Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 164 on 19-May-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

Reasoning and God Realization Cannot Go Together

We have seen in our last class, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was talking with Brāhmo devotees. In that connection, one of the devotees asked the question: can God be realized through reasoning? Reasoning and God realization. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa answered categorically that reasoning and God realization cannot go together. It is not possible at all. Even Ādi Śaṅkarācārya says that śruti comes first, and then only comes reasoning. So that is very, very important for us to understand.

So we also have seen how Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was being entertained by Beni Madhav and he spoke solemnly. Now it became evening. So according to the Brāhmo rule, an evening worship began. And M's powers of observation of nature – not only was he paying attention to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words, he was also looking at how the devotees were acting and reacting in the presence of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is happening? That is why he is one of the greatest chronographers, we can say.

The Evening Worship and Ecstatic Singing

So he is describing: the moon rose in the autumn sky and flooded the trees and creepers of the garden with its light. After the prayer was over, the devotees began to sing. What is happening? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was dancing, intoxicated with the love of God. A Brāhmo devotee sang over him to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals. All appeared to be in a very joyous mood. The place echoed and re-echoed with God's holy name. When the music had stopped, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa prostrated himself on the ground and, making salutations to the Divine Mother again and again, said:

Salutations to All

भागवत भक्त भगवान् । bhāgavata bhakta bhagavān |

My salutations at the feet of the jñānīs. My salutations at the feet of the bhaktas. I salute the bhaktas who believe in God with form. I salute the bhaktas who believe in God without form. I salute the knowers of Brahman of olden times – brahma jñānīs, ṛṣis. And my salutations at the feet of the modern knowers of Brahman of the Brāhmo Samāj.

Then the Master and the devotees enjoyed a supper of delicious dishes which Beni Madhav, their host, had provided.

The Holiness of God's Name

The thing for us to note is that the place where God's name is sung is considered to be very holy. That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is bowing down. But so much ecstatic singing, dancing, talking about God – we do not know how many hours Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had spent there. I am just mentioning to you that once Caitanya Mahāprabhu had visited Vṛndāvana, and then somewhere on the outskirts of Vṛndāvana in those days (nearly five to six hundred years back, Vṛndāvana was a very small remote village), as he was passing by, he had to spend the night under a neem tree. Even today, that neem tree is known as Caitanya's neem tree, and devotees go and prostrate. Probably he spent one night there. Of course, we have to imagine: if Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had spent a night like that, his mind would have been thinking only about God. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's condition was exactly like that only. So even today that place has become one of the holiest of the places – not to speak of how many times Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had visited the house of Balarām Basu, etcetera.

Any Place with God's Name Becomes Holy

So what I wanted to convey to you is a very important point here: that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa considers any place where God's name is sung or talk about God's name – that becomes very holy. Of course, for devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, the very touch of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's lotus feet would create such a holy atmosphere. And not only that – we have to imagine that it is not an ordinary preacher sitting there and preaching or singing. There are people nowadays who go on singing bhajans and then go on explaining their commentaries, disrupting the melodious flow. These singers have got melodious voices, but they want to show how much jñānam they have got, so they want to show it to everybody. In between they suddenly stop and go on explaining the intricacies of the meaning of the bhajan they are singing, and disturb everybody's mind. At least I find it very disturbing. Their voices are fine, but their interruption in the form of this horrible speech is intolerable. But where a person like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa merges totally in that daivī bhāva (divya bhāva), it is indescribable, and he knows it. That is why he is saluting everybody, including of course the Brāhmo Samāj people, because Beni Madhav was a Brāhmo. He invited him to his annual festival.

Bhagavata, Bhakta, Bhagavan

So we have to understand: where there is God's name, where there is God's devotee, there will be God. So bhāgavata, bhakta, bhagavān. Same thing perhaps we have to do whenever we visit a temple or an āśrama where evening ārati will take place or a lecture takes place: bhāgavata, bhakta, bhagavān.

So having successfully injected at least temporarily some amount of devotion into those Brāhmo devotees as well as of course the devotees who accompanied Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa (because there were so many times when the devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa would never like to visit any of the Brāhmo devotees' festivals, but because of the presence of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, they accompany gladly), Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is saluting everybody, including his own devotees. So wherever the holy name is taken – whether it is a book, whether it is a satsaṅga – we have to salute it.

The Visit to the Circus

Now another day's events are being described. Wednesday, number 15, 1882: Rāmakṛṣṇa, accompanied by Rākhāl and several other devotees, came to Calcutta in a carriage, and they came to the school where M was working and called for M at the school where he was teaching. Then they all set out for the Maidān.

What is this Maidān? There was a circus going on, and that is called Wilson Circus. In those days, it was quite popular. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to be in two moods – the mood of the teacher and the mood of the child. These are the two dominant moods in his life. So when he is in the mood of a child, he would like to say: "I want to visit that place. I want to see – take me to that lake, a big pond where huge fishes fearlessly come to the people who come to see them." And usually the people want to feed these fishes, and fearlessly they come and snatch the food, and it is a marvellous sight.

The Power of Spiritual Imagination

What is so marvellous about fish swimming in the waters? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa often gave the teaching: when one meditates upon God, one should imagine. Imagination is a marvellous principle which leads to both immense good and terrible evil – both. It depends upon how it is used. Imagination is a marvellous instrument. Everything that we see today is the result of imaginations of great intelligent people. Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of the people who are working there. But what is important for us is that imagination which Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa always cultivated was a spiritual imagination. "So I want to see how joyfully, fearlessly and self-forgetting these fish swim in the waters of the pond. Huge fish, because they are forbidden to be killed, so they become fat, and it is a joy to behold."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa often advised: "You think that the whole atmosphere is full of like a huge ocean. You are like a huge fish, and you are swimming joyfully without any fear of fishermen catching you, of other fish killing you, etc." We should not intrude our imaginations with those things – joyfully swimming. Similarly, a person should swim joyfully because they are thinking only about God, and God is the greatest protector. We have seen in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad that every teaching of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is nothing but veda vākya, Upaniṣad, Gītā. So we see: fearlessly swimming. He who thinks of Brahman, then Brahman becomes the cause of fearlessness. He who rejects Brahman, that very Brahman becomes cause of great fear. Fear always comes in the form of kāla (time). It is a most marvellous statement we have to understand. Kāla means death – every millisecond is death, whatever time is gone. By the time I finish this sentence, already my life is dead past; new life starts, of course.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Childlike Joy

So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was curious to see so many things. Then he also wanted to see a circus. Why does he want? Because everything is a līlā; he wants to enjoy everything. So in those days there was a circus popular among people, and that is called Wilson Circus. Of course, that is the information we get from this Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. So somebody arranged for it.

As the carriage rolled along the crowded Chitpur road, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's joy was very, very great. Like a little child, he leaned first out of one side of the carriage and then out of the other, talking to himself as if addressing the passers-by. Then to M he said: "I find the attention of the people fixed on earthly things. They are all rushing about for the sake of their stomachs. No one is thinking of God." What a marvellous statement.

A Lesson for Travelers

So next time you are traveling – of course not when you are driving, but when you are a passenger, in a taxi, or in a train – then you look at both sides. What tremendous rush! How many thousands and thousands of cars are going in the opposite direction, going in your own direction. How many of them are thinking about God? So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, he was not merely like ignorant people like us. He was observing; he could understand the inner feelings of these people, and then he is passing this remark: "I find the attention of the people fixed on earthly things. They are all rushing about for the sake of their stomachs. No one is thinking of God."

Now imagine: put yourself – you are also one of the persons walking by the side of the carriage which was carrying Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, and he also looks at you. What do you think he will think about you? He would have passed for most of us – he would have passed: "This person's attention is fixed only on the stomach." Stomach means what? Eating, drinking – what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa called kāma and kāñcana. Kāñcana means the money and equipment; both are included there through which enjoyment is possible, fulfillment of desires is possible. So that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling here.

At the Circus

Then we do not know whether he spoke something else, but it is not mentioned here. So the carriage arrived at the circus. Tickets for the cheapest seats were purchased. The devotees took the Master to a high gallery, and they all sat on a bench. Those who pay more perhaps will sit very near, and those with cheap tickets will have to climb. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa did not mind, and I suspect somebody had paid for that. So joyfully he said: "Ha, this is a good place. I can see the show well from here." And actually, Rāmakṛṣṇa's eyesight was very, very powerful. His voice was very powerful. He may appear to be very meek, but his voice is so powerful that perhaps even ten thousand people can hear him crystal-clearly. He had a divine voice – remember this always. So: "This is a good place. I can see the show well from here."

The English Horse Rider

There were exhibitions of various feats. It is also worth noting: suppose we are in those cheap places, then it is quite possible that we may have thoughts: "Oh, these people sitting in front of the show can see more clearly, and how unfortunate I am. I had to buy a cheap ticket, so I can see, but I would have perhaps enjoyed more near." Enjoyment does not depend upon how near or far we are; it depends upon how keen we are to enjoy something. This is a point we have to take into consideration.

Then you see what happened. There was an English woman; she was a horse rider – a circus rider. The horse runs quite fast, and on the path on which the horse runs, there were rings at a height slightly above the horse. So this rider – the woman – has to jump and pass through that loop and again exactly sit back on the horse on the other side, and it is quite difficult. If you have seen – I am sure most of you have seen circuses – it looks as though very easily one can do it. But how many years and years of training, what careful attention has to be paid for that. The slightest mistake – one can fall down, one can injure oneself, one can die – especially those who are swinging from very high places: they leave the chains they are holding, and then they have to catch, and they exchange their rings also. I do not need to describe it to you.

The Power of Abhyāsa (Constant Practice)

So this was the English woman, and every time she lands perfectly well exactly on her seat. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was overjoyed, not only to see her skill but he turned this into one of the greatest spiritual teachings. So this is called the power of abhyāsa – constant practice.

Rāmakṛṣṇa said to M: "Did you see how that English woman stood on one foot on her horse while it ran like lightning? How difficult a feat that must be. She must have practiced a long time. The slightest carelessness, and she would break her arms or legs; she might even be killed." And then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, having described how that lady had achieved that, now turns to his devotees, and the message is for all of us.

The Message for Householders

"One faces the same difficulty leading the life of a householder" – but in parentheses I can also add: not only householder, most of the sannyāsīs and sannyāsinīs. We are nothing but householders where a huge establishment has to be run – it may be a school, maybe a hospital, maybe a hostel. Various social service activities are going on, and only a few succeed in it through the grace of God and as a result of their spiritual practice.

So what does it mean? Practice so that every time you pass through a loop – a ring – what is that ring? Some event which is a difficult event. It could be a happy event, it could be an unhappy event, but whenever we pass through it, we will have to understand that we have to come back. What is that horse? Holding on to the teaching of our Guru, holding on to our śāstra (scripture), and then we should continue. But every time you pass that test and land safely – safety is only at the lotus feet of God, nowhere else.

Success Through God's Grace

So if you succeed in it through the grace of God – then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's unfailing insight – but most people fail. Entering the world, they become more and more involved in it. They drown in worldliness and suffer the agonies of death. But then there are also eminent examples like that of King Janaka (Videharāja). A few only like Janaka have succeeded through the power of their austerity in leading the spiritual life as householders. Therefore, spiritual practice is extremely necessary; otherwise, one cannot rightly live in the world.

The Master got into the carriage with the devotees and went to Balarām Bose's house.

Holding on to God: Two Attitudes

In this prelude also, Rāmakṛṣṇa's main message is: hold on to God. This holding on to God is of two types. One: the young one of a monkey – it holds to the mother, and there is always danger of its slipping out, falling down, injuring itself, even incurring death also. On the other hand, I think there was a video where a hunting animal was hunting monkeys, and there was a female monkey which had given birth to a baby. It was trying to jump from one tree to another. Meanwhile, the baby slipped, and immediately the animal on the ground pounced upon it and killed it in one stroke. Perhaps we can take it as an example.

Whereas the young one of a cat (kitten) – that is called śaraṇāgati bhāva. "I hold on to God" is often considered the attitude of a jñānī, but "I depend upon you" is considered the mood of the real devotee – śaraṇāgati. But there were also people through the practice of continuous detachment like Janaka. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling.

Janaka and Karma Yoga

Only a few like Janaka have succeeded through the power of their austerity in leading the spiritual life as householders. In the Bhagavad Gītā also, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa mentions and says there were so many kings like Janaka Mahārāja (janakādayaḥ), and through karma yoga they also attained siddhi. Siddhi means perfection. Perfection means aham brahmāsmi – that is the state of perfection. Whether one reaches it through the path of bhakti (which is to say "I do not exist – naham, naham; tu ho, tu ho – only You") or aham, aham, neti, neti – all this is nothing but "I am Brahma." It does not matter. If one is sincere, any path is sufficient. Sincerity leads to liberation.

So a few only like Janaka have succeeded, again supporting the very statement of the Bhagavad Gītā: among millions of people, perhaps one strives to attain perfection, and among those striving, only perhaps one succeeds.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये । यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥ manuṣyāṇāṃ sahasreṣu kaścidyatati siddhaye | yatatāmapi siddhānāṃ kaścinmāṃ vetti tattvataḥ ||

So that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is also observing. Therefore, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: spiritual practice is extremely necessary, otherwise one cannot rightly live in the world.

The Caste System

Then the carriage, after the circus was over, came to Balarām Basu's house. And at this Balarām Basu's house, one important point which is plaguing people everywhere all over the world – but especially in India, now we are dogmatically clinging to this caste-based politics, caste-based privileges, etcetera – so the conversation turned to the caste system. Is it possible to remove the caste system? Impossible. Why is it impossible? Because Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa had answered it: it is created not based upon birth. Nowadays it is only based upon birth, but at the time of creation, we have seen how in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, Brahmā has created four first castes among the gods, and then following the same model, he also created four castes. So deva brāhmaṇa, manuṣya brāhmaṇa; deva kṣatriya, manuṣya kṣatriya; deva vaiśya, manuṣya vaiśya; and deva śūdra, manuṣya śūdra. The rules are the same for this game called saṃsāra.

Caste Based on Guṇas

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa perhaps was asked by somebody – we do not know; M only records this much. Is it possible? First of all, it is not possible. Secondly, it should not be removed, because you cannot make everybody equal by proclaiming "We are all democratic people; we can become equal." A baby and a person who has striven his whole life to master scriptures cannot be equated. Everybody has his or her own place.

And this caste system is based upon three guṇas – which guṇa is dominant, as we discussed earlier even about our own selves. If there is tamoguṇa, we can be called śūdras. If there is more rajoguṇa, we can be called either vaiśyas or (even more rajoguṇa) kṣatriyas. But when sattvaguṇa prevails more, then we can be called brāhmaṇas. Who is a brāhmaṇa? He who can think deeply, who can discriminate properly, who can renounce after discrimination and follow what is right and give up what is not right. Such a person alone must be called a brāhmaṇa.

The Only Remedy: Love of God

So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said that the caste system can be removed by one means only, and that is the love of God. Lovers of God do not belong to any caste.

Interestingly, Karl Marx propagated Marxism, and what is it? He totally misunderstood the social system. He said that everybody must be made equal – nobody should be given privilege. In one respect, he is right: privileges should not be given to privileged people more privileges, and either less or no privileges to people who are not qualified to be like that. That brings quarrels, wars, headache, everything – that is totally wrong. Communism has never worked anywhere. Even some countries are following that Marxist philosophy – that is what they claim; really, they are not following it. The privileges that are enjoyed by those who have the power, and they want to suppress everybody – they want to become dictators, cruel dictators. Nowhere has it existed, nowhere has it worked. But it has worked only in the case of spiritual people who are called brāhmaṇas – real brāhmaṇas.

The Lesson of Śaṅkarācārya and the Caṇḍāla

That is why, if you remember, even the great Śaṅkarācārya had to be taught a lesson. He was supposed to have reached a high spiritual state, but even he forgot. So he encountered a low-caste person. In those days, it was much more evident than these days. These days, who is a manager, who is a CEO – whether he is born in a scheduled caste, we do not know. But the point is, these are not dependent upon powers nor by birth. It is according to the quality of the life that is most important for us to understand.

So how can this man claim that "I have written commentaries, I have reached a high state of spirituality"? Definitely wonderful qualities were there, but the real fact is he was not able to see God. So he encountered a so-called lowest of the lowest caste – even among the lower castes there are also many divisions.

दुरपमा अपसर्परे चाण्डाल । duram apasarare cāṇḍāla |

"I will become impure." How can the ātman? You are claiming "I am ātman." Ātman has nothing to do with body or mind. How can your body and mind come into contact with another body – and that too, even by presence, not even touching – how can you become impure? If you can become impure so easily, then you are not even a normal human being, let alone an exalted human being.

Equal Opportunity, Not Equal Privileges

But what does Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa really mean? Everybody should be given the same opportunity. That is true socialism. That is what Swami Vivekananda wanted. Nobody should be based upon caste and given higher privileges – meaning opportunities. It is impossible to make everybody's privileges the same. The person who is a higher officer, the person who is a prime minister, who is a president – you will have to protect that person. There are so many moral contents, moral elements in this society. So they have to be protected and they have to be cherished if they are good. So you cannot do the same thing to everybody – impossible, even if somebody wants to do it. But equal opportunity should be given. That is why Swami Vivekananda had said: if a Brāhmin requires one teacher, then a non-Brāhmin perhaps requires two or three teachers. For the simple reason, even birth can give more advanced intellectual capacities. If somebody through some generations has been given the privilege of acquiring knowledge, even the children automatically acquire that capability of intelligence, which a person who is doing hard labour – suddenly his child will not get the same capabilities. That is not possible. Therefore, they must be given opportunity.

Bring Everyone Up

So the whole essence of the social system that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to bring through Swami Vivekananda's preaching was: bring up the lower caste to the level of the higher caste – make every śūdra a brāhmaṇa by affording more opportunities, more help, etc. So the point is everybody should be treated as "each soul is potentially divine." Everybody has possibilities, and that must be given an opportunity for a person through whatever means.

So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling: the caste system cannot be removed by any other means. It can be removed only by one means only, and that is the love of God. Lovers of God do not belong to any caste.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example

Look at the life of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. He used to, in order to remove that difference – "I am born of a kulīna brāhmaṇa, orthodox, highly respected Brahmin family" – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa secretly used to visit the lavatories used by lavatory cleaners and clean them with his hands and try to wipe them dry with his long hair. I cannot even imagine. And he was absorbed and prayed wholeheartedly: "Oh Mother, let me never think that I am any way higher than others, because all are Your children only." So that samadṛṣṭi – and really speaking, this samadṛṣṭi can come only through God realization.

विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि ।

शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ॥

vidyāvinayasampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini |

śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ||

So who is a yogī? A yogī is one who sees his own self in everybody, everybody as his own self. So from the society point of view, the caste system can never be removed, but it does not mean that opportunities should not be given to them. If you study human history, even today those who have power are misusing it for the sake of their own enjoyment. They are not even using it for their own inner development – only accumulating money and big companies are only squeezing their own customers in every way.

Love of God Purifies

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said: "Lovers of God do not belong to any caste. The mind, body and soul of a man become purified through divine love. Caitanya Nityānanda scattered the name of Hari to everyone, including the pariah, and embraced them all."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had embraced, so to say, prāśik and another gardener whose story I told you. One day Swami Viśuddhānanda asked an old gardener: "Did you see Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa?" He said, "Yes." Reluctantly, that gardener said: "One midnight I awoke and, moving about Pañcavaṭī area, I saw light – brilliant light emanating from the Pañcavaṭī side. I became curious. And when I approached near, I saw Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa sitting in meditation, and divine light was spreading all over." This man got frightened. Next day, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa asked him: "Did you see me yesterday night?" He said, "Yes." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa instructed him: "Meditate on that form; you will attain..." So we have to infer from this incident that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa deliberately showed himself to that gardener. Why did he show? Because he must have found the reception capacity. The gardener must have been a very sincere person having true devotion, having become purified. Because receiving God's grace does not depend upon God. We have to remove that wrong notion: "I am waiting for Your grace." It is like praying to vāyudevatā: "I am waiting for you to blow so that I can breathe." If you are suffering from asthma, that is not vāyudevatā’s problem; that is your problem. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa categorically declared: "The grace of God – the wind of God's grace – is blowing all the time, but you will have to take advantage of it. Unfurl your sails. That means be receptive. Then your journey will be easy, safe, fast."

A Brāhmin Without Love Is No Brāhmin

So Rāmakṛṣṇa is categorically, explicitly saying: a Brāhmin without love of God is no longer a Brāhmin, and a pariah with the love of God is no longer a pariah. So we have to remember the many, many stories – even God, the stone image of God, turns towards his low-caste devotee. This happened in the place called Guḍipi. So the story goes: there was a devotee, and he was not allowed to enter, and he could not see God. He sat to one side and started praying wholeheartedly, and the wall broke. The whole image turned towards that side, and the wall broke so that the devotee could have unhindered vision of Himself. Even today, the same doorway is used – of course, they have constructed a doorway. And Madhvācārya, one of the greatest ācāryas of the Dvaita philosophy, had lived in that temple – the same Buḍipi temple – for many, many years.

So who is a Brāhmin? He who has love of God is a Brāhmin; he who is without the love of God is a pariah. So we have to understand. So Śaṅkarācārya encountered this, and as a result of that, this caṇḍāla taught him a great lesson: "Whom are you addressing, Sir? If you mean 'you', you addressed me as body. So the same positive, negative blood type is flowing in both of us. There is no difference – same flesh, same bone, same everything. You cannot say a Brāhmin's body is different from a Caṇḍāla's body. If you are talking about ātman, ātman is devoid of body and mind. Whom are you exactly addressing when you say 'move away from here'?" And of course the story goes that Śaṅkarācārya had come to realize: "This is a great lesson for me to learn." Hopefully he learned. I am not sure even – his followers, even today, they have not learned that lesson. They proclaim that they are sannyāsīs, but they cling to their Brāhmin bodies, etc. Of course they are very learned people. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, being an avatāra, embraced non-Brāhmins – even ṛṣik, many others. We do not know how many people – Holy Mother blessed how many people, including prostitutes and other people. So we have to remember this. Through bhakti, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says, an untouchable becomes pure and elevated.

The Silkworm and the Fish in the Trap

Then the topic, of course, turned to speaking of householders entangled in worldliness. The Master said: "They are like the silkworms. They can come out of the cocoon of their worldly life if they wish, but they cannot bear to. But they themselves have built the cocoon with great love and care, so they die there."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, as I mentioned many times, was a master of similes in Indian lore. Kālidāsa was supposed to be the master of similes: upamā kālidāsasya, bhārave arthagauravam, daṇḍinaḥ padalālityam, maghe santi trayo guṇāḥ. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa perhaps surpassed even Kālidāsa in using similes, and he was a great observer also.

So speaking of householders who are terribly entangled in worldliness – if we observe carefully his teachings, there are some precious gems about these householders. He is telling they are like the silkworms. They can come out of the cocoon of their worldly life if they wish. Who had spun that cocoon? They themselves. But they cannot bear to, for they themselves have built the cocoon with great love and care. So they die there. What is this cocoon? "These are my parents, this is my wife, these are my children, these are my friends, this is my religion, this is my language, this is my country."

Another Simile: Fish in a Trap

Then he gives another simile: they are like the fish in a trap. They can come out of it by the way they entered, but they sport inside the trap with other fish and hear the sweet sound of the murmuring water and forget everything else. They do not even make an effort to free themselves from the trap. This is beautiful. There is a trap – let us say a small basket with a small opening, and then the rushing flow of the river or it can be a lake or a big pond. What happens is, the fish along with the current of the waters can easily enter through that door, but they are trapped there. All that they need to do is to turn back; the door is open; they can come out.

This is exactly what we call vānaprastha āśrama: that we have voluntarily entered into this worldly life. But if we wish, we can also go back. That is called turning away from the world and moving towards our place.

Turning Towards the Origin

Incidentally, Mother Gaṅgā originates in the Himālayas, flows through a vast stretch of land for thousands and thousands of miles, and finally merges in the ocean. So the point is that there are some places where she mysteriously turns – as if for a short distance, like a loop – turns towards the north, and then after a short distance again resumes the normal course. So wherever Mother Gaṅgā is found to turn north, from Hindu viewpoint, that place becomes a most sacred place. So that is what is called uttarā mukhi (facing the north), meaning she wants to go back, as if she was attempting, but again she will have to turn to go. But actually speaking, if we analyse, she is going back to her origin only. She is not originated in the Himālayas. She is originated in the ocean, and she is lifted up, purified by the grace of God in the form of clouds; these rain-bearing clouds carry this distilled water to distant mountains, and it is discharged. So this recycling process is going on all the time.

What I wanted to convey to you is: the real origin of every river is the ocean, and finally they understand – we have to return back to the place of our origin from where the entire creation is coming – from God. Therefore, we have to go back to God only.

The Liberated Souls

So these people, especially these worldly people, do not even make an effort to free themselves from the trap. That means they do not want to become free. But how do they live happily? The lisping of children is the murmur of the water, and the other fish are relatives and friends. Only one or two make good their escape by running away. They are the liberated souls. This is one more simile that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had given.

The Master's Song

Then the Master burst into song:

जब ऐसी मोहनी संसार में भई ।

ब्रह्मा विष्णु सब भूला, पुरुष नहीं रही ॥

अकाज सँकट बीच, मीन कैसे तरे ।

तोहे बिना, माई, कौन आश्रय करे ॥

jaba aisī mohanī saṃsāra meṃ bhaī |

brahmā viṣṇu saba bhūlā, puruṣa nahīṃ rahī ||

akāja sāṃkaṭa bīca, mīna kaise tare |

tohe binā, māī, kauna āśraya kare ||

"When such delusion grips the world through Mahāmāyā's spell, that Brahmā is bereft of sense and Viṣṇu loses consciousness – what hope is left for men? The narrow channel first is made, and there the trap is set. But open though the passage lies, once safely through the gate, the fish inside do not come out again. The silkworm patiently prepares its closely spun cocoon; yet even though it leads forth, encased within its own cocoon, the worm remains to die." It prefers to die there, thinking that "I am very happy here."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa has also given how if a fisherman casts his net, there are four types of fishes – perhaps you will remember it.

Refuge at the Peg

Then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling: what is the way out? Take refuge at the peg. Śaraṇāgati is the message of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa.

तस्मात्त्वमेवाशरणं मम दीनबन्धो ।

tasmāttvamevāśaraṇaṃ mama dīnabandho |

Swami Vivekananda echoes this four times in his hymn "Om Hreem Ritham".

The Master continued: "Man may be likened to grain. He has fallen between the millstones and is about to be crushed. Only the few grains that stay near the peg escape. Therefore, men should take refuge at the peg. That is to say, the peg is God. Call on Him, sing His name; then you will be free. Otherwise, you will be crushed by the king of death."

Another Song: The Sinking Boat

The Master sang again:

हे मेरे माता रे, मेरी नैया डूब रही संसार-सागर में । घोर काल बयार बह रही, कुचाल मझधार-सागर में ॥ पाजी कान्हा बाँकी है, नादान है खेवटिया । कोटि दुष्ट करधनी कुल छः, बलाइ दैव बंकी तिया ॥ हारि बिसारि या पिरिति, पिरानी बुढ़ती आँखियारी । सखि हे, अब डूबत मोहि, देहिं आशा के सहारे ॥ सब सुने, सखि हे, घर की बात । माइ रे, अब काटै काटै, लागी काटै कोहू न टालै, डूबत मोहि, काटै कोहू न टालै ॥ he mere mātā re, merī naiyā ḍūba rahī saṃsāra-sāgara meṃ | ghora kāla bayāra baha rahī, kucāla majhadhāra-sāgara meṃ || pājī kānhā bāṃkī hai, nādāna hai khevaṭiyā | koṭi duṣṭa karadhanī kula chaha, balāi daiva baṃkī tiyā || hāri bisāri yā piriti, pirānī buṛhatī āṃkhiyārī | sakhi he, aba ḍūbata mohi, dehiṃ āśā ke sahāre || saba sune, sakhi he, ghara kī bāta | māi re, aba kāṭai kāṭai, lāgī kāṭai kohū na ṭālai, ḍūbata mohi, kāṭai kohū na ṭālai ||

"My boat is sinking here in the ocean of this world. Fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every side. Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind. Stubborn my six oarsmen, the passions. Into a pitiless wind I sailed my boat, and now it is sinking. Split is the rudder of devotion; tattered is the sail of faith. Into my boat the waters are pouring. Tell me, Mother, what shall I do? For with my failing eyes, alas, nothing but darkness do I see. Here in the waves I will swim, O Mother, and cling to the raft of Thy name."

Two Points to Note

So two points we have to note: when a person is in his youth, he is carried away by the intense passions; his sense organs do not allow him to think of anything else. But then – why? How do we know it is old age? Because this song says – and it is an extraordinarily beautiful song – "with my failing eyes" indicating:

वृद्धो तवत् जर्जर देहः ।

vṛddho tavat jarjara dehaḥ |

In bhaje govindam, it says: this old man is tottering with the help of a stick. He cannot see properly; his legs are shivering, shaking – and yet he will not give up. "Nothing but darkness do I see" because it is too late. But then is there any way? "Here in the waves I will swim, O Mother" – but still I can swim and I can reach the shore safely. How? "And cling to the raft of Thy name" – take the help of the raft. Every ship carries rafts in case of emergency – sinking of the ship, etcetera. So there is a raft, and if it can float, there is no question of it sinking. So the raft of Thy name – Your name – let me cling to Your name.

The Duties of a Householder

Then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: "A householder has his duties to discharge." It is through the discharge of these duties – which we have discussed in our Bṛhadāraṇyaka class also – this is called karma yoga. It is nothing but the discharge of the pañca mahāyajñas.

There was a devotee; his name was Viśvās. He had been sitting in Balarām Babu's house. He was once wealthy but squandered everything in immoral life. Then he became indifferent to his wife and children. And then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa himself is certifying about this: "He is an unfortunate rich."

Debts to Be Paid

"A householder has his duties to discharge, his debts to pay. It is a debt to the gods, debt to his ancestors, debt to the ṛṣis, and debt to wife and children." (Only Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa has not mentioned about other human beings and bhūtayajña – other human beings – but they must be included; we have to understand that way.) "If a wife is chaste, then her husband should support her. He should also bring up their children until they are of age."

"Only a monk must not save. The bird and the monk do not provide for the morrow." But even a bird provides when it has young. It brings food in its bill for its chicks. Many times it dies also, like penguins who die being hunted by sea wolves, etcetera.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Smile

But Balarām Basu interferes here, saying: "Mr. Viśvās wants to cultivate the company of holy people." And Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa with a smile says: "A monk's kamaṇḍalu goes to the four principal holy places with him, but it still tastes bitter. Likewise, it is said that the Malaya breeze turns every tree into sandalwood, but there are a few exceptions such as the cotton tree, the aśvattha and the hog-plum some. They frequent the company of holy men in order to smoke hemp – many monks smoke it – and these householders stay with them, prepare the hemp and partake of the prasāda." With that, that day's conversation is over.

Conclusion

We have to take the important points: cling to the raft of God. However stormy the ocean is, that raft will safely take us to the lotus feet of God – which means we will become liberated.

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!