Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 116 on 16-July-2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna. In the second chapter, Visit to Vidya Sagar, Shri Ramakrishna's most important teachings are being given here. In fact, I would say, if anyone studies the first chapter of the Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna, that is the very essence of the entire scriptures of all religions. Not only that, if somebody studies the five commandments of Shri Ramakrishna, they are the very essence, what the scripture wants to tell, and how to realize the teachings of the scriptures, which is God Realization. So, five commandments of Shri Ramakrishna. But we have to pass our time. We have to continuously remind ourselves by reading regularly with a meditative attitude. Our day-to-day conduct of our day-to-day life slowly becomes better and better and better. Shri Ramakrishna was explaining the state of a realized soul or a Jeevan Mukta. So, what is the purpose of this description? The characteristics of a Jeevan Mukta are to guide our life by them. In the light of those things, every Jeevan Mukta member must remember these characteristics and slowly become them. What is the difference between knowing and becoming? Knowing is an intellectual process. Becoming is an existential process. So, Shri Ramakrishna was describing. We have studied that in our last class. What is the essence of it? A Jeevan Mukta, a living free, sees only Brahman, all time, all places, in everything. And this is what Krishna describes so beautifully at the end of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Even one time experience of Brahman is enough. Whether it happens now or just before the body falls, it doesn't matter. Because this is the peculiar nature of knowledge. Once knowledge is obtained and we think that is the right knowledge. It doesn't matter if it is right knowledge or wrong knowledge. The necessary condition is that we must think it is the right knowledge. Then our behaviour, our reactions are completely dependent upon it. They give the example that if any one of us perceives a snake instead of a rope, all the signs of fear, heart beating, scaring, getting scared, all these become exhibited at that time. But the moment we come to know that this is nothing but rope, then we cannot even pretend that this is a snake. It will not work. We may say through the mouth, but it will not bring any reaction. So appropriate reaction, appropriate to what we think is right knowledge, that is most important. Now Ramakrishna is differentiating between a Jnani and a Vijnani. I can compare this. In Sannyasa, there are two stages of Sannyasa. Perhaps a few of you are aware of it, but most of us normally are not aware of it. So the lower stage of a Sannyasi is called Vividhesha Sannyasa. Vividhesha means the intense desire to know so that he can become free. So what is the speciality of Vividhesha Sannyasi? The person is 100% convinced. The teachings of the scripture are absolutely true. He has not realized, but through faith as if he realized. But he is still striving. But then the next stage is called Vidvat Sannyasa. Vidvat means he realized directly. And of these realized souls, our Hinduism, Hindu Rishis, they make certain differences. It may not be true, but very interesting. Brahmavit, Brahmavittaraha, Brahmavittamaha. So a Brahmavit, no era of Brahman. Brahmavittaraha, his knowledge is much more intense. Brahmavittamaha, absolutely that is the super relative degree of identity with Brahman. But Sairam Krishna is talking about the difference between a Jnani and a Vignani. Which means, what is the difference between Jnana and Vignana? I read from the Gospel. A Jnani gives up his identification with worldly things, discriminating, not this, not this. Only then can he realize Brahman. It is like reaching the roof of a house by leaving the steps behind one by one. The Gospel of Sairam Krishna is none other than Veda. And just as the more we meditate, the more we study, the more we think, the deeper will be our understanding. So also, whether it is Gita or it is Gospel or even the teachings of Holy Mother looks so, so simple. But because she is the Divine Mother, therefore we have to study daily with a meditative, prayerful attitude. O Lord, reveal what is the meaning of this one. Sairam Krishna gives also an example, later on we will come to that. So what is the Jnani trying? He goes on discriminating. I am not my possessions, I am not the body, I am not the mind and in that order. Our problem is we study the scriptures. But we are as much attached to what we call mine. I and mine, Sairam Krishna says, is the ignorance. And in this, which is more powerful in most cases, mine is more powerful. And people will be surprised to hear this statement that does a person count his own life, her own life more than his possessions? Yes. So if somebody hears I have lost all my money, how many people had heart attack? If a person lost his job, how many persons have committed suicide? If a student hears that I have not got the expected marks, expected by himself, herself or parents. In Japan, it is one of the systems, very sad system. How many students every year commit suicide because they have not come up to the mark or level expectation of their parents? They just can't face, this is what we call, Ijyat Chala Gaya, Maan Chala Gaya. So there is a culture, it is called Samurai culture. That if someone is not respected, so he can kill or he can commit Harkiri. And here also, we may not go to the extent of committing suicide, but I have cited many times, many examples. So a person, in order to save a little bit of money in this hot weather, hottest weather, he tries to walk. I have the capacity, he will walk. And how much disease, heart attack, etc., is invited by this process. If he spends a little money, he can sit comfortably in an auto rickshaw, whatever, and reach the place quicker also. But no, I have seen people, so that is why in England, I remember an experience. Experience means not personal experience, but a caution. The police, they advise the householders, if any thief comes either with a knife or a gun and says, hand over your possessions to me, immediately hand over. The police are advising. Why? Because there are many people who will shoot the people. So it is far better, according to police, to be alive. But cases are reported where the people stubbornly refuse to hand over even not very valuable things, a little bit valuable things. But in the course, they court death. So this is what I am trying to tell you. Possessions, they exert a terrible, terrible grip over us. So if somebody loses a house, a job, or bank balance, cheated, etc., etc., there are quite a number of people who become mad, become depressed, or even might commit suicide or attempt to commit suicide, etc. Then somehow if that attachment is lessened, then there comes a second one. Anyway, I am reminded of a beautiful Sufi incident. There was a great Sufi saint. I forget the name and where it happened also. But it is there in one of the anecdotes. So the Nawab of that place, he had very high regard. He was skeptical at the beginning. But once, on the advice of his ministers, he invited this saint. And then he discovered clearly he was a great saint. And then, even though the saint didn't want anything, when the saint was going away, the Sufi saint was going away, the king presented him with a very valuable, something like a diamond. And then the man started thinking, what shall I do? How much money I get by selling it? And how can I use that money, etc., etc. Meanwhile, a thief also, somehow they have tremendous intuitive power. So immediately he followed. And at some point, after all a saint is the easiest person to rob. So he robbed a diamond and ran away. What should be the reaction of an ordinary person? We can guess. What would be the reaction of a saint? Immediately he felt, Allah, I am eternally grateful for you. This wretched diamond, for the last 15 minutes, has made me forget you. Thinking, what shall I do? He was only, of course, thinking what benefit, what help he could do with the help of the diamond. No doubt. But meanwhile, he as if totally forgot Allah. Now this man came to my rescue, or you yourself came to my rescue, and relieved me of all my worries and anxieties. And that's what exactly Shri Ramakrishna says. This causes worries and anxieties. And Shri Ramakrishna was a past master in telling stories also. There was a maid servant. Somehow she obtained a nursery. That was all the ornament she has. And she put it on. She thought the whole world will be agog only looking at her nursery. But nobody paid attention. Ultimately, Ramakrishna, I don't know, I think he created that story or heard it from somebody. He was a highly imaginative person. You must remember, Ramakrishna can create such wonderful things. When his mother was old and sometimes she refuses to eat food, because she thinks Narayana was not offered food in the Vaikuntha. Shri Ramakrishna loved his mother. Nobody can love really one's mother like Shri Ramakrishna. So he used to go and he used to make pranams. He used to spend hours together with her. And in her old age, she developed certain idiosyncrasies. Very interesting. But all spiritual idiosyncrasies. So she refuses to eat. Then Shri Ramakrishna, a superb storyteller, so he goes on inventing. Ma, you remember like that. So many things he invents. And then the poor lady completely forgets. And then she eats the food. After that Shri Ramakrishna is very happy. He makes a Sastang Pranam. Such was his love. And in comparison, how we love our parents. Shri Ramakrishna had established an ideal. An ideal son. An ideal disciple. An ideal parent. An ideal guru. An ideal social member. In every way. First I am telling you some of the things that happened. Buddha was an enlightened soul. And so many people had joined him. Naturally, we should not imagine everybody was chirpy and in grand health. So there was one Shramana. He was called Shramana or Sanyasi. He was very sick. He was living in the community. But nobody was attending to him for a few days. Simply people used to leave him and go away. One day Buddha came to that place and heard the moanings of that patient and immediately went there. Saw his condition. Filth was there everywhere. Nobody cared. Immediately he ordered some water. And then he cleaned. Buddha himself cleaned the whole place and tended that man for nearly 10 days until he became a better person. And then he made a rule. Brothers, you have all left home and there is nobody. No father, no mother, no brothers, no sisters. You don't have anybody. If any one of you fall sick then the other ones who are nearby they must tend as much as possible. He made a rule from that time onwards. And if any Sanyasi thinks I am a Sanyasi, I don't care. This is all mithya, anatma. Then such was not the teaching of Buddha. Every great soul was like that. Anyway, I am remembering incidents. Shankaracharya, he made what is called Indian tour. 3-4 times he went around trying to find the propagators of the opposite philosophy including Kapalikas. Kapalika had their own system. They used it to offer human beings in sacrifice. They believed sincerely that it is the deity to whom they offer the better the person, the more valuable the offering, sacrifice. There are people who believe in it. Narabali, what we call there. So Shankaracharya had a debate with them. Of course, it is no great act to defeat them because they don't have anything, just some superstitions. And then this man became converted. Not really, but pretending to be converted. He became a disciple of Shankaracharya and served Shankaracharya marvelously. Shankara was very pleased. He was not a fool. South Indian rasam can make any brain very sharp. So Shankaracharya understood there is a motive behind this man's service. But he was pleased at the man's service. So one day he called him and said, so what is your wish? What do you want from me? The man was very frank. He said, I believe in sacrificing a great person like you. If you agree, then I will take you to my place. There is a mother's manifestation and I will sacrifice you to her and she will be highly pleased and she will grant me lot of boons. And that is what I want. You are talking about Brahman. I am not interested in realizing Brahman. I want some powers. What do you think Shankara's reaction was? Immediately he agreed. But he said, you know, do not reveal this to any one of my disciples. Fix a date. Tell me. Let me know the date and it should be at night time and I will come alone and you can sacrifice me. How could Shankara do it? Because he was a realized soul. He knew that he was Brahman. He was not the body and anyway body will come, will fall also. It doesn't really matter what happens to the body. So Shankaracharya knew it, accepted out of infinite compassion. At that stage of realization, the value of body is nothing. Even we have to realize the value of possessions is nothing. In comparison with our prana. But such is the Mahamaya that we are more, our life is more, our pancha pranas are more in the possessions than in our body or in our mind. Most of the cases are like that even though you think that a person loves his own body more. No. We love our possessions much more. If any one of you do not understand, I am giving a little bit more. So the doctor tells, don't eat this. This is spicy food or the sweet food because your body cannot tolerate it. But he said, if what is called in public, if we don't want to eat it, secretly we want to eat it. What does it mean? Our desire for eating becomes much more important than preserving our health which means our prana. Anyway, these great souls, they don't realize. Our Totapuri Maharaj, thinking that the body is the cause of his mental problems, he wanted to commit suicide. Anyway, so Shankaracharya went there, he sat in meditation, he became unconscious, completely identified with Brahman. But one of the disciples of Shankaracharya, he was a Upasaka, we call it. It is a very beautiful term, specially devoted to one particular aspect of Godhead who in this case, he happened to be the devotee of Ugra Narasimha, ferocious Narasimha, who appeared to Prahlada's father and killed him. So he was possessed by this and then he became like a lion, Narasimha, Simha. And within a few jumps, he reached the place. He did not know where he was going, how he was going. Just a second before, the head of Shankaracharya was to be cut off, this person snatched the knife and cut off the head of the Kapalika. So this is a story they tell. But why am I telling? These people, they don't have, these Vijnanis or Gnanis, they don't have the identification with worldly things. They have reached the Parakastha of discrimination. Not this, not this. Only then can he realize Brahman. This is what Shri Ramakrishna is telling. It is like reaching the roof of a house by leaving the steps behind, one by one. This is the condition of the Gnanis. He is still discriminating. But that is a real discrimination, very advanced discrimination. And for such a person, realization is not very far off. But the Vijnani, who is more intimately acquainted with Brahman, realizes something more. What is it? Sarvam khalo idam brahma. He realizes that the steps are made up of the same materials as the roof, bricks, lime and brick dust. That which is realized intuitively as Brahman through the eliminating process of not this, not this, is then found to have become the universe and all its living beings. This is the condition of the Vijnani. One who possesses extra knowledge. What is that knowledge? Just the person is telling, this is all unreal, not real, this is not real, that is not real, this is not Brahman, that is not Brahman. He reaches Brahman. And Shri Ramakrishna tells for many people, that is the end of life. So after 21 days, they are unable to come down and the body falls off like a ripe fruit from a tree. But God decides some bodies, some minds are worthy instruments and through that a great good because we ignorant people require that knowledge. So the Vijnani is one by the will of God, not by his own will. He as it were comes back. But what comes back is nothing but Brahman only. So now he doesn't become a Jeeva, he becomes a Vijnani. And what does the Vijnani say? He says that the reality which is nirguna, without attributes, nirguna means no guna, is also saguna, with attributes. Niranjana, you see, we sing every day, the devotees of Shri Ramakrishna, in the Shri Ramakrishna temples, pujarams, niranjana, nararupadhara, nirguna, punamaya. So what is the description of Shri Ramakrishna by Swami Vivekananda? Niranjana is absolutely stainless. Stainless means don't imagine there is Shri Ramakrishna and no stain is available nearby to stain him, to make him impure. No. Niranjana means there is no second object which can make him impure. That is the idea of Shuddha. Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Swaroopa. Shuddha means what? There is no object which can make Brahman impure. It is the absence of the second, that is what is indicated. And then we sing, nararupadhara, and the same one, he becomes Ishwara, Saguna Brahma. And Saguna Brahma, whenever it is necessary, he assumes a human form and then he comes around among human beings and then Nirguna, Gunamaya, he is a Nirguna, but at the same time he is full of auspicious qualities. Ramanujacharya, unfortunately, doesn't accept this Nirguna aspect. This is the description of Narayana, as the Saguna Brahma, infinite auspicious qualities. I don't know how people understand that is the followers of Ramanujacharya. So what about the evil qualities? In this world, we see demons, we see Tamoguna, we see Rajoguna. So where Rajoguna and Tamoguna join together in happy marriage, the havoc that can be created by these two Gunas is indescribable, unimaginable. So what does a Ramanujacharya follower think? Only God has got good qualities, the whole universe is creation of God. Simple logic. So if a pot has come out of clay, then the pot is nothing but clay and it must possess all the qualities of the clay. So if we see in this world that there are saintly people and also demons, godly people and demons, Devas and Asuras. And who created the Devas? Ishwara. Who created the Asuras? Ishwara only. So then God is both the good and evil qualities. Everything is God. Sri Ramakrishna explains it so beautifully. So an Advaitin necessarily has to say that everything in this world is Brahman. The most evil person that can be imagined is also Brahman. Yes. And this was what Swami Vivekananda wanted to controvert and he pointed out at the Parliament of Religions. According to Christianity, there are two peculiar views. One view is God created everything good in this world and he was completely satisfied. Whatever I have done good. This is called self-certificate. Whatever I do is marvelous. Then the question comes, we see so many evil things in this world. Who created these evil things in this world? And the Christian, devout Christian, or does he say devil created. And then next you also. Then who created the devil? He says, you don't understand what I am talking about. He shuts his mouth and runs away from there. But Vedanta does not shrink back from answering. Whatever we see in this world, good and evil, cold and heat, and victory and defeat, success and failure, man and woman, human beings and non-human beings, the living and non-living, everything is nothing but made out of the same material called Brahman. Shri Ram Krishna says, I once had a vision. Marvelous visions are there, Shri Ram Krishna's. And what he describes, what is recorded, are only infinitesimally small number. Really speaking, he has to say, how many visions I had. He also had no time and there is no necessity. This is what Bhagavan Krishna says in the 13th chapter. So whatever object we see in this world, it is a combination of Prakruti and Purusha. There is nothing else excepting Purusha and Prakruti. The same thing, Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. This is what Shri Ram Krishna is trying to tell. Naturally, we have seen also earlier, that why did God create evil people? And Shri Ram Krishna gives a very precious answer. Evil people are very necessary because most of us, Hindus, I am talking about Hindus, believe in the law of Karma. That is to say, what we are now, is the result of what we did in the past. And what we do now, the consequences will be either the future in this very life or in the coming births. So, then why do we see some people as evil people? So they have done a lot of evil actions and it has become very natural for them and they cannot help but doing evil actions. Naturally, the consequences must follow. But sometimes, not that. Every person does good also. Nobody is 100% evil. No one is 100% good. Even the best person has some defects and the worst person has some good qualities. So this answer that is given is who are evil people? They who give pain, suffering to other people. But are they giving? Or is the karma phala of the person giving? But before you misunderstand, you will have to be crystal clear about it, the difference between the karma siddhanta and the fatalism. There are so many people, Oh, this is my prarabdham. What can I do? Karma siddhanta says that it is your bounded duty to do something and you accept your own responsibility and then you proceed to undo it. That is called karma siddhanta. Whereas fatalism is I am a helpless victim and I don't want to do anything. Such people, there is no wonder, they will go on suffering a lot more. Ramakrishna, Swamiji, they never admitted this fatalism. But karma siddhanta, Holy Mother, in Her Gospel of Sharda Devi, Holy Mother, is crystal clear. Is everything the result of karma? A disciple asks. She says, what else? Everything is the result of karma only. This is a tremendous philosophy. Of course, I am not going to go into details. But if we are devotees of God, we have to believe good and evil, both are creation and they are not abstract principles. We can never understand an abstract principle until it is manifested in a concrete way. For example, if somebody knows everything about music but never opens the mouth, never sings, then nobody can understand is a master musician or master cook or master sculptor, whatever it is. The knowledge is there and if it is not manifest, it is called abstract. That is completely useless. So behind every concrete something, there is something abstract. And that is one of the main purposes of Upasana. By taking hold of something concrete, we slowly reach to that abstract concept. In this case, by contemplating on the Saguna Brahma only. Saguna Brahma is the only door that can take us to Nirguna Brahma. Now we will proceed. This is what Shri Ramakrishna says that a Vijnani, a God Brahman realized soul, Brahma Vith, what does he see? He sees if still his body and mind are functioning, then he sees everything as Brahman. So the Vijnani further sees that what is Brahman is the Bhagawan. Who is the Bhagawan? A personal God. So who is a Bhagawan? Shri Ramakrishna himself explains. He who is beyond the three Gunas is the Bhagawan with his six supernatural powers. The very word Bhagwan, Bhaga means Jnana, Aishwarya, etc. Six qualities are implied there. He who is beyond the three Gunas and if he is beyond the three Gunas, that means beyond body and mind and nothing can be thought, he cannot be thought about, much less spoken about. He is called, indicated as Nirguna Brahma, impersonal Brahman. But same Brahman, when we think of him, necessarily, the moment we think of Nirguna Brahman, he becomes Saguna Brahma. This is what Shri Ramakrishna says. The living beings, the universe, mind, intelligence, love, appreciation, knowledge, all these are the manifestations of his power. Now, we have to understand how does this person, really, the Brahman realized soul, live in this world. Such a person is called Jeevan Mukta. And Arjuna questions and we, the devotees of Gita, inevitably, we come across at the very end of the second chapter, the sthita prajna lakshanas. So, who is a Jeevan Mukta? But I have taken some of these characteristics of a Jeevan Mukta from the Viveka Chudamani. They don't really differ from the sthita prajna lakshanas. But, Shankaracharya's superb language, it is incomparable. sthita prajno yathirayam yah sada anandam ashnute brahmanyeva vilinatma nirvikaro vinishkriyaha The rough translation, I will be coming later on. yasya sthita bhaved prajna yasya anando nirantarah prapancho vismruta prayaha sa jeevan mukta isyate leena dhirapi jagarti yo jagrad dharma varjitaha bodho nirvasano yasya sa jeevan mukta isyate shyamta samsara kalanaha kalavanapi nishkalaha yah sacittopi nischittaha sa jeevan mukta isyate He has given a long list of nearly from the 426th shloka to another 20-30 shlokas, I do not remember, from the Viveka Chudamani. So, rough translation, English, but I want to just translate one or two lines here. yasya sthita bhaved prajna He, whose intelligence has become identified with Brahman, yasya anando nirantarah He who is experiencing unbroken bliss prapancho vismruta prayaha that there is a special prapancha which is so real to all of us prayaha vismrutaha as if it doesn't exist. Really, it doesn't exist. Because what we call prapancha is none other than Brahman. Such a person can be stated as a jeevan mukta. And then, Shankaracharya plays with beautiful words leenadhira pi jagarthi even though his mind is completely merged in Brahman jagarthi ever awake in the state of ever wakefulness but jagrath dharmavarjita but he is completely free from the effects of the waking state. What are the effects of waking state? First of all, I am the waker. And whatever I am experiencing through the faists and sargams is absolutely real. This person, he sees everything. But what does he see? Only Vishnu is above, Vishnu is below, Vishnu is in front, back, left side, right side, inside, outside. That was the answer given by Prahlada to his father. bodho nirvasano esya sa jeevan mukta isyate shanta samsara kalanaha He is in the world. kala vanapi as if he is in the world but shanta samsara kalanaha the samsara this world as it exists for us that doesn't exist for the realized soul. kalavanapi nishkalaha so even though he has a body and mind he has got so many limbs as if nishkalaha he doesn't have any limbs. yaha sachittopi even though he seems to be having a mind. What does it mean? We see that he has a mind but nishchittaha he doesn't have any mind. Such a person can be said as jeevan mukta. This is for those who do not enjoy Sanskrit. This is the rough translation. The jeevan mukta or liberated sage is absolutely free from egoism, doubt, fear and grief. This is just a translation from various Upanishads actually. These are the four important signs that indicate that a person has attained perfection. There is no egotism, there is no doubt, there is no fear and there is no grief. The jeevan mukta has perfect contentment, unruffled peace of mind, deep abiding joy and bliss, possession of super sensual spiritual knowledge. A jeevan mukta doesn't care even for the wants of the body. He is not afraid of death. He has no longing to live also. A jeevan mukta says number of things let me live now. So can I die? No. As if somebody as we have ideas about other people's bodies but even we wish let this person be alive because I am getting so much of joy from this person or this person if he dies, a rich uncle, he is still going on living. If he dies whatever he has, he doesn't have children, he is unmarried so whatever he has the next I am the in line to get whatever he has got. We also wish so he has no longing to live no longing to die because he doesn't think he is the body. Maya or Prakriti is his obedient and sweet nurse. For us Prakriti is our mistress. Mistress means understand complete distress is called mistress. Prakriti is a mistress for all of us. She rules. Ramakrishna gives if you remember a man was searching for a job and he was visiting an officer and everyday he says come tomorrow, come tomorrow and given an advice this fellow takes refuge at the feet of his mistress and she was very good person and she says okay let me see what I can do is the modern lingua and then next day he was appointed. So what does it mean? It means the mistress is the ruler. He cannot, if she says get up, he will get up. If she says sit down, sit down. He has no voice and he doesn't even think I am a slave. Anyway an interesting incident came to my mind. I will be sharing with you. Swami Vivekananda was studying in the college. One of his colleagues were very poor and just before exams they have to submit some amount of money obtain a receipt. Then only they are allowed to sit for the exams. So this poor man he went to the clerk who has the power if he wants to first give the examination afterwards leisurely you pay the money but he says rule is rule. I cannot admit you and Swami Vivekananda pleaded on that his colleagues behalf this fellow will not on what is called bend. So Swami ji was not an ordinary person. He said he gave assurance to his fellow student don't worry you are going to give the examination by hook or crook. I am going to see to it. What would he have done? So if necessary he would collect money and he would pay on his behalf no doubt about it. But Swami ji Narendra adopted a peculiar method. So this fellow behavior brought suspicions whether this fellow is addicted to opium etc. So one night he followed him and to his unsurprise he found out this fellow entered into a opium den and he enjoyed it after an hour or two so he was reeling out of that effect he was coming out suddenly with beautiful teeth out Narendra Nath stood in front of him and the clerk realized disaster because Narendra will tell everybody this fellow in those days you know people were very secretive about these things drinking and visiting public houses etc. It is a very bad name for these so called respected people. Oh Naren you are here why are you here? So Narendra said Sir I thought I will tell you about that student Oh that small matter don't worry let him write the examination and we will take the money later on because that fellow this is what we call Narendra had blackmailed that fellow and both of them knew why that fellow had agreed anyway so Maya is our mistress but in the case of a realized soul Maya or Prakriti is his obedient and sweet nurse she attends upon him carefully and it is said whatever Jeevanmukta needs Maya brings arranges for him to come and again I have to spice these talks you know Swami Vivekananda once decided to test Sri Ramakrishna somewhere in what is called northeast area near Almora or Nainital so he went into a small forest climbed a tree and said Sri Ramakrishna Thakur if you are really there then I want to eat hot Kichadi and then there was a devotee of Rama in a nearby village and then at noon he was sleeping this event happened at noon only and suddenly this man was pushed and 2-3 times he only turned to the other side and then a hard push and he saw his Ishta Devata Rama one of my devotees is suffering from terrible hunger quickly prepare Kichadi very hot carry it and go to that particular place he is there on the tree everything he showed google maps perhaps he has handed over I don't know so this man immediately he was so happy to see Rama immediately he prepared the Kichadi went to that place and saw one Sanyasi sitting there and then Swami I brought food for you Swami he said I don't know you don't know me I don't know you so you must be mistaking you must have been preparing for somebody else the man said no my Ishta Devata Rama came because of your resolve I had the vision of Rama whether Swami Vivekananda had the vision of Rama or not we don't know but he had of course his desire to eat hot Kichadi is fulfilled any case these things happen all the time and you know I am like that so I remember just now I remembered once Ramana Maharshi was reminiscing so he needed some Amlakis and then he was musing I wanted an Amlaki but all the Amlakis are exhausted from the store anyway okay when it comes it comes and then after few hours a man came with a huge bag of Amlakis then Ramana Maharshi he was very happy of course but he asked oh today morning only we were thinking about Amlakis how did you get it he said Swami I had no wish today morning I had a desire to see you so I determined to walk and I was walking and there was one cart going in front of me and full of this Amlaki bags somebody was driving it and suddenly one of the bags developed a hole it became very holy and Amlakis started falling on the way because the cart was jerking and whatever fell down on the road I collected it and I thought I will bring it to you now whether Ramana Maharshi has to accept it as a legal product or not I don't know but anyway he was very happy so whenever Ramakrishna wants or anybody wants everything was arranged the greatest proof of this is Ramakrishna had to practice intense spiritual sadhana and for that Prakruti divine mother had long before she had created this Dakshineswar temple for that she made somebody to be born and she brought that young girl to Calcutta by getting her married to a very rich man this is all the drama that had taken place and then this I am talking about Rani Rasmani and she did not know and she did not have any intention she wanted to go on a pilgrimage and then with 100 boats 100,000 rupees 1 lakh of rupees in those days she came to the Dakshineswar site and there she had a dream that you don't need to go but you construct my temple here I will accept your offering from here and that is how a background but even before that God has to be born and he must be born in a poor family who had practically nothing for that Shudhiram the father of Ramakrishna who was comfortable with 40 acres of almost 40 acres of wetland so an event was created again by the divine mother so usually when we study this incident we are likely to blame that village Jamindar is a wicked fellow he deprived this good man no no no it was not the doing of the Jamindar it was the doing of the divine mother she wanted him to come leave everything what is called completely devoid of any possessions excepting their bodies and one dress that was there and two children both Chandramani and Shudhiram they came to Kamarpagore village not knowing what is going to happen but as soon as a friend of Shudhiram who knew him heard this story immediately he offered him two huts which are even now where Shri Ramakrishna was born the most sacred places for the devotees of Shri Ramakrishna and then a small piece of land sufficient for their family and this is how in the case of every Jeevan Mukta all his needs are taken place and just because I am in that mood I am also reminding you Swami Vivekananda missed the way to the parliament of religions so he turned on the other side he had to encounter lot of threatenings including some people who pretended to leave their Alsatian dogs upon him at last completely exhausted he came he saw a church by the road side and he sat down in deep meditation surrendering himself to God and then he was absorbed Swamiji could be absorbed then he saw from there was a building opposite to that road a lady got up in the morning and then she saw the strangest sight in oriental sannyasin dress this man was sitting and absorbed in meditation on the steps of the church because the church was not open and immediately the buddhi, intelligence was given to her this must be a person who is supposed to give a speech at the parliament of religions and he must have lost his way all this understanding intuitively came to her, she ran to him and he also like a small child this is what has happened and immediately she invited him and then that became his home so long as he was in America he would return again and again to that house this lady became his grandmother as if and so who directed Vivekananda in the wrong path only the Divine Mother why? because she had to host him she must have done lot of punya and then she must introduce him to somebody else all these events taken place there is a meaning when we connect to later on but at that time it seemed to be random events with no relationship, no interconnection between each other so a jivanmukta will not care, somebody takes care of him, all bodily wants come by themselves Prakruti arranges everything for him beforehand this is her business to look after them complete surrender we will talk about this beautiful subject in our next class May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti Jai Ramakrishna