God's Love

“How can a devotee attain such love? First, the company of holy men. That awakens śraddhā, faith in God. Then comes nishtha, single-minded devotion to the Ideal. In that stage the devotee does not like to hear anything but talk about God. He performs only those acts that please God. After nishtha comes bhakti, devotion to God; then comes bhava. Next mahabhava, then prema, and last of all the attainment of God Himself.

Only for Isvarakotis, such as the Incarnations, is it possible to have mahabhava or prema.

“The knowledge of a worldly person, the knowledge of a devotee, and the Knowledge of an Incarnation are by no means of the same degree. The knowledge of a worldly person is like the light of an oil lamp, which shows only the inside of a room. Through such knowledge he eats and drinks, attends to household duties, protects his body, brings up his children, and so on.

“The knowledge of a devotee is like the light of the moon, which illumines objects both inside and outside a room. But such light does not enable him to see a distant or a very minute object.

“The Knowledge of an Incarnation of God is like the light of the sun. Through that light the Incarnation sees everything, inside and outside, big and small.

“The mind of a worldly person is, no doubt, like muddy water; but it can be made clear by a purifying agent. Discrimination and renunciation are the purifying agent.” The Master spoke to the devotees from Shibpur.

MASTER: “Have you any questions to ask?”

A DEVOTEE: “We have listened to your words.” The time factor in spiritual progress

MASTER: “Yes, it is good to listen to these things. But nothing will happen except at the right time. What can quinine do for a fever patient when he runs a high temperature?

Only when his temperature comes down through the use of ‘fever mixture’ or a purgative should quinine be prescribed. There are patients who get rid of their fever even without quinine. A child said to his mother, when he was put to bed, ‘Mother, please wake me up when I feel the call of nature.’ The mother said: ‘My child, I shall not have to wake you. The urge itself will wake you.’

“Different kinds of people come here. ‘Some come by boat with the devotees. But they do not enjoy spiritual talk. They keep nudging their friends and whispering: ‘When shall we leave here? When are we going?’ If the friends show no sign of getting up, they say, ‘We would rather wait for you in the boat.’

“Those who have a human body for the first time need the experience of sense enjoyments. Spiritual consciousness is not awakened unless certain duties have been performed.”

The Master was going to the pine-grove. With a smile he said to M., on the semicircular porch, “Well, what do you think of my state of mind?”

M. (smiling): “On the surface you are very simple, but inwardly very deep. extremely difficult to understand you.”

MASTER (smiling): “True. It is like the cement floor of a house. People see only the outer surface and do not know how many materials there are under it.”

It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. Balarām and several other devotees got into a country boat to return to Calcutta. It was ebb-tide in the Ganges. A gentle breeze was blowing from the south, covering the bosom of the sacred river with ripples.

M. looked at the scene a long time. As the boat disappeared in the direction of Calcutta, he came back to the Master.

Sri Ramakrishna was going to the pine-grove. A beautiful, dark rain-cloud was to be seen in the northwest. The Master asked M.: “Do you think it will rain? Please bring my umbrella.” M. brought the umbrella. Reaching the Panchavati, the Master said to Lātu, who also accompanied him, “Why do you look so sickly?”

LĀTU: “I can hardly eat anything.”

MASTER: “Is that the only reason? It is also a bad time of the year. Are you meditating too much? (To M.) I have a request to make of you. Please tell Baburam to stay with me a day or two during Rakhal ’s absence. Otherwise I shall feel very unhappy.”

M: “Yes, sir. I shall tell him.”

Sri Ramakrishna asked M. whether he thought that Baburam was guileless. Presently the Master left them, going in the direction of the pine-trees. After a few minutes M. and Lātu, standing in the Panchavati, saw the Master coming back toward them.

Behind him the sky was black with the rain-cloud. Its reflection in the Ganges made the water darker. The disciples felt that the Master was God Incarnate, a Divine Child five years old, radiant with the smile of innocence and purity.

Around him were the sacred trees of the Panchavati under which he had practised spiritual discipline and had beheld visions of God. At his feet flowed the sacred river Ganges, the destroyer of man’s sins. The presence of this God-man charged the trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and temples with spiritual fervour and divine joy.

Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room and sat on the small couch. He began to praise a medicine that a certain brahmachari had prepared for him. Referring to this man, Hazra said: “He is now entangled in many worldly anxieties. What a shame! Look at Nabai Chaitanya of Konnagar. Though a householder, he has put on a red cloth.”

MASTER: “What shall I say? I clearly see that it is God Himself who has assumed all these human forms. Therefore I cannot take anybody to task.”

HAZRA: “Narendra is again involved in a lawsuit.”

MASTER: “He doesn’t believe in Śakti, the Divine Mother. If one assumes a human body, one must recognize Her.”

HAZRA: “Narendra says: ‘If I believed in Śakti, all would follow me. Therefore I cannot.’”

MASTER: “But it is not good for him to go to the extreme of denying the Divine Mother.

He is now under Śakti’s jurisdiction. Even a judge, while giving evidence in a case, comes down and stands in the witness-box. (To M.) “Have you seen Narendra lately?”

M: “Not during the last few days.”

MASTER: “See him and bring him here in a carriage.

(To Hazra) “Well, what is his relation to this [meaning himself]?”

HAZRA: “He expects help from you.”

MASTER: “And what about Bhavanath? Would he come here so frequently if he didn’t have good tendencies? What about Harish and Lātu? They always meditate. Why is that?”

HAZRA: “That’s right. Why should they devote all their time to meditation? It is quite a different thing for them to stay here to attend to your personal needs.” MASTER: “Possibly you are right. Perhaps others may take their place now.”

Hazra left the room, leaving the Master alone with M.

MASTER: “Does what I say in the state of ecstasy attract people?”

M: “Oh, yes. Very much.”

MASTER: “What do people think of me? Do they think anything in particular about me when they see me in that condition?”

M: “We feel in you a wonderful synthesis of knowledge, love, and renunciation, and on the surface a natural spontaneity. Many divine experiences have passed, like huge steamboats, through the deep of your inner consciousness; still you maintain outwardly this utter simplicity. Many cannot understand it, but a few are attracted by this state alone.”

MASTER: “There is a sect of Vaishriavas known as the Ghoshpara, who describe God as the ‘Sahaja’, the ‘Simple One’. They say further that a man cannot recognize this ‘Simple One’ unless he too is simple. (To M.) Have I any ego?”

M: “Yes, sir. A little. You have kept it to preserve your body, and to enjoy divine love in the company of the devotees and impart spiritual knowledge to them. Further, you have kept this trace of ego by praying to the Divine Mother for it.”

MASTER: “No. I have not kept it. It is God Himself who has left it in me. Can you tell me how I appear in the state of samādhi?”

M: “As you said a little while ago, you see the form of God when your mind rises to the ‘sixth plane’. When you speak after that, your mind comes down to the ‘fifth plane’.” MASTER: “It is God who does all these things. I do not know anything.”

M: “That is why you attract people so much. Sir, I have a question to ask. There are 2 opinions in the scriptures. According to one, Purana, Krishna is Chidatma, the Absolute, and Radha is ChitŚakti, Its Divine Power; but according to another, Krishna Himself is Kāli; the Primordial Energy.”

MASTER: “This second view is held in the Devi Purana. According to it, Kāli Herself has become Krishna; But what difference does it make? God is infinite, and infinite are the ways to reach Him.”

M. remained speechless with wonder for a few moments and then said: “Oh, now I understand. As you say, the important thing is to climb to the roof. Our goal will be achieved if we can accomplish it by following any of the means-a rope or a pole.”

MASTER: “It is through the grace of God that you have understood that. Without His grace doubt is never cleared up.

“The important thing is somehow to cultivate devotion to God and love for Him. What is the use of knowing many things? It is enough to cultivate love of God by following any of the paths. When you have this love, you are sure to attain God. Afterwards, if it is necessary, God will explain everything to you and tell you about the other paths as well. It is enough for you to develop love of God. You have no need of many opinions and discussions. You have come to the orchard to eat mangoes.

Enjoy them to your heart’s content. You don’t need to count the branches and leaves on the trees. It is wise to follow the attitude of Hanuman: ‘I do not know the day of the week, the phase of the moon, or the position of the stars; I only contemplate Rāma.’ "

M: “I now desire that my activities may be much reduced and that I may devote myself greatly to God.”

MASTER: “Ah! Certainly your desire will be fulfilled. But a Jnāni can live unattached in the world.”

M: “True, sir. But one needs special power to lead an unattached life.”

MASTER: “That is also true. But perhaps you wanted the worldly life. Krishna had been enshrined in Radha’s heart; but Radha wanted to sport with Him in human form. Hence all the episodes of Vrindāvan. Now you should pray to God that your worldly duties may be reduced. And you will achieve the goal if you renounce mentally.”

M: “But mental renunciation is prescribed for those who cannot give up the world outwardly. For superior devotees total renunciation is enjoined-both outer and inner.” Sri Ramakrishna was silent a few minutes and then resumed the conversation.

MASTER: “How did you like what I said about renunciation a little while ago?”

M: “Very much, sir.”

MASTER: “Tell me, what is the meaning of renunciation?”

M: “Renunciation does not mean simply dispassion for the world. It means dispassion for the world and also longing for God.”

MASTER: “You are right. You no doubt need money for your worldly life; but don’t worry too much about it. The wise course is to accept what comes of its own accord. Don’t take too much trouble to save money. Those who surrender their hearts and souls to God, those who are devoted to Him and have taken refuge in Him, do not worry much about money. As they earn, so they spend. The money comes in one way and goes out the other. This is what the Gitā describes as ‘accepting what comes of its own accord’.”

The Master referred to Haripada and said, “He came here the other day.”

M: “He knows how to sing the stories of the Purana. He sings melodiously about the life of Prahlada and the nativity of Sri Krishna.”

MASTER: “Is that so? That day I looked into his eyes. They had an inward look. I asked him whether he meditated a great deal, but he sat with his eyes cast down and didn’t answer. Then I said to him, ‘Look here, don’t strain yourself too much.’ "