
Vivekananda)
"There is nothing
to
work.
me
aside
in a
We
work, but
Rather,
it
do not think
infinite
faith in these
*This reference
is
to
Sri
life.
Work
for
did various kinds of

it
did us great good.
faith in Swamiji's words.
or six years and
Swamiji (Swami
one day and said,
wandering
the sake of the Lord/'
by water*."
I tell
did us
any harm.
But we had strong

you, you must have
two great
souls,
Sri
Rama-
Ramakrishna's parable of the milkto supply milk
maid and the Brahmin priest. A milk-maid used

to a Brahmin priest living on the other side of a
river.
Owing
the irregularities of boat service, she could not deliver the

milk punctually every day. Once being rebuked for her delay
I have to wait
the poor woman said, "What can I do, Sir?
a long time for the boatman."
The priest said, "Woman! people
cross the ocean of life by uttering the name of God, and canst
thou not cross this little river?" The simple-hearted woman
And from the next day she began to cross
believed the priest.
the river uttering God's name.
One day the priest asked her
why she was never late as before. The woman replied, "I cross
the river by uttering the name of the Lord as you bade me
The priest could not believe this, and wanted to see
dp."
himself how the woman crossed the river. The woman took him
with her and began to walk over the water repeating the name
of the Lord.
But looking behind, she saw the priest following
"How is it, Sir," she said, "you
timidly, holding up his clothes.
are uttering the name of the Lord, but at the same time you
are trying to keep your clothes untouched by water?
You do
not fully rely on the Lord."
Complete resignation and absolute
faith in God are at the root of all miracles.
to
23
Spiritual Teachings
krishna and Swamiji, and
not be afraid.
work
Keep your
for their cause.
faith firm.
Do
Hereafter
many will try to shake your faith by saying, "The

work you have taken up has nothing to do with Sri
Ramakrishna or Swamiji/' But pay no heed to
them. Even if the whole world stands against you,
never give up what you have once believed to he
true.
It is
very difficult to devote oneself exclusive-
ly to spiritual practices.
tried but could not con-
tinue for a long time.
THE SWAMI Why

not do
it,
do you think
falls
again
"The new-born
down many
and
you can-
because you failed once or twice?
has to try again and again.

to say
that
Ramakrishna used
calf tries to stand up, but
times.
again.
Sri
One
does not stop. It tries

then at last, it not only
It
And
stands up, but also learns to run."
The mind
gets
up some regular work at

the beginning of the spiritual life.
Then the trained mind can be applied to meditation and other
good
training if one takes
spiritual
practices.
The mind
24
that
is
allowed to
Work and Worship

will
drift
at
drift
the time of spiritual practices
also.
To
the spiritually advanced
when he wants
time
to
meditation and prayer.
from him by
mind awakens
man
there comes a
devote himself solely to
At
that time
work
falls off
This takes place wheu the

Otherwise, even if one
spiritually.
itself.
of exclusive spiritual practice by

sheer effort of the will, one can go on only for a few
takes
to
life
Then comes monotony.
days.
by persisting.
Some even go mad
Others follow the spiritual path in
a haphazard way, and keep their
mind busy with
other things as well.
Great strength can be acquired through the practice of Brahmacharya (continence and service).
A
true
Brahmacharm can do
men.
nence,
work of
twenty-five
In olden days, besides the practice of conti-
Brahmacharya included ]apam
of the Lord's name)

tures,
the
(repetition
meditation, study of the Scrip-
pilgrimage, association with holy men, and
even more.
All
men
cannot
know what
25
is
good
for them. For
Spiritual Teachings
one should keep the company of holy
that reason
Here
men.
give you full freedom.
Let
how
perly trained.
mind
see
Not long
long you can follow the right path.

not more than a .few days.
All troubles arise because the
me
is
not pro-
no enemy more harmful

ruins one completely.
There
is
than idle gossip. It

Unless one spends some time in solitude,
one
cannot understand the workings of the mind and

realise the Truth.
ually
along any
It is
very difficult to
particular
line
in
grow
the
spirit-
midst of
tumult and confusion.

I
give
freedom
to
all.
want everybody to
But when I find that
advance along his own line.

he is not able to do so, I come to his help.
good in every way to stay at a particular

You will
place and take up some form of service.
It
is
you stay here for a long time without

doing any work useful to the institution. But if you
render some form of service every day, you will feel
feel
uneasy
if
right in both
mind and body.
During the days of our
active life,
26
we used
to
be
Work and Worship

and keep excellent health
in high spirits
too.
we used to feel much better then than now

when we do not do any regular work. I am telling
think
you my innermost thoughts what I actually feel.

I
I have now retired from active work.
speak of
myself just by way of illustration. Some people
think they, too, should do like me and be less active.
Itfever entertain
such a thought.
Eternal life
before you.
few
lives
is
What
to the cause of Sri
you devote
Ramakrishna and
if
Swamiji ? Even if it is a mistake to do so,

But I tell you,
lives be spent in vain.
going to be
so.
Through the grace of
a few
let
it
Sri
not
is
Rama-
krishna and Swamiji, you will see to what grear

spiritual heights
Do
-do,
properly.
now
life
any more.
If
you
will not be able to practise spiritual exer-
Any work
with your whole heart.

as Swamiji used to say.
are
soar.
not lead an easy-going
you
cises
you will
that
This
is
you take up, do

the secret of work,
Set yourself to work.
required to conduct a magazine.
27
Do
You
it
by
Spiritual Teachings
all
means.
It is
nothing to you,
it
is
very easy for
you.
Before you begin to work, remember the Lord
and
at
offer
your salutations to Him.
intervals
after
you
of the
in the course
of the work,
the
same
and
also
Spend all your time in k''nking

teachings and commandments of Sri
finish
life,
Do
it.
Ramakrishna and Swamiji. Know in your heafc

of hearts that the work you do is for their sake.
28
VI
HAPPINESS
THE SWAMI Do
you
know why
ask
seriously, all of you, to devote yourselves heart
soul to the Lord
Thakur
(Sri
When we
Ramakrishna)
make us do our
the mind remains
you
and
spiritual
were of your age,

used to push us and
indelible impression
In
practices.
plastic like clay.
from whatever
It
it
boyhood
receives an
comes in con-
So long as clay remains soft, you can

any shape you like. But when the clay is
give
burned, this cannot be done. Your mind now is
It can be moulded in any way
like unburnt clay.
tact with.
it
you want. It is
be directed very
is
pure and untainted, so it can

If the mind
easily toward God.
still
kept wholly occupied with thoughts of the Lord

this time on, no foreign thought can disturb
If the mind be now firmly fixed on the Divine,
from
it.
29
Spiritual Teachings
you need have no anxiety about your
spiritual pro-
gress.
The mind
is
packet of mustard seeds.
like a
the seeds are once scattered,
gather them up.

before
its
energy
frittered
efforts to concentrate
difficulty
scattered.
is
Whgn
you
mind has been
the
mind of a
you will experience
it;
when you
Do
particular object.
try to focus
it
on a
how impressionYou are now like
you not see

little
boy?
you want to mould yourselves, strive for

earnestly from your sixteenth to your thirtieth
him.
it
becomes
away, you will have to make very strenu-
tremendous
able
mould your mind
ask you to
very difficult to
it is
old and the energy of your
grow
ous
So
If
year.
If
After that there
illumination.
Up
is
less
chance of achieving
to the thirtieth
and the mind remain
fresh.
That
year
is
the
the
body
time when
mind can be given a definite shape. But you

must labour hard and devote yourselves heart and
the
soul to your ideal of
the
mind may
throughout
life.
receive
life.
Whatever impression
during
If therefore
30
youth
will
last
you have determined
Happiness
to lead a holy life in order to realise
The mind
also
for spiritual practices.
constant struggle.
by,
will be
it
is
health
is
all right
plastic.
This
is
the time
Mould your mind through
If this period of
more
strive
Your
your utmost from today.
now.
God,
difficult to
your
life
do anything
goes
after-
wards.
If
you can leave a strong stamp on the mind
during
this period, if
and end-all of your
you can make
from
the be-all
you can devote

Him, you will be free
existence,
yourselves sincerely to realise
God
if
sorrow and pain.

jNo misery, no unhappiness will be able to throw you 5if-yaiir balance. You
all
become the
will
inheritor of everlasting bliss
#nd
joy divine.
What
How
does
he runs
man want? He wants happiness.

after it! What plans he makes! What
strenuous efforts he puts forth!

it?
is
After
baffled.
purpose.
He
many
attempts, after
But does he get
many
a plan,
he
He plans again and again, but to no

In this way his whole life ebbs away.
has not the good fortune to enjoy peace and

31
Spiritual Teachings
happiness at
labourer and
Then he
and
Thus he
departs from this world.
who
the goal of
Nothing
lives
better can be expected
runs after empty pleasures, forgetting
life.
you wish to attain
sacrifice
hard like an ordinary

reaps sorrow and pain.
toils
return
in
dies in vain.
by one
If
He
all.
all
fleeting joys,
worldly pleasures,
and
you must
attachment fo?
real happiness,
all
whole energy of your

The more you advance toward
direct the
mind toward God.
Him, the greater the bliss you will realise. The

more your mind becomes attached to the world and
to
sense-enjoyments,
the
more
will
you
suffer.
Do you know the nature of the ordinary man?

He seeks only pleasure, joy and diversion. And
he makes
this
mistake from the very beginning.
Ninety-nine per cent of those
who
do not know what
is.
it
really
seek happiness
They grasp
at
whatever they find near at hand and believe they
have got the thing they seek.

disappointed,
when
they
again they
they are
up something else; and

But
they bemoan their lot.
take
fail,
Then when
32
Happiness
see the folly of
again;
still
they will not change their course, they
will not take

lives receiving
destiny.
up the right path. They pass

blow after blow and bewailing
Thakur
pare theni to a
good
they are disappointed again and
it;
grass even
their
Ramakrishna) used to comThe camel will not take
(Sri
camel.
when
their
close by.
It
knows well
that
thorny grass makes the mouth bleed, but still it

on eating it. In the same way man
insists
suffers
because
of
wrong thoughts and
wrong
desires.
You
are
boys
very
young
boys.
Your mind
has not yet received any evil impression from the

If you can struggle hard from now
outside world.
on, you will be able to escape
life's
sorrows and
miseries.
Whatever the
you may possess, whatever

your chances of living a happy and prosperous life,
however wide your circle of friends and wellriches
you will not have
All
happiness.
these things last for a few moments, or at the mbst
wishers,
an hour; they do not
last longer.
33
2
real
Then comes
Spiritual Teachings
reaction of misery.
If
one
is
Thus
reaction follows action.
and eternal happiness, one

that joy which brings no reaction
to attain true
must aspire
after
Wherein
in its train.
It
happiness?
lies
that
lies
in realising
true
and eternal
God.
This divine
enjoyment alone brings no reaction; all other kinds

of enjoyments you can name are followed by re-
And you must know
action.
is
reaction, there is
Never forget
is
that wherever there
sorrow and suffering.
the ideal of
human
life.
This
life
not given us to while away in eating, drinking
and sleeping
When
things.
being,
spurn
an animal, in idle gossip and such

you have been born as a human
like
all
solve to realise
worldly
God and
enjoyments.
Firmly
attain infinite bliss.
re-
Flinch
not, even if
you die in the attempt.

Why have you come away from your hearth and
home in the name of our Thakur (Sri Ramakrishna)
Is it
not to realise Him, to get rid of
the sorrows and sufferings of the world and attain
and happiness ?
Sincerely struggle then toward the
everlasting peace
34
ideal of life, so
Happiness
long as you have strength of body and mind.
no means relax your
efforts,
realise the ideal later or that
it
through the Lord's grace.
It
talk in this way.
By
saying that you will

will be possible only
is
idlers alone
do not want you
to idle
that
away
you are not in earnest, speak out

Say, "I have a desire to enjoy worldly
clearly.
I have not a sincere
longing to realise
pleasures.
your time.
Truth
If
to attain
God/
Let your speech and your
thought be one.
When
The
do
are you going to
best part of life, as
spiritual practices?
told you,
sixteenth to the thirtieth year.
Do
is
from the
you hope that
after wasting these valuable years in useless pursuits,
you will be able to take up
in old
self.
age?
Do
Know
that
is
cheating, deceiving one-
not cheat yourselves.
35
spiritual practices
VII
WORLDLY
LIFE
AND
SPIRITUAL LIFE
(CONVERSATION AT THE BEUJR MATH)
THE SWAMI
trivial
Most people waste
concerns; then
many who
are in
spend their
last
(devotion)
their life in
old age overtakes them.
service retire
on pensions and
days at some place of pilgrimage.

that thus they will attain Bhakfi
think
They
when
and Mukti
also that the Tirthas
(liberation).
They hope
(places of pilgrimage)
will
enable them to expiate all the sins they have comIs it not sheer madness to think thus?
mitted.
What
else can
purifying
receive
it
be ?
He who
firmly believes in the
power of the Tirthas will, no doubt,

some spiritual impetus therefrom. The
pure and holy, and those who

have good Samskaras (tendencies) are somewhat
Tirthas are always
benefited by them spiritually.

That
more can be expected from them.
ever,
has to
be considered
is all.
Nothing
Benares, how-
an exception.
Many
Worldly Life and Spiritual Life

people, for this reason, are anxious to spend there
the last days of their
life.
entertain the firm
They
hope
that they will attain liberation if they pass
away
in that sacred city.
True
it is
man
that a
is
freed from the bonds of Samsara (birth and death)
he breathes
if
Viswanach*
his last at Benares.
is
the Lord of the Universe, and strange and inscrutable are
His ways.
misery and suffer
Is it desirable to live a life in
ing and then
attain
Mukti
(liberation)
wiser to enjoy the present
in
life
the
not
Is it
ecstasy
of
devotion and spiritual practice and then once for

all
enter the portals of infinite bliss?
(Sri
Ramakrishna)
a house through
door/*
its
used to
say,
As Thakur
"You can
front gate or through
But which of these
is
better?
enter
back
its
When
it is
possible to gain entrance through the front gate,
why should we
Decide now which
enter
through
the
back
door?
of these two you should choose
momentary happiness or
infinite bliss, the pleasures
*Lit. Lord of the Universe, a name for Shiva who, as the

devotee believes, confers the highest knowledge and salvation to
those who die in the holy city or Benares.
37
Spiritual Teachings
of
this life or
the
everlasting
peace of the
life
beyond ?
One
great thing to be considered
is
Kripa (Divine
grace). The breeze of His grace is always blowOnly unfurl your sails and you will have it.
ing.
How
can you catch the breeze
now
furled?
Hoist them
longer.
Give up your
desires
your hankering for
ments,
fully
you keep your sails

and do not delay any
resign
yourself
if
name
the
to
for worldly enjoy-
and fame, and
Lord.
impossible to enjoy worldly pleasures
same time
realise
God and mammon
It
is
and
quite
at the
God.
You
cannot serve both
at the
same
time.
If
you want
God, you must renounce worldly pleasures.

If, on the other hand, you desire to enjoy
temporal pleasures, you will have to give up God.
to realise
Do
not keep your feet in two boats, as they say.
If
you do, you will only make yourself miserable.

You must have a clear conception of your life's
ideal.
Decide now what life you want to lead.
Should
it
be
this fleeting life
or the everlasting
life
of transient pleasures
of eternal bliss ?
38
You
are
young
innocent
boys,
Worldliness has not yet
left
its
and
guileless.
impress on your
you will be up and doing now, you can

escape from the clutches of the trials and tribulamind.
If
tions of worldly life.
See that your principles are

not done now,
fixed even
now.
be done.
Mere skipping on the surface will be of

Hold to your ideal; hold fast, and never
no
avail.
If
loosen your grip.
God
as the be-all
saken
ments
binds
it is
To
the
man who
and end-all of
life,
it
will never
has accepted
has for
who
and cravings for sensual enjoyto him God is very near.

Such a man
desires
all
God
with the
ties
of his love as Yasoda and
the Gopis did Gopal.

Sri
Ramakrishna used
himself for the sake of
puted claim on
so
"He who
has denied
God
has a strong and undisAs one can endearingly
Him."
demand anything of
relations,
to say,
one's parents or one's near
devotee has a right to
ask God,
"Lord, appear before me. Will you not come?

You must come." When a devotee is earnest, GoI
cannot remain unmoved.

39
He
hastens to
him and
Spiritual Teachings
takes
him on His
joy!
How
it
who
people,
Sri
it,
He
boundless that bliss!
has had
pared to
Oh, how inexpressible that
lap.
that
supreme
become
insipid
experience.
Corn-
dear
most
so
worldly pleasures,
alone knows
to
and worthless.
Ramakrishna used
to say,
"He who
has totally
given up carnal enjoyments for the sake of God

has already covered three-fourths of his journey."
Is
easy to renounce all enjoyments?
it
man
Only
the strength required for renunciation.
mind
it
has God's grace and has done severe Tapas
(spiritual discipline) in his past life, can
in
if
in such a
way
that vile thoughts
he acquire
Purify your
may
not arise
at all.
You
are all Brahmacharins
(unmarried).
you have pledged your

pleasures, enjoyments and
will not marry,
life to
sacrificing
all
sake.
But bear in mind that
a pure and unsullied
young boys take

like?
sword.
it
life.
to be.
it is
It is
Do
You
God,
for His
very hard to lead
not so easy as yoii
you know what
it is
walking on the edge of a drawn

Every moment there is the chance o a
40
It is like

of being sliced to pieces. Perfect continence
the only condition of success in this life.
And
fall,
is
nay impossible, to practise absolute

You have
purity without love and faith in God.
to live in a world full of passions and enjoyments.
it
is
difficult,
Every day you have to see before you more than

per cent of the people running
ninety-nine
after sensual
there
pleasures;
is
constant
mad
risk
of
your mind being contaminated with evil thoughts.

If your mind becomes tainted by them, there is no
hope for you.
Those who want
to lead a life of
Brahmacharya (continence) must always engage

their minds in thinking good thoughts, studying
good books and in discussing elevating subjects.
They must spend
time in worship of God,
their
service of holy
and
men, in the company of pious people,

the practice of meditation and other kinds
in
of spiritual
mould
is
the
only
way
to
one's character.
First
tice
This
discipline.
of
of
else will
all,
be firm in your devotion to the prac-
Brahmacharya
come by
(continence).
itself.
41
Everything
Perfection in continence
Spiritual Teachings
be
cannot
practices)
tion of
attained
(spiritual
and without perfect continence,
God
is
impossible.
real bliss cannot
ness,
Sadhana
without
human
young boys
Unless
God
be had, and without
life will
with
be spent in vain.
pure minds
realisa-
is
realised,
real happi-
You
and noble
are ail
aspira-
beg of you, my dear ones, do a little

Sadhana and you will see how Shraddha (faith)
and Bhakti (devotion) will be roused within you.
tions.
You
will
become
heirs of
immortal
bliss;
you will
be blessed with the vision of your Ishtam (Chosen

You will then
Ideal), with the vision of God.
attain to the ultimate goal of
42
human
life.
VIII
REALISATION
THROUGH
SELF-
SURRENDER
'AT THE BELUR MATH.
THE SWAMI
Sri
Ramakrishna used
to say that
person can attain God if he possesses the intensity

of this threefold love the love a devoted wife
Tt
a worldly man
feels for the world, and the attachment the miser
bears her husband,
the
attraction
has for his hoarded gold. Intense yearning of this

kind is sure to enable one to realise God. Do you
know what
it
means?
It
means
that
one can reach
the Lord and be blessed with His vision and spiritual

touch the moment the mind is cleansed of all desires
and
filled
The Lord
with a sincere longing for God-realisation.

says in the Gita
in
'Relinquishing
alone."
all
individual effort, take refuge
Me
Self-surrender,
self-surrender,
43
self-surrender
Spiritual Teachings
that
is
the only way; there
age (Kali Yuga)
and
is
He
span of
life.
the energy,
strength,
much on food
too
has to do
He
In this iron
other.
man depends
shortlived.
this brief
no
is
many
things
little
possesses very
renunciation,
courage
in
of
and
of penance, that are essential for God-realiHis mind is weak and naturally runs after
sation.
spirit
But
enjoyment.
realised,
God
in spite of all this,
Without
God-realisation
has to be
life
is
one comes into the world and goes out of

out
accomplishing
therefore realise God, and there
is
with-
it
Man
must
no path
easier
worthy.
anything
vain;
than self-surrender.
it
What do we understand by self-surrender ? Does

mean that we have not to do anything, that we
have only
to sit quiet?
The devotee
No,
has to pray
heart in this manner,
it
does not
constantly
"Oh
Lord!
with
is
for spiritual
will bring
me
life.
that.
a pure
do not know
good and what is bad for me.

dependent on Thee. Grant unto me all
what
mean
am
solely
I
need
Take me along the path
that
the greatest good.
44
that
Vouchsafe unto
Realisation
me
Through Self-Surrender
the faith and strength constantly to
remember
Thee and meditate on Thee."

indeed no easy thing to dedicate oneself heart
and soul to the Lord. Many people say: "I have
It is
surrendered myself,
my
God.
to
all,
am
doing as
He
is
we
shall see that their actions are quite contrary to
making me do/'
what they
take the
over
and
it,
If they
profess.
credit
But
to
if
we
observe their
do anything good, they
themselves,
feel
highly
"Oh, what a great thing
think:
life,
elated
I
have
But when even a slight trouble besets

them, they immediately throw the blame on the
achieved!"
Lord,
saying:
"What
bringing on me!'*
This
great
is
misfortune
how most
He
is
people spend
life.
We
judge
men
only by their exterior, but
looks into their innermost mind.
who
prays
certain.
be
with a
Be pure
different
sincere
in
heart.
heart.
God
God
runs to him
Know
this
as
Let not your words
from your thoughts
and
God
will
reward you according to your deserts.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say
"If you do one45
Spiritual Teachings
sixteenth part of the

that
have done,
Sadhana so
very
indolent that
we
duty.
Sadhana
it is
He
enough."
shirk our
made
has
But
we
are
work and
fail
in our
for
easy
practices)
(spiritual
us.
By doing so we cheat
ourselves.
so
some
If
one gives us good things to eat, we want them to be

put into our mouths. There are many who request
me
to
myself
them.
bless
when
moment
The
to
laughing
help
They do not do
hear them.
them.
instruct
cannot
leave
they
as
my
do whatever they like. If I should

ask any one of them whether he follows my instructions, he would reply, "No, Sir, I had no time to
presence, they
do
"Weak and
or
it,"
was not able
do
to
desire to follow
it."
me and
evil-minded as
Those who have no

have no faith in
am,
sincere
me may do
anything they like without asking me.

not follow
my
instructions
blessed by me.
sation
without
dodging.
When
the time in
They wish
the
and
yet
They will
they want to be
to attain spiritual reali-
necessary
such people come,
aimless
talk
46
in
by mere
while away
exertion,
jesting
and making
Realisation
What
fun.
is
the use of tiring myself by talking
of spiritual practices to people
them?
who
will not follow
speak of higher matters only to a very
few who,
think, will take
my words and
on
act
But even then they do not follow the instructions fully and properly.
Always accustomed
them.
to
shirking work,
without
that
want
to
attain
everything
effort.
There
is
they
is
no dearth of Divine
men do
realise
the
in idle gossip only.
trouble
is
No
Man
Supreme Truth.
pride in talking nonsense; that
And
The
not care to avail themselves of
They take pleasure

wants to
grace.
how he
it.
one
takes
spends his
he sows, so he reaps. "Teachers can

be had by thousands, but rare indeed is a true
life.
disciple."
teachers,
their
as
There are many to take up the role of

but where are the men to hear and follow
teachings?
higher
life,
one goes on
striving
for
with strong faith in the words of the
GurUj then there
who
If
is
an end to one's miseries.
He
has such faith need not run about here and
there with a restless mind.
47
The Lord
looks to
all
Spiritual Teachings
his wants.
He
him by
takes
the
hand and leads
him along the right path. There need be no

for him who has been blessed by the Lord.
anxiety
given only to one in a million to cherish

noble desires and sublime thoughts, and of such
It is
souls as are so privileged very

ideals to the last.
few can
Those persons
in
stick to their
whose mind
good thoughts have already sprung up should try

their utmost to strengthen and make them permaIn order to keep
nent.
their fervour they
up
should
unto
pray unceasingly to the Almighty, "Vouchsafe
Lord, Thy grace!
me,
May it be on me forever!'*
Sri
the
Ramakrishna used
to say,
maid-servant in a house
"To
looks
all
appearances
upon
all
that
belongs to her master as her own, but in her heart

of hearts she knows that they do not belong to her
at all.
So long as
without attachment.
we
We
of hearts that this world
we must do
should know in
live,
our work
our heart
not our permanent home,

but only a temporary abode. And we should direct
is
our mind to God, the heavenly
we
came.
48
home from where
Realisation
How many
with pride,
care for Truth or
man
sometimes
God?
raises himself
Puffed
up
on such a
high pedestal that he totally denies even the existence of God.

Everyone thinks himself infallible
and
his
the only
way
know what
way
to salvation.
such a one says?
what we cannot understand."

limited
is
his
Do
you
"We do not accept

He little thinks how
power of comprehension!
What he
thinks right today, he gives
Thus
his
up as false tomorrow.
opinion changes from day to day. In
making a parade of his knowledge, he does not care

a straw for what is high and noble.
The Divine
Mother alone knows
in
how many ways man
is
deluded.
Every person conceives of God in his own little

individual way.
But our conception of the Lord
should not be so limited, for
sive.
tellect.
He
is
He
is
all-comprehen-
not perceptible to the mind and in-
That one alone can
realise
God's nature,
whom He is pleased to reveal His mysteries.

And when He is realised, the gates of knowledge
to
are opened, the knots of the heart are cut asunder
49
Spiritual Teachings
and
wisdom
infinite
realises
this
relation
between
is
his
Man
Mother
cannot
reveals
attained.
he
can
state,
own and he
is
God and
is
fully
understand
himself
that the
its
range,
is
Lord
any knowledge unless the

The mysteries of this world and
attain
it.
The
them out of Her mercy.

understood,
the
the Lord's.
the next will be revealed only
ly
Only when man
is
not the real
when She
discloses
intellect, as ordinariintellect.
Its
Those who want
very limited.
real bliss in this life, those
who
area
to gain
really desire to solve
"Who am I?" "What have

I come here for?"
"Why am I suffering from so
much misery?" "Why does one man attain to
its
intricate
problems
God-hood and another remain a mere brute?"

those
who
desire answers to these problems
have
one and only one duty, to strive to realise God by

all possible means.
Life's perplexing problems will
be solved the moment
He
is
realised.
Children find joy in turning round a

ing on to
it
firmly.
tion is fixed?
It is
Do you know
on the
pillar,
where
their atten-
pillar; for they
50
hold-
know
full
Realisation
well that
down and
if
as
many
they loosen their grip, they will fall
be injured.
the Pillar of
it
life,
So
then you
first
life is to realise
Our
God.
all
may go on
first
hold fast to
circling
round
There will be no fear
times as you like.
of falling down.
of
and foremost duty
Know
that
He
is
in
the Pillar.
Whatever you do, do clasping Him; then you

not take any false step and fall. What you do
will
will
be right and will be for the good of yourself and of

the world.
Blessed will be your life on earth.
51
IX
DIVINE GRACE
(CONVERSATION AT THE BELUR MATH)
THE SWAMI
The name of
the
Lord
purifies
"I have taken the

both the body and the mind.
name of God; what have I to fear? What is there
in the 'world to bind
by taking the Lord's

faith
me? I have become immortal

with such a burning
name
one should practise
What
is
spiritual exercises.
the goal of spiritual practices?
It is to
God, to attain Divine grace. The practices

are meant to clear the heart of all the impurities
realise
brought there by lust and greed. Unless this is

done, you can never reach your goal, however much
you may
You
unless
try.
cannot attain God's grace nor realise
you
Him
your heart. Impurities have

through innumerable lives, and they
purify
gathered in it
are to be removed.
Sri
Ramakrishna used
52
to cite a
Divine Grace
"So long as the
beautiful illustration:
covered with mud,
But when the
stone.
is
it
is
is
washed
towards
mind
the needle
off,
the
loadstone."
washed away
can think of the Lord and meditate on Him;
Similarly the dirt of the
can cry unto

forgive me.
is
not attracted by the load-
mud
drawn
naturally
needle
if
one
if
one
is
Him
I
with repentance, saying, "Lord!

will not do wrong in the future." At
once the magnet of God draws the needle of the

mind. Divine grace flows the moment the mind
becomes pure; and then the
realisation of
God
takes
place as a matter of course.
God
only
is
the sun of knowledge.
when He
He
can be seen
reveals His glory to the seer.
In
fact, so long as a person cherishes a desire for world-
ly
enjoyment, he cannot have sincere yearning for
the knowledge or vision of God.
themselves
sweets to
when
eat.
they get
But
dolls
Children forget
to
play with
or
after a time the dolls lose all
charm for them; they want to go to the mother.

Such is the case with men. Only after they become
satiated with the enjoyments of the
53
world do they
Spiritual Teachings
long for God. Then the thought of God-realisation becomes uppermost in their mind.
They are
eager to hear what others have to say about
and they
Noble
Know
try to realise
do not
desires
this;
Him in
those
who have
course.
lives.
mind
easily.
them, have them by
In this world of Maya,
receive innumerable blows
miseries;
own
arise in the
the special grace of God,
men
their
God
and
do not want
suffer untold
change their
Strangely enough, they go again and again
still
they
to
same place only to get blow after blow. If

some one gives them good counsel they feel annoyed
to the
with that person.
Men know
into the
fire,
full
it
will get
Not
again and again.

to
do
call
likewise.
well that
If
any
if
they put their hand
burned;
still
they do
it
only that; they invite others
man
him mad and even go
differs
from them, they
to the point of persecut-
ing him.
Do
how
guardians try their best ta

raise obstacles in the way of the boy who wishes to
take
you not see
up the
religious path, to lead a Sannyasm's
14
Divine Grace
But they make
life?
who
is
little effort to
source of evil to
the objections rise only
virtuous
life.
turn back one
and who may become a

himself and to his country. AH
leading a wild
life
when
a boy wants to live a
People try their utmost to drag him
own level.
Do you know what the father of a monk once
said referring to his own son?
He said, "I would
down
to their
have been happier had he died instead of becoming

a monk.
There is no control over death; one has
to yield to
it.
But
cannot bear to see others tak-
ing away what belongs to me/'
This
is
what
is
called the world, so full of selfishness.
People lose themselves in anger the moment selfBut they have not the sense to
interest is hurt.
person is able to be a true
Sannyasin, not only does he do good to himself, but
understand
also
that if a
he paves the way for the
ment of those near
spiritual
advance-
to him.
Nowadays people have become
so very restless,
they have not the patience to think seriously before

acting.
They take up whatever comes

55
in
their
Spiritual Teachings
way, without caring to think whether or not it is

But the mischief does not
likely to do them good.
People train up their children in such a

way that they too have to suffer like them when
end here.
grow
they
up.
Everyone is born with the impressions of innumerable past lives. The tendency to enjoyment
is
already strong and the training one gets in child-
hood
intensifies
must they be
ing
to
this
propensity.
who have
escape from
fortunate
escaped already or are
the manifold
threaten their spiritual
How
dangers
try-
that
life!
Through the grace of God, you have been able to

Beware, that you do not miss
give up the world.
opportunity of reaching your desired goal.
Be up and doing. Realise God. Do not pay heed
He will
to anything else; look up to Him alone.
this rare
Then you
take your whole burden.
your lower desires
and cravings
will see that all

will
leave you
altogether.
What
Nothing.
can
we know
Therefore
of
I
God
with our
little
brain?
ask you to surrender your-
56
Divine Grace
self completely to
for
Him.
is
Work
Have
God.
is
All
The goal
God.
not an end in
itself,
that
for something;
after fleeting objects of this
for
is
intense yearning
mad
can never be the aim of

is
man?
has
The whole world
why run mad

Better be mad
work
to love
He
His will be done!
What power
omnipotent!
you can do
Him.
world?
God.
to realise
is
life.
Even
selfless
but only a means to
Divine realisation.
Practise spiritual
way of God.
is
real,
God
is
and
discipline
Then you
all else
will
and advance
know
that
in
God
the
alone
unreal; that the realisation of
the ultimate goal of
life.
You may
get a
little
more
tice.
But do not think that you have got everyContinue your discipline and move onward
thing.
few
light after a
and onward.
Then you
religious prac-
will realise
be blessed with His vision.
know Him
days'
You
God. You
will
will be able to
intimately.
Hear me, my boys. You are all born of good

families and are well educated.
You have had
enough of
study,
argument and discussion; why

57
Spiritual Teachings
it
Now
more?
care for
on God.
compose your mind and fix

mind:
"Plunge into the
Say to your
You have
ocean of God/'
given up the world. If

with
trash and do not dediagain you remain busy
cate yourself to
God, you
will lose both this
world
Through the grace of the Lord you

have got noble thoughts and aspirations. Make
and the
next.
the best use of this Divine grace.
the
infinite
bliss
of
God
for
Do
not
sacrifice
the sake of the
ephemeral pleasures of the world. Pray to the

Lord, "Grant me, O Lord! the necessary strength
to overcome all the obstacles that stand in my way
to
You/'
All worldly pleasures become insipid to
gets a taste of Divine bliss.
world?
Be
it
name
nothing can bring
add
to his misery
What
is
him who
there in the
or fame, wealth or children,
peace to
man.
These only
and anxiety.
have you come here, leaving your family

and home? Is it to increase your burden or to
Why
lessen it?
All the objects of enjoyment that you
see before you vanish the
moment you
58
breathe your
Divine Grace
last.
To
speak the truth, they only tend to take
you into greater and greater darkness. Do you

want to tread the path of darkness or the path of
When
you have once got a glimpse o the

Do
light, you should not turn your face from it.
not look at the things of the world. If you do so,
light?
you will get
So great is the influence

they once leave an impression on
lost in
of desires that
if
them.
your mind, they will drag you down lower and

lower; yet they will not let you feel your downward
course.
dangers
The only way

is
to
be
saved
to offer yourself solely to
59
God.
from these
POWER OF RENUNCIATION
(AT THE BELUR MATH)
THE SWAMI
Complete self-surrender
to
the
an easy matter. The mind always

creates doubts and raises such questions as this
How is it
"I have neither seen nor known God.
Lord
is
not
possible for
me
to love
and resign myself
to
Him?"
The natural tendency of the mind is to drag us

down from higher thoughts and ideals to the things
of the world.
Once a
certain person
krishna, "Sir,
of the Lord."
do not
feel inclined to
"What
Ramatake the name
complained to
is
it
Sri
then that draws your
mind away?" asked Sri Ramakrishna. "It is my

ram. I love it more than anything else," was the
"Very well/' said Sri Ramakrishna, "when
you feed and serve your ram, think that you are
feeding and serving the Lord Himself. Do this
reply.
60
Power of Renunciation
for
sincerely
thing
some time and you
will
find
every-
all right."
The Guru
(spiritual teacher)
shows the
the path to life eternal, and protects
him from
all
Putting great faith in the words of the
troubles.
GurUj
disciple
let
After a time he
the disciple live them.
will feel that the impurities of his
and Divine Light

within.
There is no
is
ing
achieved
mind
making
doubt
its
that
are vanish-
appearance
everything
The
through faith in the perfect Guru.
disciple should look
upon him
as
God
is
incarnate
on
Through constant thought and meditation
earth.
on the Guru, the disciple is purified both in body

and mind. Then the Guru appears before the disciand revealing the Ishtam (Chosen Ideal)
It is said
latter, he passes out of sight.
to the
ple,
salutations to the
is
himself.
Brahma; Guru
Verily
the
Guru
an?
"Guru
in
Guru
is
is
*sr
Vishnu; Guru
is
Shiva
no other than the highest
61
Spiritual Teachings
Brahman.
Salutations unto the Guru."
has sincere faith in the Guru,
If the disciple
him
it is
tion.
Divine knowledge and devoThe one thing needful is faith in the Guru.
When
this is gained, everything is gained.
easy for
to attain
God
Realisation of
cation of the heart.

"If the
Guru
Guru himself
his disciple
the disciple
fetters that
sible for
is
is
have to
is
Ramakrishna used
Sri
destroyed in no time.
But
if
unillumined, then both he and

suffer a great deal.
Anyway
not able to get rid of his ego or the
bind him to the world/'
It is
not pos-
an unillumined Guru to bring about the
liberation of his disciple.
an ordinary
the world?
this
to say
a perfect and illumined soul, the
is
ego of the disciple

the
impossible without purifi-
is
man
How
to save another
The Lord
alone,
is
it
possible for
from the
who
is
world-enchanting Maya, can free
fetters
of
the author of
man from
its
meshes.
Only the knower of God can show the way of

salvation to another.
not realised God,
But
who
how
can he,
who
has
has no commission from
62
Him, who has not been strengthened by Divine
strength, how can he free a soul from the bonds of
the world?
sure to
If the blind lead the blind,
come
tion that
to grief.
only after God-realisa-
It is
one gets the inner
both are
vision.
Then only can
one
truly understand the difficulties of another
give
him proper
If a
person
Lord and
is
and
instruction.
sincere
possesses
yearning
for
the
eager to follow the spiritual path, he
sure to find a real
Guru through
is
the grace of the
Therefore a spiritual aspirant need not feel

anxious about finding a Guru.
Lord.
Those who come under the guidance of a Guru

who has attained realisation need have no anxiety
about
their
spiritual
progress.
They have been
put on the right way. Now their only task is to

follow it. If they meet with any trouble or make
any mistake, the Lord
show them
in the
sure to protect
is
the right course.
words of the Guru
path shown by him; that
What
is
this
is
let
them and
Having sincere faith

them walk along the
enough.
world like?
63
It is
like the country
Spiritual Teachings
containing only stone and skin, but no

Besides, it brings acidity and colic to the
hog-plum
pulp.
one who
eats
it.
Your mind
You are
now under
control, not being distracted by worldly
thoughts.
You
from now
out
it
much
is
all
souls.
God
can realise
is
strive
God
with-
exertion so long as you are young.
But
on.
You
can
fix
hard task to
control once
"The
young
you
a very
The
pure,
it
easily, if
your mind on
mind under
the
bring
gets scattered.
Vaishnavas have
this
beautiful
]iva has the grace of the three,
the Lord and the devotees of the Lord.
out the grace of the one
it
comes
to
saying
the
Guru,
But withutter
ruin/'
The meaning is: The disciple has received the

has
grace of the Guru through the grace of God, he
also been
imbued with noble
ideals; besides these
two he has the company of holy men. Now what

is wanted is the grace of the one, that is, of the
mind.
If
the
accomplished.
only
when
the
mind
is
favourable,
The grace of the

mind is free from
64
everything
is
others can be felt

restlessness.
The
mind must be brought under control.
is done, all strivings
prove of no avail.
Therefore
mind has not
warn you, my
reins.
as
Just
this
"Beware!" Your
boys,
yet learned to wander.
hold fast the
so,
Unless
Before
it
does
the driver
first
huge elephant and then makes it do whatever he pleases, so also we have to train the mind
trains a
such a
in
command.
way
way
It
that
it
act
according to our
must not be our master.
to train the
mind
is
desire for enjoyment.

it
may
becomes your
slave.
to lead
it
to relinquish the
The moment
It
is
The only
this
is
done,
for this reason that
Bhagavad Gita and other Scriptures speak

again and again of the glory of renunciation.
What we want is renunciation. That is the only
the
path, and they alone can realise the glory of renunciation
whose mind has not been
things of the world,
Sri
distracted by the
Ramakrishna used to
say,
"The
parrot learns to repeat the words taught to
when
it is
age,
it
it
young. When it grows beyond a certain

cannot learn anything. Then it can only
cry 'caw,
caw/
"
65
Spiritual Teachings
Divine thoughts leave a deep mark on the tender
mind.
It is
only in youth that one
and grasp the higher
ciate
the advance of age the
fold things;
to
wander;
it
is
It is
any deep impression on
But with
occupied with mani-
restless
loses steadiness
tained thinking.
able to appre-
ideals of life.
mind
becomes
it
is
very
and always wants
and the power of sus
difficult,
then, to
make
it.
How
simple and strong is the faith of little boys?

They believe what they hear from others and try
to
act accordingly.
They
attain success
they apply their undistracted mind.
advance of age
there
is
whenever
But with the
tendency
to
become
As people grow older, they begin to

doubt everything. At last they reach such a state
sceptical.
becomes very hard for them to have faith

Therefore I tell you do what you
anything.
that
in
it
want
We
speak
do now, when you are young.

saw in the life of our Master that he used to
to
of
the
young men.
life
of renunciation particularly
He wanted
to impress
the idea that God-realisation
66
is
on
their
to
mind
the highest object
Poiver of Renunciation
of
He knew
life.
that the
young alone would be
able to take up his ideal fully.
Fortunately, you
young and your mind is not tainted by worldGive up all desires and dedicate yourthoughts.
are all
ly
You
self solely to the Lord.
cannot have Divine
and worldly enjoyments at the same time.

You cannot get the one without renouncing the
bliss
You
other.
come
cannot give up the lower unless you
to possess a taste for the higher.
This
is
the proper time for you to
fill
your mind
with the thoughts of the Lord to the fullest extent.

Make Him your own. "He is my all" when this
firmly fixed in your mind, all your troubles
idea
is
will
come
to
an end.
Then no one
do you harm either here or

Does he who has tasted
relish
molasses?
when one
and
let
the syrup of sugar-candy

joys
lose
gets a taste of Bliss Divine.

to
their
flavour
All objects
be not only insignificant
What
wish to say to you

offer yourself, heart and soul, to the Lord
but positively
this
hereafter.
Worldly
of enjoyment appear
is
will be able to
bitter.
Him do
with you as
67
He
pleases.
XI
BRAHMACHARYA
AT THE BELUR MATH
THE SWAMI
In spiritual practices, the
rule cannot be applied to
We
all.
same
must know the
peculiar tendencies of each individual before any
can be given for his guidance.

If the instruction goes against the particular bent
spiritual instruction
of his nature, not only will
it
do no good, but
it
give rise to harmful consequences. It is,

therefore, very essential that the Guru should study
may even
closely
the individual tendencies and peculiarities
of his disciples, and give instructions in such a form

as will readily appeal to their temperaments.
Beyond one or two general
rules,
no individual
can be told in the presence of others what particI have seen in

ular path he should follow.
the
case of Sri Ramakrishna
disciple
how he would
alone and give him

68
take each
in private the special
Brahmacharya
instructions necessary for him.
If
you want
to ask
your Guru anything regarding your Sa4hana, you
must do so in
a general
In
private.
the
way,
observance of a few rules will be beneficial to

In
spiritual aspirants.
the
if
you
realise
which you have taken
will gain the object for
and on getting a
become immortal.
birth;
will
Next
strict
is
Brahmacharya^
it
hold fast to great
mind,
strict
memory and
is
this
of Eternal Bliss you
Without
(continence).
not possible for any one
ideals.
vitality
Brahmacharya
observe
taste
Bfahmacharya
development and
ing.
you must
the problems of your life will be solved; you
all
to
place,
You must be fully conGod and obtain His grace,
have firm faith in God.

vinced that
first
all
is
To
secure the
full
of the body, brain and

essential.
Those
Brahmacharya develop
who
strong
a remarkable capacity for understand-
By means of Brahmacharya a
f
special
nerve
developed which brings about these wonderful

powers. Do you know why our great teachers have
is
laid so
much emphasis upon Brahmacharya?

69
It is
Spiritual Teachings
because they
knew
The
lost.
is
everything
not lose his
man
that if a
strict
brain
Brahmacharin does
He may
vitality.
Pal wan (a great athlete)

his
fail in this respect,
look
not
supersensuous things
is
but the development of
so fine that his capacity
is
like
for grasping
remarkable.
There are certain rules which a Brahmacharin
He
must observe.
sleep, over-exercise,
conversation.
brain
gets
thoughts,
If
must avoid exciting food, overlaziness, bad company and evil
you
suffer
idle
cannot
you
excited,
and you
indulge in
from
talk
control
sleeplessness
your
your
and
other troubles.
The
control
of
the
appetite
is
also
essential.
Otherwise you will be subject to many troubles.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say, "Keep your Bhudi
(stomach) and Mudi (brain) cool." It means you
can do effective work only if your head and stomach
remain calm and
cool.
The
glutton
control over his appetite brings ruin
and mind.
Eating
too
who
on
has no
his
body
much of such foods
garlic, onion, or chilli, excites the system,
70
as
and one
Brahmacharya
finds
it
hard
extremely
to
who want
believe that those
control
mind.
the
to lead a spiritual life
should pay special attention to what they eat and

drink.
It
is
desirable to take only nutritious
easily digested food.
There
is
no good
and
in overload-
ing the stomach.
No
hard and
fast rule
With some,
diet.
well, while to
can be laid
down
regarding
and meat might agree very

others they may do harm.
Every infish
dividual must find out from his
own
experience the
food that agrees with him.
We
should eat only in order that our body
remain
fit
and that we may be able
true nature.
*TTOT*[
practice).
The
Sastras declare :^rtr*JTq*r
see that the
unimpaired.
isrer
our
wr-
(Health is the vital factor in spiritual

This does not mean that one should
think of his body day and night.
should
to realise
may
One
vitality
It
of the
means
that
one
body remains
should eat healthy food, avoid-
ing that which excites or produces lethargy.

Sri
Ramakrishna used
to say,
71
"You may
eat as
Spiritual Teachings
much
as
during the day, but you must
like
you
The
eat only sparingly at night/'
you take only a little food

remain light and you can
mind.
Would you
in meditation?
it
tractions
and hence
is
at night all creatures

is
calm and
to meditate
the
mind
that if
your body will
easily concentrate
your
is
silent.
away the night or
sleep
Daytime has many
go
This
on the Lord.
to rest
is
and nature herself
the time for aspirants
In the depth of the night
easily concentrated.
or for show.
If
in public
People will mock at you,
you advice
offer
done
you do them before others, they
will be harmful to you.

will
dis-
unsuited for meditation, but
Spiritual practices should not be
they
is
Otherwise you will have a tendency to sleep
or be lazy.
spend
at night,
idea
and give you

of which various
gratis
conflicting suggestions, as a result
doubts will arise in your mind and your spiritual

progress
will be
behaves thus,
obstructed.
The
he goes to bed
ideal
Sadhaka
at night
with the
mosquito curtain drawn down; everybody thinks

that he is sleeping, but as a matter of fact he spends
72
Brahmacharya
the whole night in meditation lying quietly on his
bed.
While you
taste of
taste,
are young, you must try hard to get a
Divine
Bliss.
once you have got
you can never forsake your Sadhana.
at the risk
of your
spiritual practices.
too
When
much
life,
this
Even
you will continue your
Those who are troubled with
sleep in the night will
do well
to sleep
during the day, with a view to devote the night to

The best time for meditation is dawn,
meditation.
eventide and midnight.
this
Too
often people waste
time in useless ways.
Sri
Ramakrishna never used
to
spend the night
would he allow the young devotees

who stayed with him to sleep long. When others
had gone to bed, he would wake up his disciples,
in sleep, nor
give them definite instructions and send them to

the Panchavati, or the Mother's Temple, or Shiva's
Temple
They would spend
for meditation.
whole night
in
Sadhana as
directed,
and take
the
rest
way that Sri Ramaduring the day. It was

krishna used to take them through various spiritual
in this
73
Spiritual Teachings
exercises.
Often he used to
say,
"Three
classes of
people keep awake in the night, Yogis, Bhogis

(seekers of enjoyment) and Rogis (sick persons).
You are all Yogis. You should by no means sleep
away
the night."
74
XII
COMPANY OF HOLY MEN

AT THE BELUR MATH
THE SWAMI When
once you get established

in meditation, you will come to know how sweet is
the bliss of it.
Days and nights pass away unnoticed.
of
You
infinite
feel that
bliss.
you are floating
Do
not
speak
experiences to everybody, least of
in
an ocean
about
all to
your
those of a
hinder your growth.

But
if you exchange your experiences with one of a like
nature with yours and in harmony with your
contrary nature.
It
may
temperament, you may be helped in your progress.

Both of you are travellers on the same path.
Perhaps your companion has already walked along
it
and is aware of its dangers and difficulties.
Benefited by his experiences, you may be able to
avoid those dangers and difficulties.
Do you know the object of Satsanga (company ^f
holy men) ? The experiences of holy men are a
75
Spiritual Teachings
When you visit a new

great help to a Sadhaka.
if you have the help of a good guide, you will
place,
be able to see within a short time
worth
all that is
you will be saved from the

dangers and difficulties into which strangers are
Similarly, from the company of adlikely to fall.
there;
seeing
also
vanced Sadhakas you will be able to gather many

valuable hints, and your spiritual struggle will be
very
much
ordinary
simplified.
The
man
and many
intelligence
does not go very far.

things have to be done.
find out the best
short a time as
Life
of
an
short
is
So you must
way of doing your work within as

Hence the need of holy
possible.
company.
This life may come to an end after some years or
even today. Nobody knows when the end will
come.
as
It is
soon
as possible.
strange and
suffering
to death.
better to get equipped for the journey
unknown
and sorrow.
To go empty-handed
place
to a
would involve much
Birth must inevitably lead
Death means going to an unknown
place,
so you should provide fully for the journey. Finish
76
Company of Holy Men

your duties here and be ever ready for the great
Then you will be able to depart from this
call.
all
world with a smiling
If
face.
you have finished
your work, there is no fear for you. You

that you are well provided for the journey.
You have
all
know
seen that children, while turning round
a post, keep firm hold of it. You too should by all

to the Pillar of life
possible means hold firmly
Have
(God).
man;
faith in yourself.
in yourself forge
life's
With such
can do anything."
am
Believe, "I
strong faith
ahead and you will attain to your
goal and be blessed forever.
Fear
is
the greatest
Banish
sin.
When
weakness from your mind.

realise
God
is
alive in
you,
all
the
fear
desire
when you have
and
to
the
a spiritual life, put forth all

opportunity to lead
The
your might and get a taste of Supreme Bliss.
cycle of births
the
from
and deaths
best use of your

this cycle
is
full
present
of misery.
life.
Make
Free yourself
and become the eternal companion
of the Lord.
77
Spiritual Teachings
Unless you can

find
your mind on God, you will
fix
keep yourself pure in
very difficult to
it
Mahamaya (The Divine Mother)
world.
in diverse
ways and
innumerable
it
is
sports
not easy to withstand the

created
temptations
Her.
by
anger, greed are almost invincible; to conquer

is
no
child's
this
Lust,
them
Through the strength of the
play.
Lord alone, not by any other means, can you cut

the meshes of Maya and make yourself free.
Therefore
urge you to become strong in the
Then you can
might of the Lord.

your
life as
He
wills
ordinary mortals to
exertion.
whom
and
directs.
pass the rest of
It is
not given to
know God through
their
own
They alone can understand Him,
out of His infinite grace
He
to
reveals Himself.
Only such fortunate persons become free from the

net of Samsara (worldliness) and obtain pure devo
tion
and
liberation.
You must have

Nishtha
a routine for spiritual practices.
(steadfastness)
factor; without
it
is
very
no great achievement
78
important
is
possible.
Company
Your
steadfastness
of
Holy Men
must be of such a nature
wherever and under whatever circumstances
may
be, the rules that
you have
must be observed
self
at
laid
down
cost.
any
that,
you
for your-
For
your
meditation, your study, your reflection, your sleep,
you must have certain definite hours. If you lead

an irregular life, you cannot succeed in anything.
Whether
it
is
physical or mental development, the
only way to attain

If a
life.
sets
it
it
through a
is
right; then
it
continues to keep correct time.
you
try to
has become irregular
By keeping
get your mind
mould your
instructions of holy
pitfalls
It
to various reasons.
of good men, you will

If
regular
clock gets out of order, the watch-repairer
So with the mind of man.
owing
strictly
life
life.
company
set properly.
according
men, you will
and temptations of
the
to
the
easily avoid the
Following in their
footsteps you too will reach the goal attained by
them and
fulfil
your
life's
purpose.
So long as your mind is not controlled there is

great need to observe certain definite rules. Without them
you can
never
79
get
mastery
over
your
Spiritual Teachings
The
mind.
observe
tell
ed in
They
this,
like
When
control.
is
you must
not,
you have succeed-
you need not observe any more
will fall off of their
Life
or
it
In this way, you should try to bring
it."
mind under
the
to
when you have made a routine,

your mind, "You are subject to this
now; whether you
rule
is
but
shirk work;
you must
tendency of the mind
natural
fast flowing
own
away
rules.
accord.
The day
So make
like a stream.
once gone can never be recalled.

the best use of your time.
Crying out, "Alas!
Alas!!" at the last moment will be of no avail.
that
is
Therefore be up and doing.
Make up
your mind
Death
to realise your goal or die in the attempt.

is
certain.
may come
It
life in trying to attain
you lose your

loss,
God,
it
is
If
no
but a positive gain.
Try
world?
misery.
beyond
mind on the Lord and
to fix your
solve to realise
this
today or tomorrow.
It
Treat
all
Him.
is
it
all
as
What
happiness
nothing but
worthless.
sorrow and misery.

80
If
firmly re-
is
there in
sorrow
and
You must go
you get a glimpse
Company
of Holy
Men
of God, you will have Infinite Bliss; and sensuous

pleasures will lose all
charm for you.
When
you
have once come to the Lord, there will be no room
Give up all things of the

world and dwell on Him and Him alone.
for fear or
anxiety.
81
XIII
THE WORLD AND GOD

AT THE NAYA BAZAR BUNGALOW, BHADRAK
THE SW AMI God
the
is
Kalpataru
(the
man desires
From Him one gets
mythical tree that grants whatever a
when he
is
sitting
whatever one asks

rare privilege of
it).
Yet, having obtained the

birth, man does not care to
for.
human
mind toward
direct his
the lotus feet of the Lord.
drowns himself
Instead, he
Sam sara and
exclaims,
him
also allows
until,
under
to
tossed about
in the
"How
happy
remain in that
deep ocean of
am
I!"
God
state undisturbed
on the waves of sorrow and
misery, he repents for the past and cries,
"Alas!
Then He makes him
feel his
what have
mistake.
done!"
Man
is,
as
it
shadow of the Kalpataru.

so can he be;
if
were,
sitting
under the
he wants to be a God,
he wishes to be a brute, that also
he may become.
82
If
The World and God
The Lord has given man both Vidya and Avidya.

Vidya means discrimination and renunciation. With
it
man may
attain
the grace of the
Avidya, which means

envy, degrades
culture
fit
for
man
lust,
Lord; while
anger, greed, egoism and
to the level of the brute.
of Vidya destroys Avidya and makes
Supreme
Bliss;
The
man
but the growth of Avidya
strengthens the idea of "I" and "mine," and binds
him more and more
the world.
to
He
is
taken
and further away from God, and has to

Man possesses
bear many sorrows and difficulties.
further
not only Vidya and Avidya, but also the power co

discriminate between the two.
On
the nature of
depends the success or failure of his life.

a great mistake to hold God responsible for
his choice
It is
your sufferings.
own
You
chose a
path
according
to
and pleasure, and now enjoy the

consequences of your choice. How can you blame
God? For a moment's pleasure you forgot every-
your
will
thing else; you did not pause to consider right and
wrong.
If
you put your hand into the
naturally get burned.
Is
it
83
fire it will
the fault of the fire?
Spiritual Teachings
You
No.
alone
Ramakrishna
Some
ing.
to
may
read
its
is
while
light,
some other
the two paths,
Sri
burn-
is
Bhagavatam
(Sacred
others
mischief.
may
The
The Lord has placed
not to blame for it"
man
before
it
"A lamp
say:
forge a document or do
lamp
for
responsible
used
by
Scriptures)
are
good and
evil.
Choose
as you please.
As you
think, so
With
you become.
the help of
discrimination and renunciation, realise God, and
become
heir
to
If
you run after
may no doubt
enjoy sensuous
Infinite
worldly things, you
Bliss.
pleasures for a time; but you
may be
sure your
gloomy and you will have

The world is so
to pass through endless suffering.
constituted that, if you want pleasure, you must
future will be dark and
undergo pain. Whether you like it or not, you

cannot have the one without the other.
Sri
the
Ramakrishna used to
popular
*Name
belief,
when
say:
the
According
Malaya*
to
breeze
of a mountain range in the South of India abounding
in sandal trees.
84
The World and God
sandal
the
all
blows,
timber
converted
are
trees
trees,
other trees remain what they are.
men
are two classes of
ing to the
first
awaken
and Vairagya
regard the world as
grace
of
realise
Him
the
belong-
Lord.
in
spirit-
them Viveka
(renunciation).
(dis-
They
They
are
determined
to
and solve the mystery of existence even
tion they begin their
The people
awakened
Men
worthless and yearn for the
at the risk of their lives.
end.
Similarly there
in this world.
of these are easily influenced by
ual teachings which
crimination)
into
while the bamboo, the plantain and
With such
a firm resolu-
Sadhana and succeed
in the
of the second class can never be
either by the sorrows
or by any lofty spiritual ideas.
and miseries of
life
They think they
are
going to live eternally and fondly imagine that without them the world cannot go on. "What I have
in
my
hand,
must enjoy
shall be a fool"
down
to the full; otherwise
thinking thus they drag themselves
to the depths of ignorance
What
and
suffering.
you want the sweet perfume of

sandal or the foul odour of filth? Do you want
is it
that
85
Spiritual Teachings
and
Decide exactly what you want
or unrest?
peace
Time
strive for its attainment.
a swift stream.
the past
the
when
it
It
will be of
is
too late.
without
present,
no
flowing like
avail to cry over
Make
wasting
is
the best use of
moment.
single
Train your mind in such a way that you

stantly think of
God and
may
Your
else.
nothing
are numbered; they are fast running out.
spend your time in vain.

Pray to the Lord with
"Lord! give
Give up
all
all
not
me wisdom and make me Thine own."

ideas of "I" and "mine".
You have
enough on that account.

"mine" by "Thou" and "Thine."
you can
Replace "I" and
call
your
own
the
Is
their time comes,
without
there anything
moment you
Nothing you now cherish as yours

Those you hold very dear
you.
when
days
your heart and soul,
suffered
that
Do
con-
die?
will
accompany
will
pass
caring
for
away
you.
Leaving everything behind, you will have to go to
an unknown
place.
The more you
think of "I"
and "mine", the more you fetter yourself. What

is there in this Samsara for which to
spend your
86
The World and God

whole
Can
life?
this
the ocean of birth and
death?
from the troubles
may
What
life?
than to
leave
have
you
effort
that
greater
and pray
to
this
Him
the
do
to
cry for a sight
at
me
can
after-
befall
purpose for
you
which
strenuous
with earnest devotion that
Dakshineshwar ?
of the
Sri
How
Ramakrishna used
bitterly
Divine Mother,
he used
saying,
gone and Thou

with vision of Thee!" Call on
"Mother, one more day

yet blessed
in
you
Make
birth!
you may reach the goal.

Have you not heard what
to
attend
misfortune
unfulfilled
taken
help you cross

Will it save you
life
worldly
hast not
is
with an intense yearning.
What
is
this
Him
world but
an abode of misery? You have spent most of your

wish
days here in sorrow and trouble; and do you
to
do the same hereafter
as well
You have come under the shelter of Sri Ramakrishna; know that you have been blessed by Him.
Make good use of the grace you have received. It
you fail to solve
and death, and do not obtain
will be really very unfortunate
the
riddle of life
87
if
Spiritual Teachings
You
Eternal Bliss.
have caught
its
men
are the
spirit.
Do
not
of this age, and

fail
to
take
full
advantage of it. No one in any age has shown the

path in such a simple and easy manner as Sri
Ramakrishna
has
done.
If
miss
you
this
opportunity, you will have to suffer long.
Spread the sails of faith and devotion, and with

the aid of the spiritual breeze that is blowing push
on to your goal. Do it, and your boat will be
carried
for
swiftly to
you.
within you.
Arise!
Have
its
destination.
Awake!
feet; fear
Do
capacity
is
have taken shelter at
will attain
Go
not look back.
with His vision; thus
and partake of
waiting
and weakness can have no place in
me; by His grace

life."
Infinite
is
firm faith in yourself and say:
"I have heard His name,
His
He
fulfil
in this very
ahead.
Be blessed
the mission of your life
Infinite Bliss.
88
Him
XIV
NATURE OF MAN
AT THE RAMAKRISHNA SEVASHRAM,
KANKHAL, HARDWAR
THE SWAMI
it
is
not
to
difficult
The
mind.
This place
very
and
is
Here
very sacred.
concentration
attain
atmosphere
the
is
of
the
The holy
pure.
Himalayas naturally
induce the mind to become calm and meditative.
Ganges
The
eternal
sound of Omkara can be heard here.
Having come
tunate
if
majestic
to this place,
it
you spend your time
Far better
practising
Human
to
will be really unforin sleep
up your body
meditation and austerities.
give
birth
is
for the
and
in
attainment
idleness.
this
place
of wisdom
and devotion, not for living and procreating like

God is most manifest in the human body;
brutes.
try to grasp
and
realise this.
89
Have you
not heard
Spiritual Teachings
what severe
the disciples of Sri
austerities
Rama-
krishna used to perform to realise the Truth?

all
saw
in
Ramakrishna
Sri
blazing
They
fire
of
and hence they could do so much. It

may not be possible for you to do all they did, but
spirituality,
at least try.
gave his very life to build up this

organisation and to give facilities to you all for
your spiritual Sadhana. Try to realise the great
Swamiji
He
love that Swamiji bore you.
cut short his life
by overwork out of his infinite love for
be
ungrateful
Bengal.
has
To
true
manifested
men
you, young
great
of Bengal,
Do
not
faith
in
Swamiji
charge of his mission as a sacred
left the
Remain
He had
him.
to
all.
and
loyal
Himself
to him.
to the
Sri
trust.
Ramakrishna
world through Swami
Vivekananda, and gave His message through him.

Sri Ramakrishna is too great for the ordinary mind
to
understand.
has
Swamiji
placed
Sri
Rama-
krishna and His ideals before the world so that they
may be understood by
the
blessed souls will have to
90
ordinary
mind.
All
come under His banner.
Nature of
Man
Read Swamiji's works carefully; and whenever

and
you do not understand any point, ask S
others
to
has
preached
Sri
Ramakrishna's ideals in a form intelligible to
all.
madness
It is
except
again
and
explain
it.
Swamiji
to try to understand Sri
Ramakrishna
Read
the light of Swamiji's teachings.
in
and again the Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna

Swamiji's works, and plunge yourselves in
you cannot fix your mind now, you

will repent hereafter.
This is the best period of
meditation.
your
life.
If
Make good
use of
it.
Once you
get well
established in the spiritual life there will be

for
you.
Then you can
turn
your mind
no fear
in
any
Bring your mind under control.

done, a good advance has been made.
direction you like.
When
this is
But take care
let
not your
mind swerve from
straight path even by an inch.
When
it
by every possible means.

Beginners should have a routine for
run astray, curb
practices,
and
"
study.
with
to
it
fixed hours for
With
Whether you
wants
the
Japam,
firm determination
like
it
tell
spiritual
meditation
your mind,
or not, these rules must be

91
Spiritual Teachings
After some time a habit will be formed
followed/'
and
it
will be painful to remain without meditation.
When
such a state
is
attained,
progressing toward the
nearing
as a
God when you

get a taste
immortal.
of
the
you are
for His vision
that
man
for food
Divine
Bliss
and
sleep.
and become
Then come what may, whether you
cast into the street or placed

all
means you are
feel as restless
hungry and sleepy
First
it
Know
ideal.
same
to you.
When
on a throne,
the iron
is
it
are
will be
turned into
gold by the touch of the philosopher's stone, it does

not matter whether it is kept in a safe or buried in
the ground.
Sri
Ramakrishna
used
knowledge of Advatia
to
say,
in your pocket
"Have
and
act
the
as
you please/' After attaining the knowledge of the

Absolute or supreme devotion to the Lord, what-
work you do
The religious
ever
Mother does not

of Her Maya.
will not bind you.

life
is
full
of obstacles.
easily release
To
obtain
men from
the bonds
Her grace one should
pray with a devout and yearning heart.
92
Divine
You have
Nature of
Man
a whole bundle of Samskaras (tendencies) acquired

in previous lives to overcome,
and even now new
Samskaras are being formed and added. All your

life you must be prepared to fight these Samskaras.
The more you

become.
If in the
ments you can
them, the stronger will they
resist
midst of defeats and disappoint-
your path, you will surely
stick to
reach the goal.
There are two tendencies
in
human
nature,
good
The former tends toward renunciation
and bad.
toward enjoyments. There is conThe victory of

stant warfare between these two.
the one or the other determines the nature of man.
and the
latter
Finding innumerable means of enjoyment in this

world,
men become
so
they forget that there
They
think:
should
we
"No one
much
is
attached to them that
another side to the picture.
can be sure of the future;
not enjoy what
we have
Nobody knows whether God can be

whether Eternal
enjoy the world
we
at
present?
realised or not,
Bliss is possible or not.

is
therefore give
within our reach.

it
up?"
93
why
Why
But to
should
Consequently they rush
Spiritual Teachings
headlong into sense enjoyments.

experiences teach
them
But when
bitter
that worldly pleasures bring
only pain and misery and not peace and happiness,

they cry with disappointment, "Alas, what have we
done?"
By following an unbridled
ment men become slaves of the senses.
94
life
of enjoy-
XV
SEEK GOD ONLY
AT THE RAMAKRISHNA SEVASHRAM,
KANKHAL, HARDWAR
THE SWAMI Everyone wants

Who likes to undergo pain and misery?
to obtain that happiness
Who
mind.
He
is
But
how
Certainly not by running
after the fleeting pleasures of the senses
ing Him,
has created
happiness.
the abode of
all
and ignor-
happiness.
He
many playthings to delude the human

Throw away all these and pray to Him,
will then hasten to take
you
in
His arms.
had play enough; it is high

time now to give it up and call upon the Mother.
When a child is fond of play, the mother gives it
I
toys
tell
to
you, you have
while away
its
time.
But the child that
does not care for play she carries about with hen
Happy is the child that sits in the mother's lap.
not only enjoys the play but has also the happiThe child that is
ness of the mother's company.
It
95
Spiritual Teachings
engaged
in play enjoys
it
the risk of being hurt in
no doubt, but
its
It
play.
also runs
may
quarrel
playmates and get beaten. But the child

in the mother's lap has no such troubles.
It is
with
its
always happy and knows full well that the mother

will take care of it and supply all its wants.
The parable of the mango grove told by Sri
Ramakrishna
very instructive.
is
to eat the mangoes.
Why
about the number of
trees,
the garden?
fil
your
into this
Accomplish
life's
do you bother yourself

branches and leaves in
Eat the mangoes and be satisfied."
You have come

of God.
"You have come
world for the realisation
this object first
mission.
Solve your
of
all
and
ful-
own problem
and equip yourself for life's journey. Struggle hard

and become deathless by tasting Immortal Bliss.
Him
day and night. Whatever the form in

which you think of Him, it will certainly do you
Pray to
Whatever form or name appeals to you, take

You are sure to get
sincerely and pray to Him.
good.
it
the vision of Him.
how
Parvati once asked
Sachchidananda could be
96
realised.
Mahadeva
The
reply
Seek
God Only
was, "Through faith."
You have been shown

with
the right path.
patience 2nd perseverance.
faith,
more time
forms and
in discussing the
your Sadhana.
Him
to
Follow
it
Waste no
details
of
in
any way you

Sri
His
to
sure
are
and
blessing.
you
get
please,
Ramakrishna used to say, 'Sweetened bread will
Pray
'
taste
sweet in whatever
You
are,
as
it
way you begin
to eat
it."
were, sitting under the Kalpataru
will get whatever you

(wish-yielding tree) and you
ask for.
Do
not think yourselves too clever.
thinks itself very clever, but
who
it
lives
on
The crow
filth.
Those
are too clever in this world get cheated in the
long run.
With
a faith that knows no
deep meditation.
yourselves
in
heartened,
if after
realise
God.
but you
may
little
The ocean
is
wavering,
Do
practice
plunge
not get
dis-
you do
not
full of precious pearls,
not get them at the
first
dive.
My
boys, once again I enjoin you, have firm faith in
the words of your Guru, and try to get absorbed in
97
Spiritual Teachings
deep meditation. Be sure, sooner or

have a vision of the Lord.
later
you will
Do
not allow your mind t5 get distracted. Keep

His grace
steadily and patiently to your Sadhana.
will
descend on you in due
wish to see a great man.

his
satisfy
attendants.
time.
You
Suppose you
have first to see and
Similarly
obtain
to
the
grace of the Lord you have to seek the help of godly
men
and
many spiritual practices.

undergo
Knowing Him to be dearer than the dearest, pray
to Him with a yearning heart for His grace and
vision.
Cry unto the Lord

cannot but
make
with the Lord.
who
like a child.
Incessant crying
the mother run to
He
reveals
it.
So also
Himself to that one
unceasingly prays for His grace and vision.
Shake
off
your sleep, and seek the grace of the
Lord with steadfast devotion.
Make
the
mind
one-pointed like the mariner's compass. In whatever direction the ship may sail, the compass
always points to the north, thus keeping the ship

on its course. Even so with the human mind. If
98
God Only
Seek
on God, there will be nothing to fear. If

by chance one is thrown into a bad environment,
even then his faith and devotion will remain
it is
fixed
The moment he
unshaken.
God, he
will
hears any talk about
become mad with Divine Love
just
flint, lying under water for a hundred years,

when taken out and struck, emits sparks.
as the
Those who have been favoured with a

the Lord have their
They
of
have no
will
Him
and
mind always
taste for
to seek the
vision of
on Him.
fixed
anything except to talk
company of holy men.
Like a fallen leaf tossed to and fro by the wind,
be content to remain wherever you are placed by the

Lord.
Do not have any will or desire of your own.
Your mind
it
keep
is
in
this
like a dry
you
strike
is
it,
pure and untainted.
state
always.
match
but
You may go on
into pieces.
now
it
It
stick.
is
striking
it,
but
Similarly if the
it
if
the
it
to
mind
moment
gets wet.
will only break
mind once becomes
you will find it extremely

to its former purity.
99
spotless
ignites
of no use
soiled,
it
The
Try
difficult to restore
XVI
CONTROL OF THE MIND

DISCIPLE
my
control
how
Maharaj, with
mind,
to curb
is
it
so restless.
but
difficult,
tell
me
is
it
doubt to control the mind

not impossible.
By regular
can be quieted and brought under reTherefore perform a little meditation
straint.
every day, and never fail to do
it
Please
cannot
it
practice
the
efforts I
it.
THE SWAMI No
is
my
all
mind
to
is
run away like a
back whenever
it
seeks to
it.
The
nature of
restless boy.
go
out,
and
set
Drag
it
to
meditating on God. If you can continue this

struggle for two or three years, you will find in you
a joy unspeakable; your mind will be calm and
In the beginning meditation proves very
But if you persist, as in the
dry.
docile.
and
difficult
taking of a medicine, you will find in it a perennial

source of joy, pure and unalloyed. What terrible
ordeals does a student pass through for his examinations!
If
you
God-realisation
call
upon
Him
is
far
easier
than
that
with sincerity and an unper100
Control of the
turbed mind,
He
Mind
Himself unto
will surely reveal
you.
at
DISCIPLE
times when
All this
I
no doubt hopeful, but
is
much meditation
think that with so
have not made any progress, everything seems

vain, and a horrible despondency overwhelms me.
I
THE SWAMI
cause for despair.
If
tible.
good
in
What
despair of success.
With
effect.
it
despair.
The law of Karma
you do a good deed,
any way you
God,
Never
will produce a
it
it,
Name
of
like, if
you chant the holy
you good.
Therefore shake
off
all
and push on in the struggle with

regularity.
is irresis-
sincere devotion or without
will always bring
inevitable.
do then, Sir?
There is no
shall I
Then peace
will surely
The
result is
your despair
strictness
and
come and dwell
Through meditation, not only does the

mind become pacified, but the body also improves
in
you.
and
diseases
standpoint
lessen.
Therefore,
of good health
one
even
from the
should
practise
meditation.
DISCIPLE
Maharaj, what
101
is
the
necessity
of
Spiritual Teachings
Without the help of a guide,
spiritual initiation?
man
own way
devotes himself entirely
if
to
God, will not that be enough
in his
THE SWAMI
Initiation
to realise
is
Him ?
necessary
because
When
you are initiated

you are shown the object upon which the mind is
it
helps
to
be
concentration.
concentrated.
You
cannot
let
your
mind
waver from one thing to another. If you are not

initiated, you have no particular object to concentrate upon.
Today you fix your mind on Hari,
tomorrow on
less
This
Brahman.
is
state
is
attitude
and the
Kali,
third
day on the form-
grim restlessness is the result.

most harmful to an aspirant. Until this
overcome
of
mind,
and
replaced
spiritual
by a peaceful
realisation
will
ever
remain a distant prospect. To attain this calmness of mind and to avert unsteadiness, initiation
or the help of a guide
is
path
merable
is
necessary.
The
spiritual
a most formidable one, strewn with innu-
man
guided by an
experienced hand, however clever he may be, he is
pitfalls.
Unless a
,&
sure to stumble.
102
is
Control of the
Without tormenting
then will you find
drudge on
as if
yourself,
joy.
Mind
work hard, my
boy,
In the beginning you are to
you were learning the alphabet.
Do
not worry, do not complain, gradually peace will

come. Do you know how I behave with those who
always complain that they are not finding peace or

joy? For the first two or three years after their
initiation I give
After that,
they are
some
joy
no
when
nor do
reply,
pay heed to them.
they meet me, they
tell
me
that
making some progress and also finding

and peace. A man must try steadily for
some time before he can expect a peaceful
state
of
mind. Therefore I ask you to struggle for a period

of at least three years without any break; then you
can have a claim to joy and not earlier. You will
not do anything and yet you want to succeed. Is it
not
Nothing great can be achieved by

or idleness. If you really want peace, if
absurd?
trickery
you truly desire to realise God, then work steadily

and wait. Spiritual realisation is a question of time.
Yours
bird
is
to struggle
and
knows well when

103
to
to wait.
The mother
open the egg.
So the
Spiritual Teachings
Divine Mother reveals Herself to the devotee when

the time
period
is
is
a very hard time.
is
moment
But
if
he
till
is
relieved of
This waiting
The devotee
is
always
now
joy, the
hope, now despair;
sorrow: so the struggle goes on. He
constantly
continues
wait.
now
in suspense
next
Work and
ripe.
fighting
he
is
duel
fierce
and
this
blessed with the vision of God.
led by a competent guide, he can be
much
of this struggle.
wise guide
can give an upward lift to the struggling mind,

even when it is not mature. Such help also has its
dangers.
If repeated too often,
and a deeper despair may
a greater struggle
result.
In this period of struggle and Sadhana the aspiHe must follow certain
rant must be always alert.
fixed rules of conduct
and never deviate from them.
He
must observe perfect continence and eat only

such foods as have a soothing effect on his body.
He will have to be under the direct guidance of one
who understands. He must not exert his brain too

much in meditation. Otherwise he is sure to suffer;
his brain will
become heated; he
104
will feel giddy,
Control of the
and other brain troubles

Meditation
Mind
will follow.
in the primary stage being
warfare with the mind
the
mind
regular
constantly going
outward and the Sadhaka trying to drag it back to

there is every possibility of
the feet of the Lord
brain
the
becoming
overheated.
The
aspirant
prevent this. In the beginning of his

Sadhana he should apply himself to Pranayama
should
of
(control
exercises.
in
the
He
and
other
Hatha-Yoga
and
should proceed slowly
steadily
breath)
spiritual
path.
Then
these
preliminary
struggles will disappear one by one until finally

will attain to the state of real meditation.
he
Then
even though he meditates for long hours at a

stretch, he will feel as refreshed both in body and
mind
as after
deep sleep.
He
will also feel great
joy within.
must keep a special eye on

The body and the mind being closely
his diet.
connected, the least change in the one is followed
The
spiritual novice
by a corresponding change in the other. If the

stomach is irritated by taking any improper food,
105
Spiritual Teachings
the
mind too
will
have a
mind meditation
restless
and for a
like effect;
is
It
impossible.
reason that such stringent emphasis

the dietetic regulations of a Sadhaka.
this
Under
Sadhaka
no
fill
with food.
circumstances,
again,
more than one-half of
(And
is
is
for
laid
on
the
should
his
stomach
half of the remaining half
is
to be left for water, while the rest should be kept
empty for the free passage of air.) An aspirant

must not be dejected in spirit, brooding on his
failures
However
and mistakes.
man may have
committed,
limited vision of
it
man; from
is
great a
the absolute stand-
from the standpoint of God,

A single glance of the Lord
nothing at
it is
all.
sets at
the
sins
of millions of
a sin only to the
point,
all
sin
births.
nought
The
heavy
punishments prescribed for sin in the Scriptures

are merely to maintain social order and to make
people refrain from the evil ways of
our Father, is ever merciful to us.
loving
evils.
to
His
His children.
Therefore,
there
is
106
Name
God,
life.
He
is
removes
ever
all
no cause for dejection
Control of the
if
we
Mind
upon Him sincerely.

true, no doubt, that as the
call
It is
our past
result of
and despair sweep over

no reason why a Sadhaka
actions, at times dejection
our mind; but that
is
should yield to them.

try to
may
overwhelm him, he should be prepared
God
to fight against them.
Name
His
that past actions
Knowing
him
will give
strength.
an impenetrable armour. It
will save him from all consequences.
This is one
will
be
way of Sadhana.
It is
There
in the beginning.
of
It
the
Vaishnavite.
It
does not involve so
and deeds of
other
is
another path, the path
is
much
Sri
Incarnation
establish
It
some
of
path.
more
It is
But
this
fallen off
from
it.
or some
There
is
no
devotee must
God and
worship
Him
also has great dangers.
has often been found that
attempt to
Rama
Lord.
the
relation with
that aspect.
their
pleasant
hardship.
Krishna, Sri
monotony, no drudgery in
in
very
In this path you are to contemplate the
gentle.
life
and monotonous
rather dry
worship
their ideal.
107
many
God
unfit persons, in
as a
lover,
have
XVII
TURNING THE MIND TO GOD

DISCIPLE
God?
Sir,
THE SWAMI
how
can
we
turn our
mind
By keeping company with
to
the
wise and the good; by observing their daily actions

and living them in your own life, you can turn your
You are to imitate the ways and

manners of those who have their minds turned
toward Him. The great barrier that obstructs your
correct vision of God is the doubt and confusion of
mind
to
God.
your mind.
They haunt the mind, swing
it
to
and
Drive
fro, and lead it to run after diverse objects.
them out with the sharp sword of discrimination.
If you are not able to do so by your own strength,
seek the aid of those
who
are adept in doing
it,
the Sadhus.
beginner should sit beside holy men and listen

to them with profound attention and retain their
words of counsel
in his
memory.
108
But
it
must not
God
Turning the mind to
end
He must
there.
from
them.
try to realise
Bear in mind
what he
neither
that
learns
talking,
nor learning, nor study, will lead you to realisation,

you practise and live what you hear and
unless
Practice in life
learn.
is
not at
Hence
out Brahmacharya, or absolute continence.
Brahmacharya
to realise
God
do not know
can catch the
realise
is
very
Many
necessary.
attempt
by studying the Scriptures; but they
Brahmacharya no one
that without
spirit
of the Scriptures,
much
less
God.
For various reasons Brahmacharya
is
most
essen-
you have the desire to turn your mind to

and realise Him, perform spiritual practices
If
tial.
God
based on Brahmacharya.
books
Sri
with-
all possible
If
would recommend
Ramakrishna"
you wish to read any
to
you "The Gospel of
and such works.
Read them
what you read. The more

you read such books, the more light you will find in
them. Your knowledge of God derived from ^hearand then
say
is
try to realise
quite different
ing Sadhana.
from
that acquired by practis-
This again
109
differs
widely from the
Spiritual Teachings
knowledge you acquire after realisation.

Do you know what Nag Mahashaya used
"It
is
who
easier to earn
can renounce
fame than
it is
to
renounce
a really great man/'
to say?
He
it.
He
also
"An anchored boat does not move forward."

He meant, a man whose mind is deep-rooted in lust
and gold cannot move Godward unless he can free
said:
himself
from
their
God and
austere Sadhana.
not go together.
deluding
If
influence
through
pleasure-seeking can-
you want the one you have
to
banish the other.
Human
do
is
a rare privilege; having
it,
if
you
you are surely very unfor-
not strive after
tunate.
Sri
birth
God,
Your human birth
will have been in vain.
"Human
Sankara has said:
birth,
desire for
and the company of holy men are rare

Those who are blessed with all
things on earth.
three are the most fortunate among men."
salvation
DISCIPLE
mind inward
As
to
to the best
God,
Sri
way of
directing the
Ramakrishna has
prescrib-
ed occasional retirement into solitude
for a day or
a month or for a year, as opportunity
may
110
permit;
God
Turning the mind to
you prescribe the company of the holy.

of
two are we
the
follow
to
Now
which
holy company or
solitude?
THE SWAMI
Both are true and both are to be
In the primary stage a
followed.
suddenly retire into solitude.

great
danger.
human
associations
caution
is
necessary.
made some
in
Many
their
man
To do
effort
should not
so involves
to
cut
off
have gone mad; hence great

It is
only
when a man has
progress in the spiritual path that he
without danger. True solitude can be found nowhere in this world. Time,
can
retire into solitude
space and causation are too small to give
beyond mind, beyond intellect. It can be

It is
in Samadhi (super-consciousness).
with the Most Tranquil.
Ill
it.
It is
felt
only
identical
XVIII
EXAMPLE OF HOLY MEN

THE SWAMI Read or hear however much
may, nothing will leave a
you so largely and

You
as the company of holy men.
from watching their daily life. As an
on your mind and
sion
practically
learn just
illustration, I
the
life
you
more profound impres-
would
of a
benefit
like to relate
an incident from
Adhar Sen went
devotee.
to
Sri
Ramakrishna accompanied by a friend of his, an

This friend would at times
Inspector of Schools.
experience a kind of inspiration and lose
ward
consciousness.
People called
it
all out-
One
Bhava.
day it so happened that just after their arrival, the

Master fell into deep Samadht. From his face
beamed a
lustre divine indicating
joy that the Master felt.
Babu
said
to
his
At
the
unbounded
sight of this,
companion:
"Look
Adhar
here,
my
your Bhava is not real Bhava. Whenever you enter it, you seem to feel a great torment
friend. I see
112
Example of Holy Men
From Divine communion no torment
within.
can
torture
see
Divine
of
flood
this
Master,
By what
result.
now
joy,
my
or
in
the
eyes
are
opened/'
Another
man
once visited Trailinga Swamt, the
great saint of Benares,
who
usually kept silent.
On
he thought within himself: "I went, but

he did not speak; then what is the good of going to
his return
him any more?" Nevertheless he paid him

visit.
This time, no sooner had he
the side of the
Swami than
a second
taken his seat
the latter suddenly began
weep bitterly and then he began to laugh.

was beside himself with madness of devotion.
to
this the
man
said to himself:
"What
today a thousand books

shall so yearn for
shall see
He
At
have learnt
could not teach.
God,
by
When
Him; when
I shall
have His grace, only then shall I enjoy such bliss."

DISCIPLE Maharaj, many maintain that merely
paying
visits to
holy
men
or observing their life
is
is
enough
hearing them
not necessary.
Are we
to
believe this?
THE SWAMI
No!
Never!
113
You must mix
Spiritual Teachings
them
with
arises in
an open heart.
your mind, you must tell it
with
If
to
any doubt
them frankly
and get it solved by their help, if you are not able to

do it yourself. You must also observe their life in
detail
and model yours by what you see in them.
DISCIPLE
Maharaj, you said that momentary
enthusiasm brings no good, that spiritual realisaam I then to give up

tion is a question of time
my
yearning for God-realisation ?
THE SWAMI
might have said that in connec-
tion with something else.
asm
is
fit
manifestation of a sudden
dejection,
man
DISCIPLE
gives
As
up
Sri
internal
feeling.
This
the path altogether.
Ramakrishna has
place for digging a well
is
you will never get water.
THE SWAMI
of emotion: an external
then out of despair and
disappears in no time;
If
enthusi-
meant, to become restless and cry and jump
for a day or two from a
ed.
By momentary
said, if the
shifted again
Is that
Yes, tenacity
is
what you mean?

what is require-
a man's restlessness results
from sincere
love of God, he cannot live a God-less
114
and again,
life,
even
Example of Holy Men

though he
may
fails to realise
Him.
Millions of births
will persist
pass without attaining Him, yet he
in calling
upon
Him
steadily
and quite unmoved.
Swamiji (Swami Vivekananda) used to say that

a little awakening of the Kundalini (individualised
cosmic energy)
was
very
dangerous.
Until She
up higher, lust, anger and other lower passions

become very disturbing. The Vaishnavite Sadhana
of Madhur Bhava or Sakhi Bhava (the attitude of
rises
worshipping
God
as
an eternal bridegroom or a
friend of the devotee)
is
exceedingly dangerous.
In trying to remember constantly the story of Sri
Divine play with Sri Radha, they

(Vaishnavites) cannot control their lust and they
Krishna's
do
all
sorts of lecherous acts.
Hence the
restric-
tion for the beginner in reading the Rash-lila (story
of
Sri Krishna's
Divine play with
Sri
Radha) and
such works.
Meditation
is
not an easy thing.
Eat a bit more
and your mind will not settle that day. When lust,
are
anger, greed and the whole host of evil passions
does medikept under control, then and then alone
115
Spiritual Teachings
tation
become
itself,
meditation will be impossible.
any one of these asserts
If
possible.
It
easier
is
burning fire. But to keep the

passions under control and not allow them to make
an impression upon the mind that is real Tapasya.
to sit in a circle of
What
religion
can
there be for
of passions
control
engaged in unholy
acts, it is
not
is
the
greatest
men are constantly

so much of a sin on
occasional evil thoughts crop
if
your part
up
in
Drive them out.
your mind.
Without
possible.
desires
Seeing that worldly
penance.
tranquil,
and
The
eunuchs!
meditation
the
and without
To
mind grows
shall
meditate
to think
is
is
not
when
the
religion
tranquillity
think "I
tranquil"
mind cannot become
an impossibility.
go hand in hand.
Ramakrishna so long as there
Tranquillity and meditation must
We
is
cannot love Sri
the idea of bargaining in us.
despair"
prayer.
when we cannot
Still
again,
it
see
is
not
That
Him
is
after
desirable
why we
a
little
to
give
expression to our inner feelings, for that lessens the

intensity of love.
116
XIX
MEDITATION
DISCIPLE
JViaharaj,
how
can God-yearning be
intensified ?
THE SWAMI
tice
company
teacher)
Through steady
prac-
spiritual
mind purified by the influence of holy

and the instruction of the Guru (spiritual
with a
Guru
In this world even in the art of stealing,
is
How much
required.
of
necessity
Guru
for
greater must be the
acquiring
supreme
knowledge of Brahman!
DISCIPLE
How
THE SWAMI
and true
how
faith
together.
can one attain peace?
Him;
water.
Peace and sincere love of
come
lessness, yearning
seen
can one attain peace ?
man
At
must come
God
the very start
First
rest-
and intense pain for not having
the greater the thirst, the sweeter the
We must
rouse unrest in the heart.
When
does not find happiness in the world, then he

117
Spiritual Teachings
and attachment to God awakens
restless
grows
within him.
How can love of God grow?

THE SWAMI By Sadhana and prayer
DISCIPLE
have
thus
all attained.
DISCIPLE
world?
Is it possible in the
THE SWAMI
Is
there
any one outside the
world ?
DISCIPLE
No,
THE SWAMI
DISCIPLE
mean, living in the family.

but very
It is possible,
When
for
dispassion
difficult.
the
world
comes, should one renounce?
THE SWAMI
yam
yes,
that
Real Vairagyam
That
is
is
is
real
what
called
is
Vairagyam
like
fire,
it
is
Vairag-
(dispassion).
never
extin-
guished, but gradually spreads and grows hotter.

swims
Sri Ramakrishna used to say, as a fish
about merrily when put in larger waters, so is the

man who has renounced the world; never does he
want
to be fettered again.
DISCIPLE
Is it
possible without a
118
Guru?
Meditation
THE SWAMI
who shows
Name
Guru means one
think not.
the path to the Ishtam through a
(Mantram).
Upa-gurus
(intermediaries)
But the supreme Guru

"Practise these Sadhanas
can be many.
commands:
with holy men/'
is
one that
and
The Guru would watch
over the pupil and the pupil would serve him.

the pupil went astray, the
back.
move
In olden times the custom was
with the Guru.
to live
Holy
When
Guru would bring him
So none but the knower of the Brahman, or
one far advanced in Sadhana, should be chosen as

the Guru.
How to know him?

THE SWAMI By moving with
DISCIPLE
some
time.
disciple.
The Guru
the
Guru
and can not be
will not initiate him.
Whomsoever
the
Guru
closely for
too will watch his would-be
If the disciple possesses
for enjoyment
him
a strong desire
easily
brought round,
He
will reject him.
chooses, he will keep with
him and watch over him. The family Guru has one
advantage, that he knows everything regarding the
family to which the disciple belongs.
119
Spiritual Teachings
The way
ship,
mind
to focus the
concentration
and
(control of breath) too
air
Good
meditation.
is
Pranayama
a way, but not safe for
good place and pure

there is no other condition
food, a
these are necessary:
Meditation in solitude has to be
for meditation.
practised
by prayer and wor-
the loss of the vital fluid brings
the householder
about disease.
is
not for an hour or for a day; the more
you practise, the more benefited you will be. Go

wherever you choose. If you find a good place
with favourable surroundings, take that for your
practice.
Seek
Him
in
from earthly
Him
alone.
Give up
and greed). First practise

draw in the mind
the mind,
Kamini-Kanchana
renunciation
and
(lust
things.
beginning meditation must be Sahara

and finally
(with form), then Nirakara (formless)
In
you
the
realise that
The world
bliss, as after
joy."
is
real
and
all
else is
appears to us is all illuIn Samadhi the world does not exist, only
illusion/'
sion.
"Brahman
When
as
it
man
says, "I tasted real
descends
(from Samadhi)
deep sleep a
a
man
120
Meditation
he says of his experience,

only; words cannot describe
like the Rishis

bliss
and
bliss
and
'Thou'
Sachchidananda
vanish
"It
was
The
it.
(Exis-
tence-knowledge-bliss Absolute) alone remains."
"What
If asked,
is
the proof that
God
exists?"
have seen God, and you too can

see Him if you follow me/'
So have said all the
As Sri Ramakrishna has said:
saints and saviours.
the answer
is,
"I
"By merely repeating the name of Siddhi (hemp

Gather
leaves) you cannot become intoxicated.
them, grind and dissolve them, drink them and wait
for a while, then alone will you feel the intoxication.
In the same way, simply crying out 'Lord',
'Lord' will not do;
DISCIPLE
practise
Sadhana and wait/'
In performing Japam
forget everything;
THE SWAMI
what
is
sometimes
that, Sir?
The Pancbadashi
is
of opinion
that this feeling stands as an impediment.

tion
means
tensified,
to think of
Him; and when
when God becomes
visible, it is
Meditathis is in-
Samadhi.
After Samadhi the blissful emotion lingers on for

a long time.
Some
hold,
it
121
continues for ever.
Spiritual Teachings
Sri
Ramananda
man
sent
Chaitanya
to
Ramananda,
of luxury, but at the name
lived a life
of the Lord a fountain of tears of devotion bursi
from
The man
his eyes.
he wept.
cannot
They
know
you are not a Sadhu you
say, if
a Sadhu
appraise a diamond.
did not understand wh)
as a brinjal seller cannot
Only
that
one who through
Sadhana has attained a higher stage can understand

a true devotee.
At the time of meditation you must think that

desires and passions have no existence, that they are
unreal.
Gradually
your mind.
As you
impression will sink into
this
drive out these thoughts, force
good ones. During your meditation, if you perceive some light or sound, know that you are going
in
along the right path.
trivial signs.
signs, they are
good. Meditating in a
lonely place, one can hear the sound of Pfanava
Still,
as
But these are
(sound symbol of the Brahman) or that of a bell or

a sound from a distant place.
There was a man,

minutes
before
his
a great dare*devil.
death
122
he
said:
Fifteen
"Carry
me
Meditation
Do
you think I wish to die

here?" Reaching the sacred stream he smiled and
"Mother! I
sinned
have
much. 1
prayed:
straight to the Ganges.
believe,
Mother, Thou canst wash away everything.
Save me,
Oh
Mother! 99
And
123
he died.
XX
GOD VISION
^Conversation
1922.
at
The Swam?
Calcutta,
is
the
2nd of
February,
honoured guest of a
devotee.,
THE SWAMI A
required.
feet.
He
pure, healthy
Remain under
mind
is
what
is
the shelter of His lotus
do all that is needful; you have only

mind fixed ever on Him. Give up all
will
to keep your
longing for the world. It is a very unholy place.

Pay no more heed to it than is absolutely necessary;
devote the rest of yourself to God.
I tell
you, you
Try and you will
succeed.
Struggle and struggle you will have to
hard.
struggle
Begin this moment; no more delay,
no more doubt, no more speculation. Oh, the joy
are just the person to do
this.
of realisation, the satisfaction of

it
even, will suffice for you.
it!
Strive; strive to cross
over PAahamaya (Divine illusion)
124
Just a little of
yes, in this very
God-Vision
you must go beyond it. Strive hard; it is

deed a difficult task. Faith, unshakable faith
life
Without
the
is
you cannot succeed. Be

doubts; then you can tear
of Maya and see God.
Faith, you know, is
necessary.
determined; remove
the veil
in-
only resource;
that
all
strengthen
it
by
all
at
times,
possible
means.
DISCIPLE
shall
If
doubt creeps in
do?
THE SWAMI You

faith
what
until
cannot
God-realisation
have unshakable
comes.
only when you have
the vision of
have realised Him.
Till
an approach
It is
possible
God, when you

then you can only make
to true faith; nothing more.
When-
ever doubts disturb the even balance of the mind,
God and
you can do so over

and over again, your conviction will be firm and invincible.
Doubts surely will come, but drive them
hold fast to
out in this wise.

but because of
my
pray.
If
Think within
lot I
yourself:
cannot see Him.
"God
is,
The mo-
ment His grace descends, that moment I shall be

Do not lose faith. Cling
blessed by seeing Him."
125
Spiritual Teachings
to
Him
always and under all circumstances.

This gross mind cannot comprehend God.
beyond mind, He
world that you see
is
mind; the mind
far
is
The
intellect.
within the domain of the
is
is its
beyond
God
author, the
mind has created
and beyond it the mind cannot go. But through

Sadhana a subtle mind opens up the mind of
it,
That
spirit.
and unfold.
own
The
self.
vision
already in you, but in the form of
In course of time this
a germ.
subtle.
is
The
mind
gross
germ
will develop
will lead
you
to the
subtle shines forth in the glory of
stage that you can have the
It is at this
of finer
its
truths.
The world with
all
charm for you.
It
diversity will then lose all
its
can
Then you will pass your

you no more.
time, day and night, completely lost in the contem-
delude
plation of
The
God and His
next stage
not be described.
is
glory.
Samadhi.
It
is
This Samadhi can-
beyond the reach of the
gross mind, beyond language.
It
is
beyond Asti
and Nasti (human calculation), beyond pleasure

and pain, beyond joy and sorrow, beyond light,
126
God-Vision
beyond
darkness,
language
is
all
beyond
too feeble to say
duality.
what
Human
that blessed state
is.
"The Vedas
thou free,
all
deal with the three Gunas.
Be
Arjuna, be thou free from the three
Gunas" Sri Krishna says in the Gita. If you

want God, you must transcend the limits of the
Gunas. Disputes and dissensions, wars and feuds,
malice and jealousy, egotism and pride, these are the
products of Tamas.
Rajas goads
man
to activity,
name and fame.
A man
and
creates the desire for
full
of Rajas meditates for half an hour at best and
then looks around to see

notice of others.
If
it
in vain;
if
it
has attracted the
has not, he thinks his medithis half hour's meditation!
tation
is
He
a beggar of popular applause.
is
all
Then comes
Sattwa (the state of serene vision). The Vedas

deal with these Gunast but we must not stop here.
We must go beyond the Gunas.

DISCIPLE
us as duties;
In this world certain works seem to
how
THE SWAMI
are
we
to
do
these, Sir?
"This world
127
is
God's.
Nothing
Spiritual Teachings
in
it
can
I call
my own; He
is
getting His
work
done by me; verily nothing belongs to me." If you

can do what you call your duties with this attitude,
then they will do you no harm; your work will no
"This thing belongs to me, that
longer bind you.

is
this attitude
mine,"
in its stead say:
mind;
myself;
am
you must banish from your

"Everything is God's, even
placed here by His Will, and
moment He
be removed hence the
shall
wills it."
Let
be your principle of life. Do

yourself with the things of the world.
this
Do
your duties with
them thoroughly and
this
attitude;
not
identify
and also do
well, so that people
perceive your real motive and blame you.
may
not
But in
the heart of hearts know, earthly things you have
God
Doer and you the instrument

Through you, He will get done what He likes to
none.
the
is
have done.
DISCIPLE
in this
way,
Maharaj, in
if at
egotism asserts
what then?
times
itself
my
attempt to do work
forget the true motive,
and
128
if
if
attachment prevails,
God-Vision
THE SWAMI Do
Never allow yourself
not
yield
to
depression.
to be depressed.
If at times
you forget your true motive, never mind. Begin

once more with redoubled energy and see that it
does not
recur
Who
can
ed?
They
kill
Doubts
again.
and confusion?
them before God-realisation
come and
will
attain-
That
they will go.
But do not get dejected.
their nature.
is
Shake
is
off
despair, shake off disappointment, shake off doubt;
make no compromise. Have infinite

"To do or die" let
infinite energy.
motto.
God you must
you must see Him.
In vain
your mind, in vain your

if
you cannot
realise
Therefore, say boldly:

body, what
God
is
is
life,
Him
Him."
129
be your
your being, in vain
here in
What do
and
in this very life
this
shall I
the use of the mind, if
with them?
this
everything
"What
Let them stay or go, but

see
now
realise;
tenacity,
care
if
is
in vain,
very
life.
do with the
I
cannot see
they perish?
must see God;
must
XXI
DIFFERENT METHODS OF ATTAINMENT
DEVOTEE
Maharaj, these different forms of
worship, these different rituals, these different gods
do they mean anything special?

All these have one and the same
and goddesses,
THE SWAMI
purpose God-realisation. There is so much difference between one man and another in their inclinations
and
their
temperaments that no one method
can be assigned to all for their Sadhana or spiritual

Different
advancement.
temperaments
require
Sadhana and
ways of worship.
To meet these varying demands the Scriptures hav^
four
means, Sam ad hi>
prescribed
principal
different
different
Dhyana, actual Japam, prayer, and external worship.
The
best kind of worship
worship of the Brahman
is
Samadhi or the
direct
the actual vision of
the
Omnipresent Reality.
The second
in
importance
130
is
Dhyana or medita-
Different
tion,
where two things
holy
exist,
]apam, prayer and the
self."
here.
Methods of Attainment
"Himself" and "mylike have no room
When
meditation deepens, one perceives the

form of one's Ishtam or chosen Deity, the
form, pure and
Here again Japam
simple.
The
prayer have no place.
next step
is
and
Japam and
which one sings the glory of the Lord

praying, chanting or repeating the hallowed Name
of one's chosen Deity, simultaneously meditating
prayer, in
upon the blessed form behind
The
last
the
images.
These
Supreme Being
different
gods and goddesses

the
human mind.
all
onward march
Sadhana.
to
its
God.
in
Pratika
or
forms of worship, different

these are but creations of
They mark
progress of the mind,
Name.
This consists in
external worship.
is
worshipping
that holy
different degrees of
evolutionary stages, in
A man
its
desires to
Now, what should he do ?
perform
he
Can
begin
from any point? No. He must start exactly

where his mind stands and proceed stage after stage
till
the Goal
is
ordinary man:
reached.
if
Take
the
case
of
an
you ask him to meditate upon the

131
Spiritual Teachings
Supreme Brahman who is without name or form;

or if you ask him to practise Sawadhi, he will not
comprehend, nor will he be well-disposed towards
The result will be that he will give up
his task.
Sadhana altogether.
On
the
other
he
if
hand,
worships the Brahman in an image with offerings

of flowers and sacred leaves, he will think he has
done something. For some time

will be free from distractions,
moment
and
ed,
will
is
liable to fall.
He
into
which every
will be unperturb^
will rejoice in his worship.
outgrow that
The
of
it
at least, his minct
By and by he
stage.
mind grows, the less becomes the joy

things gross and secular. Jf you begin
finer the
man
in
Puja or external worship now, later on you will

naturally that
]apam
a better substitute.
is
feel
Then
you will find in meditation a far better substitute,

and so on. This gradual process is the natural way
of growth for the human mind. In the course of
mental evolution, the experience the mind
this
acquires
up
is
in the
not
lost; the
mind
memory.
132
retains
and
stores
it
Different
Take an
down in the courtroof.

What will you
illustration: standing
you wish to get on the

do? You have to find the stair-case and, climbing
the steps one after the other, you reach the roof.
yard,
you are thrown through the air right up

the house-top, that certainly would mean a great
Instead, if
to
deal of discomfort and danger.
You
can avoid
hurt or injury only by following the gradual pro-
So
cess.
untoward
is it
To
with the world within.
circumstances in your
avoid
march toward
all
spirit-
ual realisation, you must follow the gradual path

that is marked out for us by the seers of the past.
These
forms of worship constitute that

Waytfe and means, rules and regulations
path.
these exist in the physical world as well as in that
different
of the mind.
The same law
DEVOTEE
known
shall
to
do
me,
If
rules both.
thought,
distracting
persists in rising in the
then, Revered Sir ?
THE SWAMI
"This
mind, what
How shall
thought
is
well-
check
it ?
immensely
harmful to me;
it
worst enemy"
impress this idea on your mind by
can bring about
133
my
ruin;
it is
my
Sptfitual Teachings
Once you can stamp this impresrepeated effort.

sion upon the mind, you will find the distracting
thought vanishing in no time.
this
boy
he?
who
is
sitting here.
do not know him.
he
is
for
some
worthless"
become
if
tion,
mind
Because
that idea.
little child:
thinking thus
in
it
same thing
he has
it
you
have
impressed
Take one more
does not
know
illustra-
the results of
you give it a little poison it will

will not be afraid.
But if that very
If
taking poison.
not care;
you persist
for nothing;
he will be of no importance
Your mind will no longer turn toward
And why?
upon
good
for you
so;
the
is
time, before long you will find that
whatsoever.
him.
He
Take, for example,

"This boy who is
given to you, you will

It is because you
to a safe distance.
is
start
and
know
recoil
the effect
of poison. So we see the mind is a strange thing;

whatever you hold before it, it will learn.
One
you:
thing,
first
realise it
is
and a very serious thing,
must
tell
choose your ideal and then struggle to
The
ideal
the highest ideal
must never be lowered.
God who
134
is
God
smaller than an
Different
atom and bigger than the

shines
forth
everywhere,
beings, in you
and
in
solar system;
at all times
me;
is
and
He
is
the
same
that pervades the entire universe.
superior to
Make Him
Him.
in
all
differing only in mani-
festation, greater or smaller.
Atman
He who
your ideal,
as the
Nothing
Him and
Him
alone.
Try a little, and you will realise what
an inexhaustible fount of joy He is. The world
you have had enough experience of it! Now try

seek God.
the other side
The veil of Maya,
ignorance,
vision of
cross
before
hangs
God;
tear
off
it
Maya's bounds
is
you,
and
lo,
obstructing
He
is
there!
your
To
indeed a hard task, but not
an impossibility. Men have crossed before you and

you can also cross. Strive on, success is at hand;
''Knock and
it
shall
be opened unto you."
The
world will stand transformed to these very eyes of

yours.
DEVOTEE
Regarding the Scriptures, what attitude should we maintain? Should we put faith in
their authority?
THE SWAMI
Certainly!
135
All these Scriptural
Spiritual Teachings
For the good and guidance

injunctions are true.
of mankind through the ages, these have been for-
men
mulated by
of the past and handed
down from
generation to generation, from father to son, up to
You must
the present day.
Another thing:
must never give
very existence
lead
obey them.
as regards
Karma (work), you
up wholly. Without it your

would be impossible. It can also
it
Man
God-realisation.
you, in the end, to
does not know when Karma began, but he knows

where it ends. Verily, with God-realisation all the
shackles
of
Karma
fall off; then,
no more work
But until that
remains to be done.
state is reach-
Karma and you

By doing your Karma for the sake
ed you are within the bounds of
have to work.
of
Karma you
will attain to the greatest
DEVOTEE And
take, Sir?
what
Are there any
THE SWAMI A
sort of
Good.
food are
very difficult question!
Men
constitution that
hardly possible to lay
any hard and
is
fast rule
to
rules about diet?
very hard to answer.

it
we
differ so
about food.
136
It
is
widely in their
One
down
thing
may
Different
be suitable to your constitution, but the same may

not suit mine. Our Scriptures therefore have not
much stress on this point.

come across certain passages
laid
about food;
crimination
classification.
Roughly
to
referring
that
speaking,
own food
Gita
the
it
we
dis-
is
general
can be said
One should
be avoided.
that rich dishes should
choose one's
but
In
according to one's power of
assimilation.
DEVOTEE
does
it
Mahara
not involve
THE SWAMI
injury)
is
the
non- vegetarian
j ,
sin,
No.
greatest
diet,
the sin of killing animals?
They
virtue,
say
Ahimsa
(non-
when?
Only
but
Samadhi, when the supreme knowledge has

been attained, when God has been realised in all
after
Then only can

Before that, no amount of
creatures.
comes
when you
realise
there be true Ahimsa.

talk can
that
make
the
you as well as in the little

no difference exists. Before that it
resides in
You
may
What
137
so.
It
same Atman
ant,
is
speak of Ahimsa, but truly
can you avoid Himsa?
it
and that
impossible.
speaking,
food do you take?
Spiritual Teachings
Potato?
forth
shoots
It
young
sprouts
when
is the potato lifeplanted; these bring a new crop;

Sow the paddy grain; it grows into a plant;
less?
and
this again bears
new paddy.
Is
the paddy then
lifeless ?
Examine a drop of water under a microscope and

you will find millions of little lives; and you drink
it!
to live is to take breath.
Again,
every
breath you
Take the
kill
case of those
millions of
Now,
little
who make much
with
creatures.
of this vege-
What food do they prescribe? Milk

and Ghee? Now, how do you get milk? By
table diet.
depriving a poor creature, the tiny calf, of
mate food.
that
is
lies in
no
is
a bit of fish or meat!
cannot stand.
ideas.
an extremely cruel act. But

common parlance, and all the sin
That
sin, in
It is
its legiti-
The
old
Such flimsy arguments
Hindus never had such
a later Vaishnavite interpolation.
138
XXII
SAMADHI
THE SWAMI
Savikalpa
Samadhi
state
(ecstatic
mainly of two kinds,

of dual consciousness)
is
and
conNirvikalpa (undifferentiated state of

In
a
man
the
Samadhi
sciousness).
Nirvikalpa
loses all knowledge of name and form, and the
whole
world vanishes into nothingness.
In
the
Cossipore Garden, Swamiji (Swami Vivekananda)

few
attained
the Nirvikalpa Samadhi, but
very
knew of
There
it,
is
for he seldom spoke of his experiences.

yet
Ananda Samadhi.
In
ecstatic joy that the
as
Samadhi
kind of
another
this the
body can
mind
called
such
tastes
scarcely hold
a consequence the Brahma-Randhra
it
(the gate
of the body in the top of the head) gives way.

this blissful state of consciousness, the body
three weeks at best,
Men
visualise
and
In
lasts
and no longer.
God
Rajasic and Tamasic,
in
different
according
139
to
forms, Sattwic,
the
predomi-
Spiritual Teachings
nance of one or other of these three
What
qualities.
a pity that instead of trading in this price-
people bargain for paltry worldly

must cultivate the habit of remem-
less merchandise,
things!
bering
Men
and thinking on God
have only
God
to call their
for
constantly,
own and
they
they have to
realise this truth in this life.
The
is
natural bent of the ordinary
towards
human mind
enjoyment, but that must be
changed
and the mind given an upward turn. Sri Ramakrishna's mind ever soared in the region of Bliss
Supreme; especially during His Sadhana under the

Panchavati
(at Dakshineswar)
it
reached
high pitch that time passed unnoticed.

lost all appetite for food and drink.
such
He
totally
But,
since
His body had to be preserved, the man who waited

upon the Master would thrust a morsel of rice into
His mouth whenever
from the exalted

remained.
He
state
In
seemed
of
bliss
to
in
come down
which
He
the
way,
during
whole day and night, the Master was made to
swallow some seven or eight morsels of rice at most.
usually
this
140
Samadhi
Much
mark
later
that
when we met Him, even then we could

He had to bring His mind down to the
physical plane by force.
One day
length about the Shabda
spoke at
the subject of
and
my
lo!
words revealed
Brahman
(the
sound). This was

noontide meditation in the Pan-
Brahman
manifestation of
chavati,
of His teaching the Master
in the course
suddenly
to
me:
as
had the truth of His
heard the birds on the
around sing the Divine Vedic lore.

On one occasion Sri Ramakrishna
trees
day as
vision
said:
"One
was meditating in the Kali Temple, in a

saw the screens of Maya (ignorance)
one
disappear
after
from
other
the
my
sight.
Another day, Mother held before my eyes a flood

of light surpassing in effulgence and splendour a
million suns, and out of that luminous mass
form,
purely
of the
nature
of
saw
consciousness,
emerge slowly, only to melt away into the light the

next moment/* The formless assumed form, and
the form lost
One day
itself in
the formless!
entering the Kali Temple, K. began to
141
Spiritual Teachings
admonish the Mother
his chest
in a violent tone:
became red and
tears trickled
in great anger.
Sri
down from
his eyes
Ramakrishna who had
all this
time been inside the Temple, perceiving his tone,

came out and said: "True, temper can be shown
to
our near and dear ones; but yours
is
very
(Virabhava or the attitude of a

Mine is Matribhava (the
consort).
attitude
difficult
lord to his
attitude of a son to his
The human body
is
mother)
."
the greatest temple of God.
reason the Scriptures enjoin that medita-
For
this
tion
and worship should be performed
In this body
is
in the body.
the Sahasrara (the thousand-petal-
led lotus in the head,
i.e.,
the upper brain)
from
where the mind does not ordinarily come down,

once
it
ascends there.
Scriptures
say:
Vamana,
rebirth
in this very
and
It is
''When
is
at
for this reason that the
in the
Ratha
Him
is
seen
the
an end"; which means that
God (Vamana)
man escapes the
body (Ratha) resides
realising
if
therein,
repeated cycles of birth and death.
In this body
Ramaprasad saw the Lord, the Father and Mother

142
Samadhi
of
body,
he sang, "Thou abidest

Mother, and herein do I see Thee."
and
all,
Oh
There
is
instantly
in this
a third eye, the eye of knowledge, in
body on the forehead between the eye-brows.

When it opens, one sees, as Sri Ramakrishna has
this
said,
and happy around him.

true of the Macrocosm is true of the
everything
What
is
blissful
Microcosm.
How
wonderful
Verily, if a
taste
man
it
is
God is so near us!

realise Him and have a
that
can once
of Bliss Divine, he will forthwith lose
taste for everything else.
The
all
temples, cars and
chariots used in external worship are but symbols
of the greatest temple of God, the
143
human
body,
XXIII
POWER OF MIND
THE SWAMI A
seven
within
gates.
poor man
Minister
granted.
The
Minister leads
the
royal presence.
to
gates
royal
man
asks his guide
they
enter
and
interview
officer richly dressed
in
lives
King
his
begs
his prayer
him
Now,
and stationed
palace
of the
is
through
the
finding
an
at each gate the
he (the officer) is the King;

but every time the answer is in the negative. When
the
exquisite beauty
man
at
like
the
if
seventh gate, at the
sight
and grandeur of the
real
of
the
King the
once recognises him as such and asks the

Such is the case with the Guru:
minister no more.
Minister,
the
through different stages
Guru
till
leads
the
disciple
he leaves him with the
Lord.
No Guru
will see
is
own mind. You

made steady through
greater than your
when your mind
is
Power of Mind
from within what you
have to do and which way to follow. Even in your
daily duties it will show what is to be done first
meditation,
and what
Goal
is
it
will
next.
dictate
Thus
it
will lead
you on
till
the
reached.
You
can develop your mind and make it steady

in either of two ways,
by retiring to a solitary
retreat
ble to
and making the mind absolutely unsusceptiany change through concentration and medita-
good thoughts and

developing love and attachment toward God. The
mind is just like a milch cow which gives a larger
tion or by continually thinking
supply
when
and you
fed well.
will find
it
Give the mind more food

better
giving you
service
in
return.
And what
mind?
Meditation and concentration, prayer and
worship, and
There
is
all
constitutes
the
food
of
the
such practices.
a class of Sadhakas
who
mind and keep a strong watch over

The mind, after roaming here and
finds lasting peace, consequently
145
it
let
its
loose their
movements.
there,
nowhere
turns back to
Spiritual Teachings
God and
takes refuge in
The
Him.
look after the mind, the mind

This being the case,
it
fact
is,
if
you
will look after you.
behoves you to keep a vigilant
eye on the movements of the mind and analyse them
with the utmost care and scrutiny.

analysis
no place
is
solitary retirement.
Rishis
of
old
retreats or the
It is
suitable than a place of
for this purpose that the

selected
the
to
The mind has
to
be purged of
it
will not be able to
must be made transparent or it

catch the reflection of God. True
renunciation consists in giving
mind
is
attachment
all
up
for worldly objects to which the
the
mental
bank of the Ganges
attachment;
When
this
Himalayan
carry on their
always
Spiritual practices.
all
more
For
mind
once freed from
is
bound.
this shackle
will not be affected in the least, even
though
it
it is
placed in the midst of numberless objects of sense.

Hence the value of struggle.
man who has no
struggle in his life
But he
is lifeless.
faces any obstacle that
comes
in his
who
way
bravely
will have
the reward of everlasting peace.
The most favourable time

146
for meditation
is
the
Power of Mind
when the day closes and

night commences, and when the night closes and
day breaks. At these hours Nature is calm and at
time of Samyama, the hour
This
rest.
is
the reason
why
early rising forms an,
essential factor in the religious life of a

this
time the Sushumna
Nodi
At
man.
(the central nerve
within the spinal cord) sets to work and as a result

the usual
the breath passes through both nostrils,
course which
is
generally through one only, either
the Ida or the Pin gala disturbing the mind. Certain
Yogins always watch for the time when the Sushumna starts to function and when it is actually at
work,
at
once they will
for meditation, leaving
sit
may be engaged in.

Man wants peace; but how can he realise it unless he can establish a close intimacy with God and
aside whatever they
make Him
his
own; unless
in the
can hold intercourse with Him,
Him and
just
as
friends
behave with
Him
he does with
his near
and
on
relatives
mental world he
feed Him, dress
sweetly and cordially
and dear ones, his
this physical
course
acquire this mental attitude the easiest
147
To
plane?
is
to
Spiritual Teachings
think constantly on
of
Sadhanas.
all
He
infinite
is
self
in
Him?
the
Him;
it is
Mysterious
and
form.
the
Bhusandi,
is
He
finite.
human
therefore the simplest
the
also
Who
Crow,
way of God.
incarnates Himunderstand
can
Rama-
took
at first
chandra for an ordinary being; but unable to procure any shelter in the three worlds heaven, earth,
when chased by
or the nether world
Hand
of Rama, at
incarnate and
last
prayed to
the unseen
he recognised Him as God

Him. Many and varied are
the paths through which
God
leads
man; and
body knows through which path he
will
no-
be led.
sometimes leads him through a thorny path and

other times through a soft, rosy one. The one
God
at
course open to
wholly
The
at
man
His Feet.
body,
therefore
This
is
mind and the
is
to resign himself
the only
way
senses all
out.
become low
and benumbed through the debasing influence of

Maya.
says
weeps
"Ensnared in the trap of the

Sri
and laments/*
man who
has
first
Brahman
"the
Ramakrishna,
Such
realised
five elements,"
is
Maya!
Himself
But to a
God, who has transcended
148
Power of Mind
once for
Her deluding charms and
all
attractions,
a thousand worlds cannot do the least harm.
man
beyond the bounds of Maya, and to such a
is
one alone are revealed Her
mysteries.
Under the delusion of

cannot
comprehend
troublesome
The body
it is
is
to be
how
terribly
decaying day by day;
birth.
Maya,
man
painful
and
this divine
born and to
ful of the sacred mission for
human
Such
live in this world.

still
he
is
forget-
which he has taken
this
In spite of the troubles and tribula-
tions of life here
on
this earth,
human
birth has a
unique advantage. It is only in this birth that a

being can realise God. Therefore without paying
heed to the ease and comforts of this frail form, a
man
should do here such meritorious works as will
produce lasting
effect hereafter
and thus terminate
the repeated cycles of birth and death.
Indeed, for
the sake of mental peace one has to invoke peacelessness.
Such
is
the teaching of the wise.
149
XXIV
WORSHIP OF GOD
ADMONITIONS TO A DISCIPLE
i
THE SWAMI
many
Pilgrimages
The
ways.
chief advantage
enabled to meet holy
God.
and there
No
in
we
are
that
is
Another
serve them.
worldly
is
beneficial
tend
to
remembrance
of
thoughts
constant
doubt these will aid us in our spiritual
We
progress.
men and
that
is
advantage
decrease
are
will gain
much
spiritual
knowledge
also.
Kashi
(Benares)
Sadhus (holy men)
is
a very sacred
live there.
place.
Many
Thus we get the
spiritual
opportunity to be in their company.
current is always flowing in Kashi.
Householders
have many
there.
It
facilities for
would be good
the
if
worship of the Lord
you could stay there for
a time.
Vrindavan
is
another sacred place.
150
There are
Worship of God
many Sadhus
there immersed in the contemplation
of the Lord day and night.
Work
see those places.
You ought
to
go and
But
you will have always.
in spite of this, find time to visit these places at least
once.
So far as work
concerned, there
is
some
is
work
which will lead you
Godward.
Unselfish
belongs to this
But
work
will never
Know
that your
class.
selfish
help you in your spiritual path.

wife, children and all which you
belong
to the Lord.
If
everything will go on
you have
all right for
now
call
yours
this firm belief,
you.
The
con-
trary belief will bring about a contrary result.

ii
Repetition of the holy
good.
The mind
will
While repeating the
Name
of the Lord
is
very
become
Name
pure through it.

of the Lord you should
keep remembrance of the Lord in your mind. Such

repetition and remembrance will do much good.
Mere repetition without the remembrance of the
Lord will not be of much

this is easy.
initiation
To do
it
use.
do not say
that
one must have Upadesb, or
by the Guru.
151
Spiritual Teachings
The Guru
will
determine
Ishta-Devata
your
(form of Ideal) and other things necessary for your

spiritual progress.
According to the difference in
the nature of each individual, there are
Devatas.
One
cannot
suit
Until
all.
Ishta-
many
spiritual
knowledge dawns upon you, you have to follow the

directions of your Guru.
The more you work, the
purer you become.
To
very
practise without the aid of the
difficult.
strength of
is
always
few rare souls of exceptional
mind might be able
any such external help.
Yet
it
under the guidance of a Guru.

possibility of
Guru
to realise without
is
better to
Then
there
your committing any mistake.
work
is
no
Still
you should not remain idle because you have not

got a Guru. Begin at once and the Guru will come
in proper time.
The Guru must
select the Shishya (disciple)
the Shishya must choose the Guru.
one alone
selects,
it is
not so good.
and
Otherwise
if
Only a perfect
(Siddha-Guru) can really help the disciple.

Such a Guru alone can give initiation according to
soul
152
Worship of God
An
the differences in the nature of the disciples.
ordinary
Guru can do no such
thing.
This
latter is
ready to give Upadesh to anyone at any time.

the proper time comes, God will send you
Guru.
Until you get such a Guru, your duty
worship of the Lord.

spent in
If
not, your days
Hence have
vain.
regular
When
your
is
the
\vili
be
meditation,
Japam, and Bhajanam (singing the praises of the

Lord) every day.
iii
As you proceed with meditation you will

you are getting more and more realisation.
is
no use
in merely
reading the Shastras
see that
There
(Sacred
and discussing about them. By medithe mind will become pure, and when the
Scriptures)
tation,
mind becomes
pure, realisation of
matter of course.
worldly matters.
out of
this.
But
Ordinarily,
No
if
we
God
follows as a
hold our mind on
result
worth the name comes
fix
your mind in the pure
you
thought of God, you will feel a taste of real bliss.

All your energy is spent in worldly things. Exert
You should
yourself a little in the worship of God.
153
Spiritual Teachings
Begin at once the

Our span of life is very
not spend your life thus in vain.
worship of the Lord.

short.
The most important duty for us in this
short life is the worship of God.
If we waste our
time,
we
may be engaged
is
Whatever work you

think of the Lord always.
It
can never regain
not enough
if
in,
it.
you merely
sit
in a corner for a
short time at a certain period of the day and shut
your eyes; for then you will see the whole world
coming before your mind's eye.

It is best to start from Dualism.
If
you proceed
you will find that you are

To see God outside
naturally led to Non-dualism.
of ourselves is a right path.
Afterwards you will
a
little
be able
along
this path,
to see
God
within yourself.
highest form of meditation.
ing?
alone.
sation.
not
Until you get the taste of
practise meditation.
sary.
Is
This
God
all-pervad-
you should
Until then, Dualism is necesbliss,
In the state of Samadhi, you will see
None
the
is
can describe the nature of
self-reali-
So long as you have the thought of
you, sin will not affect you.
154
God
God
in
XXV
FRAGMENTS OF CONVERSATIONS
i
DEVOTEE
me
Maharaj, the other day you told

that the mind can be made steady in two ways.
Now, which
of these two
THE SWAMI
feet of your
Hold
the
to follow ?
mind
fast to the sacred
Ishtam (Chosen Deity)
DEVOTEE Where
blessed
am
form of
meditate upon the
Ishtam ?
my
THE SWAMI
DEVOTEE In
shall
In the heart.
And how,
vener-
Consider your Deity as

in
are
while
meditation.
you
you
facing
the
heart!
able Sir?
THE SWAMI
DEVOTEE
blood;
Is
He
blobd ?
how
But
can a
in the heart there are flesh
man
residing in these things

Shall
and
think of his Ishtam there?
think on
Him
155
flesh,
bones
in this wise ?
and
Spiritual Teachings
THE SWAMI
and bones
No, do not think of the flesh

Your Ishtam is residing right in
at all.
the core of the heart itself; develop this idea and
sciousness of
but
the beginning, of
In
meditate.
body will sometimes
afterwards
totally;
will
it
only the
not.
the
course,
rise in
You
con-
your mind >
will forget
image of the Ishtam
will
it
then
reign supreme in your mind.
DEVOTEE
as
find
other
Him
Shall
think on
my
Ishtam exactly
and images?
in pictures
Or
in
any
way?
THE SWAMI
living
Not
exactly;
in
form,
but
and luminous.
ii
DEVOTEE
In the Scriptures
have read and
formed, at
from many that ]apam should be perthe same time meditating on the mean-
ing of the
Mantram (holy Name).
also heard
think on this meaning?
Mantram
as a
man
Letter by letter, or
to
on the
whole?
THE SWAMI
ing a
Now, how
Not
It is just like
so.
by his name.
The moment
156
address-
address
Fragments of Conversations
you by your name, your form also flashes into my
mind. Similar is the Mantram and the form that
is
bom
out of
it.
DEVOTEE How
shall
]apam?
perform
Mentally or muttering low?
THE SWAMI When

then do
retreat,
it
you are alone
manner
in a
as
in a solitary
may be
audible
you only. If there is anybody nearby, it must

be done silently; but the lips must move in either
to
case.
iii
DEVOTEE
I
tation,
For the
clearly
forth in letters,
Then
eyes.
few days
last
the
perceive
in
my
Mantram shining
and effulgent before
bright
of
my
Shall
do, Sir?
Ishtam
Mantram from
my
do not see my Ishtam, the Mantram
alone forming the sole object of perception.

shall
medi-
the
THE SWAMI
cious sign indeed.
alone,
try to think
after
on the image
driving
away the
Or what?
mind?
That
What
is
very
good,
Yes, surely that
both have to be thought on.

157
is
an auspigood. But
The Mantram
is
no
Spiritual Teachings
other
than
the
Brahman
Himself
manifested
through name. Hence you should not drive it out

of the mind. Think on the Mantram and also the
holy form represented by
Think on both.
it.
It
better not to banish either.
is
DEVOTEE
figure of
my
Well,
Sir,
Ishtam shall
which part of the blessed

I think on first,
the face
or any other part?
THE SWAMI Why,
begin from His lotus feet
offering unto
them your
then face, hands or feet
whatever
after
first
salutations;
rises
DEVOTEE Why is the Mantram so

THE SWAMI True, the Mantram
and
before you.
very long?
sometimes
But long or short, it possesses a

special power; and if you perform Japam constant-
becomes long.
ly,
you will know the truth of
DEVOTEE Many
time of Japam and
touches the rosary,
you,
Sir,
it
in
no
time.
are of opinion that if at the
meditation
it
the
fourth
constitutes a sin;
may
finger
I
ask
why?
THE SWAMI Do
fourth finger?
you perform Japam with the
All right, do as you
158
like.
If
you
perform Japam with the fourth
like to
can do
you
to
without any hesitation.
it
finger,
you
will not bind
It
any sin whatsoever.

iv
DEVOTEE How shall I steady the mind,

THE SWAMI By regular daily practice
And
can make the mind firm and steady.
Sir?
you
for this
morning is the best time. Before

meditation reading from any of the holy Scriptures
early
practice
make
will
concentration
tation half an
hour's silent
it
you
divert
affairs,
may come
it
attention
your
will not
general, but also
mind toward
it
only
mind; and
and
little
necessary;
for
There-
later.
abruptly
do you great
will deter the
secular
to
harm
in
growth of your
spiritual realisation in particular.
Japam and meditation,

first
is
said that if immediately after meditation
fore
is
it
rest
medi-
you may not derive the
at the time of meditation
desired effect;
After
easier.
their
these are the food of the
practice
is
what
foremost necessity of
constitutes
man.
If,
beginning, you are not able to carry on your
159
in
the
the
Japam
Spiritual Teachings
and meditation
must
not
in
give
the right way, even
up the
practice
then you
altogether.
By
you can gain a good deal. Daily

two hours' ]apam and meditation and then half-
practice
alone
an-hour's
Solitary
rest
is
what
retirement
is
is
required
also
of everybody.
a great help
to
the
Simply by sitting silently in

the secluded nook of a garden or on the solitary
spiritual
aspirant.
bank of a
open
field,
river, or
or shut
can profit much.
on the lonely
outskirt of a vast,
up within your own closet, you

You must make up a routine
you commence your spiritual practices.

And you must not take upon yourself any work
which may stand in the way of following the
before
routine.
DEVOTEE
If
at
the time of meditation any
form of any god or goddess other than that of my

Ishtam appears to my mind, what should I do
then, Sir?
THE SWAMI Know

sign.
Your
it
to
Ishtam Himself
160
be a very auspicious
may appear
to
you
in
He
various
forms.
He
many.
is
one,
and
at
the same
Enjoy the holy sight o your

Ishtam and welcome that one which comes in His
time
is
end you will find these different

forms merging one by one into the sacred body of
In
stead.
the
own Ishtam.
You must lay much
your
tation,
especially
Ashtami
tit his
on ]apam and medion the Amavasya, Purnima and

stress
(the last day of the dark fortnight,
moon day and
day of either
fortnight of the month), and also on thê occasions
of the worship of Mother Kali (Shyama) Jagadthe full
the
eighth
dhatri
and Durga.
women
as
You must
your mother.
And
also look
upon
instead of
all
giving
any positive word to anybody simply say, "I shall

try"; for you may not be able to keep to your
promise.
DEVOTEE
on the same
is it
not a most unfortunate thing for me,
renouncing
a
Maharaj, you are always insisting

theme, "Serve your father'*. But
monk and
all, I
Sir,
that
have not yet been able to become
serve you ?
161
Spiritual Teachings
THE SWAMI
The only
thing
You
Monk!
is
are already that.
you have not taken the
that
Gerua (the ochre-coloured dress of a monk).

my son, Gerua alone cannot make you a monk.
DEVOTEE
Is
it
not a great privilege
But,
to
be
Holy Order (Sri Ramakrishna

Order) and become Sannyasin and serve you ?
able
to
join
the
THE SWAMI
your sick
same
Indeed
my
father,
yourself
but
is;
by
boy, you will attain
result, the greatest
entangle
it
good.
furthermore
And
to
the
you do not
if
by
serving
marriage
or
otherwise, you have nothing to fear in this world.

I
ask you again,
to your
father's
my
child, devote yourself
service
and also
to
Japam and
meditation and the study of sacred books.
162
wholly
XXVI
GOD-MINDFULNESS
DISCIPLE
Work,
have
Maharaj, while engaged in Relief

have to labour very hard all day long; I
no opportunity to
I find no time at
practices:
little
spiritual
or
feel inclined to
all;
so
on
I
my
do not
do such work.
THE SWAMI
all
carry
But have you to work like that
through?
DISCIPLE
No,
THE SWAMI
you
find
who
is
Sir,
for the
first
few days
Then why do you complain
no time?
It is
the
only.
that
ordinary worldling
often heard to grumble in this strain, that

secular duties stand in the way of spiritual prac-
Such flimsy argument, my boy, does not

You have the power of
befit you, a Sadhu.
Brahmacharya (absolute continence) in you; you
must carry on both spiritual practices and
tices.
mundane
duties simultaneously.
163
My
idea
is
that
Spiritual Teachings
you do not possess any strong desire

you only
spiritual exercises;
like to pass
your time
merriment; your plea of want

nothing but a lame excuse. In Relief
in vain works,
of time
at heart for
is
operations the
and
in
few days may be a very busy
first
time for you and
fully appreciate that; but this
What
state of things does not continue for long.
do you do then? Why do you not carry on your

Sadhana at that time? Do you not feel ashamed
to
complain in
this
Those who are

their
perform
only
do
they
wherever
the
wise?
really inclined
practices
it
more
under
circumstances:
all
intensely
whenever
favourable.
is
opportunity
toward Sadhana
and
Those
who
always complain of inconveniences of time and

place never make any progress in their life; they
wander
about
like
vagabonds
and
spend
soiil
in
their
precious time in vain.
Engage
yourself heart
and
Sadhana.
Plunge into your spiritual practices. Oh, the joy

of it! If you once have a taste of that joy, all else
will lose
its
savour for you.
164
Then, wherever and
God-Mindfulness
in whatever circumstances
you will not
Providence,
you may be placed by

relish
anything
except
Sadhana.
True, in the very beginning you cannot
have that
joy; but believing in the
Guru,
if
joy of
it
persist in
you
will descend
words of your
Sadhana for some time, the
upon you unsought.
In performing ]apam and meditation, time and

other conditions are indeed necessary, but Smaran
and Manan
plation
of
remembrance and contem-
(constant
God)
work
Whether
at
cultivate
this
wait
no such
for
conditions.
or idle, whether dining or sitting

can
alone, you
always practise these. You must
adept in
it,
habit;
know
and
that
when you become an

you have made a fair
advance in mind toward God. According to Sri

Ramanuja such an uninterrupted flow of thought
is
called
I
Dhyana (meditation)
wonder why you are so much
(Pointing to
Swami
P.)
They
afraid of work.
are all saintly
men;
you must do whatever they ask you to do. This

will surely bring you good.
But if you disobey,
you
will never
make any
165
spiritual
advancement.
Spiritual Teachings
Therefore
implicitly.
beg
This
What
give you.
you,
is
my
boy,
to
them
obey
the sincerest advice that
work we had
a huge lot of
to
can
do
under the Divine dispensation! Even as Sadhus

we had to be involved in litigations and frequently
visit
offices,
lawyers'
With
all that
we
seeking their
legal
advice.
cannot say that any evil result has
come from our work;

was His.
for
we knew
that all
work
*
THE SWAMI
(Seeing a small broken bottle)

That bottle has been broken. This shows a bad
habit of mind.
You work
with an unsettled mind.
you think of a hundred other things while

engaged in work. But secular or sacred, nothing
I
fear
can
great
Whether
it
be
achieved
an unsteady mind.
with
humble one,
must be done with the utmost care and attenit is
Let
tion.
secular
me
work
a lofty undertaking or a
tell
you, those
are
also
who
steady
in
are
their
steady
in
spiritual
exercises.
If
you desire to do work in the right manner, you

166
God-Mindfulness
must hold these two great principles in view. In

the first place you must possess a profound regard
work undertaken, and secondly you must

be quite indifferent to the fruits thereof. Then
for
the
alone can you do work in the proper way.
work
avert all disinclination for

sider
And you
the secret of Karma-Yoga.
called
it
God.
as belonging to
if
It is
is
can
you only con-
when you
you become disturbed
this secret that
This
in
forget
mind; with
a disturbed mind, you will not succeed either in
advancing spiritually or in secular work.
Under
the impulse of
name and fame,
it is
indeed
do a magnificent work, but through such

work you cannot appraise the value of a man as he
easier to
really
In order to do so, you have to examine
is.
his daily actions; for
man which
(selfless
is
the ordinary actions of
reveal the real
actions alone can
developed
it
his
man.
Through such
you know how far the
character.
true
man
has
Karma-Yogin
and soul in
worker) will lose himself heart
any undertaking, even though it is of a most inferior kind.

He is never actuated by the least desire
167
Spiritual Teachings
of winning cheap popular applause.
Who
own
choice?
the difference between a
Karma-
cannot do a work
Where
then
lies
if it is his
Yogin and an ordinary layman?

must welcome any work that may
Karma-Yogin
fall to his
share
and gradually adjust himself to all requirements.

Simply carrying on some work is not sufficient; it
must be done
disinterestedly
in the holy
Name
of
Karma-Yogin must keep three-fourths

of his mind fixed on God, and with the remaining
one-fourth he should do whatever he has to do.
the Lord.
Follow
this rule,
then alone can you do your work
manner; your mind too will become expanded and you will feel great joy in you. But on
in proper
the other hand,
if
you work forgetting God, egotism
and pride will easily get the better of you and

quarrels and dissensions will ensue, disturbing the
equanimity of your mind.
Therefore
tell
whether at work or not, never forget God.

maintain
Sadhana
this
attitude,
you
(spiritual practices)
168
must
by
all
stick
means.
to
you,
To
your
XXVII
ATTACHMENT FOR GOD

DISCIPLE
Sir,
is
THE SWAMI
Sri
Ramakrishna
still
Have you gone mad?
living?
If
He
why should we then lead such a life,

up our home and all? He is. Only pour
does not
live,
giving
out your whole heart in prayer to Him, and He will
stand revealed in His glory to you and will remove
all
the doubts and confusions
that
are
troubling
you constantly.
DISCIPLE
Him now?
when He is pleased
Maharaj, do you see
THE SWAMI
Yes, but only

to reveal Himself to us; then alone can
Everyone
alas!
who
yearning
we
see
Him.
Him
through His grace. But

longs to see Him? How few have that
can see
DISCIPLE
Venerable
Sir,
please
tell
us some-
thing about the Master.
THE SWAMI
boy; and very
His
little
of
is
it
a never-ending story,
do we know!
169
You
my
will
Spiritual Teachings
know Him only when He will be pleased to make

you know Him. Bear this in mind; without the
of
concentration
mental and
my
spiritual
God
possible.
the
threefold
religious
realisation
is
power,
bodily,
unfoldment
not so
easy
is
not
task,
son!
DISCIPLE
tion,
find
universe;
it
when
Maharaj,
for
sit
medita-
my mind
roaming about the whole

thinks on no end of things. How to
stop this restlessness of the mind, Sir ?
THE SWAMI
In
the
this
beginning
always
happens, but you must try diligently to check the
mad outward
course of your mind.
ceed in the following manner:
never
meditation immediately after sitting
Asanam
the
it
(holy seat).
mind back from
up
By
its
You
can suc-
begin your
down on your
discrimination
first
draw
external pursuits and lock
within, at the sacred feet of your Ishtam; then
begin Japam and meditation. If you follow this

course for some time, the mind will naturally cease
to wander.
The
easiest
way
in this
Katt-Yuga (Iron Age)

170
is
Attachment for
path of ]apam.
Japam the mind can
the
steady,
and
finally
it
By
God, but very
constantly
it
performing
made calm
and
will lose itself in the Ishtam.

all similar
difficult to
ask you to perform Japam
with
be
easily
The path of Yoga and

to
God
paths are paths
follow.
frequently,
think on the Ishtam;
in
Therefore
and along
doing
this
you
perform both Japam and meditation simultaneousThis dual method brings success sooner.
ly.
Always perform your Sadhana with unswerving

steadfastness and do not let a single day pass by
Whether you wish or not, sit down on

your Asanam at the appointed hour every day. If
you can carry on your practices for three years with
without
it.
such unerring regularity,
attachment for
feel
God
will
yourself nearer to
assure you that love
and
grow in you and you will

Him. Then you will be
upon Him and Him

not be able to turn your mind in
prompted from within

alone; you will
to call
any other direction. It is at this stage that the

joy of Sadhana is felt by an aspirant in his heart.
Without intense love and attachment for God,

171
it
Spiritual Teachings
is
very difficult for a beginner to perform Sadhana
in the right way, even after retiring into solitude.
always a possibility of serious

Therefore, two of a similar type
Being alone, there

consequences.
is
and temperament should live together; in that case

mutual help and guidance may be rendered, should
any
crisis befall
one or the other
on the other hand,
if
the
number
gossip and confusion enter

to
injurious
worldly
spiritual
mind
lose
tions,
but
its
not
more
than indulgence in
idle talk not only does the
made
to forget
supreme Ideal of human life.

While carrying on spiritual
must
is
higher tendencies and nobler aspirais
it
is
any time. But,

more than two,
and nothing
practice
By such
talk.
in,
at
God, who
is
the
an aspirant
Chatrams (Rest-
exercises,
beg his food from
houses for pilgrims) ; for these are maintained in

greater part with the funds of Shraddha (funeral
ceremony) given by worldly people with the purpose of serving the holy. A hundred other desires
also
prompt the minds of the people before
subscri-
bing their share to these charitable food-supplying

172
Attachment j or
For
agencies.
them
is
all
not pure.
these reasons, a meal supplied by
on Madhukan (holy
very good; it is pure and un-
But to
live
begging of food) is
contaminated by any unholy
At
God
desire.
down
With a
the time of Sadhana, you must also cut
minimum;
the quantity of your food to a
loaded stomach Japam and meditation are not possible because the greater part of your energy will be
squandered in digesting the food, and the mind will

remain perturbed. That is why moderation in
food and recreation, in everything, has
habits, in
been so strongly enjoined in the Srimad-BhagavadGita.

"Yoga is not for him," the Lord says, "who
eats too
who
much
sleeps too
Again,
must
if
settle
or too
much
or too
him
spiritual realisation
you
little."
you really want
down
Arjuna, for
nor,
little;
in a particular place
and carry on
your Sadhana uninterruptedly for a length of time.
By wandering about you

tangible or permanent.
will never gain anything
This
am
telling
my own life. But I doubt

profit by my experience.
the pages of
prepared to
173
you from
if
you are
Spiritual Teachings
In
this sacred
monastery
Vivekananda) how
Sadhana! Food and
All
think about.
is
of
Swamiji
grand are the
facilities
clothes, nothing
ready at hand.
(Swami
for
have you to
Why
do you
not live here and apply yourself whole-heartedly to
of constant prayer and meditation? But who

will listen to us!
No good comes of 'Vagabondisa
life
ing/'
my
child.
you think that you can become a Mahatma or

a great saint by roaming about here and there for
If
some
time, let
me
tell
you, you are misguided.
cannot become a saint in that way.

ceasing
Without un-
you cannot have any religious

cannot be had simply by trickery. If
practice
experience;
you
You
it
sincerely cherish a longing for God-realisation,
you must plunge into Sadhana and be completely

lost in your practice.
Without sincere Sadhana
what good
from place
Cerua and
will
come out of your wandering about
to place,
living
though dressed in the sacred
on holy begging?
174
XXVIII
WHAT A SADHU SHOULD DO

DISCIPLE
Maharaj,
have
been trying in
senses under control but
various ways to bring my

all are of no avail; will you
succeed in
my
tell
me how
can
lust, I will
con-
attempt?
THE SWAMI
"I will
conquer
try in this
way, you will

if you can concentrate
will of themselves be
on
mind
senses
the
God,
your
curbed without much effort on your part. Sri
quer anger, greed" if you
never conquer them; but
Ramakrishna
used to say, the more you
proceed
eastwards, the further are you from the west; you

have not to spend any energy to accomplish this.
Take up
this
direct
method;
call
upon God and
pray to Him; then the senses will lose their venomous sting in no time.
The way in which you perform ]apam and mediWith such casual effort,
tation is most superficial.
by an hour's practice or two,

175
God
can never be
Spiritual Teachings
you can lose yourself day and

night in the contemplation of God, His Name and
glory, then alone will you be blessed with vision of
But
realised.
Him;
if
not.
That is the only way: be
Sadhana heart and soul; no more waste
otherwise
plunged
in
of time.
In the primary stage of your Sadhana you should
go on increasing your Japam and meditation slowly

and steadily, little by little. If today you spend
an hour, a few days after add a little more time;
again a few days
later,
devote
still
more, and so
way you should lengthen the time of

your spiritual practice, more and more every day.
on.
In this
But in momentary enthusiasm you must never

crease your
bounds.
If
in-
Japam and meditation by leaps and

you violate this law, I warn you, you
will suffer badly:' the
reaction
increase will be too severe for
consequently
you are
you
from the sudden

to bear
unmoved;
likely to
undergo terrible
Then you will have no more
for fapatri. and meditation.
It
is
an
depression of mind.
inclination
arduous task to
lift
up a depressed mind and turn

176
What a Sadhu Should Do

it
back to Sadhana once again.

In all spiritual realisation His grace
without
essential;
that
no
progress
is
Therefore, for His grace you must pray to
an
of
its
also
own;
it is
most
possible.
Him
Prayer has a wonderful
heart.
eager
is
with
efficacy
pleasing to God.
In the beginning of your Sadhana you must not

let yourself
For you,
be swayed by any desire for enjoyment.
now
is
the time for complete abstinence,
for controlling all desires.
of
By the grace
the
Lord when you are once well established in this

practice, then you will have no more fear of being
stained by desires, should they rise in your
mind
at
any time.
who have embraced the

giving up their home and all,
Again, those
monk
after
most unworthy
life
of a
for
them
be actuated by the desire to

For a monk such
exercise authority over others.
it is
a motive
is
bondage.
about
to
the root-cause of
Therefore
you
it
as
must
be
again
into
very careful
Whatever you may do or see,

belonging to God and upon your-
this pitfall.
look upon
falling
177
Spiritual Teachings
self as
Remember
an instrument in His hand.
the
words of the Gita, ''Being deluded by egotism, man

himself the doer/'
calls
Lying
is
yet another great sin.
man who
or a
frequents places of
trusted, but not the
of
all sins in this
You must
cise
them.
to one's
one who
lies.
Even a drunkard
ill
It is
fame can be
the blackest
world.
never find fault with others nor
Such a habit
own
good.
is
criti-
extremely detrimental
By thinking of
the evil quali-
of others day and night, they will be impressed

on your own mind; and that, at the cost of the
ties
good tendencies that you may possess. So there

is no good in fault-finding!
Rather, sing His glory
and mix heartily with all and rejoice. But who
will listen to this advice ?
It is
very bad for Sadhus
groups to find fault with others and launch

a malicious crusade against them. None but the
to
sit
in
low-minded take part
Always
in such shameful actions
cultivate the
habit
of
looking
at
the
goodness of a man and doing him honour and praising him, even though only a slight trace of goodness
178
What a Sadhu Should Do

is
found
to be
Take
in him.
it
from me,
my
boy,
you do not show due regard for other's greatness,

your mind will never expand, nor will you ever be
if
called great by others.
not honest on the part of a Sadhu to accept

householder's
without
offerings
performing
It is
Sadhana
in return.
The householder
supplies
with food and provisions, because he

to
carry
on
his
himself from
Sadhana
all
Sadhana, therefore,
you must not
at
your
own
cost.
The
Without
life.
take
holder's service; if you disobey this rule,
you do so
expected
withdrawing
exclusively,
other pursuits of
is
him
house-
know
that
acceptance of
holy alms, in whatever shape, from a householder

entitles the latter to a share of the former's religious
Therefore
merit.
much
Sadhu
Man
accumulate as
this charge.
composed of both good and bad tendenso do not slight another because only the evil
is
ones are visible to you;
your
must
merit as will leave a decent remainder after
meeting
cies;
own
but,
considering
counterpart, try to rectify
179
him
as
him and by
Spiritual Teachings
Then only do
draw him towards the good.
love
you deserve
crying
to
down
*
What
be called a man.
a fellow-being!
*
the use of
is
DISCIPLE
Maharaj, on some days during my

meditation my mind of itself becomes calm and
steady, while
I
may;
it
on others
cannot
make
runs about to and fro;
how
it so,
to
try as
make
it
steady, Sir?
THE SWAMI
tide of the
As you
Ganges,
my
see ebb
son, even so
ebb and flow.
is
not to
is
in the
the case with
Your Sadhana
everything in this world.

its
and flow
too
has
In the beginning, however, this
be wondered
But
at.
to
stick
your
you can carry it on for some time,

the ebb and flow will stop and your mind will flow
Sadhana.
in a
If
smooth and unobstructed
Whenever you
feel that the
steady, then leaving aside all
deeply in Sadhana.
sit
mind
is
calm and
work engage
yourself
Again when you are perturb-
ed in mind and do not
must
current.
feel
calm, then also you
for your usual daily exercises, and try to
180
What
bring the
mind under
The mind does
tion.
once.
You
moment.
and
have to
Through
control through discrimina-
become steady
struggle and struggle
not
mind and
struggle the
intellect, all will surely
Remember, my
come under
child, since
fair-spoken; goodness
all
at
every
senses
control.
you are a Sadhu, you
are expected to be calm and gentle
word you
Do
a Sadhu Should
and modest and
must flow out through every
utter, every action
you perform, through
your behaviour and movements.
By
their contact
with you, others must attain peace of mind and be
drawn toward God and goodness.
DISCIPLE
current
we
Maharaj,
of holy places;
hear of the spiritual
may
know what
that
means, Sir?
THE SWAMI
when
has a time
flow.
At
Yes, every place of pilgrimage
such
the spiritual
current begins
time the mind can be
pacified by means of ]apam and
also
you will
to
easily
meditation,
and
feel a great joy at heart.
How to know that time, Sir?

THE SWAMI Oh, that is not so difficult
DISCIPLE
181
to
Spiritual Teachings
know; a
sincere
man
can
easily
catch
it
at
slightly advanced stage of his Sadhana.

Regarding Kashi (Benares), it is wholly beyond
the ordinary world; it is a place of mighty spiritual
Whatever Sadhana
consciousness.
you
perform
dormant
here will multiply itself tenfold; also the

lion of
Mantram awakens
place.
In Kashi, the land of eternal freedom, Lord
very soon in this sacred
Viswanath bestows salvation unasked on

or small, rich or poor,
alike.
He who
thrice blessed
all,
virtuous or vicious,
great
on
all
can procure an honest living in this
home of
spirituality is
among men.
182
indeed a
man
XXIX
NAME OF THE LORD
THE SWAMI Do you perform prayer
meditation
DEVOTEE No, Sir. Not at all.

THE SWAMI It is better to do
day.
ness.
That
I
little
every
you peace of mind and steadisure you have a family Guru; why
will give
am
have you not taken

better receive
should
and
now?
it
perform
initiation
from him?
from him soon.

a
little
Japam
You had
Every day you

and meditation.
Purchase a string of Rudraksha beads; dip it in the

holy waters of the Ganges and touch the sacred
Feet of Lord
Viswanath
with
it;
then
perform
Japam with that a hundred and eight or a thousand

times daily. If you like to do more, you can safely
do
so;
and you should.
DEVOTEE What shall I repeat, Sir?

THE SWAMI The blessed Name of
Among
His various
Names
183
that
the Lord!
one which
inspires
Spiritual Teachings
the greatest faith and devotion in you
that
is
the
Name
you should choose for your Japam.

DEVOTEE Again, without a form, meditation
is
not possible; what form shall
meditate upon,
and where?
THE SWAMI You
must meditate upon that
one of the many forms of

can place
Him
Him
you
the heart or outside.
in
You
like best.
wise
Guru, however, will understand the particular form

of God that calls forth the greatest faith and regard
from the
on
tate
and
disciple,
will instruct
him
to medi-
that.
Then
there
mental
is
worship.
As you
external worship with offerings of flowers,

paste, burning of
ship in the mind.
offer
all
and
in
Him
with
heart
in
the
all
sandal
camphor, exactly so is the worIn the mind you have to picture
the form of Deity you choose, in the

to
do
the
holy
things
used
mind you
in
are
worship,
mind
again you have to adore

the reverence and devotion of your
humble
supplication.
You have
heard
enough; now do something and show your worthi184
Name
of the Lord
No
more waste of time; begin from this day

For the present do these two
very evening.
ness.
this
things:
Japam and meditation every morning and
evening without fail, and continue this habit for a

couple of years at least. Then you will find great-
you will come to us more frequently, and will

know more and more of spiritual mysteries.
joy;
So much for the present.
what more
practices
I shall tell
you
you have to take up.
in time
Now
you need not bother yourself about the mental

worship; leave it for the time being. After your
formal initiation, if I think you should do it, I will
tell
you.
Regarding
worry over that at
much
this
as instructed
wasting of time,
my
you need not

Now only do as
initiation itself,
stage.
and nothing more.
No more
child; begin this very day,
and
go bravely on.
Procure a
new Asanam
or rug to
sit
upon; keep
apart to be used solely for meditation, worship

and such things. Also choose a solitary retreat for
it
your meditation and Sadhana; your garden house,

If you
I imagine, stands in a very lonely place.
185
Spiritual Teachings
feel inconvenient or
now and
disturbed at home,
Remember always
then retire there at night.
that
here in this sacred city of Kashi, spiritual realisaIf you can carry on your
tion is easily attainable.
Sadhana for two years at a

will gain, some realisation.
stretch, I
have attained
in
still
begin now, and

will feel so
sooner
much
sure you
There are those

a year
joy at heart that
who
So
even.
some time you
the lapse of
after
am
you will
like to
meditate more and more.
Frequent holy places, study sacred books, and
come
to
me now and
then.
While meditating,
sit
and hold your hands near

your chest or the upper abdomen. Do not begin
erect
and
your
meditation
posture;
and
immediately
sit silently
try to
thoughts
cross-legged,
make
may
taking
your
for a couple of minutes or so,
the
cross
after
it;
mind calm, so
then only
is
that
no
alien
meditation to be
begun in right earnest. For a year or two you will

have to exert your mind to the limit of its power;
thereafter meditation will
If
become natural
to you.
any day you are hard pressed with work, that

186
Name
day you may
finish
in a
it
for meditation only once, or
few minutes,
say,
ten or
in
may
fifteen
In the event of greater pressure, fix your
minutes.
mind on God
and
sit
of the Lord
close
moment, then bow down
for a
You
your meditation.
can do
to
Him
in
this
exceptional cases, but not always.
Before your morning service wash your hands
and face and dress yourself

clothes; then
take a
little
sit
in clean freshly
for your practice.
washed
You may
of the sacred Ganges water.
also
In the
evening also, follow the same routine. I assure you

once more, if you do these things regularly, you will
enjoy great peace of
mind and
Regarding moral conduct,

rules; speak
the
truth
women
will live happily.
observe
always,
these
two
and honour and
Nothing more need

you trouble yourself with now. The observance
of these two rules will make all other moral rules
worship
all
as mother.
living through your life.
Believe in the existence of God, and never say
He
does not
exist.
Therefore hold fast to
tell
Him
187
you,
my
child,
God
in sincere devotion
is.
and
Spiritual Teachings
and pray and pray! No more

no more waste of time, no more idle-
in lowliness of spirit
speculations,
ness; begin
I
now,
this very day,
will see to the rest.
188
and move forward.
XXX
THE PROCESS OF MEDITATION
DISCIPLE
it
outside as
meditate
some think of
Ideal in the heart,

see
some
Maharaj,
I
it
the
in the head;
Which
see you.
011
is
the proper
way, Sir?
THE SWAMI
The
process
of
meditation
according to the differences in Sadhana.

Ordinarily it is better to meditate on the Ideal in
differs
the heart.
The body should be
temple and
God
as residing in
it.
considered as the
When
the
mind
becomes steady through continued spiritual pracof his

tices, then alone can a man have a vision
Isbtam (Chosen Deity) and wherever he realises
Him head or heart there he can carry on his
;
meditation with ease.
Through
persistence in
man
meditation
the
first
the perception of a
gets
hallowed effulgence; and simultaneously with that
experience that a
experience or a
little
is
later,
189
a kind of higher and
Spiritual Teachings
nobler joy
is felt
and the mind
is
move
reluctant to
onward, leaving that joy. But if one goes further,

he sees the effulgence taking more definite form,
and the mind tends

consciousness.
merge itself in that form of

Sometimes the mind can be comto
pletely obliterated by continuously hearing the long,
sacred
sound of the Pranava
symbol of Brahman)
knows no
realisation
Spiritual
more you know, the more

It is
unbounded,
ing to
active,
By experiencing a
some, again,
is
little
think they have reached
many
the end; but the fact
The
bounds!
yet remains to be known.
infinite!
of that effulgence,
sound
the
(Om,
Accord-
quite otherwise.
when
mind
the
ceases
to
be
then true religion begins; but others believe
that that
is
the end.
DISCIPLE
Generally
we
find
that
the mind,
making some progress along the spiritual

path cannot advance further: what makes it stop,
after
venerable Sir?
THE SWAMI The weakness
of
the
solely responsible for this mental torpor.
190
mind
is
Accord-
The Process of Meditation

mind moves on
capacity the
ing to
its
point,
then stops;
it
cannot
minds are not of the same
to a certain
advance more.
All
capacity, although all
can be and must be developed. Sri Ramakrishna

has said that through Brahmacharya the mind can
be strengthened more and more; and a strong mind
wavers
never
anger.
To
are the
Sadhana.
lust
such a mind these passions are
convinced that these can do
It is firmly
Many
even when overtaken by
that
pitfalls
it
stand in the
and
trifles.
no harm.
way of
External troubles are negligible compar-
Hence the many injunctions for

Asanam (posture) and Mudra (position of fingers)
ed to the
internal.
in religious
worship.
DISCIPLE
Maharaj, you
each one of us
call
you and inquire about our spiritual progress and

our difficulties. You give us new courage and
to
enthusiasm.
fear
and
Your encouragement
anxiety
and
makes
us
takes
away all
bold and un-
compromising.
THE SWAMI
not always come,
Such an attitude of mind does
my
child.
191
At
times, of course,
Spiritual Teachings
the
mind
is
in such a state that I feel I could entreat
one by one, even touching your feet and

saying, "Do this, my son, do this, I implore you."
But again I think, "Who am I to instruct you in all
all
you
this; the
is
it
Lord
done.
is
there;
Whom
and as
Himself
all!"
is
Why
us do, so
The Lord Himself
to ask!
the cause; the Lord Himself
He
He makes
is
is
the instrument, and
should people take
my
words even though they ask me!
But then you

know, my boy, when the inspiration comes from
within, then people do take them and follow them.
a
Strive on,
my
son, strive
moment.
At
the close
on and on; do not waste

of each day Sri Rama-
krishna wept and prayed:
gone and I
Even so yearn
is
am
"Mother, another day

not yet blest with Thy vision!"
after
God,
my
Him!
192
child,
and be
lost in
XXXI
TRUE VISION
DISCIPLE
when
it is
Sri
man
hot,
breeze sets
is
Maharaj,
THE SWAMI
grace conditional?
Ramakrishna has said
fans himself; but
he stops fanning.
in,
when
Even
that
the cool
so
with
grace.
DISCIPLE
true
vision
What is the distinction between

of God and hallucination? How
the
to
distinguish them, Sir?
THE SWAMI
From
the
results a lasting bliss; one's
vision of God
own mind knows it
true
instinctively.
DISCIPLE Maharaj, what is the necessity of

Mudra (position of fingers) and other rituals in
formal worship?
THE SWAMI
evil
influences.
The mind is disturbed by many

The right sort of Mudra helps
Sometimes
the worshipper in warding them off.
you may think that you are all right and that, if you
meditate, your
mind
will
become concentrated.
193
But
Spiritual Teachings
as
for
sit
you
Once an
balance.
its
within
meditation,
various distractions crop
up
in the
five
minutes
mind and shake
thought rose in me, and
evil
approached the Master, from a distance

divined it, and said:
"My boy, I see that an
as
thought
is
He
evil
So saying, he
blessing and uttered
disturbing your mind."
placed his hand on
my
head
in
some words inaudibly; within five minutes it had

gone! When the mind moves on higher planes, no
evil influence can reach there and agitate it.
*
DISCIPLE
Maharaj,
*
I
have heard that medita-
tion should be preceded by the worship of the
but
how,
do not know how
to conduct
it;
pray
Guru;
tell
me
Sir!
THE SWAMI
of the Ishtam
DISCIPLE
is
It is
not essential; the worship
enough.
Pray
me how
tell
to
worship
the
Guru.
THE SWAMI You

Swami
can
learn
how
from
P.
DISCIPLE
No,
Sir,
beg you
to tell
me; he
True Vision
may
not
tell
me
at all.
THE SWAMI
Very well;
at
first,
you should
upon the Guru in the heart; then

while imagine him as merging himself
meditate
after a
in
the
Ishtam; then begin to repeat the sacred name of

your Ishtam and meditate upon His blessed form;
and thus
continue.
193
XXXII
WHAT
IS
TAPASYA?
{His Holiness Swami Brahmanaiida spent the

days of his life on this earth in the Head
last
Monastery of the Ramakrishna Mission on the

bank of the Ganges above Calcutta. The conver-
which follows took place during this time.

It was the evening of the 17th of March, 1922.
The
venerable figure of the Swami was seated on the
sation
A
(monastery)
group of disciples sat on the floor in front of him.
As the older Sadhus of the Order finished their
eastern
verandah of the Math
evening meditation, they came one by one to

at the Swami's feet in reverent salutation.
bow
The
of prayer and contemplation was in the

broken only by the murmur of swift-flowing
stillness
air,
waters and the faint sound of Vesper chants from
surrounding temples.
came the
question,
Suddenly through the silence

"Maharajji, what
is
meant by
Tapasya?"]
THE SWAMI
Yhere
196
are
different
kinds
of
What
is
Tapasya?
Tapasya. Some take a vow that they will not sit

for a long period. I have seen a man who had taken
At that time he
a vow not to sit for twelve years.
had almost finished
only five or six
that period
months were remaining. By constantly standing,

his legs had grown very stout as in elephantFor sleeping he held to a rope. The rope
was tied to both ends of a wooden piece, holding to
which the man slept at night. There are other
iasis.
In the winter season, one stands
kinds of Tapasya.
neck in very cold water and

spends the time in making Japam! In very hot
weather one sits and meditates in the midst of five
all
night
up
to the
blazing Dhuntes under a burning sun.
kind one stands or
sits in
In another
meditation on a seat with
pointed nails.
DEVOTEE Is
THE SWAMI
this true
Tapasya, Maharaj
Heaven knows!
These people
do these things with some motive. They hope they

will become kings; or enjoy the world in their next
birth.
They have admitted
DEVOTEE Do
this to
me.
they get these results?
197
Spiritual Teaching*
THE SW AMI Heaven knows!

DEVOTEE Then what is real Tapasya?
THE SWAMI Real Tapasya is not in
feats.
one can do these things
Any
by
such
practice.
It is
very easy to conquer the body; but to conquei
the
mind
lust,
difficulty
name
for
lies in three things:
Truth
truthful.
(1)
and
get rid of lust.

(3)
over your Vasanas. These
Of
that
important,
lies
Tapasya
be very
the pillar to which you must
is
things to be observed.
most
conquei
fame.
Real
You must
You must
control
to
Every inch of you must b
always hold.
(2)
greatest
desire
greed,
Tapasya
the
is
here.
You must
are
is
Brahmacharya.
Shastras
say
gain
the main
these the second
is,
Our
truthful,
that
the
Real
by
Brahmacharya for twelve years very

God becomes easy to realise. This is very
observing
strictly,
you from my own experience

have learned that no true meditation is possible
difficult.
I
can
tell
without real Brahmacharya. It is very difficult to

get control over the Sukshma Vasanas, so the rules
for
Sannyasins
are
very
198
strict.
The
Sannyasin
What
is
Tapasya?
should not even look at a woman.
formed
a picture
is
anything
beautiful
instinct
to enjoy
in
is
our mind.
sees a
to
the
is
dream or
in a
When we
mind.
senses,
our
see
natural
So we unconsciously enjoy
If a Sadhu
very injurious.
it.
This
woman
in the
By seeing one,
gets night pollution,
he has to make Prayaschittam. He has to take

little food the next day or no food at all and he has
to
make penance by making Japam
times.
gain
for thousands of
Without Brahmacharya the mind

the power to meditate.
The mind
will not
will
be
thinking of this or that and will not think of His

feet.
When
You
will
you
not get the correct
imagination.
Brahmacharya you will see
develop
everything in a different light.
Everything will look
fresh to you.
aroused in
By observing Brahmacharya, Ojas is

Science also says the same thing.
you.
Semen, they
say, is
produced from blood, and the
best part of blood.
DEVOTEE
It
is
pity
that
nobody
authority speaks about these things to our

boys.
199
with
young
Spiritual Teachings
THE SWAMI
Gurus
their
charya.
marry;
and
After
but
Formerly young boys lived with
if
they
had
time they
they
to observe
could
married,
they
Brahma-
go home and
continued
to
observe certain rules of Brahmacharya, that in the
Grihastha Ashrama
life
they might produce strong

and healthy children. If they became Sannyasins,
they went to the forest and meditated on God.
DEVOTEE
are
known
These
ideas
about
only among Brahmin
Brahmacharya
boys.
boys they are called Brahmacharis, but
become a mere
ideas be
made known
THE SWAMI
be
farce.
accompanied
to all castes
but
now
cannot
it
has
these
Brahmacharya should
Japam. Otherwise Brahma-
Yes,
by
Maharajji,
As young
charya cannot stand.
200
LETTERS
AND
STRAY COUNSELS
XXXIII
BHADRAK, BALASORE
DEAR A.
I
am
glad to learn from your
by the
letter that
grace of the Lord, you have a desire to spend some
time in Sadhana
secured
(spiritual
convenient
for
place
your
Everything has come out all right.

young. Make the best use of this
Do
and
practices)
have
practice.
You
are yet
opportunity.
Instead of
your
bothering yourself with big metaphysical problems,
waste
not
valuable
time.
apply yourself steadily to Sadhana and

realise the truth.
Have
faith
you
and go ahead.
will
You
will not achieve anything without steady practice.
Even
if
you spend your whole
philosophical
derive
any
questions,
benefit.
favourable, settle
for a year.
and you
you will
Now
down
life in the
that
quietly to
study of
not
be
all
things
Sadhana
able
to
are
at least
Your body and mind will become pure

realise many things through God's
will
grace.
203
Spiritual Teachings
My
advice
without
any
always in
is:
give your
other
Dhyanam
ing the holy
mind wholly
Engage
thought.
yourself
(meditation), Japan/
Name) and Smaran-Manan
remembrance and contemplation).

in idle talk and gratuitous advice
Do
Him
to
(repeat-
(constant
not indulge
You
to others.
have strength of body and your mind is not yet

burdened with unholy impressions. Now is the
time to do spiritual practices.
the
It is easier to
mind a good shape when
You have
plastic.
deep
heart.
ties.
such a mind.
Sadhana and pray
in
He
If
to
difficult
this
God
still
with a yearning
opportunity,
for you
to
give
pure and
Therefore plunge
is
will solve all your doubts
you miss
extremely
it
and
it
difficul-
will
do anything
be
after-
wards.
As
far
answers to
as
possible
am
giving
you suitable
your questions below. If you can

follow them for some time at least, you will surely
all
be blessed and many of your
life's
problems will
solve themselves.
Q How
many hours
in the
204
day should
we spend
Letter to a Disciple
in
Japam and meditation and how many again
in
Puja (worship) and the study of Scriptures ?

A The more time you can spend in all these,
Those who lead a purely medishould spend at least sixteen hours in
the better for you.

tative
life
japam
practice,
the
be the
desire for
it
your mind
mind
is
grow stronger and
itself will tell
desirable that
The
reading
you how
Before
this
thoughts
rise in the
You
are
of
stronger.
it,
the
Then
long you are to
stage
you should give
sacred books and
thoughts which
taste
is
reached,
at least two-
Japam and Dhya-
of the time should be spent in
rest
meditation.
your
turned inward, the greater
thirds of your daily practice to
nam.
continue
you
Once you get a
joy.
will
is
devote to Sadhana.
it
As
will be able to prolong this period.
you
The more
will
D byan am.
and
examining the various
mind
should
sifted
at the
further
from the
see
evil
time of your
that
ones.
good
Then
unholy thoughts are to be eliminated

and replaced one by one by holy thoughts, and
these again analysed with great care and serious-
gradually
all
205
Spiritual Teachings
ness.
In
this
of
elements
when
way,
the
mind
the
disturbing
controlled
and well-
all
are
regulated, you can attain the state of real meditation.
Simply closing the eyes and counting your
beads or casually thinking on
you the desired object
God
God-realisation.
Intense and serious thinking on
God
what
is
ig
who
long for eternal peace and

The object of meditation is to make
required of those
happiness.
the
will not bring
mind calm and
And
serene.
if
you do not
succeed in this or get any joy therefrom, you are

to
know
that your meditation
proper channel.
like
to
whoever
impress
is
necessaries
therefore
One
on
supplying
is
other
your
you
is
not directed in the
point also
entitled to a share
acquire
so
much
That
mind.
with
should
is
this:
food and other

of
as will
your
merit;
leave
you a
decent balance after meeting this charge.

What should I do when at times the mind
seems unwilling to meditate; should I then study

sacred books or try to engage the mind perforce
in
meditation?
206
Letter to
In
A-^
your mind
the preliminary
stages
you must force
to meditate in order to cultivate a strong
The
habit.
a Disciple
very
nature of
the
mind
is
shirk
to
work, always seeking for ease and comfort. But

if you really, yearn for peace eternal, you have to
labour hard.
41
If
you
feel
uncomfortable to
long time at a stretch, then
and begin
you
lie
sit
for
down on your bed
perform your ]apam; and again, if

are sleepy, do it walking about.
Anyhow,
to
keep the mind always engaged in the thought of
On
God.
the
other hand,
if
you
let
loose
your
mind, you will never be able to cultivate the firm

habit without which spiritual progress
is
impossible.
Carry on, therefore, a regular fight with the mind

and give it a firm shape. This is Sfidbana; and
the end of all Sadhanas
is
to bring the
mind under
control.
Are the processes of Hatha-Yoga, Pranayama

(control of breath), Asana (sitting posture), etc.,
more
or less necessary for
If. so,
how much
my
spiritual practices?
time should be devoted to these ?
For the present no such practices are neces207
Spiritual Teachings
What is most essential is to meditate

on God and God alone and pray to Him incessantly
sary for you.
with a devout heart.
Him.
constant touch with

this rule
and
He
The
real thing
Therefore
to be in
is
try to
follow
you to do whatever
will lead
is
best for you.
As regards
the practice of Hatha-Yoga, you must
keep yourself aloof from it or you will feel the

It is a most dangerous
consequences.
path without
the help of a competent guide.
you can do
with some one of
strong desire for
happen
to live
disciples,
it,
and then
you have a very
If
it
only
Sri
when you
Ramakrishna's
under his direction and
strictly
guidance.
Q How
doing
long should
practices)
spiritual
Sadhaka (one who

sleep?
Beyond
usual period of sleep, can he spend a
little
is
his
more
time to give his body and mind rest ?
Ordinarily four hours' sleep
for a Sadhaka in
than five hours

great harm.
is
is
good health; and
quite sufficient
sleep for
not rest but a disease.
By no means should a
208
It
more
does
spiritual aspir-
ant
sleep
away
As youth is
Sadhana when both
time.
his
favourable time for
and the mind are strong

account.
good
safely through the
peace
make
and
it
Therefore
if
up
life to
cannot
you
progress along the paths of spiritual
to
will lead
most unsafe paths of
happiness.
it
time he must store
such an amount of spiritual energy that
him
the body
a Sadhaka must turn

this
During
most
the
life
now,
do anything
afterwards. You are yet young, my boy. Give a good
shape to your mind. Lose yourself heart and soul
it
will be hardly possible for you to
in
Sadhana and make the
will get
best use of your time.
enough time for sleep and gossip
You
later on.
anybody is asked to labour hard in Sadhana,

he will at once produce a number of lame excuses.
If
He
is
will say that the

necessary.
know
that
All
body
is
this is
weak and
hours' rest
and
is
in tune.
life,
quite
He
insincerity.
methodical in their spiritual practices

a strictly regular
that rest
should
who are
and who lead
organs of those
sense
the
very
become so adjusted
enough
to
By leading an
209
that four
keep the body healthy

irregular
life,
people
Spiritual Teachings
mind
generally tax their body and
so heavily that
even a period of eight or ten hours' sleep is too

Therefore what I ask
short to refresh their system.
you,
my
is
boy,
this
regulate your life by every
means and then your body and mind will be fresh

#nd active. Waste no more time. Do something
if
you really yearn for things divine.
lofty
Idle talk
and
metaphysical speculations bring no good unless
translated into action.
Q What
food?
Shall
make any
observed
be
rules are to
accept whatever
distinction?
Which
is
is
regarding
offered to
better,
me
or
Madhukari
(food gathered by begging from house to house like

a bee) or food brought by chance?
At the time of Sadhana, a
tion in food
is
little
discrimina-
There are some kinds
necessary.
of food which produce sleep, drowsiness, etc.; they

are the worst enemies to a Sadhaka; therefore it
is
always advisable not to take them.
much sweet
or sour food
any preparation of
growth of the
it
is
is
To
eat too
bad, and Kolai-dal or
also very harmful to the
spiritual life.
210
Foods such as these
stir
he
up the Tamas (dullness)

feels
drowsy
cannot make any
An
and
at
in
time of
the
a result
his diet
foods as are easily digestible,
such
Under no circumstances must he

of his
fill
This
stomach.
more than two

increase
will
strength and energy and he will be able to
them
to
good
But
account.
if
overloaded, he will have to spend

digesting
food.
his
He
will
inclination for meditation.
upon
health
all
in
means and care
for
it
all his
devote
energy
is
in
no energy or
Moreover,
favourable to Sadhana.
his
the stomach
find
you know
his health; for, as

is
and
meditation
progress in the spiritual path.
must be very careful about
aspirant
eat only
thirds
As
man.
it
may
tell
full well,
good
So guard
it
now, when everything
by
is
your favour.
As regards Mad>hukari,
it
is
very pure food.
But
does not bind you to any obligations.

accept food From a particular person,
a fraction of your
Madhukari
is
merit
will
go
to
it
It
if
you
binds; and
that
specially beneficial to those
person.
who
can-
not continue the flow of meditation without break

211
Spiritual Teachings
and consequently require some time

Instead of whiling
away
idle talk, if they utilise
for diversion.
their time of diversion in

it
Madhukari, they are
in
thereby not only saved from the sin of killing time

in vain, but they also
keep themselves free from the
obligation of giving a portion

for their food
ireturn
the
Is
Sadhana?
vow
If so,
of
from any
merit
their
particular person.
of silence necessary at the time of
what
is
to be
done when some
unavoidable circumstances compel one to break

or if the mind becomes irritated because of it ?
No,
the
understand
in talk
vow
of silence
mind
is
it,
not required as you
Forced silence and wild indulgence
both have their evil
silent in
so
it.
in
is
effects
on man.
To
be
surely better than external silence,
always try to
follow
the
former.
Moreover,
instead of binding yourself by any forced silence,
you talk only so much as is required, it will not

only do you no harm, but will give you the same
if
result
as
is
attained
by one
observing
absolute
silence.
Q How
much
clothing
212
should
Sadhaka
And
require?
be borne?
what extent should heat and cold
to
any clothes to protect

the body from the ravages of heat and cold, should
If
anybody
offers
they be accepted?
A
much
As
as
for clothing, you

is
barely
healthy and protect

in
mind
many
ideal
keep
only
as
to
keep the body
from heat and cold; but bear
necessary
it
that if those of delicate health practise
austerities, they will

is
should
to
realise
As
hardships.
have
God, not
their deserts.
to bear
Your
unnecessary
for the acceptance of any offer, you
must sincerely judge of that with reference to your

utmost necessity. You may accept an offer only
when you
really feel a
want for
it;
otherwise reject
To
accept anything from any body for

the purpose of hoarding is a sin unpardonable in
it
at once.
a Sadhaka.
know
that both your noble self
and the
Lord have endless grace for me. Only bless me to

Bless me also that my
realise it fully and well.
faith and devotion to you may be firm and
unflinching.
As
feel I
have no power to do any-
213
Spiritual Teachings
make me do
thing without your help, will you not

as
it
pleases you, venerable Sir
There
is
infinite
lose faith in yourself,
His grace
He
too.
in
strength
my
boy;
God
gracious to
is
is
Never
you.
And
in you.
all.
Know
for
through His endless grace alone

that you are able to be here under the banner of
It is again through His
the Ramakrishna Order.
certain that
it
is
grace that you have found a good
man
to give
you
food and shelter during the period of your Sadhana.

Have faith, therefore; have firm faith in Him.
Work
will
You
hard with unshakable determination and
give you
will
with
your
realise
will realise
Sadhana
as
instructed
Ramakrishna
Him
in
this
by
thing positive.
His endless
Make
Go on
them
and continue
very
life.
troubled with big questions any more.
and be
unceasingly.
not spend your time in vain.
disciples of Sri
you
Strive
knowledge.
know Him and you
Do
grace.
all
He
it
the
till
Do not be
Do some-
the best of this opportunity
blessed.
have answered
all
your questions.
214
Now
try to
live
them
in your
From your
life.
stand that the gentleman
food and shelter
is
who
really a
letter 1
under-
has been giving you
Rich
devotee.
men
seldom spend money in good deeds; and those that

Your host has been
do so are very few in number.
doing so much for you; see that his money is not
wasted. You should live there in such a way that
from your conduct
his inclination to
spend more in
As your
benefactor will have a share of your merit and
demerit both, do there only such work as will not
good deeds may be gradually
make him
suffer hereafter.
increased.
Take
care;
do not run
after name and fame.
had
in plenty at
Those things you could have

home. But once you have come out
of their clutches, try your utmost not to

to
them
again.
Pray to
Him
fame may not soil your good heart.

My love and best wishes to you and
your desire
good sense
may be
and make
prey
with a sincere heart
that even the least taint of desire for
your kind host.
fall a
name and
to our friend,
always pray to the Lord that

fulfilled.
man
215
May He
of you.
give
you
XXXIV
PURI
DEAR
is
Received your letter and also B's.

not clear. He does not wish to
That
wants to serve his country.

it
SASHI NIKETANA^
appears to
me
far
it
belief
problem
that the
He
all right,
but
it
is all
due to want of
Western education. I do not
is
others
and
man who
well formed.
My
cannot solve his
own
serve
to
possible
country before one's character

is
marry.
that
assimilation of his
know how
is
His motive
is
will not be able to be of
much
use to others
Anyhow the body is good and if he leads

life, he may get a taste for a higher life.
Sri
Ramakrishna used
to
say:
"Fix
on God and perform thy worldly

thou shalt be free from all dangers."
firmly
pure
thy
hold
duties; then
Again
He
"In the play of hide-and-seek, if the player

succeeds in touching the grand-dame (Boori), he is
said:
no longer a
'thief*.
Similarly by once seeing
216
God
we are no longer bound by

You should always bear
God.
life is to realise
the fetters of the world."

in
First
mind
of
that the goal of
all
know Him;
let
your faith and devotion to His feet become strong.

Then you may do whatever you wish to do. So
long as you live you will have to do some kind of
Even
work.
own
if
you have no
you will
maintenance,
either
for
the sake of your body, or impelled by
(impressions).
is
better to
such things as will bring peace to your

benefit
shelter
your
be doing something
your ego or your past Samskaras

Therefore when you must work, it
and
for
difficulties
to
do
own mind
Those who have taken
others.
under His feet and obtained His grace never
Every word spoken by them, every act

done by them, leads to the good of humanity.
go wrong.
It is
good
to
remain unmarried.
keep Brahmacharya
Those
extraordinary
gain
powers.
Only through such men do supernatural or

powers
manifest
used to say:
themselves.
"The heart of
drawing-room."
If
we
to
divine
Ramakrishna
the devotee
wish
217
Sri
who
is
become
God's
His
Spiritual Teachings
devotees and servants
we must become
pure; for
pure hearts can He reside. He is fai

beyond the reach of the impure. When your mind
and heart become as pure as clear glass, then only
only
God
in
can reside in you; then only can you claim to
His
be
child.
servant,
devotee,
His
dependent or
Just as a bright clear mirror gives a
good
Him
truly.
does a pure heart manifest
reflection, so
Therefore
all
His
tell
instal
stain,
you
Him
who
in
young and free from

your heart and allow no
are
other thing to enter there.
know Him
on him.
severes.
is
not possible to
except through pure and holy living.
In this life you can realise
The boy
It
is
Him
by this way only.
good and has some auspicious marks
He can make spiritual progress if he perTo get a B.A. or M.A. degree, to become
and make some money, is not a very high
life and gives but temporary enjoyment,
a barrister
ideal
It
in
will not help
one
to
God, the goal of

form your character and
attain
human life. First of all

make it perfect. Then whatever you may undertake,
you will accomplish

218
easily.
If
in
studying
books you can spend even one-twelfth of

the time wasted in preparing for your B.A. or M.A.
religious
degree, you will imbibe

the higher
when
they have no time
come
into
ideas of
Students generally complain that
life.
sacred books.
many thoughts and
My
man and
they are asked to read the
dear boy,
you wish
if
to
live in eternal happiness,
deep meditation and resolve to realise
be-
plunge
Him
or
die in the attempt.
Those who want worldly enjoyment let them

become B.A's. and M.A's. But those who care
have no need of university
Ramakrishna used to speak of
only for Supreme

Sri
degrees.
Bliss,
This does
Granthas (books) as Granthis (knots).

not,
of
course,
include
the
Shastras,
Swamiji's
Reading purely secular books makes

people vain, excites evil propensities in them and
takes them far away from God.
Any book which
etc.
works,
does
not
however
ultimately
fro/in
induce
devotion
entertaining
cause
B.A., M.A.,
for
misery.
etc.,
and
the
The
faith
time
in
God,
being,
egotism
will
arising
drags one away from God.
219
Spiritual Teachings
The
mispossession of wealth also works similar
Money does more harm than good.
chief.
Neither in the sleeping nor waking state could

touch a coin. What He has
Sri Ramakrishna
own life is that there is no other

attain God but through Tyaga (renunciaBy running after sense enjoyments, man
taught us by His
path to
tion).
becomes degraded
of the
to the level
If
brute.
you want to be a man, practise renunciation; love

and realise Him. Renouncing momentary pleasures
fits
ciation
you for Supreme Happiness. By renunmeant giving up all sense pleasures of
is
this life.
Take
Lord; become
Look
mad
of
the lotus feet
at
shelter
the
with love and devotion for Him.
at the life of Sri
Ramakrishna and be a man
in the best sense of the term.
Renunciation
can
alone
Renounce
all
for His sake.
and pray
to
Him:
art
my
sister,
mother,
Thou
art
of enjoyment in
"Thou
Thou
my
art
all."
this life,
my
you
give
Make God
art
my
brother,
Giving up
when you
220
peace.
your
father,
Thou
all
own
Thou
art
my
thoughts
are able to pass
day and night in constant thought of

prayer to
a
man.
When
and
Him, you will feel infinite joy and become

That joy cannot be conveyed through
The human
words.
Him
heart
that state of joy
is
is
too small to hold
it.
attained, His grace, His
love and His presence will always be felt by you.
Three things are
God
human
birth,
essential for the realisation
company of holy men.

have
and
all
the
attain
What
is
Now
three.
the
for
desire
and the
By the grace of God you

make the best use of them
supreme
human
of
object
good of running
when you can
salvation
of
birth.
after fleeting pleasures
attain eternal peace
and happiness?
Renouncing everything, you have taken refuge at

His lotus feet with the noble aspiration of realising
Him;
see therefore that your life
vain.
Remember
this,
my
boy,
is
it is
not spent in
possible to be
born again as man and have spiritual yearning as

well; but I can assure you, that the company of
you enjoy
men
now
to
have
such holy
expect
(disciples of Sri
is
it
Ramakrishna) as
a rare privilege and you cannot
always.
221
The
blessing
of
such
cachings
Spiritual
holy company comes as a result

accumulated during many births.
of
great
merit,
Therefore make
the best use of this opportunity instead of wasting
your
life in
worthless pursuits.
words of your Guru

will make everything easy for you.
Without this
all forms and rituals of religion are useless.
So
Faith, intense faith, in the
surrender
yourself absolutely to your
kitten does to
its
He
mother.
Guru
far can your intellect
taken your
on
burden
responsibility
and
feels
much more than you

dangers and
difficulties.
ful disciple
who
is
go?
himself,
anxious
He
do.
No
will then look after
you and provide you with everything; yours

to have simple faith alone.
How
as
has
for
is
only
He who
has
your
will save
evil
sense
of
welfare
you from
can befall a faith-
under the protecting wings of
the Guru.
Men
realise
will surely
God.
But
go wrong so long
if
as they
do not
they surrender themselves to
the Guru, the chances of committing error will be
much
less.
Remember
Sri
222
Ramakrishna's parable
of
father and the sun
the
ridges across the fields.
the father himself takes
If
hold of the son's hand, there

slipping off his feet; but
if
Let those
Guru
tent
them of
no fear of the
is
latter
the son tries to take hold

is
a chance of his falling
who have
the grace of a compe-
of the father's hand, there
down.
narrow
walking over
rest content,
leaving
it
him
to
to cure
all their faults.
Renunciation being the
vital
factor
in
attaining
peace and happiness, everything should be given up

for the sake of God.
Unbroken Brahntacharya
A man
Lord.
an
Discrimination
animal.
man
distinguishes
realise
God
one seeking the

without continence is no better than
also requisite for
is
(continence)
if
he
from
strives for
is
the
it,
the
trait
brute.
which
Man
can
but the brute cannot,
being a complete slave of the senses.

If
and
you wish
taste joy
to possess real
peace and happiness
and cheerfulness
hold fast to God, giving up your

renunciation
all.
this
Do
very
life,
not think
wandering about with a

hand and smearing the body with
consists in
pair of tongs in
in
223
Spiritual Teachings
ashes.
tion)
The outward marks of Tyaga
meant for show bring no good; rather are
they harmful.
plete
(renuncia-
Real renunciation consists in com-
surrender of one's
self to the will of
God.
"Lord! my body, my mind

Pray to Him saying:
and everything are Thine; Thou mayest use them
Thou
as
wilt."
Have you not heard
that
Sri
Ramakrishna knew nothing but the Divine Mother,

and that whatever He did was according to Her
and guidance? So always pray to God, "Lord,

do not know what is good and what is bad; I am
will
I
merely
Thy
Struggle
servant; let
Thy
incessantly
to
will be done."
make
this
attitude
permanent. If you surrender yourself completely

unto God, He will do through you all that is need-
Therefore pray, ever pray to Him and take

One thing more I wish to
shelter at His feet.
ful.
are praised
impress upon your mind. Whether you
or blamed, honoured or insulted, whether there be
a place in the world for you or no, whether your
body stands or falls, once you have understood that

the end and aim of human life is to realise God, do
224
not swerve an inch from this ideal.

self
Say to your-
"I
must
realise
cast
your
life
with firm determination:
God
here and now, at any cost/'

It
is
mould
only
when you can
in this
you can be a man, a true and worthy

Your Sat-Sanga (comchild of Sri Ramakrishna.
that
pany of holy men) will then bear fruit and you will
be blessed. Otherwise your life will be wasted;
and between you and the brute there
You
difference.
worthy son of
One
always,
the
wish you to bear in mind

Ordinary people understand by
this.
term
Mantram
Ramakrishna,
Sri
other point which

is
deserve to be called
not
will
no
will be
Guru,
person
who
whispers some
They do not
into the ear of the disciple.
care whether he possesses all the qualifications of
true
losing
ground.
none but a
teacher.
But today such a conception
Master.
It
is
now
realised soul
He who
cannot show
it
is
being
recognised
is
that
qualified to be a spiritual
does not
to others.
potent as ever; but those
225
know
the path himself
Mantras are today as
who
trade
in
spiritual
Spiritual Teachings
them and
lore are ignorant of the rules governing
they themselves are not able to
Much
gress.
make any
real pro-
How
then can
less so their disciples.
they obtain real peace and happiness ?

Sri Ramakrishna has turned the tide.
invaluable
gems
spiritual
The most
are to be found
among
Those who have received the blessing

are really
disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
his disciples.
of
the
fortunate.
If they
can follow the children of the
great Master with firm faith and steadfast devothe

tion, they will surely attain Supreme Bliss,
human life. These great followers of

Ramakrishna know full well the various paths
goal of
spiritual
Sadhana
instruct those
manner
suited
who go
suited
to
them for
their
to
the
to
time.
Sri
of
They
spiritual help in
spiritual
evolution.
along the path into which it has been

your good fortune to be led. Pray to your Guru
with the faith of a child and he will certainly do all
Proceed
needful.
that
is
his
physical
one
of
his
He
is
the best
body stands or
disciples
Guru who, whether
attains
226
that
every
liberation.
The
falls, sees
speciality
of this
disappearance
of
is
age
his
that
even
body, the
physical
the
after
Guru
appears in flesh to his disciples to guide and bless
them.
and struggle ceaselessly. Shake off all

doubt and plunge into your Sadhana that you may
realise and make your own what you have learned
Strive
from your Guru. Let not your spiritual practices

be done for show, or to catch the public eye; but
follow them silently and steadily, so that even
may not know of them. There

may be people who may ridicule you or try to
shake your faith; there may be others who by their
your neighbours
praise
and respect for you, increase your egotism.
Therefore always bear in mind

of
Sri
Ramakrishna:
this great teaching
"Meditate in your mind,
the forest or in a quiet corner."

this is that
all
If
may
you steadily practise
time, you will find
come
to you.
The meaning of
Sadhana must be done
privacy, that others
You
not come to
like this
what great
will be a
227
in
in
know of
even for a
joy
strict
and
changed
it.
little
bliss will
man
alto-
Spiritual Teachings
Therefore you who have renounced the

His name, say to yourself with all
gather.
world
in
firmness:
life/'
You
are
''Realise
Him
must, now, in
this
very
be your supreme aim in life.

have got the blessings of a real Guru and you
Yes,
bound
let this
to succeed.
the least doubt of
There cannot
it.
228
be,
my
child,
XXXV
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS
Keep your mind always in communion with
God; then all depravity of the mind will vanish.
Select a room for daily worship; every morning
on your Asanam;
then perform ]apam and meditation and prayer
Born as a man here
regularly as long as you can.
and evening
retire there
and
sit
more you can devote yourself to

the contemplation of God, the more fruitful will
your life become; and the more attached you are
to the vanities of the world, the more peaceless you
on
this earth, the
will feel in mind.
of His endless grace
pray to the Almighty that out
He may
lead you in the right
path!
Know
without worshipping God you can

never have peace of mind. Therefore suspending
this;
all
activities completely,
day
in the
tion,
spend
worship of God,
and in singing His glory.
in
229
some time every

Japam and meditaTrue devotion and
Spiritual Teachings
faith
and knowledge are the
results
continued practice of Sadhana.

to
when,
agnosticism
attempt at Sadhana,
after
they
attain to the bliss Divine.

to
seek.
These
Many
a
people turn
lukewarm
little
cannot
The
people do
of long and
not
it
or
is
not far
possess
sincere
reason
attachment to God, so they find
God
realise
difficult to per-
and persevere in the path of Sadhana. Sadhana

proves too arduous an undertaking for them.
sist
Without Divine attachment and Divine love the
mind becomes dry and

you
suffer for
you become
But the more
peaceless.
God's sake, the more peaceful will
in the end.
"Persist cheerfully in your
my
attempt,
you will
said Sri Ramakrishna,
friend/
succeed
against
all
odds/*
headlong into Sadhana and persevere in

not even if your very life is hazarded.
*
I
am
"then
So plunge
it;
shrink
very glad to learn that you have been carry-
ing on your practices with great earnestness and

If this state of things is continued for
regularity.
a couple of years without break,
230
assure you,
my
Extracts
from Letters
friend, your effort will not
remind you
you need not at
also
that, as
go unrewarded.
your constitution
this stage
practise for
stretch; rather proceed slowly
*
I
and
is
*
to
(Benares) and some other holy places early

next and to spend three or four months
these places
and
also in practising
fruition rests with

It is
within
indeed
the
Vairagyam
Him,
weak,
steadily.
on a pilgrimage
start
me
long at a
propose to
Let
Kashi
in
June
visiting
Sadhana; but the
the Lord.
have any thought of God

heart without the fire of
difficult to
human
It
(renunciation).
conviction that the
more a man
in him, the greater
is
is
my
settled
possesses this
the peace he enjoys.
fire
true
and living representation of Viveka (discrimination) and Vairagyam we saw in Sri Ramakrishna,
the Master.
that
It
is
only with the progress of time
we know Him more and
Vtveka and Vairagyam
them
personified
in
more.
in Scriptures,
Him.
It
We
read of
but
we saw
was our misfortune
that sitting at the feet of such a unique personality,
231
Spiritual Teachings
we
embodiment of Viveka and Vairagyam,

could not make them our own.
the
You want
you
permit
please
also
to
go
holy
places for Sadhana!
and
this sacred place
me and
seeks
place to carry
Whenever
places, I
my
Who
live there?
my
attract
Oh, the
you.
am
wish
It
is
my
life in
me,
remember,
the
Whoever comes
once suggest to him
I at
I
tell
prayer
reminded of
this
him
go there
to
and meditation.
of holy
holiest
could go straight there, throwing

I
find
no joy
in anything
strong desire to live the
Kashi and
my
all
regarding a suitable
counsel
aside all engagements;
of
may
not tempted to go to
is
of Kashi.
thing,
there, that I
with
land
continuous
in
live
else.
draw me
on Sadhana,
name
the sacred
and
to
one
of Kashi, the greatest and holiest of
sanctity
to
But
wholeheartedly.
in the
Kashi for Sadhana; well,
to
do not forget
live
am
last
certain if
you only
desire will be surely fulfilled.
noblest
blessed city of Kashi
is
object
of
living
well attained only
232
days
in
And
this
when
Extracts
man
from
Letters
can lose himself entirely in the intoxication ot
love Divine, living in a lonely retreat quite undisturbed.
233
XXXVI
STRAY COUNSELS
You must
1.
Sadhana
to
with
of
Oh, the charm of
To
it,
the
Rama
Singing at the Panchavati, Sri

krishna heard the music of the Vina within.
sweetness!
3.
your
nothing without, everything is

music without is trivial compared
music within.
the
secret
is
The
within.
the
all.
There
2.
not divulge
God
should be imagined as vast and infinite.

bring this idea of vastness within, one should
Himalayas or the ocean, or gaze at the sky.

True character cannot be formed unless a
see the
4.
man becomes
God,
5.
in
God-fearing,
To conquer
is
lust
or
control
the
a task as impossible as
mind by
walking
air.
6.
of
unless he believes in
the life hereafter, and in such principles.
studying books
on
i.e.,
all
The water
waters;
it
of the Ganges
fulfils
one's
234
is
verily the holiest
desire
and
is
a help
Stray Counsels
to
the
realising
said:
"The
Ishtam.
water
Ramakrishna
Sri
of
the
Ganges,
has
the
holy
Prasadam of Jagannath (at Puri), and the sacred

dust of Vrindavan are verily Brahman in reality."
7.
So long as Mother
downward
direction,
the
mind of man runs
things relating to the phallus,

navel.
But as She
moves
Kundalini
anus
the
rises up, the
mind
in
after
and
the
also rises;
it
then moves toward things spiritual.

8.
With
the growth of Sattwa in man, he feels
God; he then
eager to behold the vision of

in singing
His glory and meditating upon
delights
Him more
and more.
9.
The food
be taken;
10.
it is
of funeral ceremonies should not
harmful.
While coming down from Mughal
motor car
through
the
vast
scenery could not give
me
holy land of Benares,
when
and entered
its
bounds.
It
as
open
much
I
Sarai in
fields,
the
joy as did this
crossed the bridge
was a
joy unspeakable!
Divine
of this land,
Oh, the glory and the sweetness
Lord Shiva Himself
the blessed abode of Shiva!
235
Spiritual Teachings
is
In this hallowed land, on
the supreme Teacher.
hand Mother Annapurna supplies man with

on the other, Lord
physical wants; and
the one
his
Viswanath ministers
our Master's
exquisitely
spiritually
unto him.
During
visit to this holy land, a divine form
luminous and with beard on the
chin
appeared before Him and showed to Him everyThe Master's body was all
thing worth seeing.
the while lying unconscious.
This holy guide was
none other than Kala Bhairava (the guardian angel

of the
11.
of Shiva)
What bold and prophetic words are these
.
city
uttered by Swamiji
ever will
go and
(America)
will
ensnared!"
India
who
(Swami Vivekananda)
imitate
try to
me
become bound; he
great
man
is
When
he
at
that
land
will surely
he
name and
left
left also all his costly robes there;
India
"Who-
born, not made!
has earned a greater
fame than Swamiji?
in
be
In
greater
America,
he
and on reaching
once took to his old habit
''Hath,
Hath" (the habit of a barefooted monk trotting).

Barefooted he would go to Calcutta and come back,
236
Stray Counsels
and
an ordinary man in the public road, he

purchase Chanachur (a mixture of fried
like
would
grams and
peas,
tion for
nuts,
children
in
delicious
very
particular)
prepara-
Sometimes
we
gave him a pair of shoes to wear and he would

What tremendous fame and honour
accept them.
he earned, but
still
he possessed to
Reaching
soil his
man
is
like
The
an
honour
is
the
and
insignificant
least trace
That
mind!
power
glory.
man,
of corruption could
why
it
is
said, a great
Buddha
the
one
should
be
Behold, what a mighty renunciation he made!

realise
God he
gave up
out a thought.
What
he underwent!
When,
realise
(a
God, he took
rivulet at
with
he
born, not made.
Like
12.
this
digest
India,
roamed about.
not
more tremendous was
all his royal
To
comforts with-
a severe course of discipline

in spite of all,
he could not
his bath in the sacred
Buddha Gaya),
this resolve:
bold.
Nirajana
sat for the last
time
"Let this body go; but until
have attained illumination,

the illumination came!
will not rise/'
And

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THE BOOK WAS

<OU1 60473 >m

and one of the most beloved of the

son and admitted him to the utmost

and an authority no one thought

privilege to be closely associat-

ed with the Swami during the six months of his first

once again the picture of that majestic, yet

publication, there rose

shadow up and down

Mylapore; once again his

benediction of his loving presence fell in refreshing

these pages; to lea^e

unbarred the benediction of that presence.

which follow were

President of the Ramakrishna Mission he remained

Monastery of the Order on the Ganges above

At Madras, if any one asked

Later he emerged from his seclusion and be-

Centres of the Mission.

visitor at the various

to this second period.

was preserved by devout disciples and published

counsels given are pre-eminently practical.

transform and redeem.

Charged with a holy message they go forth now,

MEDITATION AND REALIZATION

WORSHIP AND MEDITATION

AND SPIRITUAL LIFE

DIFFERENT METHODS OF ATTAINMENT

MEDITATION AND REALISATION

possible to have that taste

Struggle hard to attain

ment, and never for a moment pay heed

Apply yourself whole-heartedly to

with your present state of mind. Try to create

to say to the Divine

"Mother, another day

not seen Thee!"

Every night before you go to bed, think for a

again in doing useless things;

how much time you have utilised in meditation and

and Brahmacharya (continence)

whose duty is to prevent thieves, cows,

becomes, the better.

takes the rider along

who can hold

has also been compara horse generally

and check the horse can

mere wearing of the Gerua cloth (ochre-coloured

not waste a single moment.

be able to work hard only another three or four

Meditation and Realisation

Afterwards both body and mind

become weak and infirm and you will not be

are thinking, "Let us

have yearnshall do our

see the day without the break of

the Lord comes,

devotion and faith

Can anything be achieved without Tapasya?

(meditate), Tapas (meditate)/*

you not see

they practised in their lives!