Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 157 on 10-February-2026
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Opening Invocation
OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PAHADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU
ओम् जननीम् शर्दाम् देवेम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम् पादपत्मे तयोस्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुरु मुहु
We are studying the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. In our last talk, Sri Ramakrishna was referring his advice to Shambhu Mallik. Sri Ramakrishna, in that connection, is talking with Shambhu Mallik.
On Service and Helping Others
And he recollected that and he is telling these words: "I said to Shambhu Mallik, don't go out of your way to look for such works. Undertake only those works that present themselves to you and are of pressing necessity, and those also in a spirit of detachment."
So we have to understand a few points here. The world is too big. Nobody can help it for two reasons. Our powers are extremely limited. Time is limited. Energy is limited. Intelligence is also limited. What is necessary, that we do not have.
The Parable of the Butterfly
I recollect a beautiful incident. Once a man was sitting under a tree and watching, I think, a butterfly come out of its cocoon. And it was struggling. The man felt pity and with all goodwill, he broke the cocoon and then the butterfly came out. But it could never again fly because it was helped.
So while struggling, there was a purpose behind. So all the limbs of the butterfly will be energized. Blood flow starts flowing freely. God made nature extraordinarily wonderful. But the man, no doubt he had a goodwill, but he did not understand. He thought he was helping.
Many times our helping people, we make them lazy, irresponsible, and help them to make them live an easy life. Struggle always is a great help. Suffering is one of the greatest helps. How few of us understand that suffering alone is the thing. Suffering is the very special grace of God.
The Grace of Suffering
Only when we suffer and do not see any other way, then we turn to our universal father and mother. Until that time, we wholeheartedly do not turn. Billions of people claim that they believe in God. They visit holy places, even encounter death, whatever, due to various reasons, whatever reasons. But with all that struggle, they feel, of course, happy. But does it bring about any change in their life? Do their attachments become more detached towards worldly objects, including body?
We see so many people dying every day and yet we do not come to our senses at all. That is why in Śiva Pūjā, Śiva Parādha Kṣamāpaṇa Stotram—let us look whatever happened in our lives. We are not young any longer. So we have spent, or we are spent by time. We are not aware how our time had flown away. So that is what "paśyatāṃ āyur naśyati"—as we go on looking, we are not aware how time passes.
The Practice of Detached Service
That is why Sri Ramakrishna is telling: first, if something comes to your notice, and if you are in a position to help, then go and help as much as you can. Not that it helps really anybody. If we understand the theory of karma, our help also comes exactly when it is needed, how much it is needed through certain people. If we do not deserve it, it does not come at all. And only those works that present themselves under a pressing necessity—and those also, how to do? In a spirit of detachment.
Because in a moment of emotion, we might give away more money and go on regretting: what a fool I have been, I should have given much less. So many calculations come. So that is why Sri Ramakrishna did not encourage—but does it mean he did not encourage helping other people? He said definitely, do the best you can, but do not go out of your way.
The Importance of Focus and Concentration
And he gives a beautiful illustration and there is deep meaning in whatever Sri Ramakrishna says. He is the Yuga Avatāra. His teachings are especially applicable for this particular age. We should never forget that point. The goal is the same. However many times God may incarnate, but every time the emphasis will be slightly different according to our capacity, our fitness, how we can progress. God always understands.
And it is astonishing. Every yuga means every age. I would say every generation, they have their own ways of thinking. Some of the even words which are in common usage by these young people, I don't think the parents understand. I don't think older people like me understand. So this is the condition. But they think. Young people think. And they have to live with their own fears. So they have to adopt. That's why Sri Ramakrishna's advice is extraordinarily great.
The Challenge of Modern Life
Now Sri Ramakrishna wants to convey something very important. He is now expounding on focusing the mind. If something is terribly lost by people like us nowadays, it is focusing the mind. The more the inventions, the more artificial intelligence, the less we are able to focus. In fact, AI seems bent, hell-bent as they say, that you don't think. I will think for you.
A time might come—some, what is called, social philosophers have their intuition that in future we might not even know who we really are. Like there was a wonderful future life depicted in the form of a small novel by Aldous Huxley: Brave New World. Marvelous book. And even today it is very relevant.
People's minds are simply brainwashed day in and day out. Already it is happening. But do we know who we are? At least do we know we are miserable human beings? Maybe a time will come, I do not know. They may invent a drug. That's what is depicted in that book, Brave New World. Are you feeling depressed? Don't worry. Pop in a pill and you'll be cutting papers in the air, dancing with joy. That was the effect of the pill.
The Need for Self-Inquiry
So we do not have even the chance to pause, think: Who are we? Where from am I coming? Where am I going? Why am I going? How am I going? All these questions we never have the opportunity to ask.
Sri Ramakrishna is telling now: "It's not good to become involved in many activities. That makes one forget God."
So Sri Ramakrishna is telling that to think about God one requires tremendous focusing of the mind, concentration of the mind. We who can take a look at what is happening in our day-to-day life can easily understand when we sit for japa or meditation what is happening.
The Temple Analogy
Sri Ramakrishna, as usual, is expounding his teachings with beautiful day-to-day illustrations which we can experience even today. He says: "Coming to the Kāli God temple, some perhaps spend their whole time in giving alms to the poor. They have no time to see the Mother in the inner shrine." Everybody laughs because they understand in his presence what he meant, how true it is.
Sri Ramakrishna continues: "First of all, manage somehow to see the image of the Divine Mother, even by pushing through the crowd." What does he mean? First realize God, then do service as much as one wants.
The State of the Jīvanmukta
Jīvanmukta is only an instrument. His karma is worship of God. Sri Ramakrishna is emphasizing: first realize God. In Vedāntic terminology it means first know who you are. Tat tvam asi—every scripture, every teacher echoes this sentiment. Thou art that. You are Brahman. You are God. And in course of time the person understands and makes it his own. You are right: Ahaṃ brahmāsmi.
And thereafter, Sri Ramakrishna says, you can do whatever you like afterwards. However much service you want, you can do it. He is going to say that one. But this is the commentary.
The Vision of Brahman Everywhere
So afterwards do service as much as you want. But what does a jīvanmukta do? Does he think he is doing service? Service is done only by people who are ignorant, who think: I am in the position of being able to serve. You are in the position of receiving my service. I am different. You are different. All of us are different.
But when a jīvanmukta sees everywhere Brahman: Who is laughing? Brahman is laughing. And who is crying? Brahman is crying. Who is beating? Brahman is beating. Who is getting beaten? Brahman is being getting beaten.
The Story of the Sannyāsi
Remember that one sannyāsi who saw a rich man beating mercilessly a servant, went to intervene, and that rich man beat this monk. He became unconscious and had fallen down. His brother disciples came to know, rushed there, carried him. Slowly he was coming back to consciousness. And one of them was pouring milk. And he was asked just to know whether the person is becoming conscious: "Who is giving you milk? Can you recognize?"
And then he says: "Yes, I do recognize. The same being who had beat me unconscious is now feeding me with milk." This is called sarvatra brahmadarśana—seeing God, seeing Brahman, everywhere.
God's Omnipresence
In fact, unconsciously we go on telling: Our concept of God is He is everywhere, He knows everything, He is all powerful, and He is all mercy. These are the four characteristics we unconsciously understand that whoever possesses these four is God.
So if God is everywhere, where do I stand in that everywhere? I must definitely be God only. There is no other way. So after realization, what does a jīvanmukta do? He never says: I see some Brahman who is in need. He says I am Brahman who can serve. No. He says this is a līlā, sport, divine sport. Thus plays father.
A monk who was being pelted by stones, if you remember—many times I don't want to repeat what we have discussed, I hope you will remember it yourselves. So a jīvanmukta never thinks that feeling: I am a doer and I am doing something to somebody separate from me, and this is the instrument of doing, and this is what the action. Never such ideas arise at all.
The Cinema Analogy
It is just like watching a cinema. When we watch a cinema, then we know everything that is going on is absolutely only appearance. There is no reality. The only reality is the screen, which is our consciousness. The mind is like the film. And so the consciousness—somewhere it is bright, somewhere it is dark. So it appears to be as a tree, as a house, as a man, as a mosquito, etc., etc.
Realization First, Service Afterwards
So why should Sri Ramakrishna emphasize realization of God come first? Because then we will be able to do whatever we like, or we will be made perfect instruments of God. And there is a beautiful Śiva Aparādha Kṣamāpaṇa Stotram. Just now I quoted "āyur naśyat paśyatām"—so this is the Śiva that is there.
Sri Ramakrishna continues: "Then"—that means after realization of God, that is what metaphorically he is telling—"after having darśana of the deity inside the temple, you come out. The beggars will be there all the time. They are not going to go anywhere. Then you may or may not give alms as you wish. You may give to the poor to your heart's content if you feel that way. If you don't feel, you don't need to give."
"Is it not a sin?" It is a sin. It is selfishness before God realization. After God realization it is a sport. It is a drama.
The Śiva Stotram
And then what is the state of a jīvanmukta? This is beautifully written. So in another Śiva Stotram: stotrāṇi sarvāgiro yajñaḥ karma karomi tat tad akhilaṃ śyāma bho tava ārādhanam.
"O Lord, you are my ātmā. Girijā, Pārvatī Devī is my buddhi, my understanding, my knowledge. The companions are attendants. Śiva gaṇas are my prāṇas and my saṃsāra gaṇas. My very body is your temple. My interactions with the world are your worship. And my sleep is the state of samādhi—complete absorption. So my feet walking about is your circumambulation. All my speech is nothing but I am doing stotram. If I abuse you also, that is also part of your stotram only. Whatever I do, all that is your worship."
This is called karma yoga. What is karma yoga? It is doing, thinking everything is God. I must think I am Śiva.
Śiva Jñāne Jīva Sevā
Very interesting. We all quote Swami Vivekananda. And Swami Vivekananda quoted from Sri Ramakrishna: Not compassion, not compassion. Who are you to show compassion? No. But it is serving Śiva—serving another person, thinking Śiva came to bestow his grace upon you. So he is giving you an invaluable opportunity to serve him. Śiva jñāne jīva sevā.
That is what Ramakrishna is telling: "Work is only a means to the realization of God."
Understanding Karma Yoga
In each sentence of Sri Ramakrishna, one can write volumes of commentaries. Work is only a means to the realization of God. What do you mean by work? If I am eating, is that work? Just now he quoted: Whatever I do. That is what Bhagavad Gītā says: Whatever you do, that is nothing but—
Here is a very interesting point. As we all know, there are four yogas. What are these yogas? Nothing but karma only.
All Yogas Are Karma
If I am a devotee, I am singing his songs. I am hymning him. I am worshipping him. I am going around him. That is karma. Nothing but karma.
If I am a jñānī, I am continuously trying to think: I am not this body, I am not this mind.
If I am a yogī, I am trying to control my thoughts. That controlling factor is nothing but work—karma only.
What does a bhakta do? All day he is trying to please God.
What does a yogī do? All day he is trying to control his mind.
And what does a jñānī do? All day he is trying to remember: I am not the body-mind, I am Brahman.
The Karma Yogī's Approach
And what does a karma yogī do? Living like a maid servant. What is she supposed to do? All day outwardly she is saying: I am a maid servant. I am not part of this family. I have my own family, my own home. But I am doing it only so that I can return home.
What is that home? God. So what does the maid servant want? I earn enough money, pension, so I can go back and I can live until I die—or we can interpret it as until I realize God, that this is my true home.
So Sri Ramakrishna continues: every yoga is only karma. So karma yoga, Sri Ramakrishna says, is not work but worship of God only. What does bhakta's activities do? Worshipping God. What does karma yogī's activities do? Worshipping God. What does yogī's karma yoga do? He is only trying to remove the obstructions in the form of thoughts and saṃskāras. That is karma only. What does the karma yogī do? Only karma. Everything is a karma.
Even Meditation Is Karma
Sri Ramakrishna beautifully remarks: even to meditate on God, that's karma. Going into samādhi, that is also karma only. Do we need to go into samādhi? Until we realize that I am Brahman, then that is what Ramana Maharshi used to call sahaja samādhi. What is just to be with the knowledge I am Brahman.
In fact, that word "Brahman," jīvanmukta doesn't use. Realized soul doesn't use. Because to say that I am so-and-so is to let others know that I am different, you are different. But there is no second Brahman to be able to say I am Brahman, because there is no other Brahman. Only introduction is necessary when there is somebody else is there.
The True Goal of Spiritual Life
Therefore Sri Ramakrishna says: "I said to Shambhu, suppose God appears before you, then will you ask him to build hospitals and dispensaries for you?" Profound statement. What does it mean?
God appears. Is it like I meet you or you meet me? No. If God gives darśana, then everything disappears. Even that "I" disappears.
The Meaning of Darśana
Many times I told you, in proper Hindu temple, there is a pillar, it is called dhvajastambha. Dhvajastambha stands for egotism—one's own individual identity. And when one wants to enter into the temple, everything that belongs, whatever offerings the person has brought, and esoterically, it means that my feeling that I am this, that also, that ahaṃkāra also, egotism also, has to be left there. Then who enters? There is nobody. Only God is there. That is technically called darśana.
So that is what he says: "Suppose God appears"—that means God realization happens. "Will you see the world? Will you see something different from God?" Then you see: there is some God, different from God, who is suffering, who is needy, and who needs service.
The Prayer of a True Devotee
Sri Ramakrishna continues: "A lover of God never says that. He will rather say, 'O Lord, give me a place at Thy lotus feet, keep me always in Thy company, give me sincere and pure love for Thee.'"
Because, even before realization, long before realization of God, a devotee is given right understanding. What is that understanding? That I am the creator, I am the protector, I am the supporter, I am the sustainer, and I also take back from them everything.
God's Grace Through Suffering
So if somebody loses money, God is taking it back. And why does He take back? Because of some misdeed a person does, of course out of ignorance. So that taking away, and taking away means suffering. That's the grace of God. Only when suffering: "Why am I suffering?" That thought comes. Then he says: "I behaved very selfishly, very meanly, and therefore, I would not like to continue that. I will change."
That's why He says: api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ, sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ saṃtariṣyasi.
So once a person decides, and then he says: api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananyabhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ, samyag vyavasito hi saḥ. Kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṃ nigacchati. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati.
"O Kaunteya, proclaim loudly to the whole world: My devotee never perishes. He only perishes once. That is when I, out of my infinite grace, break his finiteness and I will make him one, completely one with myself."
The Difficulty of Karma Yoga in Kali Yuga
Sri Ramakrishna is telling what are the problems: "Karma Yoga is very hard indeed. In the Kali Yuga, it is extremely difficult to perform the rites enjoined in the scriptures."
Now Sri Ramakrishna is meaning by karma yoga all the rituals we have seen, even the upāsanas that we have been studying in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad as well as Chāndogya Upaniṣad we studied, and we are going to come very soon to Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. All these are what is called fall under karma kāṇḍa.
Karma yoga is very hard. In the Kali Yuga, it is extremely difficult to perform the rites. Why? We don't even understand what is this Indra, what is this Chandra. All those Vedic gods, metamorphosed into the modern three gods: Śiva, Viṣṇu and Devī, and all the other gods that appear, they are nothing but the sthāna devatās of these three.
Avatāras of Viṣṇu
And even to go further a little bit, that the whole world is sustained by Viṣṇu. That's why avatāra has come of only Viṣṇu. So somebody may question: what about Śiva avatāra? Hinduism never mentions about Śiva avatāra excepting as some of these ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, but never a major avatāra like Ramakrishna. All are from Viṣṇu.
Why are they from Viṣṇu? Because Viṣṇu is the protector, sustainer. He has to maintain the law and therefore dharma saṃsthāpanā takes place in two ways. First of all—we can interpret a little bit shortly, which is to say—to help us to get rid of all the evil saṃskāras, impressions, and help us to purify ourselves and develop divine qualities.
That is what our prayer, śānti pāṭha: May all the spiritual qualities that are enumerated in the Upaniṣads may I obtain only by their grace. That's what Sri Ramakrishna is telling.
Why Karma Yoga Is Difficult
So why is karma yoga so difficult? Sri Ramakrishna answers: "Nowadays man's life is centered on food alone. He cannot perform many scriptural rites."
Suppose—inevitably Ramakrishna ends illustrating with a marvelous analogy: "Suppose a man is laid up with fever. If you attempt to slow cure with the old-fashioned indigenous remedies, before long his life may be snuffed out. He cannot stand much delay. Nowadays the drastic Dās Gupta mixture is appropriate."
We should say that alone is appropriate. What is this Dās Gupta mixture? The teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda. This is the beautiful analogy we will have to understand.
Three Key Points
So why is it difficult? And then Sri Ramakrishna says—and three points we can derive.
First, life is short. We don't know when it will be snuffed out. Not necessarily one has to suffer from fever or some other disease, accidents. Not even necessary. If because of the past life's result, if only this much of longevity is allotted, babies die inside the womb, outside the womb. Age is no more. At any age people die.
Then what is the second point? We are so deeply identified with the body. Annagata prāṇa means complete body identity, possession identity, identity of emotions. We are terribly interested or forced to identify ourselves with emotions.
Then of course, as soon as we are identified with the body, what type of desires arise? Only bodily desires. Where is the scope, place for spiritual desire? Only when a person 100% believes that the scripture is telling, emphasizing again and again that we are spirits, ever free, never bound—as Swami Vivekananda says—then only the desire for mumukṣutva will come.
The Spiritual Qualifications
That is why that mumukṣutva is the fourth spiritual quality we have to develop according to Śaṅkarācārya, which is beautifully put forward: viveka, vairāgya, śamādamādi ṣaṭkasampatti, and mumukṣutva—total nine spiritual qualities.
Then only such a person can be called a yogya, an adhikārī, sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. But there also we have to understand: not that 100% all the nine qualities will be there. So 100% will be available only in a God-realized soul.
But slowly as we progress we must have discrimination. Then whatever we think is counter-profit, profitable, we have to try to give it up slowly, slowly. Then slowly control over the body, mind, development of faith, keeping the mind equanimous and deep faith in the scriptures. All these six qualities will come.
The Need for a Guru
So then only we feel like needing a guru, a guide, and then only we approach him with complete faith. And even after having a guide we lose our track. What guru says, nobody listens. Very, very, very few people listen to what the guru says.
How many times I go on emphasizing when I meet devotees, especially those who are living abroad, that your children are grown up, you have sufficient money, most of you. Now it is time to come back to India, choose a particular place and try to lead a vānaprastha āśrama.
My God, what do they do? Whole year they are running hither and thither to different āśramas, different temples, different festivals. Of course India is a place of festivals and other things. Nobody tries to think: can I not pass my time? That is the biggest test. Sit at home and say: is not my time passing? Do I have to listen?
Occasionally if one attends, that is fine. In youth that is very much needed. But when one is approaching death, is it not time? No. So everybody is looking for a good time.
The Modern Condition
You ask the young man: "We are having very good time, Swamiji." What does it really mean? It means my time is happily spent by you in the form of pūjā, in the form of hearing scriptures, etc. I am not able to sit quiet. What a piteous condition devotees do. They never listen to Sri Ramakrishna.
Now and then go into solitude—but that "now and then" is not true. Even that also, attend retreats. Even that activity is also to pass time only. Does anything go inside the brain? Absolutely no.
So I have to go on doing a lot of activities, even external rituals, what we call the pūjās. It seems there is no end for this kind of rituals. But Sri Ramakrishna's words are very profound. Because we identify with the body, until we rise from that point, go a little bit higher, our body identity will not allow us to deviate from there.
The Path of Bhakti for This Age
"In the Kali Yuga, the best way is Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion, singing the praises of the Lord and prayer. The path of devotion alone is the religion for this age." This is a profound statement of Sri Ramakrishna.
So there is why Sri Ramakrishna is emphasizing bhakti. If you translate into English language, it will make better meaning. We are all creatures of emotion. We are happy—that is an emotion. We get offended very quickly—that is also emotion, electronic emotion. So emotion is highly dominant. People don't think: is it appropriate? But people don't understand.
The Development of Sattva Guṇa
Swami Vivekananda, quoting from Sri Rāmānuja's Śrī Bhāṣya commentary on the Brahma Sūtras, he had taken—Rāmānujācārya himself had bodily lifted how to become a good bhakta: viveka, vimoka, etc. And he says that only follow them.
But as devotion ripens, slowly the man develops sattva guṇa. When sattva guṇa is developed, a man doesn't like any pomp, any outward exhibition. He wants to go deep inside. His talks with others are heavily curtailed. His activities, his eating, his sleep, everything is curtailed only as much as necessary. And that would be the natural development, natural result of developing sattva guṇa. That is the purpose of vānaprastha āśrama.
The Importance of Solitude
But who listens to Sri Ramakrishna? Now and then go, even that "now and then" go, and live alone—very few people do. Not to speak of long time. But "now and then" should be transformed into "every now and then." And afterwards curtail, whatever it is there.
When food is curtailed, the effort to cook can also be curtailed. Nowadays we have got lots of conveniences. We have got the convenience of refrigerator—cook food for three days, and just heat it up. For that also there is microwave, or heat up the food. I am not saying you should not enjoy. I am saying that you should make it sāttvika food. But if you don't, you will pay, I will pay, we will pay heavily.
Devotion as Directed Emotion
So because emotion, all sorts of emotions, when they are collected and solidified and directed towards God, that is called devotion. Emotion directed towards God, that is called devotion.
Address to the Brahmo Devotees
Now Sri Ramakrishna turns to the Brahmo devotees, and he is making a beautiful statement of truth: "Yours also is the path of devotion. Blessed you are indeed, that you chant the name of Hari and sing the Divine Mother's glories. I like your attitude."
Here I have to interrupt a little bit and say: the singing of the Divine Mother's glories were introduced by Sri Ramakrishna. How? When Keśav Chandra Sen came, the idea that God must be called upon, or looked upon, and worshipped as Divine Mother.
The Divine Mother Concept
Divine Mother means motherly qualities of God, if they are emphasized, that is called the Divine Mother. Fatherly qualities of God, when they are emphasized, then it becomes a male. It has nothing to do with male or female. It has certain qualities.
Equality, justice, protection, strong expectation—these are some of the qualities exhibited by the father attitude. Mother attitude, it doesn't mean you can do whatever you like, but it means, if I have done something unconsciously, or even because of some temporary desire, then if I can confess before Mother, like the Christian confessions, then the Divine Mother will forgive. "All right. Do not repeat it, whatever you have done." That is the purpose of confessional actually.
Brahmo Devotees and Image Worship
And then, Sri Ramakrishna is telling: "You don't belong to the jñānī category, because you are meditating upon the guṇas, qualities of the God. You don't like image worship," and this is also not their native feeling. They have imbibed this feeling from probably Christian missionaries, also by the influence of Islam.
So, even the followers of Islam, excepting a few Sufi mystics, they are all devotees of God only. Only they emphasize more on the qualities. And why do they emphasize on qualities? Is there some reason behind? Yes.
The Unity of God in Islam
Before Prophet Muhammad had appeared on the stage of this world, there were, as usual, innumerable branches of the so-called Semitic religion called Islam. Everybody is worshipping different types of God, every tribe. But because of the tribal mentality, there was never stopping internecine wars between one tribe and the other tribe.
And Prophet Muhammad realized: this is not going. If we unite, then it is possible that we become very strong. Nobody can conquer us. So, he heard that God's power. So, he brought about a change: There is no God but God. No other God but God. What is that no other God? You can't go on worshipping different gods.
The Unity Under Moses
Same thing happened when Moses came. Even when he went up after rescuing the Jewish people from the slavery to the Egyptian pharaoh, and then he went up to the mountain to ask God how we have to conduct ourselves. Meanwhile, there were so many quarrels. And some of them have condemned Moses severely. And they said that we will worship something like a cow. They will make golden images.
And by that time, Moses came down from Mount Sinai. Then he found they were back to the same old state. And that is how, even today, every religion is split into innumerable branches. Anybody who has some power, a leader, and there will be some followers. Without followers, nobody can be a leader. And they think that what our leader says is gospel truth.
Brahmo Devotees as Bhaktas
So anyway, the point here is Brahmo devotees, like the Muslims, most of the Muslims, they are devotees of God. They praise God. They meditate upon the qualities of God. But a devotee of jñāna mārga, a devotee of nirguṇa Brahma, he goes on denying: not this, not this, not this. He has to go beyond nāma, rūpa, guṇa, and meditate upon pure existence, pure knowledge, pure consciousness, and pure bliss, aspect of saccidānanda. That is what he is supposed to do.
So Sri Ramakrishna is pointing out the common notion that is being cherished by these Brahmo devotees: "We are not like Hindus. We are not worshippers of images," but fools. They did not understand that the worship belongs to the mind. It is not what you do outside.
True Worship Is Internal
So long as you are worshipping the body, so long as you are worshipping the mind, identifying is the greatest worship. Then you cannot escape what is called form. That is why M also could not understand in the beginning. He also liked the formless aspect. I don't know how that idea came. Sri Ramakrishna corrected him slowly. And his meditation became completely with form.
So we do not know with which mantra Sri Ramakrishna initiated M. But for him Sri Ramakrishna became the iṣṭa devatā. His talks became the object of meditation. He said: "Sometimes I meditated 24 hours on some of the sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, events that he carefully noted down in his diary."
Guru Bhaktas
So this guru bhaktas—every jñānī is a guru bhakta only. We have to keep note of that one.
So Sri Ramakrishna says that you are bhaktas. By that he is telling you are not jñānīs. Why? He says: "You don't call the world a dream like the non-dualists. You are not Brahma jñānīs like them." I think we cannot get a more clearer statement than this to say they are neither the yogīs nor karma yogīs. But they are following the path of devotion.
And again he says: "You are bhaktas, lovers of God. That you speak of him as a person is also good. You are devotees. You will certainly realize him if you call on him with sincerity and earnestness."
The Path to Transformation
So he is telling crystal clearly that you don't feel you are superior to these idol worshippers called Hindus. You are no better, because betterment is not what you do but what you become because of your practice. Has your life changed? Did you become a little detached from your body-mind? Is your selfishness slowly attenuated? If it is not, then you are only devotees of God trying to take surrender.
Anyway, what I was trying to tell, I didn't complete. It is only after Keśav Chandra Sen came into contact with Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna introduced the idea of the motherly qualities of God, which for convenience sake we call the Divine Mother.
Sarvamangalā māṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike, śaraṇye tryambake Gauri Nārāyaṇi namo'stu te.
The Divine Mother as Creator
And also we see sṛṣṭi sthiti laya—Who gives birth? Is it female or is it male? Puruṣa or Prakṛti? So Sri Ramakrishna opened the eyes of Keśav from that time onwards. They also started to worship God. And there were some people who were great composers of beautiful bhajans. There was one Trilokya and he composed a marvelous song on the Divine Mother:
*Nibhṛta andhare Mā—*In dense darkness, O Mother, your formless form is shining with the greatest brightness. Camake o arūpa rāśi—and it goes on like that.
Meditation on Dense Darkness
That is why yogīs withdraw from all external stimulation and meditate in the depths of their hearts on this dense darkness. What is that dense darkness? Becoming one—cittavṛtti nirodha. And then only the inner light comes out.
Very interesting point. So if you suddenly enter into light from dense darkness, you will not be able to see. But as you proceed—and like owls, owls can see perfectly clear; some of the what is called like tiger, like leopards, they can see perfectly well while the other creatures' sight is not that much. And that is the advantage which they take to hunt and kill. That is their dharma. They cannot live. They cannot live by eating grass, etc.
So Ramakrishna had made it clear that you are bhaktas. How many Brahmotivas understood this point, God alone knows.
Conclusion of the Boat Trip
What we have to understand now is that this boat trip was arranged by Keśav Chandra Sen. So with these words Ramakrishna is indirectly telling: you develop love of God.
And the boat has come, it anchored itself at a ghāṭ. So the boat trip is over and that is called Koyal Ghāṭ. And all the passengers came down and a carriage was hailed for the Master and M and a few other devotees got in with him.
And the Master said: "I want to take leave of Keśav." Presently Keśav arrived and enquired about the arrangements made for the Master's return to Dakshineswar. Then he bowed low and took leave of Ramakrishna.
I don't know. A thought came to me that: did you ask who is going to pay? You have taken him from Dakshineswar into the boat, but how is Ramakrishna to return? Naturally he has to return by a boat. But did you enquire who is going to pay for the boat's fare? How thoughtless these so-called famous leaders are, God alone knows.
At Suresh Mitra's House
The Master, while driving, enjoyed the sight of the beautiful mansions. Then at last Ramakrishna came to the house of Suresh Mitra and then Suresh was not at home, but all his family members knew Ramakrishna very well.
Suresh Mitra had a wonderful devotion to Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna loved him as one of his inner members. So Ramakrishna sat there. Narendra was sent for. There must have been wonderful songs.
Then Ramakrishna said: "I am not a stranger to the master of this house. Ask for the carriage fare. Otherwise who is going to pay for it?"
And there also Ramakrishna saw a painting of him along with other incarnations pointing out the unity of all religions. And then Ramakrishna had a few talks and what he told to Keśav and others he repeated. And he asked him: "Is it not so?" And he said: "Yes sir, quite so."
Departure for Dakshineswar
So the Master had to leave for the temple garden, which is Dakshineswar, and a cab was brought for him. Him and Narendra saluted him and took their leave. Ramakrishna's carriage started for Dakshineswar through the moonlit streets.
Beautiful talks. We will talk in our next class.
Closing Prayer
Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum
Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.
Jai Ramakrishna!