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The Samkhya philosophy says that:
- God does not exit, because there is no proof of His existence
- one must accept the Vedas and that they are eternal
I don’t say that these are not true.
I simply don’t understand them. Please explain them to me. People have explained the scriptures according to their fancy. Which explanation shall we accept?
White light coming through a red medium appears red, through a green medium, green.
A DEVOTEE: “The Gitā contains the words of Krishna.”
NARENDRA: “Yes, Krishna or any fellow for that matter!”
Sri Ramakrishna was amazed at these words of Narendra.
This is a fine discussion.
There are 2 interpretations of the scriptures:
- The literal
- The real
‘One should accept the real meaning alone-what agrees with the words of God. There is a vast difference between the words written in a letter and the direct words of its writer. The scriptures are like the words of the letter; the words of God are direct words. I do not accept anything unless it agrees with the direct words of the Divine Mother.
The conversation again turned to Divine Incarnation.
NARENDRA: “It is enough to have faith in God. I don’t care about what He is doing or what He hangs from. Infinite is the universe; infinite are the Incarnations.”
As Sri Ramakrishna heard the words, “Infinite is the universe; infinite are the Incarnations”, he said with folded hands, “Ah!”
M whispered something to Bhavanāth.
BHAVANĀTH: “M. says: ‘As long as I have not seen the elephant, how can I know whether it can pass through the eye of a needle? I do not, know God; how can I understand through reason whether or not He can incarnate Himself as man?”
A DEVOTEE: “The Brahmos say that a man should perform his worldly duties. He must not renounce them.”
GIRISH: “Yes, I saw something like that in their paper, the Sulabha Samachar. But a man cannot even finish all the works that are necessary for him in order to know God, and still he speaks of worldly duties.”
Sri Ramakrishna smiled a little, looked at M., and made a sign with his eye, as if to say,
“What he says is right.”
M understood that this question of performing duties was an extremely difficult one. Purna arrived.
PURNA: “Sarada.”
Narendra’s music
Narendra was preparing to sing. The Master and the devotees were eager to hear his music. Narendra sang:
Śiva, Thy ready thunderbolt rules over meadows, hills, and sky! O God of Gods! O Slayer of Time! Thou the Great Void, the
King of Dharma!
Śiva, Thou Blessed One, redeem me; take away my grievous sin.
He sang again:
Sweet is Thy name, O Refuge of the humble! It falls like sweetest nectar on our ears And comforts us, Beloved of our souls! . . .
Again:
Why, O mind, do you never call on Him Who takes away all fear of danger? Tricked by delusion you forget yourself, Enamoured of the world’s bleak wilderness. Alas, what mockery is here! Comrades and wealth you cannot always keep; Take care lest you forget Him quite. Give up the false, O mind! Adore the Real; And all the grief will vanish from your life. Keep my good counsel in your heart. With sounding voice proclaim Lord Hari’s name And cast away your false desires, If you would cross the ocean of this life; Surrender to Him body, mind, and soul, And worship Him with trusting love. PALTU: “Won’t you sing that one?” NARENDRA: “Which one?”
PALTU: “‘When I behold Thy peerless face.’ "
Narendra sang:
When I behold Thy peerless face, beaming with love, a Lord, What fear have I of earthly woe or of the frown of sorrow? As the first ray of the dawning sun dispels the dark, So too, Lord, when Thy blessed light bursts forth within the heart, It scatters all our grief and pain with sweetest balm. When on Thy love and grace I ponder, in my heart’s deepest depths, Tears of joy stream down my cheeks beyond restraining. Hail, Gracious Lord! Hail, Gracious One! I shall proclaim Thy love.
May my life-breath depart from me as I perform Thy works!
At M.’s request Narendra sang again, M. and many of the devotees listening with folded hands:
Be drunk, O mind, be drunk with the Wine of Heavenly Bliss! Roll on the ground and weep, chanting Hari’s sweet name! . . . Narendra sang again: Meditate, O my mind, on the Lord Hari, The Stainless One, Pure Spirit through and through. How peerless is the light that in Him shines! How soul-bewitching is His wondrous form! How dear is He to all His devotees! . . . He sang another song: This universe, wondrous and infinite, O Lord, is Thy handiwork; And the whole world is a treasure-house Full of Thy beauty and grace The stars glisten innumerable, Like gems on a necklace of gold; How can the myriad suns and moons Ever be numbered above? The earth is glowing with grain and gold, Thine ever brimming store; Uncounted stars, O God, sing forth: Blessed, blessed art Thou!
Upon the tray of the sky blaze bright The lamps of sun and moon; Like diamonds shine the glittering stars To deck Thy wondrous form. . . . Fasten your mind, O man, on the Primal Purusha, Who is the Cause of all causes, The Stainless One, the Beginningless Truth As Prāna He pervades the infinite universe; The man of faith beholds Him Living, resplendent, the Root of all. . . .
At Narayan’s request Narendra sang:
Come! Come, Mother! Doll of my soul! My heart’s Delight! In my heart’s lotus come and sit, that I may see Thy face. Alas! Sweet Mother, even from birth I have suffered much; But I have borne it all, Thou knowest, gazing at Thee. Open the lotus of my heart, dear Mother! Reveal Thyself there.
Then Narendra sang a song of his own choice:
In dense darkness, O Mother, Thy formless beauty sparkles; Therefore the yogis meditate in a dark mountain cave. . . .
As Sri Ramakrishna heard this soul-enthralling song, he went into samādhi. Narendra again sang:
Be drunk, O mind, be drunk with the Wine ‘Of Heavenly Bliss!
The Master was in samādhi. He was sitting on a pillow, dangling his feet, facing the north and leaning against the wall. The devotees were seated around him.
In an ecstatic mood Sri Ramakrishna talked to the Divine Mother. He said: “I shall take my meal now. Art Thou come? Hast Thou found Thy lodging and left Thy baggage there and then come out?” He continued: “I don’t enjoy anybody’s company now. Why should
I listen to the music, Mother? That diverts part of my mind to the outside world.”
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