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OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PAHADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU

ओम् जननीम् शर्दाम् देवेम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम् पादपत्मे तयोस्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुरु मुहु

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - Sunday, October 22nd, 1882

Introduction

We are studying the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Sunday, October 22nd, 1882.

Remember, this is the year that M had come into contact with Sri Ramakrishna, unexpectedly as it were, as though it was not pre-arranged.

But you know, like our life, whatever happens in Sri Ramakrishna's life, his devotee's life, in our life, a big divine drama is going on.

Nothing happens accidentally, accidental happening, and karma siddhanta, the theory of karma, do not go together.

So, let us remember important points.

Two Types of Spiritual Aspirants: Bahudaka and Kutichaka

In our last gospel class, we have been talking about, or rather, Sri Ramakrishna was talking about two types of spiritual aspirants, called the Bahudaka and Kutichaka.

The Bahudaka (Wandering Spiritual Seeker)

Bahudaka, a person who goes on from place to place in such a peace of mind, is called a Bahudaka, because he has to drink water at different places.

And as I was mentioning in my last class, that the waters at some places are so good, so digestive, the moment you drink the water, whatever you have consumed is absolutely digested very soon, the stomach becomes very clear.

But at some places, what we call hard water, or whatever, not very suitable water, this is an absolute truth.

Water is not suitable, climate is not suitable, many other things are not suitable.

So, every place has got its own special, either helpful or not helpful, depends upon our karmaphala.

Spiritual aspirants, at the beginning, naturally, their minds are very restless.

So, in such a peace, they move about from one place to the other place, usually it is from one holy place to another holy place.

So, they enjoy the variety of the expressions of God.

This is sacred to Shiva, that is sacred to Divine Mother, the other place is sacred to Lord Vishnu.

The 108 Divya Kshetras of South India

In South India, especially among the Tamilian devotees, they revere 108 holy places.

According to them, they are all holy because they are associated with some devotees of Lord Vishnu, 108 Divya Kshetras, they call them.

For some of these devotees, going on pilgrimage as often as possible, at least once in a lifetime, visiting all these 100 Divya Kshetras is a great spiritual tapasya practice.

I think, if you search for 108 Divya Kshetras, you will get many of them, at least we come to know some of the important temples.

So, somebody probably had taken a video of all the 108, I am not sure.

The Nature of Spiritual Wandering

Anyway, our point is, so a person's mind is restless, so he doesn't go here and there, but he moves about from one place of pilgrimage to another.

Naturally, India has got innumerable Punya Kshetras.

How many thousands, millions of saints and sages are born in this holy land?

That's why Swami Vivekananda, he praises to the skies the glory of India.

Every soul that has reached God and the end of this Samsara Chakra has to be reborn in India at last.

Not that others do not get liberation.

Every country, every religion produces great saints, no doubt about it, but as many, as abundantly go to any state, you will get it.

So, these spiritual aspirants, very sincere, but their minds become restless after a few days, so they move from one holy place to the other place, and that's why they got the name Bahudaka.

Transition from Bahudaka to Kutichaka

But then after roaming about for a long time, then they understand, God is the same, the restlessness had come down by the time, the body also is not that young any longer.

Then he finds out, during his wanderings, a particular place that he considers as most suitable, pleasant, very calming, and then he settles down there in a small place.

He doesn't have many wants, his mind is fixed on God.

Such a person is called Kuti Chakra.

Sri Ramakrishna's Explanation of the Two Types

So, Ramakrishna was referring to them.

There are two classes of yogis.

Here, yogi means a spiritual aspirant, the Bahudakas and Kuti Chakas.

The Bahudakas roam about visiting various holy places and have not yet found peace of mind.

But the Kuti Chakas, having visited all these sacred places, have quietened their minds.

Feeling serene and peaceful, they settle down in one place and no longer move about.

Why? Ramakrishna explains. In that one place, they are happy.

They don't feel the need of going to any sacred place.

If one of them ever visits a place of pilgrimage, it is only for the purpose of a new inspiration.

An Incident from Sri Ramakrishna's Life

There was an incident in the life of Ramakrishna.

Ramakrishna was in the last stage of his life.

He was intensely suffering from throat cancer and he was brought to Kasipur, the would-be sannyasins.

At that time, they were young men.

They were serving him heart and soul, day and night.

But even within that, by the will of Ramakrishna, only one day they suddenly disappeared and they went to Buddha Gaya. Buddha inspired.

The Inspiration of Swami Vivekananda

In fact, Swami Vivekananda used to inspire his brother disciples.

Whatever topic he talks about, then he will make them understand that that is the highest idea.

If you remember, on 24th December, on Christmas Eve, they found themselves at Antpur and not knowing that it was Christmas Eve, Swamiji started talking about the renunciation of Bhagavan Buddha, Bhagavan Jesus Christ, and then they got tremendous inspiration and they decided then and there to renounce the world.

That's why December 24th is specially celebrated at Antpur, the birthplace of Swami Primananda.

And even now, because December would have been very cold in those days, even now there would be some chill will be there.

They lit up what sannyasins call a Dhuni fire and Swamiji was inspired.

By whom? By none other than Sri Ramakrishna himself.

And there they decided to give up worldly life to take to sannyasa life.

So that is the beginning of the future life of monks of Sri Ramakrishna organization.

The Inner Meaning of Kutichaka and Bahudaka

Anyway, the point is what is the inner meaning of this Kutichaka and Bhagodaka?

A restless mind is called Bhagodaka.

Even at the very beginning, sometimes he will do japa, sometimes meditation, sometimes study of the scriptures.

So various spiritual practices, but he doesn't fix his mind on one particular spiritual practice.

So he goes on roaming about because the mind still wants inspiration, but it doesn't mean he is still thinking about becoming a worldly person or a married person.

No, no, that state he has passed long back.

But still his mind doesn't allow him to stay put in one place.

But then one and everyone of us has to pass through that state.

The Stages of Shravana and Manana

So one who passes through these earlier phases of Shravana and Manana is called a Bhagodaka.

Manana means what?

That thinking, pondering, cogitating deeply on the teachings of one's own acharya or guru.

And as I mentioned, there will always be a conflict between what one is experiencing directly and the teachings of the teacher.

And then slowly one develops faith in the teacher and mainly because the disciple is able to perceive that the teacher is a living embodiment of what he is teaching and his life is filled with unimaginable bliss.

That is the straightforward conclusion.

We have to come, if anybody is leading a simple, pure life, but at the same time, extremely happy.

And the proof of happiness is that we also feel happy when we are in the sacred presence of that personality, whether it be Ramana Maharshi or the, not to speak of Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vaikananda, the direct disciples.

There are many people, very simple life, so-called austere life and yet so happy.

So people like us understand that what is the root cause of this happiness?

Our idea is external world gives us happiness, but here is a person where there are very few external worldly things and yet the person is quite happy, very happy.

We also feel that happiness, not only happiness, many other spiritual qualities and then we are convinced.

So if this is the effect, there must be some cause for that.

So this person would slowly, slowly, he will also become convinced, but it takes some time.

From Bahudaka to Kutichaka

So the stages of shravana and marana is what I call bahudaka.

And then when his mind is settled, it is free of doubts.

Then he starts on his way to transform his life like his teacher and that is called kutichaka.

So anyone with a settled mind and totally merged in God uninterruptedly, he is called a kutichaka.

The Five Commandments and Solitude

This is what one has to develop.

And if we remember the five commandments of Sri Ramakrishna, what is the very, what is called one of the commandments, second commandment in fact, go into solitude now and then, and that is also advocated in the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna by Lord Krishna.

So one must have that one-pointed, non-deviating devotion.

A devotion should not be like a prostitute.

Prostitute means what? The devotion, sometimes worldly, sometimes spiritual.

No, one-pointed like a chaste wife.

The Importance of Solitude

And then how does he develop it?

One must go into solitude and Sri Ramakrishna himself, he says so many things.

What is solitude?

One doesn't derive any pleasure in the company of the worldly people.

But Janasamsadhi means in the company of people.

But we should not misunderstand that this person doesn't even derive happiness from the company of holy people, devotees, genuine devotees, spiritual devotees.

No, no, no. So it is very necessary to go into solitude.

What does solitude do? Solitude, we are forced to face our own self.

And then if there are some devils hidden in our mind, devil, devil is a word the desert fathers used to use, that is their own deeply hidden worldly desires.

They are the desires.

They assume ferocious forms as it were and they torment people.

Lust, anger, greed, delusion, jealousy and pride.

These are called six internal enemies.

Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Mada, Matsarya.

Confronting Internal Enemies in Solitude

When a person is in solitude, he cannot suppress the deeply hidden lurking worldly samskaras.

But when he is in the solitude, since there is no other company to divert the mind, these things come out in ferocious form.

So one has to confront.

But Ramakrishna also meant, as I explained many times, that is to say, so nirjanasthan.

That was the Bengali word he used.

Nirjana means a place where there are very few people.

This is the external meaning.

But the spiritual meaning is where a person knows very clearly, nobody can help me in this world.

Only God can help me.

And that is called nirjanasthan.

The Reality of Individual Responsibility

Nobody can help even if they wish to help, like parents, like beloved husband or wife or children.

But what can anybody do?

Nobody's fate can be stopped by anybody else.

At best, we can supply some external things.

But not the real things.

Now, as I said many times, nobody can digest food for us.

Nobody can take medicine for us.

Nobody can sleep for us.

Nobody can take away our worries and anxieties.

Nobody can do spiritual sadhana for us.

You know why?

Because if we do not do spiritual sadhana, we cannot also enjoy the benefits of spiritual sadhana.

Sri Ramakrishna's Practice of Different Religions

And so all these things are there.

So we have to be extremely careful about it.

So here Bhagavad Gita is one who is convinced.

And then he settles down in one place.

That is called Vivekta Desha Sevitram and Arati Janasamsadhi.

Even sometimes he doesn't, he cannot tolerate even devotees.

And then Sri Ramakrishna was talking about Swami Brahmanandaji.

So Rakhal, at first, he used to take God's name.

And I noticed, continuously his lips are moving about, repeating the name of God.

And sometimes he even did not like my company also.

Sri Ramakrishna was telling, why?

Because Sri Ramakrishna will tell, go and do this, fetch that, fetch this.

And the mind was enjoying the bliss of God so much that he doesn't want even Sri Ramakrishna's presence, which is a disturbing factor at that particular time.

The One Path to God

Not to speak of Swami Brahmananda.

Even Sri Ramakrishna, he used to talk to, talk with the devotees.

Suddenly he will have a vision of the Divine Mother.

She wants to show off in her Banaras sari.

Then he will tell, you are showing off with your Banaras sari.

I don't want your presence here.

Now I am talking, I am enjoying the bliss of the company of devotees.

Now make yourself disappear, make yourself scarce.

So this is the inner meaning of Bahudaka and Kutiyaka.

A mind which seeks many aspects of God is called Bahudaka.

A mind which is settled firmly with one aspect of God and doesn't brook any obstruction to its flow of thought, that is called Kutiyaka.

So it doesn't mean one has to go and live in a Kutiyaka.

One can achieve this state even in one's own home.

There is a beautiful Subhashitam which says a man with a controlled mind, even if he is in a householder, that house itself becomes an ashrama.

He need not go to any special ashrama.

Why Sri Ramakrishna Practiced Many Religions

Then Sri Ramakrishna is also telling that I practiced so many religions.

The question comes now, why did Sri Ramakrishna have to practice so many religions?

We also briefly dealt with that question.

I had to practice each religion for a time, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity.

Furthermore, I followed the paths of the Shaktas, Vaishnavas and Vedantis.

I realized we have to understand in bracket at last that there is only one God towards whom all are traveling, but the paths are different.

We need not practice different paths, but must have the understanding that all paths lead to God, the one infinite.

This is for the devotees. Do we need to practice all the different paths?

My honest opinion is we need not practice, but at least what we need to do is have acquaintance with the basic principles of every religion, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and various branches of Hinduism itself.

But in the light of Sri Ramakrishna's teachings, but at last we have to understand this is to develop that God is infinite, his paths are also infinite and various devotees with various names in different languages.

The Ultimate Path: From Egotism to I Am

But as I mentioned earlier, path is only one.

What is that path from what is called egotism to egotism?

Finally, every spiritual practice ends with only with I am.

I mentioned it earlier.

Whenever someone asks us, even if someone doesn't ask us, but I'm thinking I'm an old man, I'm a sannyasi, I'm a learned person and I have so many devotees, each one of us.

I'm a husband, I'm a wife, I'm a parent, I've got my own parents, I've got friends.

I was holding, I was a doctor, I was a lawyer, etc., etc.

So if anybody wants to succeed in spiritual life, finally, what is the person left with?

By the grace of God and through the sincere practice of a path that was given to us, chosen by the Guru and shown to us.

Ultimately, what happens?

Whatever is added to I am, the reduction of what comes after I am.

That is called spiritual progress.

The Negative Path of Spiritual Progress

It is a negative way of description.

Supposing there is what is called fire is burning, but between me and the fire, there are many walls.

So I'm suffering from inclement weather, cold.

So I want to be comfortable.

So there are many what is called obstructions.

I go on scaling one after the other or entering, open a door, enter through first wall, second wall, third wall, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.

And then I enter into sanctum sanctorum.

That is to say, I approach the one.

So what am I doing?

I am giving up all the five bodies, as we call it, pancha kosha, or three bodies, gross, subtle and causal.

And then what I am left with, remaining with, is nothing but pure fire.

That is to say, I am Aham.

Who says Aham Brahmasmi?

A realizer of Brahman doesn't say Aham Brahmasmi.

He doesn't even know that I am Brahman, because this is only for the purpose of teaching.

When you are sleeping, you don't need to say I'm in deep sleep.

You have become one with that.

The Three States of Consciousness

So, as I mentioned many times, spiritual progress is completely negative, meaning that you give up what you are not and remain as what you are.

There is nothing to be gained.

You are already Brahman, but you don't know you are Brahman.

And you don't know Brahman means you know that I am somebody else other than Brahman.

I am the body.

I am the subtle body and the causal body and the gross body.

I am pranamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, pijnanamaya kosha, anandamaya kosha.

I know, but removing all these things because they are changing.

Anyway, they give up, give us up one by one, because when we are in the waking state, we have all the three bodies.

When we are in dream state, we are left only with two bodies, the subtle body called mind and the causal body.

And when we are in the deep sleep state, we are left only with that body.

So even that also, I am not the sleeper.

I am the Ishvara.

I am Brahman.

But one has to transcend all these three states.

That is the only ultimate thing.

The Unity of All Spiritual Paths

So there are no different paths, one path.

What is that one path?

You take God's name, you go on pilgrimage, you worship God, you meditate upon God.

These are not stages in spiritual life.

These are our efforts to remove our obstructions or to get rid of what we are not.

We need not say I am going to become what I am.

What I am is 24 hours.

It is there in every state.

I am the wakeer.

I am the dreamer.

I am the sleeper.

So what we need to get rid of is wakeer, dreamer and sleeper.

That is the process.

That is what I call one spiritual path only.

Absolute negation, remove the obstacles.

Whether there are three obstacles in the form of three bodies or five obstacles in the form of five panchakoshas, it doesn't matter.

It's removal of all these obstructions.

Collectively called agnana or ignorance.

Ignorance means thinking I am so-and-so.

I am not Brahman.

I am the body.

I am the mind.

I am the causal body, etc.

The Purpose of All Religions

Now, this is what we need to understand that every religion, ultimately, its purpose, it practices sincerely, is to destroy the agnana.

One need not obtain gnanam.

We are already the same knowledge, gnanam only, chaitanyam only.

But there is a lot of what we call obstruction between what we are and what we think we are.

That what we think we are, those concepts have got to be gotten rid of.

That is called a one path of spiritual progress.

So we do not need to practice different religions because it is not necessary, because it is impossible, because our body is limited, mind is limited, intellect is limited, time is limited, energy is limited.

Let us stick to one path.

And ultimately, it leads to be exactly to one god only.

There are no two gods.

But why did Sri Ramakrishna practice?

It is to prove to everybody, please do not quarrel.

You practice and you follow your own religion.

Every religion is a path and God is infinite.

Paths are also infinite.

Follow any path and you will reach the only god because there is no choice.

There is no reason to regret.

Oh, I have come to the wrong god, false god.

There is no false god.

False understanding is there, not false god is there.

The Nature of Holy Places

Now Sri Ramakrishna is diverting his mind to how one should live in a holy place.

It is very necessary to visit holy places.

And what is a holy place?

A place where it is easier for us to be in contact with God.

That is called a holy place.

A place where we are able to focus upon God, think about God, love God more intensely, unobstructedly, undistracted way.

That is a holy place.

Tirthi Kurvanti Tevthani

So there is a beautiful sloka in Narada Bhakti Sutra, Sutra actually.

Tirthi kurvanti tevthani.

So Tirthi means a person who has realized God.

And wherever he practiced austerities and removed all worldly thoughts and found out God.

That is called God realization.

And that particular place will be imbued with the spiritual vibrations of that particular personality.

That is a holy place.

And here also some interesting understanding we must have.

For that I will give you a small example also.

Then we will go to the understanding.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Discovery of Vrindavan

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a devotee of Bhagwan Krishna.

Once he went to Vrindavan.

And in those days the whole of that land was called Vajabhoomi.

And nobody knows or very few people know exactly where Krishna was born and where he sported and all the incidents that were described in the Bhagavatam.

Where did they happen?

So for that purpose Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he adopted a particular plan.

What did he do?

So he started meditating on Bhagwan Krishna intensely and he must have prayed, Lord, reveal to me, where are the places where your different sports have taken place?

For example, where did you sport with the gopis Prashalila?

Where did you meet Radha and other gopis?

Where did you go along with your male friends Gopas for grazing the cows etc.?

So where did you subdue the poisonous serpent called Kalia etc. etc.

The Divine Revelation of Sacred Places

So this is what the Vaishnava scriptures tell us that he was intensely praying and meditating on Bhagwan Krishna.

And Chaitanya Prabhu was the greatest incarnation of the love of Krishna.

In fact, many people consider him as the manifestation of Radha.

His intense longing, his tremendous unparalleled love for Krishna.

That is exactly what Radha represents.

And that's why Ramakrishna had meditated upon Radha when he wanted to have the visions of Sri Krishna.

And similarly, Ramakrishna meditated upon Hanuman when he wanted to have the vision of Sri Rama.

And interestingly, Ramakrishna had the vision of Mother Sita.

Why? Because it is described in many scriptures that Hanuman was more devoted to Mother Sita than even to Sri Rama.

That is why Ramakrishna, when he became Hanuman or identified with Hanuman, he had the vision of Mother Sita.

And when he identified with Radha, he had the vision of Bhagwan Krishna.

These divine leelas of Ramakrishna are to be found coming back.

The Discovery of Sacred Sports

So Chaitanya Prabhu, he went on like a madcap, roaming about.

Then what happened?

Suddenly he comes to one place and he beholds a marvelous vision of Sri Krishna, for example, sporting with gopis on.

So this is called Radhakunda.

And this is called Shyamakunda.

This is where the Rasarila has taken place.

Now, do not forget what I wanted to convey, that even though all these are holy places, all these are associated with Bhagwan Krishna only, but different scenarios have taken place at different places, even within that Vraja Bhoomi.

So that is how Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he discovered what is called now present Vrindavana, where Radha was born, etc.

And he could only discover a few things.

Then he commanded his disciples, this is what my revelations have come.

So you also go and pray to Radha and Krishna and you will have revelations discovered.

Even though Vraja Bhoomi is one of the greatest holy places, different types of divine sports have taken place at different locations.

So whenever you are meditating, suddenly you will have a vision of that particular sport of Bhagwan Krishna at that place.

That means that is the place where such a sport has taken place.

Sri Ramakrishna's Experiences at Holy Places

So I'll give you some other examples also.

So this is how holy places are discovered.

But every holy place is intensely filled with nothing but the vibrations of Bhagwan Krishna only and nothing else.

So another episode we have to say on Krishna.

He used to walk earlier days from Calcutta to Kamathapur, Kamathapur to back to Calcutta.

And sometimes he also stayed at a place in Antipur in some devotee's house.

So that is where even today our ashrama people will point out.

This is where on his way, both to Kamathapur and back, the Ramakrishna used to stay.

It used to take perhaps two to three days because the distance is more than 70 miles from Kamathapur to Dakshaneshwar.

In those days there was no other way.

If you are a rich man, you can take a horse and ride on it.

Perhaps in one day you can ride back and forth, but whatever.

The Vision at Vishnupur

So once he came to a place called Vishnupur, there is still a big lake.

Suddenly he found at a particular point of that lake, he started smelling some of the things that were used by women, but there was nothing outside there.

Then he had a vision of the Divine Mother also.

Then he came to know.

In the past many people were offering worship to the Divine Mother at a particular place and they used to offer what we call the kumkum, the sindoor, etc. because it is the Divine Mother, Manmai.

Sri Ramakrishna did not know about it, but he came to know about it.

The Search for Chaitanya's Birthplace

Then the second example will be, and this Sarudanandaji quotes in his Leela Prasanga, Sri Ramakrishna, the great master.

Therein he says that once Sri Ramakrishna had felt a desire to visit Nadiya because he wanted to ascertain the fact whether Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was an incarnation of God or not.

So there was a village known as Nadiya.

He went there, but he said, I saw some dilapidated old buildings, but lifeless images of Krishna and Radha etc. or even Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Then he went to another place and there were also some temples, but he did not find inspiration.

Then he was disappointed.

Probably people made up of this story.

There was no such person called Chaitanya etc. etc.

And when he was about to enter the boat, suddenly a division of Chaitanya and Nithyananda, as very young boys, they came dancing and entered into the Ramakrishna's body.

Then he exclaimed, they are there, they come.

And before he could say, he became unconscious.

Now then he said, this is the original Nadiya where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born and he performed his plenas.

But now that place is under Ganges.

But because the Ganges had changed its course, so the old villagers had to abandon and move up another 2-3 kilometers.

Because now the Ganga claimed that old Nadiya.

Just like Dwaraka was claimed by the sea.

Even now some satellite pictures show that there was a city earlier with some of the buildings etc. still visible.

Same thing they talk about.

Rama built a bridge between India and Sri Lanka and there is a bridge like satellite picture is seen.

So there must be some truth to all these legends.

How Holy Places Are Created

So what was my point?

Some places, some of these realized souls chosen that place and they thought intensely about God.

They became enlightened or God-realized souls.

And as a result, that particular place started vibrating with intense spiritual thoughts.

Another example would be Sri Ramakrishna came to Kashi and then many people, they heard that Shiva gives liberation to Jeeva that dies in Kashi.

And Sri Ramakrishna not only confirmed it at Manikannika Ghat how he gives, but really what is called partnership between Shiva and Kali.

Shiva like Guru, he utters the mantra in the ears of the Jeeva.

Remember the body is lifeless, but the Jeeva is not gone.

Jeeva can never die.

Jeeva-atma will be eternal because it is nothing but Brahman only.

So Shiva goes and gives the Taraka mantra that is to say, thou art that Tatvamasi.

But then all the accumulated karma will also be there, but Jeeva cannot get rid of it.

So the Divine Mother in the form of Mother Kali takes the sword as it were.

What is that sword?

A sword of discrimination and cuts all the bondages of the Jeevas and they are liberated.

So this Divine Mother does the half of the work.

That was not mentioned in the scriptures.

Only Shiva gives liberation.

It doesn't matter.

It is an abiding faith in Hinduism.

The Banking Analogy of Holy Places

So, so many people come here.

They want to live here and they want to live there.

So a holy place, this is called Tirthi Kurvanti Teerthani, a realized soul where he obtained his realization becoming a Kuti Chakra.

He becomes intensely merged in God.

That place will be filled up with vibrations.

But then the scriptures also tell us, it is true, but just like a bank, if everybody is only withdrawing the money, no one is depositing, the bank will become bankrupt.

So someone has to go on depositing at least equal amount of money.

Then only the bank can function.

So a holy place also, people like us go on taking because we do not have the capacity to contribute.

But it is said after God's realization, some of them feel spontaneous urge to go on a pilgrimage.

Earlier they might have gone on a pilgrimage.

That is to withdraw the power, receive the power of inspiration.

But this time it is to deposit because their very presence, a Jeevan Mukta's presence, it fills the place holy.

That is what Narada Rishi means.

Tirthi Kurvanti Teerthani.

It is the holy people who make places holy.

The Necessity of Solitude

So Sri Ramakrishna is continuing inspiration in a holy place.

But one undoubtedly finds inspiration in a holy place.

I accompanied Madhur Baba to Brindavan.

Prithi and the ladies of Madhur's family were in our party.

The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities.

It is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God.

So every holy place gives inspiration.

But once we receive that inspiration, what should we do?

Then Sri Ramakrishna is telling that one must go now and then into solitude.

That is the emphasis he is putting here.

So he says to fix the mind on God is very difficult in the beginning, unless one practices meditation in solitude.

The Tradition of Solitude

So now we discuss the tradition of retiring into solitude is immemorial.

Not that Sri Ramakrishna came and told and then only we realized the importance of solitude.

No, just like I have told you about the Bhagavad Gita, vivikta desha sevitvam aratihi yanasamsadhi.

We get this in the 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

What did Sri Ramakrishna do?

As soon as his temple duties were over, Sri Ramakrishna would retire into the surrounding jungle.

At that time Panchavati was like a jungle.

Even people used to go into that small jungle.

Panchavati is not such a huge place.

Now that all the jungles were removed and so many buildings have come, stalls have come, it looks very, very small actually.

Within a minute or two, you can cover the whole thing up and come back to the temple.

Sri Ramakrishna's Practice in Panchavati

But at the time of Sri Ramakrishna's practice, it was full of thorny bushes, jungle and there used to be plenty of mosquitoes, flies, snakes and even they say some of the bhutas.

Remember that was a place of the crematorium of Muslims.

One Anglo-Indian purchased it and he sold it to Rani Rasmani and she leveled it.

But the moment you enter into that jungle in those days, nobody can see you.

Especially after closing the temple at night, about nine o'clock or so, Sri Ramakrishna straight he goes and since he discovered a nice place and then he sits there, nobody can find out.

Even Hriday was afraid to enter there.

So he wanted to find out what his mad uncle was doing.

So one day he was a very courageous person.

He entered into that.

From a distance, he started throwing stones, thinking that Sri Ramakrishna, his mama, will become frightened.

But Sri Ramakrishna was super intelligent, you have to remember.

He understood who he is doing, why he is doing.

The Discovery of Sri Ramakrishna's Naked Meditation

But one day Hriday took his courage in his hands and entered and found Sri Ramakrishna completely naked under a tree.

Then he was shocked because he forgot everything and said, why are you in this mad condition?

And we have to meditate on these seeds.

Then only our meditation also will be more deep.

Sri Ramakrishna replied, Hriday, it is the body consciousness that makes it difficult for us to think about God.

Added to that, cloths bring a very special type of egotism.

When rich people like Madhul Babu used to put on silk cloths, very costly cloths, and were prepared by a great tailor, in a particular way, even today many people go to Paris to get their dresses there.

Suits and boots are done very costly.

The tailor himself costs very much.

The material is very costly material.

So when a person puts on these things, he becomes proud.

The Danger of Clothing and Identity

Even a monk, when he puts on this ochre cloth and enters onto the stage to deliver a lecture or to sing songs, there is quite a great possibility he becomes, I am a monk, a respected, venerable monk, an old monk, I am one of the highest officials.

Everybody has to bow down to me.

Holy Mother points out, even wearing an ochre cloth in many people can be a source of egotism.

We have to be extremely careful until we realize God we are not safe.

So even these dresses also, Sri Ramakrishna is mentioning something very important.

A man puts on the dress of a male person.

A woman dresses herself in a different way.

And then there are so many things I cannot even mention there.

So when a man sits there with those cloths, I am a man.

I am the male.

I am, perhaps the person is quite tall, quite hefty, quite good-looking, quite what is called commanding.

And if it is added, I am the Jamindar, etc., etc., then you see, it is called personality traits.

The Psychology of Physical Appearance

So when you see a person, weak, very small, you feel like putting your hands on that person's shoulder, man or woman.

But if you find somebody who is tall, you shrink into yourself.

Even the physical personality has some influence.

So when a person puts on cloths, then he becomes even more imbued with the idea, I am a man, I am a woman, etc.

Just imagine, a woman puts on a very beautiful dress, with costly ornaments, maybe Kohinoor diamond, etc.

Do you think that person is not aware?

Same way, whatever brings to our mind the awareness that I am the body, that has to be discarded.

The Birthday Dress

So when a person becomes naked, what does it remind us?

Oh Kabira, you have come out naked, and when people burn you, then your body also will be burnt.

So this is called birthday dress.

That is why many Naga sadhus, Naga means nangta, nangta means naked.

They don't want, they are trained, even Totapuri was trained, to become naked, to sit naked, to move naked, because one among the crores of such sadhus, they forget their body, because if you are in a particular way, then you don't take much notice in the beginning.

The Example of Different Cultural Norms

And this is a well-known fact.

So therefore, I am just mentioning how this actually works.

There are some tribes, where women don't put on any cloth to cover their chests.

So a person from a so-called civilized society, enters there, suddenly he sees every woman, half naked above the waist, and he will feel very shy, and his mind is going again and again there.

But what about the other men who are living in that society?

So just like a child, circling the breasts of the mother, doesn't take any notice that these are something different.

A grown-up man looks in one way, a baby looks in another way.

The mother also doesn't mind anything at all.

Fashion and Body Consciousness

So you see, in how many ways we are trying to develop more identity with the body.

And it has become what you call a modern disease.

This is called fashion.

So what is fashion?

Trying to attract everybody's attention to my body.

And who is more body conscious?

The other persons who look at, or the person who is trying, is at her level best to attract.

So in spiritual life, āvṛta cekṣa ho āmṛta tvam ichcham.

A person should withdraw his mind.

What does it mean?

He should disidentify himself with the body, with the mind, etc.

And that is the real truth.

That is the real job, real work.

And that is what we also need to do.

The Importance of Disidentification

That is why Ramakrishna was telling, ākṛde, even these cloths are also obstacles.

So even if you go to holy places, there also, if you are staying in a very cold place, your body, you become body conscious.

Oh, I am feeling so much cold.

This is another aspect.

If it is hot, oh, I am feeling very hot.

Who is feeling hot?

The body is feeling hot.

So the mind is only echoing, reflecting those thoughts.

So therefore, it is very necessary to go into solitude.

And then what should be done?

That in solitude, I am a solitary being.

I am a child of God.

I have nothing to do with the body.

The Six Enemies

Incidentally, the six enemies of every human being, minus body, these things are completely valueless.

We will talk about these things because the more we meditate upon the teachings of Ramakrishna, the more we are able to understand the deep teachings of the scriptures.