Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 170 on 11-August-2026
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Opening Invocation
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् |
पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ||
Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum |
pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ ||
Dakṣiṇeśvara – December 1882
I think M could not exactly place the date. We do not know why he was writing all these things in a diary, but why he could not remember, we do not know. Anyway, Dakṣiṇeśvara, and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was sitting there, and we are continuing the conversation.
The Power of Objectification
The topic here: every devotee should have the power of objectification of his own inner thoughts. In fact, the first door to progress in spiritual life is the ability to see what type of thoughts one is going through – without data, as we cannot manipulate and come to any conclusion. Our own thoughts give us the data, but it will not automatically come. We have to develop that art of how to objectify our body, our mind – in fact, the whole world. This objectification, as we have seen in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, is called transcendence.
The Principle of Objectification
Let us remember the principle: whatever we are experiencing is not me, not us. If you are experiencing a tree, you know that you are not the tree, but confusion comes only when we come to the observation of the body and mind. Therein we are completely caught. We do not say "I see a tree" like that – we say "I see this body." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa can tell, Ramana Maharṣi can tell, but ordinary people say "this is me." This identification of "me" with the body and mind is called ajñāna.
The Devotee from Nandan Bagan
And why did I raise this topic? Because every devotee should have the power of objectification of his own inner thoughts. A devotee from Nandan Bagan had entered the room with his friends. The Master looked at him and then exclaimed to everybody: "Everything inside him can be seen through his eyes, as one sees the objects in a room through a glass door." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and persons like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa could see the entire contents of any person – the entire personality – just as we are capable of seeing in a glass case whatever objects are kept. And this is the first thing, the first step in spiritual progress.
Swami Atīśvarānanda's Teaching
My Gurudev, Swami Atīśvarānandaji Mahārāja, used to tell: "Constantly develop the art of awareness – good or bad, because both good and bad are part of ignorance only. Even though there is a qualitative and quantitative difference between both good and bad, and we have to suffer the consequences of both, they all belong to the realm of dvaita – duality."
M's Graphic Description
M's greatness lies in describing things so graphically – nowadays, what we call graphic novels, even better than that. So he was describing: the evening worship began in the temples, as you know, at dawn and dusk. In fact, in Hindu temples, the worship starts long before brahma-muhūrta. The deity is awakened, and in many temples, He is offered early morning food consisting of butter, sweets, etc. It is observed in most of the temples in the Rāmakṛṣṇa Order, including Belur Maṭh. So the evening worship began in the temple, so also at dawn. That is the time when evening sandhyā should start, and evening pūjā – usually called Vesper service – has to start.
The Master in Ecstasy
M was describing: the Master was seated on the small couch in his room, absorbed in meditation. He went into an ecstatic mood. The Master explained the different kinds of samādhi to the devotees. And what exactly Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had described, we do not know, because M does not give us those details.
The Suffering of Life
Then the conversation turned to another topic – it is called the suffering of life. Remember Buddha's very first Āryan Noble Truth: life is full of suffering. Even this happiness that we get – that is also part of the suffering only. Happiness increases our idea of suffering because after enjoying anything whatsoever, if a person starts suffering, that suffering will be greater because we are always comparing, albeit unconsciously: "I was in such a great state of happiness – I have fallen from it."
Buddha's Four Noble Truths
So Buddha's four noble truths: life is full of suffering, and the only goal – everybody consciously or unconsciously – is to remove this suffering. And what is the root cause of the suffering? Tṛṣṇā. What does Buddha mean by tṛṣṇā? He means each one of us feels "I am not complete. I am not pūrṇam. I am not the Infinite. I am finite." That feeling, thinking – why do I say "feeling" and "thinking"? Because the truth is otherwise: Brahman, the Infinite, satyam jñānam anantam brahma, does not become finite, and then after some time gain back again the Infinite.
The Advaitic Argument
And our Vedāntins give beautiful arguments against this idea – "We have lost and again we have gained." That is not acceptable to Advaita. Why? Because Advaita says: what can be lost once can be lost any number of times. What guarantee is there? "Okay, you go on doing spiritual practice, and one day you attained to Godhood or Brahmanhood – but you were Brahman and you had fallen, and now you have gained back." Is it not logical to think that what I lost once – I slipped away from it, fell from my own nature – once it can happen, it can happen any number of times?
Nobody Has Ever Fallen
But what is the argument of the Advaitins? Nobody has ever fallen – not even a stone has fallen from its real nature of Brahman. Remember, even the existence of a stone proves it is nothing but Brahman. Only Sat is experienceable, but Cit and Ānanda cannot be separated from Sat. Very wonderful argument: Why can we not see that an inert object does not really have any consciousness, knowledge, awareness, and much less ānanda? Because if there is something, there must be somebody – including our own existence – to cognize "I am." And that is why the famous Cartesian saying: "I think – I know I am conscious – therefore I am." An unconscious person can never say, can never feel, "I am alive." But it does not mean he is not alive – it is only a temporary state of forgetfulness. It is the problem of the brain and mind, nothing to do with truth or reality.
The Stone and the Seed
So even a stone is like a seed – everything of the entire tree is hidden there. This is the beautiful argument by the Advaitins. So why did we bring this? We all feel because we think we are not Brahman. In fact, we are separate from Brahman. We are created by Brahman, by God – personal God. Most of the religions, most of the dualistic schools of philosophy, place God as somebody totally different. "I am small; He is big. I am born and die; He is not born, He will not die. My knowledge is small; His knowledge is infinite. I am alpajña; He is sarvajña. My power is less; His power is infinite." And like that, the arguments go on – but that is because of ignorance.
Ramana Maharṣi's Illustration
Even Ramana Maharṣi illustrates this: when a Mahārāja, an emperor, is sleeping, he is having a dream that he is being chased out of his own kingdom, while he was safely, very happily lying on his bed after a sumptuous royal meal. But as long as they dream, what is a dream? An intensified thought. When a thought becomes concrete, that is called a dream. When a thought becomes semi‑concrete, that is called imagination. This is the difference between daydream and night dreams. In daydream, we only imagine intensely, but in night dreams, whatever thought comes, instantaneously we see it.
The Mind as Kalpavṛkṣa
That is why the mind is called Kalpavṛkṣa – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa refers to this idea of Kalpavṛkṣa many times. We all know the story – you must remember whenever we refer to certain important passages from the Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. So we are travelling; we have entered into the dream world, and whatever we think – "I am hungry" – and immediately food may be present. "I am tired" – immediately we find ourselves perhaps on a bed.
Prārabdha Karma in Dreams
But according to prārabdha, even dreams also differ. A man who has not earned any happiness – that is puṇyam – may find himself in the dream as a very hungry person. Say a beggar is dreaming: he is very hungry – just as he becomes hungry in the waking state, but he cannot imagine that immediately a sumptuous feast is arranged for him and it is ready, and all that he has to do is wash his hands, go and sit, and partake of the delicious meals provided. No, he cannot think. There are some people who are so poor in their imaginations. So one man dreams: "I am very hungry." Of course, in the dream state, after eating only he went to bed, and he started dreaming: "I am very hungry." And then he saw a feast was going on, and his hopes rose high. So he joins the feast. He sits somewhere, and he is awaiting. Then somebody sees: "What the hell are you doing here? You do not deserve to sit amidst us – get out!" They throw him out, and he feels great pain. Even in the dream, his prārabdha karma comes and does not allow him to enjoy.
The Power of Puṇyam
Whereas if a person had earned a lot of what is called puṇyam (virtue), as he is going looking for food, somebody comes running and says: "There is a feast going on here – there is plenty of food – please welcome! You can sit anywhere." And they provide him with a seat, even if he comes late, and they serve him the most delicious foods, and they go on forcing him: "Eat more – we have plenty more from where it comes."
Prārabdha Karma in All Three States
So whether we are in the waking state, dream state, or dreamless state, prārabdha karma is very, very powerful. It functions in all these three states. You may be surprised, but we did discuss about it. Even in the deep sleep state, prārabdha does not leave him, because the very causal body is also dependent upon the result of what we did in the past.
Life Is Full of Suffering
So, full life is full of suffering. Even the happiest life – even if somebody is born to a billionaire, and if that fellow just sneezes, ten doctors run to that baby – even such a person with all the comforts, there is no guarantee he will be a happy person; he will be a sane person. I myself have seen people born into Karūrpati families committing suicide, going mad. And you can also, perhaps you have seen, if you open your eyes, it is possible. And so many autistic children are born even to so‑called devotees, good persons. Why did this happen? All because of prārabdha karma – whether we believe it or not, we must have strong faith. As strong a faith as we have in the existence of God, we must believe that we also get what we deserve.
The Paradox of Happiness and Suffering
Now, when we are happy, this is the paradox of the analysis Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is going to do: when we are happy, nobody sits and questions "What right does God have to give me happiness?" But the moment the slightest discomfort, suffering comes, we go on shouting: "Why, God, what did I do that You have given me this? That is not fair!"
God Is Motherliness Personified
If you think God exists, if you think God is bestowing everything, and if you understand what is the meaning of God, then you must understand He is a billion, billion times personification of motherliness: yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu mātṛ-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā. So if a mother is giving bitter medication to her baby, it is only out of infinite love so that the child can recover as soon as possible. And that is what we have to understand.
Suffering Is Purification
Suffering is the process of purification. Suffering is the greatest gift of God. As Holy Mother said: "Suffering is the gift of God. Misery is the gift of God." So if we are suffering, every devotee must cultivate that positive thought, like CBT – cognitive behavioral therapy: "The Divine Mother loves me – that is why She is giving me this suffering." In fact, the more suffering we go through, the more likelihood we progress in spiritual life faster than anywhere else.
The Topic of Suffering
So what did we discuss? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa raised the topic of the sufferings of life. So the conversation then turned to the joys and sufferings of life. "Why did God create so much suffering? Why did God create so much evil even?" The great Narendranāth also argued with Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "I could have given better advice to God how to create a better world." Later on, he said – he did not say in these words – "I was foolish enough to think I am wise – I was wiser than God. Now I understand it is all the infinite grace of God."
God's Grace Uplifts Us
Not only is it the grace of God – it is the infinite grace of God. Why? Because the grace of God comes to uplift us. And what is it? When God lifts us up from the state we are comfortably ensconced in, we do not want to leave that position. So any separation before we get to a higher state, we consider it as a violation of our freedom. No – God wants us to take to a higher place.
Holy Mother's Example
Holy Mother also said, by the way: "It is only God's grace which can make us progress in any field of life – not only spiritual field, but every field of life." In that connection, she said: "My children, you do not understand how God really is showering His grace upon you. Supposing you are sleeping in a room, and it is not a comfortable room or safe room – when you are a baby, then the mother takes you in her arms – or according to Holy Mother, the whole cot is carried from that room to a very safe, better room, the best room – and the person will not understand he is being transferred to the best state of happiness. Upon waking up, he sees everything different. He might even be confused – but that is how God's grace really works."
Questioning Suffering
So in connection with suffering, because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa understands our ignorant point of view – we never question why God is endowing some people with happiness, joy, but we question not only our suffering but the suffering of the whole world. Swami Vivekananda used to weep hearing any bad news – not only of some individuals, but when disasters, natural disasters like earthquakes, etc., happen, or too much rain, too little rain, and people suffer from lack of food, etc. His heart used to go home, even though he knew that the people who were undergoing it have earned it – not that somebody has given it unnecessarily – they earned it by their hard labour.
The Price of Evil
That is what we have to understand: how much we work harder to commit sin, whereas it is much easier and much less strain on the mind to do something good. Because when we do something good, we do not suffer mentally. But when we do evil, not only we may think physically we are gaining something, but the price that we pay sooner or later – good people immediately go through that suffering, but ignorant people will take some time because they do not see the relationship between their suffering and what evil things they have done.
Vidyāsāgar's View on God
Let us continue that M was talking now. Once Vidyāsāgar said in a mood of despair: "What is the use of calling on God?" And then he must have quoted to M – this we have seen – the visit to Vidyāsāgar is also introduced. M asked Vidyāsāgar: "Do you believe in God?" And this must have been the reply: "What is the use of calling on God?"
The Story of Genghis Khan
Just think of this incident. At one time, Genghis Khan plundered a country and imprisoned many people. In fact, a great number of people have been mercilessly butchered by Genghis Khan – that is historical fact. The number of prisoners, M continues, rose to about one hundred thousand – one lakh. The commander of his army said to him: "Your Majesty, who will feed them? It is risky to keep them alive with us. It will be equally dangerous to release them. What shall I do?" The commander was really in deep trouble because even in those days, if someone is taken as a prisoner, it is the responsibility of the authority to feed them.
The Order to Kill
Even today, whether in India or anywhere, if prisoners are kept in prisons, they will have to be supplied with breakfast, tea or coffee, and nice food, etc. That is very important for us to understand – as I am going to narrate a little bit funny incident that happened in the life of Swami Vivekananda. Once a policeman caught Swamiji when he was wandering. Then he said: "Tell me – to which gang do you belong?" Because there were many political parties who used to roam in the garb of wandering monks, but they used to throw bombs, etc., and create a lot of problems. However much Swami Vivekananda tried to deny it, the policeman would not listen to him at all.
Swami Vivekananda and the Policeman
Swami Vivekananda was much, much more intelligent than the policeman. He called him: "Māmā, uncle – how long are you going to put me in jail?" The policeman became a bit confused. He asked: "Why are you asking?" Then Swamiji replied: "You see, I am tired of begging. I am not sure whether I get food even if I go for begging or not. But if you arrest me and put me there for as long as you want, I will be eternally grateful. I will bless you and pray for you." The policeman said: "Why?" "Because as long as I am in the prison, there are many benefits. First of all, I do not need to worry about food – regular supply of food – and that system is there in the ancient days also, observed even today. The government has to feed them. So I will get much better food than what I might not get through begging. And then it is a solitary place – I can sleep as long as I want to sleep, because they just put them in the prison. For many people it is a prison, because they do not have liberty, and they do not know what to do with liberty – but persons like Swami Vivekananda can sit absorbed the whole day, months, years together."
The Policeman's Decision
Of course, the policeman did not understand that – he became suspicious when he heard the reasons why he wants to be arrested. Then the policeman understood: "This man has nothing to do with any political organization." So he said: "Get out of here – I am not going to give you the benefit of free food, etc."
The Command of Genghis Khan
Coming back to our story: so the commander reported this matter to Genghis Khan: "What shall I do?" Genghis Khan thought about it and said: "Because there is no food for one hundred thousand prisoners, that is true. What can be done? Well, have them killed." In fact, they were killed – the order was accordingly given to cut them to pieces. It took several hours by many soldiers to cut off the heads of one hundred thousand prisoners with swords – there were no guns or pistols in those days.
Vidyāsāgar's Argument
Now Vidyāsāgar is continuing: "Now, God saw the slaughter, did He not? But He did not stop it in any way. Therefore, I do not need God. Even if He exists or not, I do not derive any good from Him." What an ignorant point of view – that if God exists, He must do only good; He must not cause suffering to anybody.
Vidyāsāgar's Good Qualities
Being such a great paṇḍit, he must have read all the Hindu scriptures thoroughly to ferret out whether widows can be remarried or not, and he did a great good – he was a very compassionate person. But two things we have to remember: he did not understand the true spirit of Hindu scriptures about God. He said only one thing: "Whether God exists or not, we should live such a life by living which God, if God exists, will be pleased with us." That means: lead a moral life, tell the truth, act unselfishly, discharge your duties – and that is the most spiritual way anybody can do. That was the very poor opinion of Īśvaracandra Vidyāsāgar.
Vidyāsāgar's Truthfulness
Then secondly, when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa invited him to come to Dakṣiṇeśvara, he said: "Yes, I will come." But Vidyāsāgar was known to be a truthful person – but he was truthful only to his mother. Once he promised, "I will attend the wedding of my younger brother" – he promised to his mother, and he fulfilled it. Even when there was no boat, he swam across a raging river in order just to keep his word to his mother. Generally, he was known to be a truthful and courageous person. He did a lot of good.
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Comment
That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said: "Vidyāsāgar does not know that gold is buried only just below the surface." That means spirituality is there, but he is not actively manifesting it. He did a lot of social good – he was a great educational teacher, no doubt about it – but spirituality is a totally different thing. Did he ever realise that an avatāra himself had visited him? I do not think he cherished any greater idea about Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. In fact, it was at the request of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa himself that M had informed Vidyāsāgar and taken him to him.
Vidyāsāgar's Opinion About God
So this was what Vidyāsāgar's opinion about God was – which he once expressed just because he saw Genghis Khan cutting down one hundred thousand prisoners. Now even my poor understanding tells me that if one person dies here, another person dies somewhere else – and how many people are dying every single day? Of course, there was no way Vidyāsāgar could know about it. Once after the Indonesian tsunami, the World Health Organization had given the statistics: every single day in those days, more or less one hundred thousand people die, and a slightly greater number of babies are born again. That is why the population is increasing so much.
The Subject Is Suffering
So the subject is about suffering. So did he ever think about suffering? He himself suffered so much, and he saw so many evils in that existing society. But why was God allowing it? First of all, what is God's will?
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Teaching
Why am I taking time discussing this subject? Because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's one of the main teachings is: śokali tomāri ichchā – "O Mother, I know nothing, and I dance as You make me dance. I speak as You make me speak. I talk, I sing as You make me sing." So everything – whatever You make me do – so we have to extend it: I see what You make me see, I go where You want me to go, I eat what You want me to eat – the whole life. But people think "I am doing, I am doing – I and mine" – that is the minefield.
God Saw the Slaughter
So God saw the slaughter – this is a slaughter from whose point? Our point. But do not people really require slaughter? How many people should be slaughtered in the present day, whether it is in India or USA, because of the so‑called evil things that they are doing? But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's teachings, Vedāntic teachings, are totally different. He says: "No."
The Example of the US President
For example, the American government – I am not referring to many people, only the President of America, for example – he thinks: "I will go to war, I will destroy them, I will acquire what I want." That is his thinking. But who is making him think like that? Who is making him act like that? And does he not possess some good qualities? Is he only full of evil qualities? Just let me point out: previous presidents of USA were just mumbling words, declaring their intentions to subdue Iran, etc., but nobody lifted a small finger. But this man, whether out of wisdom or courage or foolishness, he has really done it. And so many casualties are there – I do not know how many people were killed, how much the people who are living are suffering, I do not know. But we can imagine – definitely unimaginable suffering is going on; our hearts go out.
The Spiritual Point of View
This is the worldly point of view. What about the spiritual point of view? In the Bhagavad Gītā we see: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā – Bhagavān clearly is telling: "I am the mover, I am the creator, I am the maintainer, I am the absorber – I do everything." So what about the people who do it? "But I do" – He does not take all that Śaṅkha, Cakra, Gadā, Padma, etc., and come rushing. He makes people do things. He makes people do evil; He makes people do virtuous things also. It is all – that is why it is called līlā, because from an Advaitic perspective, there is no sinner because there is no sin, there is no virtue, and there is no person who is virtuous. It is the divine will which moves.
The Divine Mother's Dream
In fact, just as we create our entire dream world, the Divine Mother creates Her own dream world – only She does not go to sleep. That is called līlā – divine play. She knows: "No, there is no killer, there is no killed. There is no pain giver, there is nobody who suffers pain. There is no evil person, there is no evil, and nobody is suffering. It is all a big drama."
The Effect of Violence on the Mind
You can see how much violence is going on in YouTube films – but I am not advising you to see them, because they will disturb our personality and have great power to disturb our mind and make it shake, so that even when we sit for meditation, those images can come floating in.
Who Creates Suffering?
So suffering is created by whom? By God. And happiness is created also by Him. But who will be the sufferer and who will be the enjoyer – that is where the Hindu philosophy of prārabdha karma comes in. Nobody can give us happiness, even Trump cannot give us happiness, and Trump equally cannot give us suffering. If I am destined to suffer, then I am going to suffer – nobody is responsible. This is a lesson every devotee must learn thoroughly, whatever is happening.
Blaming Parents and Doctors
Why am I born like this? It is not the fault of the parents, not the fault. Nowadays many people blame at birth: "Some doctor or some midwife has done something, and she or he handled me very improperly, and that is why I have become disabled – I lost something." No – millions of babies are delivered. Is everybody going to be disabled? No – some are disabled, but even those who are born normally, it does not mean they are happy people. It does not mean they are good people. How many people can you put your hand on your heart and say are really good people? Can you say about yourself: "I am not a selfish person – I am a very unselfish person"? Can you say that? Can you declare to yourself, not to anybody else? Can you say this before God? Impossible.
The Transmission of News
So śokali tomāri ichchā. So when we – especially nowadays, the means of transmission of news almost simultaneously – if some event is happening somewhere, we can get the news, we can watch it, but we cannot avoid reading this news, seeing this news. What is the result of doing this? If we – there are people who do not watch the news, who do not see YouTube, who are very strict about it – but are they free from other types of what is happening in their own families? You do not need the whole world to suffer. If something happens in our own small family, that is enough to disturb our mind. In fact, that is the truth: we are not bothered about what is happening to the whole world; we are only bothered about what happens to me and my family.
Viewing the World in a Spiritual Light
So any devotee who would really want to justify "I am a devotee" should view the happenings in the world in a spiritual light so that he or she will not lose faith in God. On the contrary, by watching these things, his devotion will grow. Why does it grow? Because of vairāgya – dispassion. See, rich people suffer, poor people suffer, and from which side, at what particular time, misery just pours upon from the sky – the fire descends from the sky – we do not know. Nobody knows about it. If we can observe it in the proper light, then in this world, everything is temporary – nothing is permanent; only God is permanent.
The Bird on the Mast
That is beautifully illustrated by a beautiful simile or analogy by Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, and somebody has composed, taking this from the teachings of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa as a cue: pakhi ti bōsā yatha Rāmakṛṣṇa nāmer mastule – "O bird, you sit, do not fly hither and thither – on the mast." Just like a bird gets all the rest, like that, you sit. What is that mast? The name of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Hold on to the name of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Hold on, praying to Him: "O Lord, I do not understand what is this saṃsāra. I have no power to do even the slightest good – even to myself, let alone other people. And my devotion is so slight and so tender that even this slightest unhappy or negative event can shake me up, can break my devotion to You. Please see that I do not lose faith in You."
The Śraddhā Sūkta
That is why there is a Śraddhā Sūkta – a Vedic hymn on śraddhā, complete faith in God. It is said that as a result of repeating the Śraddhā Sūktam – like Medhā Sūktam – a person obtains the grace of the Divine Mother called Medhā, and that is the meaning of Gāyatrī also. Then he becomes slowly having more faith. What is the faith? That before actually experiencing God, there is absolutely no doubt: God exists, and He is what I have read about Him in the scriptures.
The Grace of God
And if God is ever blowing like wind, the breeze of God's grace is ever blowing, and only I have to unfurl – unfurl means I must make myself receptive to the grace which is being poured upon me twenty‑four hours a day by God. Unfurl yourselves means you make effort not to receive the grace, but to remove – to empty your vessel, your heart – which is now filled up to the brim. So whatever God tries to pour into us cannot be kept because there is no place. We have to empty our heart so that it can be filled.
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Teaching
So this was the topic. Now Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa opens up: Is it possible to understand God's action and His motive? He creates, He preserves – so can anyone understand God's līlā?
The Story of Arjuna's Pride
Once pride arose in the heart of Arjuna. We know the story of how Kṛṣṇa taught the story of a Brāhmaṇa who had only one cow. And Kṛṣṇa, after eating the small prasādam the Brāhmaṇa could provide, completely cursed him: "May your cow die." Whereas the rich man who was about to beat both Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa came out of the house and turned towards it and said: "May your riches grow" – and definitely they will grow, because it is God Himself who is bestowing. Why? Because the egotism of that person who is totally identified with his possessions will increase further, and God will be at peace so long as he does not try to practise spiritual discipline – of course, a peculiar way of God's līlā.
Can We Understand God's Līlā?
So can we ever understand why He destroys? That is why we cannot understand. So in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, there is a very relevant passage: yato vāco nivartante, aprāpya manasā saha – "The mind, along with speech, returns back baffled, unable to understand the real nature of Brahman."
Creation Is Līlā
And do not think only the nature of Brahman is not available for us. The creation is the grace of God – it is also the līlā of God. Māyā means līlā – what Advaitins call Māyā and understand in a negative way; devotees understand it in a sweet way, saying this is the līlā of God – Māyā, līlā, this sportive nature of God – these are synonymous words.
The State of the World
So what does it mean? Just now we discussed: why is America behaving? I am only quoting that one. Every country is misbehaving. What about India? Every day, billions of news are coming out – how many billions of public tax money is being misused; corruption is rampant, and people are jealous of each other. At least in Western countries, people are very serious about improving their life situation. Whereas here, the only goal of life seems to be pulling the other person down – whether I am going down or not, I will not think about it now – but I cannot tolerate anybody going up. In this kind of mentality, I can tell you, India is never going to improve. However much money you may spend, everything will be a shambles.
Speech and Mind Return Baffled
Now coming back: speech along with the mind – meaning understanding – returns back baffled because it cannot understand God. That is what we need to understand. So what is Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa telling, and how do we understand this? Wonderful teaching from the Taittirīya: "Why am I born? I do not know. Why am I under these circumstances? I do not know. Why am I enjoying when in my own family, my brother or sister or mother or father, somebody is going through intolerable pain? I do not know. Why is my government not doing anything when it itself declares openly, 'We are here to destroy the corruption'? Why are countries going to wars with each other?"
Pitirim Sorokin's Observation
And then remember Pitirim Sorokin's social life – he wrote a book on sociology, and therein he writes: if you analyse history, you will not find many days when there is no war. Every time there is a small or big war, and even if one person dies, for him the whole world is dead as it were. So you may read hundreds of newspapers, you may invent the most intelligent AI system in this world – it is not consciousness; it does not understand. It is a creation. That is why it is called artificial intelligence – Māyā. Another name for Māyā is artificial intelligence, and that is flawed from beginning to the end. We think it will make our life comfortable.
The Danger of Comfort
That is where I want to issue this statement – listen carefully. So the more something makes my life in this world more comfortable, more happy – to that extent I become attached to this world; the desire to get out of this net, this cage of Māyā, will never arise. That is why it is described: pañjarād iva keśarī – "So a lion is imprisoned in a cage, and how it moves from this side of the cage to the other side restlessly." It wants – it is seeking – but it does not give up. So long as life is there, last breath is there, it tries to get out of that cage. And every soul is in that situation.
Everything Is Māyā Within Māyā
So what I wanted to convey: even the happenings in this world, whether through history, through science, whatever developments – it is all Māyā within Māyā; we cannot understand. So we become baffled.
What Should Be Our Attitude?
Then what should be our attitude? First, I am summarising this one:
- "O Lord, I am ignorant. I have no understanding why these things are happening. Even I do not understand why I have been made to be born in the past and now also in this way."
- Secondly, then I must have faith: "It is all Your doing, and whatever God does is absolutely good."
So that attitude – this is called spiritual attitude.
Passing Judgments
Now we try to understand and pass judgments because we are passing continuously judgments. People do that, but we are particularly interested in the devotion of the devotee. You should simply say that it is God's will. How can we say that? Because here is my simple formula: if you can change, try to change. And whatever is outside your power of changing, willy‑nilly – do not become sad, but resolve: "God's will – I have no power." And if we accept it is God's will, the consequence of it is – it must be good.
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Prayer
So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling: "I say to the Divine Mother, O Mother, I do not need to understand this kind of understanding and judging who is good, who is evil, what is good, what is evil – it is pure Brahmā illusion. I do not want this kind of understanding. Please give me love for Thy lotus feet. The aim of human life is to attain bhakti. As for other things, the Mother knows best."
The Garden of Mangoes
And then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa adds: "I have come to the garden to eat mangoes." This is also one of the frequently used teachings of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is he referring to? We have come to the garden. Why garden? Because four fruits of life are grown in this garden called this life, and they are grown because I myself have to grow them, and I am growing so many other fruits, but I am not growing what should be really grown.
The Four Fruits
What are the four fruits? Dharma, Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa – and all these four lead: Dharma leads to Artha, Artha leads to Kāma, Kāma leads to Mokṣa. You may say: "What a strange interpretation!" No – Dharma purifies the mind. A purified mind desires only things which lead the person to God, and all his desires – maybe in the beginning they belong to the world, but because of that dharmic attitude, dharmic action, he will have only higher desires: "I want God." And whatever desire – "I want to listen to bhajans, I want to worship God, I want to eat prasādam, I want to cultivate holy company," etc. – and that leads to ultimately mokṣa. The lowest step is dharma; the roof is mokṣa.
The Message
This is the message. What is the use of my calculating the number of trees, branches, and leaves – that is the happenings in this world? I only eat the mangoes – that is, I want to enjoy liberation, mukti. I do not need to know the number of trees and leaves, because if I can get that one fruit called liberation, I don't need to count how many other fruits are there. So this is what he said.
Conclusion
So Bāburām, M, and another devotee called Rāmadāyāl slept that night on the floor of the Master's room. It was an early hour of the morning, about two or three o'clock. The room was dark. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was seated on his bed and now and then conversed with the devotees. Beautiful, wonderful ideas are being presented. We will talk about them 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!