2011 New Year Spiritual Message !

2011New Year Spiritual Message

**************Warm welcome to 2011**************

Don't be afraid. Human birth is full of suffering and one has to endure everything patiently, taking the name of God. None, not even God in human form, can escape the sufferings of body and mind.
I tell you one thing my child -- if you want peace, do not find fault with others. Rather, see your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own.

(From Sri Sarada Devi's last words, spoken before passing away on July 20, 1920)





What are you to do when you are placed in the world? Give up everything to Him, resign yourself to Him, and there will be no more trouble for you. Then you will come to know that everything is done by His will.
~ Sri Ramakrishna

All that is real in me is God; all that is real in God is I. The gulf between God and human beings is thus bridged. Thus we find how, by knowing God, we find the kingdom of heaven within us.
~Swami Vivekananda

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God ... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."
~1 John 4:7, 11-12

It is true that there is much suffering in the world. But do we need to worry about it? If we focus on the negative, that drains us of the strength to help. Goodness and truth are also at work in our world, as well as darker forces. When I switch on my awareness of positive qualities common to humanity, it is like bringing light into the darkness. The past stops haunting me and I stop worrying about the future. I see more clearly what I need to do now, for lasting happiness and health.

Faith means that there isn't the slightest form of doubt in any situation or at times of obstacles. Situations have to change and they will continue to change. The supports that your faith has now will be removed, and even after that your foundation has to be strong. If your foundation is not strong, then supports are necessary. Therefore you need to maintain your peaceful, lovable state and your love and faith for God has to remain unshakeable
~Brahma Kumaris, Mt Abu

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.
~ Buddha

2008 New Year Spiritual Quotes

******************* Happy New Year 2008 *******************

In order to create good relationships -

- With your mind, think about what you have to learn from others.

- With your eyes, look into the good qualities of others.

- With your words, recognize, value and appreciate their accomplishments,

- With your actions, cooperate and do something for others.

It is impossible to attain peace and happiness without purity. Where there is purity, i.e. no trace of negativities in any form, there is the power of peace and happiness. Pure ones are always cheerful – in fact, purity is the basis of spirituality.

Positivity is a subtle, spiritual attribute or energy, natural to all of us, that can accumulate in the mind just as electrical energy accumulates in a battery. A positive frame of mind promotes healing in oneself, and this energy naturally flows out to others.

Learn to create silence in your mind and peace will flourish in your soul. You will discover God's language. To be internally silent do not think too much. Trust yourself. Trust others. Trust life. You will find it is easier than it seems.

~ Brahma Kumaris, Mt Abu.

Golden words from Holy Mother !

Don't be afraid. Human birth is full of suffering and one has to endure everything patiently, taking the name of God. None, not even God in human form, can escape the sufferings of body and mind.
I tell you one thing my child -- if you want peace, do not find fault with others. Rather, see your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own

~Sri Sarada Devi

The hundred and fifty fifth birthday of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi will be celebrated on Sunday, 30 December 2007.

Buddha Spiritual Quotes !

• Friends, until you attain enlightenment the Spiritual Teacher is indispensable, therefore rely upon the holy Spiritual Guide.
  

• Until you realize ultimate truth, listening is indispensable, therefore listen to the instructions of the Spiritual Guide
  

• Until you attain stable realizations, worldly amusements are harmful, therefore abide in a place where there are no such distractions.Avoid friends who cause you to increase delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart.
  
  
• Dedicate your virtues throughout the day and the night, and always watch your mind.Because you have received advice, whenever you are not meditating always practice in accordance with what your Spiritual Guide says.
  
  
• If you practice with great devotion, results will arise immediately, without your having to wait for a long time.
  
  
• If you engage in many meaningless activities your virtuous activities will degenerate, therefore stop activities that are not spiritual.
  
  
• Distracting enjoyments have no essence, therefore sincerely practice giving.Always keep pure moral discipline for it leads to beauty in this life and happiness hereafter.

~ Buddha

We Are Responsible For Our Future !

"We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act."

~Swami Vivekananda

Positive Spiritual Quotes Of Vivekananda !

• If you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.
  
  
  
• Think always: "I am ever-pure, ever-knowing, and ever-free. How can I do anything evil? Can I ever be befooled like ordinary people with the insignificant charms of lust and wealth?" Strengthen the mind with such thoughts. This will surely bring real good.
  
  
  
• Look here—we shall die! Bear this in mind always, and then the spirit within will wake up. Only then will meanness vanish from you, practicality in work will come, you will get new vigor in mind and body, and those who come in contact with you will also feel that they have really got something uplifting from you.
  
  
  
• All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.
  
  
  
• The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong.
  
  
  
  ~Swami Vivekananda

Divine Grace Removes Bondage !

They are not eight bonds, but eight fetters. But what if they are? These fetters fall off in a moment, by the grace of God. Do you know what it is like? Suppose a room has been kept dark a thousand years. The moment a man brings a light into it, the darkness vanishes. Not little by little.

Haven't you seen the magician's feat? He takes string with many knots, and ties one end to something, keeping the other in his hand. Then he shakes the string once or twice, and immediately all the knots come undone. But another man cannot untie the knots however he may try. All the knots of ignorance come undone in the twinkling of an eye, through the guru's grace.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Death and Reincarnation

When an unbaked pot is broken, the potter can use the mud to make a new one; but when a baked one is broken, he cannot do the same any longer. So when a person dies in a state of ignorance, he is born again but when he becomes well baked in the fire of true knowledge and dies a perfect man, he is not born again.

A grain of boiled paddy does not sprout again when sown. Only unboiled paddy sends forth the shoot. Similarly when one dies after becoming a Siddha, a perfect man, he has not to be born again, but an Asiddha, an imperfect man, has to be born again until he becomes a Siddha.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Jesus Spiritual Quotes

Here you will find 10 sayings of Jesus that I have collected together. Finding quotable passages from Jesus was not that easy, as most of what is recorded of what he said (in the gospel books: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are either metaphorical stories, or Jesus responding to particular questions that had been put to him. Neither work very well when taken out of context.
Of the more direct teachings of Jesus, most of them are contained in what is known as the sermon on the mount, which is a veritable goldmine of counter-cultural wisdom.

1. Love Your Enemies!

OK, you have to admit this is a pretty radical concept...

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? (Matthew 5:43-47)

2. Don't Worry About The Future !

Sometimes insightful sayings seem obvious once you hear them - I think that is the case here. Live in the moment you're in!

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)

3. How To Treat Others !

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

4. The Most Important Commandment !

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

5. Spiritual Greatness !

In the topsy-turvy world of the Kingdom of God it seems the usual understanding of things is reversed. Here is yet another example:

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

6. Gaining The World, Losing Your Soul !

Here Jesus highlights that the eternal and spiritual dimension is more important than the temporal physical one. Those who choose to follow His teaching will make physical sacrifices for spiritual rewards.
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

7. The Kingdom Of God Is Not Physical !

Christian faith should not be militant, things like the crusades were not in line with what Jesus taught, or even the concept of christendom. He also taught that the Kingdom of God was in the hearts of men.
The statement below was said in response to questioning in his trial before the roman govenor.

“My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

8. God Loves Everyone !
This very well known passage is actually a quote from Jesus.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

9. Ask, Seek, Knock !

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)

10. His Claim To Be God !

While it seems Jesus didn't make a point of telling everyone that he was God, he did make it clear on a few recorded occasions. This quote is taken from Jesus' court trial, from which the resulting conviction of 'blasphemy' led to his crucifixion.
I include this quote, not because it's a great teaching, but because it affects how one perceives his teaching. It's hard to think of Jesus as [just] a good moral teacher when you know that he thought himself to be God. Either he is a weirdo, or he is God!
Then the high priest said to him,

“I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)

Sun Of knowledge !

"God doesn't appear easily in the heart of a man who feels himself to be his own master. But God can be seen the moment his grace descends. He is the Sun of knowledge.One single ray of His has illumined the world with the light of knowledge. That is how we are able to see one another and acquire varied knowledge.One can see God only if He turns His light toward His own face."

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Perseverance To See God !

The hereditary peasant does not give up tilling the soil though it may not rain for twelve years; but a merchant who has recently taken to agriculture is discouraged by one season of drought. The true believer is never discouraged even if he fails to see God in spite of lifelong devotion.

~Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna

Pray With Tears !

Men weep rivers of tears because a son is not born to them; others wear away their hearts with sorrow because they cannot get riches. But how many. ..weep and sorrow because they have not seen God? He finds who seeks him; he who with intense longing weeps for God has found God. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, he who longs for him, finds him. Go and verify this in thine own life; try for three consecutive days with genuine earnestness and thou art sure to succeed....

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Mystery Of Divine Incarnation !

In order to bring people spiritual knowledge, an Incarnation of God lives in the world in the company of devotees, cherishing an attitude of love for God. It is like going up and coming down the stairs after having once reached the roof. In order to reach the roof, other people should follow the path of devotion, as long as they have not attained Knowledge and become free of desire. The roof can be reached only when all desires are done away with. The shopkeeper does not go to bed before finishing his accounts. He goes to sleep only when his accounts are finished.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Manifestation Of God !

God is both personal and impersonal. It is difficult to conceive an impersonal God, so to begin with, God has to be thought of as a person. Can anyone think of the white color without thinking of a white object? One can look at the morning sun, but not at the midday sun. Similarly, when God is manifest in a person we know what God is like, otherwise God is impersonal and beyond thought and speech.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Different Types Of Devotee's

A poor devotee points to the sky and says, "God is up there."

An average devotee says, "God dwells in the heart as the Inner Master."

The best devotee says, "God alone is and everything I perceive is a form of God

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Think About Our Life !

God laughs on two occasions. He laughs when the physician says to the patient's mother, 'Don't be afraid, mother; I shall certainly cure your boy.' God laughs, saying to Himself, 'I am going to take his life, and this man says he will save it!' The physician thinks he is the master, forgetting that God is the Master. God laughs again when two brothers divide their land with a string, saying to each other, 'This side is mine and that side is yours.' He laughs and says to Himself, 'The whole universe belongs to Me, but they say they own this portion or that portion

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Indications Of God Realization !

There are certain signs of God-realization. The man in whom longing for God manifests its glories is not far from attaining Him. What are the glories of that longing? They are discrimination, dispassion, compassion for living beings, serving holy men, loving their company, chanting the name and glories of God, telling the truth, and the like. When you see those signs of longing in an aspirant, you can rightly say that for him the vision of God is not far to seek

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

After Realizing God !

....So long as a man is far from the market, he hears a loud and indistinct buzzing only, something like 'Ho! Ho!' But when he enters the market he no longer hears the uproar, but perceives distinctly that some one is bargaining for potatoes, another for Brinjal, and so on....
...As long as a man is far away from God, he is in the midst of the noise and confusion of reason, argument, and discussion; but when once a person approaches the Almighty, all reasonings, arguments, and discussions cease, and he understands the mysteries of God with vivid and clear perception...
~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Earnestness In Spiritual Life Extolled !

You must practice spiritual discipline a little. It will not do simply to say that milk contains butter. You must let the milk set into curd and then churn it. Only then can you get butter from it. Spiritual aspirants must go into solitude now and then. After acquiring love of God in solitude, they may live in the world. If one is wearing a pair of shoes, one can easily walk over thorns.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Harmony Of World Religious !

Truth is one; only It is called by different names. All people are seeking the same Truth; the variance is due to climate, temperament, and name. A lake has many ghats. From one ghat the Hindus take water in jars and call it 'jal'.

From another ghat the Mussalmāns take water in leather bags and call it 'pāni'.

the Christians take the same thing and call it 'water'.

Suppose someone says that the thing is not 'jal' but 'pāni', or that it is not 'pāni' but 'water', or that it is not 'water' but 'jal', It would indeed be ridiculous. But this very thing is at the root of the friction among sects, their misunderstandings and quarrels. This is why people injure and kill one another, and shed blood, in the name of religion. But this is not good. Everyone is going toward God. They will all realize Him if they have sincerity and longing of heart.

~Gospel Of SriRamaKrishna

Unselfish Work To Attain Spirituality !

Devotee: "Then, sir, we must give up our activities until we realize God?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "No.Why should you? You must engage in such activities as contemplation, singing His praises, and other daily devotions."

Devotee: “But what about our worldly duties — duties associated with our earning money, and so on?”

Sri Ramakrishna: Yes, you can perform them too, but only as much as you need for your livelihood. At the same time, you must pray to God in solitude, with tears in your eyes, that you may be able to perform those duties in an unselfish manner.

You should say to Him: 'O God, make my worldly duties fewer and fewer; otherwise, O Lord, I find that I forget Thee when I am involved in too many activities. I may think I am doing unselfish work, but it turns out to be selfish.' People who carry to excess the giving of alms, or the distributing of food among the poor.

~Gospel Of SriRamaKrishna

Beware About Bad Company !

A young plant should always be protected against goats and cows and the miscief of little urchins, by means of a fence. But when it becomes a big tree, a flock of goats or a herd of cows can freely find shelter under its spreading boughs and fill their stomachs with their leaves. So when your faith is yet in its infancy, you should protect it from the evil influences of bad company. But when you grow strong in faith, no worldliness or evil inclination will dare approach your holy presence; and many who are wicked will become godly through their holy contact with you

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Soul Is Different From Body !

As long as there is the body, one should take care of it. But I find that the body is quite separate from the Self(Soul). When a man rids himself entirely of his love for 'woman and gold', then he clearly perceives that the body is one thing and the Self another. When the milk inside the coconut is all dried up, then the kernel becomes separated from the shell; you feel the kernel rattling inside when you shake the coconut. Or it is just like a sword and its sheath. The sword is one thing and the sheath is another

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Different Likings Of Worshippers !

As the same fish is dressed into soup, curry, or cutlet, and each has his own choice dish of it, so the Lord of the Universe, though one, manifests Himself differently according to the different likings of His worshippers, and each of these has his own taste of God, which he values the most. To some He is a kind master or a loving father

~Gospel Of SriRamaKrishna

Love Of Life !

How may we conquer the love of life? The human frame is made up of decaying things; of flesh and blood and bone. It is a collection of flesh, bone, marrow, blood, and other filthy substances subject to putrefaction. By thus analysing the body, our love thereof vanishes.

~Gospel of SriRamaKrishna

Self Realization !

The body was born and it will die. But for the soul there is no death. It is like the betel-nut. When the nut is ripe it does not stick to the shell. But when it is green it is difficult to separate it from the shell. After realizing God, one does not identify oneself any more with the body. Then one knows that body and soul are two different things.

~Gospel of SriRamakrishna

Power Of Faith !

One must have faith and love. Let me tell you how powerful faith is. A man was about to cross the sea from Ceylon to India. Bibhishana said to him: 'Tie this thing in a corner of your wearing-cloth, and you will cross the sea safely. You will be able to walk on the water. But be sure not to examine it, or you will sink.' The man was walking easily on the water of the sea - such is the strength of faith - when, having gone part of the way, he thought, 'What is this wonderful thing Bibhishana has given me, that I can walk even on the water?' He untied the knot and found only a leaf with the name of Rama written on it. 'Oh, just this!' he thought, and instantly he sank.

There is a popular saying that Hanuman jumped over the sea through his faith in Rama's name, but Rama himself had to build a bridge.

If a man has faith in God, then He need not be afraid though he may have committed sin - nay, the vilest sin.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Ramakrishna Sayings About God !

You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars in the heavens during the day? Because you cannot find God in the days of your ignorance, say not that there is no God

Rain-water never stands on high ground, but runs down to the lowest level. So also the mercy of God remains in the hearts of the lowly, but drains off from those of the vain and the proud.

God comes not where reign timidity, hatred and fear.

One can ascend the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo or a staircase or a rope; so too, diverse are the ways of approaching God, and each religion in the world shows one of the ways.

Unless one always speaks the truth, one cannot find God Who is the soul of truth.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Spiritual Quotes From Ramakrishna !

"All will surely realize God. All will be liberated.It may be that some get their meal in the morning,some at noon, and some in the evening,but none will go without food.All, without any exception, will certainly know the real Self."

"When, hearing the name of Hari or Rama once, you shed tears and your hair stands on end, then you may know for certain that you do not have to perform such devotions as the sandhyA(Prayer) any more. Then only will you have a right to renounce rituals; or rather, rituals will drop away of themselves."

"He who is Lord of the Universe will teach everyone. He alone teaches us, who has created this universe; who has made the sun and the moon, men and beasts, and all other beings; who has provided means for their sustenance; who has given children parents and endowed them with love to bring them up. The Lord has done so many things - will He not show people the way to worship Him? If they need teaching, then He will be the Teacher. He is our Innner Guide."

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Need Our Best Effort!

As long as there is no breeze blowing, we fan ourselves to alleviate heat, but when the breeze blows both for rich and poor, we give up fanning. We should persevere ourselves to reach our final goal as long as there is no help from above; but when that help comes to any, let him then stop labouring and persevering; otherwise not.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Faith

A man began to sink a well, but having dug down to the depth of twenty cubits he could not find the least trace of the water-spring which was to feed his well. So he desisted from the work and selected another place for the purpose. There he dug deeper than before, but even then he could not find any water. So again he selected another spot and dug still deeper than before, but it was also of no avail. At last in utter disgust he gave up the task altogether. The sum total of the depths of these three wells was little short of a hundred cubits. Had he had the patience to devote even a half of the whole of this labour to his first well, without shifting the site of the well from place to place, he would surely have been successful in getting water. Such is the case with men who continually shift their positions in regard to faith. In order to meet with success we should devote ourselves entirely to a single object of faith, without being doubtful as to its efficacy.

~Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna

Seeing God In All !

"I have now come to a stage of realization in which I see that God is walking in every human form and manifesting Himself alike through the sage and the sinner, the virtuous and the vicious. Therefore when I meet different people I say to myself, "God in the form of the saint, God in the form of the sinner, God in the form of the righteous, God in the form of the unrighteous."

~ Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

God Dwells In Devotee's Heart !

you should remember that the heart of the devotee is the abode of God. He dwells, no doubt, in all beings, but He especially manifests Himself in the heart of the devotee. A landlord may at one time or another visit all parts of his estate, but people say he is generally to be found in a particular drawing-room. The heart of the devotee is the drawing-room of God.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Devotional Practices !

To drink pure water from a shallow pond, one should gently take the water from the surface, and not disturb it. If it is disturbed the sediments will rise up from the bottom and make the whole water muddy. If you desire to be pure, have firm faith and slowly go on with your devotional practices, and waste not your energies in useless scriptural discussions and arguments. The little brain will otherwise be muddled.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Many Paths To Attain the God

Many roads lead to Calcutta. A certain man started from his home in a distant village towards the metropolis. He asked a man on the road, 'What road must I take to reach Calcutta soon?' The man said, 'Follow this road.' Proceeding some distance, he met another man and asked him, 'Is this the shortest road to Calcutta?' The man replied, 'O, no! You must retrace your footsteps and take the road to your left.' The man did so. Going in that new road for some distance he met a third man who pointed him out another road to Calcutta. Thus the traveller made no progress, but spent the day in changing one road for another. As he wanted to reach Calcutta he should have stuck to the road pointed out to him by the first man. Similarly those who want to reach God must follow one and one only Guide.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Fix Some Portion Of Mind On God !

Live in your own house like a maidservant in the house of a rich man. Perform all the household duties, but keep your thought fixed on your native village (abode of God). Bring up your children, as if they were your own. But know in your mind very well that they do not belong to you at all. You are no more than a caretaker of your children; educate them, marry them, and look after them, but give real love to God. And if you cannot do this, love your children also as representatives of God. It is possible to constantly fix some portion of your mind on God, for no work or person demands total involvement of mind!

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

God and His glory !

This universe is His glory. People see His glory and forget everything. They do not seek God, whose glory is this world. All seek to enjoy 'woman and gold'. But there is too much misery and worry in that. This world is like the whirlpool of the Visalakshi (a stream near Sri Ramakrishna's birth-place.) Once a boat gets into it there is no hope of its rescue. Again, the world is like a thorny bush: you have hardly freed yourself from one set of thorns before you find yourself entangled in another. Once you enter a labyrinth you find it very difficult to get out. Living in the world, a man becomes seared, as it were.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Don't Lose your Heart !

There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them. If diving once do not bring your pearls, you need not therefore conclude that the sea is not without them, Dive again and again. You are sure to be rewarded in the end. So is it with the finding of the lord in this world. If your first attempt prove fruitless, do not lose the heart. Persevere in your efforts. You are sure to realize Him at last.

~Gospel of SriRamakrishna

Passions Should Be Directed To God !

One cannot completely get rid of the six passions: lust, anger, greed, and the like. Therefore one should direct them to God. If you must have desire and greed, then you should desire love of God and be greedy to attain Him. If you must be conceited and egotistic, then feel conceited and egotistic thinking that you are the servant of God, the child of God.

A man cannot see God unless he gives his whole mind to Him. The mind is wasted on 'woman and gold'. Take your own case. You have children and are occupied with the theatre. The mind cannot be united with God on account of these different activities.

As long as there is bhoga, there will be less of yoga. Furthermore, bhoga begets suffering. It is said in the Bhagavata that the Avadhuta chose a kite as one of his twenty-four gurus. The kite had a fish in its beak; so it was surrounded by a thousand crows. Whichever way it flew with the fish, the crows pursued it crying, 'Caw! Caw!' When all of a sudden the fish dropped from its beak, the crows flew after the fish, leaving the kite alone. The 'fish' is the object of enjoyment. The 'crows' are worries and anxiety. Worries and anxiety are inevitable with enjoyment. No sooner does one give up enjoyment than one finds peace.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

God's Grace Is The Ultimate Help

You may try thousands of times, but nothing can be achieved without God's grace. One cannot see God without His grace. Is it an easy thing to receive the grace of God? One must altogether renounce egotism; one cannot see God as long as one feels, 'I am the doer.' Suppose, in a family, a man has taken charge of the store-room; then if someone asks the master, 'Sir, will you yourself kindly give me something from the store-room?', the master says to him: 'There is already someone in the store-room. What can I do there?'

God doesn't easily appear in the heart of a man who feels himself to be his own master. But God can be seen the moment His grace descends. He is the Sun of Knowledge. One single ray of His has illumined the world with the light of knowledge. That is how we are able to see one another and acquire varied knowledge. One can see God only if He turns His light toward His own face.

The police sergeant goes his rounds in the dark of night with a light in his hand. No one sees his face; but with the help of that light the sergeant sees everybody's face, and others, too, can see one another. If you want to see the sergeant, however, you must pray to him: 'Sir, please turn the light on your own face. Let me see you.' In the same way one must pray to God: 'O Lord, be gracious and turn the light of knowledge on Thyself, that I may see Thy face

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Purpose Of The Scriptures

Books, scriptures, and things like that only point out the way to reach God. After finding the way, what more need is there of books and scriptures? Then comes the time for action.

A man received a letter from home informing him that certain presents were to be sent to his relatives. The names of the articles were given in the letter. As he was about to go shopping for them, he found that the letter was missing. He began anxiously to search for it, several others joining in the search. For a long time they continued to search. When at last the letter was discovered, his joy knew no bounds. With great eagerness he opened the letter and read it. It said that he was to buy five seers of sweets, a piece of cloth, and a few other things. Then he did not need the letter any more, for it had served its purpose. Putting it aside, he went out to buy the things. How long is such a letter necessary? As long as its contents are not known. When the contents are known one proceeds to carry out the directions.

In the scriptures you will find the way to realize God. But after getting all the information about the path, you must begin to work, Only then can you attain your goal.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

No Finality About God's Nature

Devotee: "Sir, has God forms or has He none?"

Sri Ramakrishna: No one can say with finality that God is only 'this' and nothing else. He is formless, and again He has forms. For the bhakta He assumes forms. But He is formless for the jnani, that is, for him who looks on the world as a mere dream. The bhakta feels that he is one entity and the world another. Therefore God reveals Himself to him as a Person. But the jnani-the Vedantist, for instance-always reasons, applying the process of 'Not this, not this'. Through this discrimination he realizes, by his inner perception, that the ego and the universe are both illusory, like a dream. Then the jnani realizes Brahman in his own consciousness. He cannot describe what Brahman is.

Do you know what I mean? Think of Brahman, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, as a shore-less ocean. Through the cooling influence, as it were, of the bhakta's love, the water has frozen at places into blocks of ice. In other words, God now and then assumes various forms for His lovers and reveals Himself to them as a Person. But with the rising of the sun of Knowledge, the blocks of ice melt. Then one doesn't feel any more that God is a Person, nor does one see God's forms. What He is cannot be described. Who will describe Him? He who would do so disappears. He cannot find his 'I' any more.

Sri RamaKrishna's Advice For Householders !

Even if one lives in the world, one must go into solitude now and then. It will be of great help to a man if he goes away from his family, lives alone, and weeps for God even for three days. Even if he thinks of God for one day in solitude, when he has the leisure, that too will do him good. People shed a whole jug of tears for wife and children. But who cries for the Lord? Now and then one must go into solitude and practice spiritual discipline to realize God.

Living in the world and entangled in many of its duties, the aspirant, during the first stage of spiritual life, finds many obstacles in the path of concentration. While the trees on the foot-path are young, they must he fenced around; otherwise they will be destroyed by cattle. The fence is necessary when the tree is young, but it can be taken away when the trunk is thick and strong. Then the tree won't be hurt even if an elephant is tied to it.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Sayings Of Sri Ramakrishna About Worldly Man

Two men went into a garden. The worldly-wise man no sooner entered the gate than he began to count the number of the mango-trees, how many mangoes each tree bore, and what might be the approximate price of the whole orchard. The other went to the owner, made his acquaintance, and quietly going under a mango-tree began to pluck the fruit and eat it with the owner's consent. Now who is the wiser of the two? Eat mangoes, it will satisfy your hunger. What is the good of counting the leaves and making vain calculations? The vain man of intellect is uselessly busy in finding out the 'why and wherefore' of creation, while the humble man of wisdom makes acquaintance with the Creator and enjoys Supreme Bliss in this world.

~Gospel of SriRamakrishna

How To Attain The Kingdom Of God

The rishis of old attained the Knowledge of Brahman. One cannot have this so long as there is the slightest trace of worldliness. Early in the morning they would go away from the hermitage, and would spend the whole day in solitude, meditating on Brahman. At night they would return to the hermitage and eat a little fruit or roots. They kept their minds aloof from the objects of sight, hearing, touch, and other things of a worldly nature. Only thus did they realize Brahman as their own inner consciousness.

But in the Kaliyuga, man, being totally dependent on food for life, cannot altogether shake off the idea that he is the body. In this state of mind it is not proper for him to say, 'I am He.' When a man does all sorts of worldly things, he should not say, 'I am Brahman.' Those who cannot give up attachment to worldly things, and who find no means to shake off the feeling of 'I', should rather cherish the idea 'I am God's servant; I am His devotee.' One can also realize God by following the path of devotion.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Power Of God's Name !

.....Worldly people will never listen to you if you ask them to renounce everything and devote themselves whole-heartedly to God. Therefore Chaitanya and Nitai (saints), after some deliberation, made an arrangement to attract the worldly. They would say to such persons, 'Come, repeat the name of Hari, and you shall have a delicious soup of magur fish and the embrace of a young woman.'

Many people, attracted by the fish and the woman, would chant the name of God. After tasting a little of the nectar of God's hallowed name, they would soon realize that the 'fish soup' really meant the tears they shed for love of God, while the 'young woman' signified the earth. The embrace of the woman meant rolling on the ground in the rapture of divine love.

Chaitanya said: 'The name of God has very great sanctity. It may not produce an immediate result, but one day it must bear fruit. It is like a seed that has been left on the cornice of a building. After many days the house crumbles and the seed falls on the earth, germinates, and at last bears fruit.'

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Different kind Of Maya !

.....Maya is of two kinds - one leading towards God (Vidya-Maya), and the other leading away from God (Avidya-Maya). Vidya-Maya again is of two kinds - discrimination and non-attachment. With the help of these, individual souls surrender themselves to the mercy of God. Avidya-Maya is of six kinds - lust, anger, avarice, inordinate attachment, pride and envy. This kind of Maya gives rise to the sense of 'I and mine' and serves to keep men chained to the world. But as soon as Vidya-Maya manifests itself, all Avidya-Maya is totally destroyed.

The sun or the moon cannot be properly reflected in turbid water. Likewise the Universal Soul cannot be properly realized so long as the veil of Maya is not removed, i.e., so long as the sense of 'I and mine' is not gone.....

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Who Created Maya ?

.....This world is like a fishing-net. Men are the fish, and God, whose maya has created this world, is the fisherman. When the fish are entangled in the net, some of them try to tear through its meshes in order to get their liberation. They are like the men striving after liberation. But by no means all of them escape. Only a few jump out of the net with a loud splash, and then people say, 'Ah! There goes a big one!' In like manner, three or four men attain liberation. Again, some fish are so careful by nature that they are never caught in the net; some beings of the ever-perfect class, like Narada, are never entangled in the meshes of worldliness. Most of the fish are trapped; but they are not conscious of the net and of their imminent death.

No sooner are they entangled than they run headlong, net and all, trying to hide themselves in the mud. They don't make the least effort to get free. On the contrary, they go deeper and deeper into the mud. These fish are like the bound men. They are still inside the net, but they think they are quite safe there. A bound creature is immersed in worldliness, in 'woman and gold', having gone deep into the mire of degradation. But still he believes he is quite happy and secure. The liberated, and the seekers after liberation, look on the world as a deep well. They do not enjoy it. Therefore, after the attainment of Knowledge, the realization of God, some give up their bodies. But such a thing is rare indeed......

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

What Is Maya?

Do you know what is maya? Your love towards all these relations of father and mother, brother and sister, wife and son, nephew and niece constitutes maya. On the other hand, daya (kindness) means love for all created beings. Well, what is it in my case ­ maya or kindness? Hriday has, however, done so much for me, served me so well. He would clean my excreta with his own hands. But he was equally hard on me at the end. He became so hard that I once went to the embankment to drown myself in the Ganga. Yet, he has done a lot for me. If he could get some (money), my mind would feel at rest. But whom shall I ask for it? I don’t want to ask any babu.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Bondage And Liberation Are Of The Mind !

It is all a question of the mind. Bondage and liberation are of the mind alone. The mind will take the colour you dye it with. It is like white clothes just returned from the laundry. If you dip them in red dye, they will be red. If you dip them in blue or green, they will be blue or green. They will take only the colour you dip them in, whatever it may be. If you are in bad company, then you will talk and think like your companions. On the other hand, when you are in the company of devotees, you will think and talk only of God.

The mind is everything. A man has his wife on one side and his daughter on the other. He shows his affection to them in different ways. But his mind is one and the same.

Bondage is of the mind, and freedom is also of the mind. A man is free if he constantly thinks: 'I am a free soul. How can I be bound, whether I live in the world or in the forest? I am a child of God, the King of Kings. Who can bind me?' If bitten by a snake, a man may get rid of its venom by saying emphatically, 'There is no poison in me.' In the same way, by repeating with grit and determination, 'I am not bound, I am free', one really becomes so-one really becomes free.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Hanuman's Devotion to Rama

The conversation drifted to Hanuman, whose picture hung on the wall in the Master's( Sri Ramakrishna's ) room.

Sri Ramakrishna said: "Just imagine Hanuman's state of mind. He didn't care for money, honor, creature comforts, or anything else. He longed only for God. When he was running away with the heavenly weapon that had been secreted in the crystal pillar, Mandodari began to tempt him with various fruits so that he might come down and drop the weapon. But he could not be tricked so easily.

Ego Destroyed By Grace Of God !

Devotee— Sir, why are we bound like this? Why can’t we see the Lord?

Sri Ramakrishna — The very ego of man is maya. This egotism has veiled everything. ‘All troubles cease when the I-ness dies.’ If by the grace of the Lord a man realizes, ‘I am not the doer,’ he becomes a jivanmukta(Liberated in this very life). He has nothing to fear then.

The maya or the I-ness is like a cloud. The sun becomes invisible even if there is a patch of cloud. As soon as the cloud passes away, one can see the sun. If by the grace of the God the feeling of I-ness vanishes, one realizes the Lord.

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Here in this site, we are sharing the sayings of Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna; Some Readers don’t aware of the History of Gospel, This Posting has devoted to them and Let them know about the History of “Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna”.

The Great Person (Mahendranath Gupta) who is main spiritual light to bring the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna into the World.

Mahendranath Gupta (1854–1932), who preferred to call himself M, was one of the foremost disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the author of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna(Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita) (1942).

Mahendranath Gupta was the headmaster of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's high school when he first met Ramakrishna in 1882. He frequently visited Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar Kali Temple till Ramakrishna's passing away in 1886, and even stayed with him for successive days a few times. Every time he went back home after visiting Ramakrishna, he would note down in his personal dairy the conversations and sayings of Ramakrishna. It was from these notes that he compiled The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Deep Secret Of The Jnani And The Bhakta !

(To Mahima) You may talk of Vedanta a thousand times to a genuine bhakta and call the world like a dream before him, his devotion will not vanish. He may shed it a little for a while. A pestle was lying in a field of willows; it resulted in musalam kulanashnam (the pestle destroying the dynasty). One becomes a jnani when one is born of Shiva. His mind always goes to this knowledge.

'Only Brahman is the reality, the world an illusion'. If one is born of Vishnu, one possesses prema bhakti loving devotion. This prema bhakti does not leave you easily. Upon reasoning even if this prema bhakti is diluted, it returns gushing forth after a time just as the pestle destroyed the dynasty of the Yadus.

~Gospel of Sri RamaKrishna

Path To Attain The God In Kaliyuga.!

Karma Yoga. To keep the mind in God by doing work – this is what you teach.

Life is short in Kaliyuga. And then it is indeed very difficult to work without expectation of its reward and to work in an unattached manner.
One cannot be truly unattached without having realized God. Attachment comes from
nowhere, one does not even come to know of it.

Bhakthi. It is fixing the mind in God by repeating His name and singing His glories.
Bhakthi is the easy path for the age of Kali.
Bhakthi indeed is the law for the present age.

~Gospel Of Sri RamaKrishna

Diwali Wishes for Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Readers !

Diwali, Dipavali, Divali or Deepawali, which is also known as 'the festival of lights', is the Indian festival that brings a series of festivals with it.
One after another we get a chance to celebrate five festivals together.

The people of all age groups and classes with equal zeal and enthusiasm celebrate Diwali throughout India. They put on new apparels and participate in the various activities that are related to Diwali celebrations. Diwali falls on the day of 'Amavasyaa' usually in the month of October or November.

On this day people light tiny diyas to fill their homes with bright light and create lovely designs all around their home with colorful rangoli art.

Diwali is not only a festival of celebrations such as lightings, crackers, social gatherings to exchange greetings and sharing sweets with your loved ones but it is also a festival that is filled with spiritualism and religious activities such as worship of Goddess Lakshmi, worship of Lord Ganesha, worship of Mother Kali, worship of Lord Chitragupta and worship of Govardhan Parvat.

Deepavali is celebrated in West Bengal, Bihar and North Eastern states with worship of Divine Mother Kali in clay images. This is called
Kali Puja.


Diwali is not only a festival of celebrations such as lightings, crackers, cleanliness, colorful rangoli making, social gatherings to exchange greetings and sharing sweets with your loved ones but it is also a festival that is filled with spiritualism and religious activities such as worship of Goddess Lakshmi, worship of Lord Ganesha, worship of Mother Kali, worship of Lord Chitragupta and worship of Govardhan Parvat. The Diwali festival is all about lots of shopping, happiness, togetherness and almost one week's holiday.

Swami Vivekananda said "who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Shiva."

This Diwali we can share our happiness and joy with poor...Jai Sri Ram

Signs of God-vision!

One cannot attain it unless one has seen God. But there are signs that a man has had the vision of God. A man who has seen God sometimes behaves like a madman: he laughs, weeps, dances, and sings.
Sometimes he behaves like a child, a child five years old-guileless, generous, without vanity, unattached to anything, not under the control of any of the gunas, always blissful.

Sometimes he behaves like a ghoul: he doesn't differentiate between things pure and things impure; he sees no difference between things clean and things unclean. And

sometimes he is like an inert thing, staring vacantly: he cannot do any work; he cannot strive for anything.

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

The Pure In Heart See God !

"Let me tell you one thing. God can be seen. The Vedas say that God is beyond mind and speech. The meaning of this is that God is unknown to the mind attached to worldly objects. Vaishnavcharan (a noted devotee of the Vaishnava sect and an admirer of Sri Ramakrishna) used to say, 'God is known by the mind and intellect that is pure.' Therefore it is necessary to seek the company of holy men, practice prayer, and listen to the instruction of the guru. These purify the mind. Then one sees God. Dirt can be removed from water by a purifying agent. Then one sees one's reflection in it. One cannot see one's face in a mirror if the mirror is covered with dirt."

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Washing Away The Heart's Impurities With Tears!

Devotee: "Sir, is it ever possible to realize God while leading the life of a householder?"

Sri RamaKrishna: "Certainly. But as I said just now, one must live in holy company and pray unceasingly. One should weep for God. When the impurities of the mind are thus washed away, one realizes God. The mind is like a needle covered with mud, and God is like a magnet. The needle cannot be united with the magnet unless it is free from mud. Tears wash away the mud, which is nothing but lust, anger, greed, and other evil tendencies, and the inclination to worldly enjoyments as well. As soon as the mud is washed away, the magnet attracts the needle, that is to say, man realizes God. Only the pure in heart see God. A fever patient has an excess of the watery element in his system. What can quinine do for him unless that is removed?

"Why shouldn't one realize God while living in the world? But, as I said, one must live in holy company, pray to God, weeping for His grace, and now and then go into solitude. Unless the plants on a foot-path are protected at first by fences, they are destroyed by cattle."

Earning of Money !

Devotee: "Sir, may I make an effort to earn more money?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "It is permissible to do so to maintain a religious family. You may try to increase your income, but in an honest way. The goal of life is not the earning of money, but the service of God. Money is not harmful if it is devoted to the service of God."

Devotee: "How long should a man feel obliged to do his duty toward his wife and children?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "As long as they feel pinched for food and clothing. But one need not take the responsibility of a son when he is able to support himself. When the young fledgling learns to pick its own food, its mother pecks it if it comes to her for food."

Devotee: "How long must one do one's duty?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "The blossom drops off when the fruit appears. One doesn't have to do one's duty after the attainment of God, nor does one feel like doing it then.

After Attained The God !

" .....When the dry branch of a coconut palm drops to the ground,it leaves only a mark on the trunk indicating that once therewas a branch at that place. In like manner, he who has attained God keeps only a semblance of anger and lust.He becomes like a child. A child has no attachment to thethree gunas - sattva, rajas, and tamas. He becomes as quickly detached from a thing as he becomes attached to it..... "

~Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Bhakthi !

A Pandit : Thew Theosophists say that there are 'Mahatmas’. They also say that there
are different planes and spheres like astral planes, Devayanic plane, solar sphere, lunar
sphere etc., and that man's subtle body can go to all these places. They say many other
things such things .Sir what is your opinion on Theosophy?

Sri Ramakrishna : Bhakthi alone is supreme-Bhakthi? or devotion to God. Do they care for Bhakthi? If they do, that is well. It is well if they have God-realization for their aim and goal. But remember, to be engrossed in such trivial things as solar sphere, lunar sphere, astral sphere etc., is not genuine search after God.
One has to do Sadhanas (spiritual practices) in order to get devotion to His lotus feet; one has to weep for Him with the intense longing of the heart. The mind should be gathered up from the different objects and concentrated exclusively on Him. He is not in the Vedas or Vedanta of in any other scripture. Nothing will be achieved unless one's heart yearns for Him. One has to pray to Him with intense devotion and practice Sadhanas. God cannot be realized so easily.
Sadhanas are necessary.

Why We Should Think God !

Devotee: "Sir, why should one think of God at all?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "If a man really has that knowledge (the knowledge that God exists within and without and everywhere. In that case, thinking of God is superfluous), then he is indeed liberated though living in a body.

"Not all, by any means, believe in God. They simply talk. The worldly-minded have heard from someone that God exists and that everything happens by His will; but it is not their inner belief.

Shallow faith of the worldly minded "Do you know what a worldly man's idea of God is like? It is like the children's swearing by God when they quarrel. They have heard the word while listening to their elderly aunts quarrelling.

Various classes of devotees "Is it possible for all to comprehend God? God has created the good and the bad, the devoted and the impious, the faithful and the skeptical. The wonders that we see all exist in His creation. In one place there is more manifestation of His Power, in another less. The sun's light is better reflected by water than by earth, and still better by a mirror. Again, there are different levels among the devotees of God: superior, mediocre, and inferior. All this has been described in the Gita."

Advice For Householders !

Devotee— We are householders. Kindly advise us.

Sri Ramakrishna — keep one of your hands at His lotus feet and attend to your worldly work with the other.

Devotee— Sir, is this world illusory?

Sri Ramakrishna — It is illusory until you know God. The man forgets Him and utters, ‘Mine, mine.’ Bound by maya, deluded by ‘woman and gold,’ he goes down and down. The man has lost his consciousness while entangled in maya. He cannot run out of it even when there is a way.

Leave Everything To God !

I am a fool, I know nothing. Then who speaks all this? I say, ‘Mother, I am a machine, You are the machine man; I am the house, You are the dweller; I am the chariot, You are the charioteer; I do what You make me do; I speak what You make me speak; I move the way You make me move.’ ‘Not I, not I. You, only You.’ She is ever victorious. I am merely an instrument.

When Srimati was carrying a pitcher with a thousand holes and not a drop of water was flowing out of it, everybody began to praise her saying that such a sati (faithful wife, pure woman) is rare to come across. Then Srimati said, ‘Why do you praise me? Instead you say: Victory to Krishna, victory to Krishna! I am merely His maidservant.’

Ambition of human life

"Is it possible to understand God's action and His motive? He creates, He preserves, and He destroys. Can we ever understand why He destroys? I say to the Divine Mother: "O Mother, I do not need to understand. 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. I have come to the garden to eat mangoes. What is the use of my calculating the number of trees, branches, and leaves? I only eat the mangoes; I don't need to know the number of trees and leaves.

single minded to be needed !

.....The Avadhuta, who was a great Yogi, saw a bridal procession passing with much pomp through a meadow, with beating of drums and blowing of trumpets. Hard by the road through which the procession was passing he saw a hunter so deeply absorbed in aiming at a bird, that he was perfectly inattentive to the procession, casting not even a side glance at it. The Avadhuta, saluting the hunter, said, “Sir, you are my Guru. When I sit in meditation, may my mind be concentrated upon the object of meditation as yours has been upon that bird!”

Spiritual inspiration comes from God !

.....Both worldliness and liberation depend on God's will. It is God alone who has kept man in the world in a state of ignorance; and man will be free when God, of His own sweet will, calls him to Himself. It is like the mother calling the child at meal-time, when he is out playing. When the time comes for setting a man free, God makes him seek the company of holy men. Further, it is God who makes him restless for spiritual life.

Way to attain the God !

"Knowledge and love -- both are paths leading to God. Sometimes it happens that, discriminating between the Real and the unreal, a man loses his faith in the existence of God. But a devotee who sincerely yearns for God does not give up his meditation even though he is invaded by atheistic ideas. A man whose father and grandfather have been farmers continue his farming even though he doesn't get any crop in a year of drought."

Discipline required to attain spirituality

...In the first stage of one’s spiritual life one should try to concentrate one’s mind by going into solitude to meditate upon Him; when by constant practice, the mind has been brought under control, one can meditate anywhere one chooses. A young plant requires to be protected with care by a fence, or else goats and cows will eat it up; but when the same plant grows into a large tree, the cows and goats tied to it will not injure it....

Beginning of the Spiritual Practice!

.....At the beginning, a man should choose lonely places, in which to try to concentrate his mind, otherwise many things may distract him. If we keep milk and water together, they mix; but if the milk be changed into butter by churning, the transformed milk, instead of mixing with the water, will float upon it. So when by constant practice a man is able to effect mental concentration, wherever he may be, his mind will always rise above his environment and rest in God....

Keep your mind on God

Devotee: how we can fix our mind on God?

Sri RamaKrishna:.....Repeat God's name and sing His glories, and keep holy
company; and now and then visit God's devotees and holy men. The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God. To fix the mind on God is very difficult, in the beginning, unless one practices meditation in solitude. When a tree is young it should be fenced all around; otherwise it may be destroyed by cattle.

"To meditate, you should withdraw within yourself or retire to a secluded corner or to the forest. And you should always discriminate between the Real and the unreal. God alone is real, the Eternal Substance; all else is unreal, that is, impermanent. By discriminating thus, one should shake off impermanent objects from the mind......"

Performing your worldly duties

As the Street minstrel with one hand plays the guitar and with other strikes a drum, while at the same time he sighs song, so do you, O world-bound soul, perform all your worldly duties with your hands, never forgetting to repeat and glorify the name of the Lord with all your heart

How to Realize GOD

Devotee: By what kind of work can Gob be attained?

Sri Ramakrishna: There is no difference in work. Do not think that this work will lead to God and that will not.
Everything depends upon His Grace. To have his grace, whatever work you perform, Do it with sincerity and earnest longing. Through his Grace environment will be favorable and the condition of realization will become perfect.

Remember the God always

"Live in the world but keep the pitcher steady on your head; that is to say, keep the mind firmly on God.

"I once said to the sepoys from the barracks: 'Do your duty in the world but remember that the "pestle of death" will some time smash your hand. Be alert about it.'

"In Kamarpukur I have seen the women of carpenter families making flattened rice with a husking-machine. One woman kicks the end of the wooden beam, and another woman, while nursing her baby, turns the paddy in the mortar dug in the earth. The second woman is always alert lest the pestle of the machine should fall on her hand. With the other hand she fries the soaked paddy in a pan. Besides, she is talking with customers; she says: 'You owe us so much money. Please pay it before you go.' Likewise, do your different duties in the world, fixing your mind on God. But practice is necessary, and one should also be alert. Only in this way can one safeguard both―God and the world."

Need for holy company

Devotee: what is the good of holy company?

Sri RamaKrishna: It begins yearning for God. It begins Love of God.
Nothing whatsoever is achieved in spiritual life without yearning. By constantly living in the company of Holy men, the soul become restless for God… there is another benefit from holy company. It helps one to cultivate discrimination between the Real and the unreal.
God alone is the Real, That is to say, the eternal substance, and the world is unreal

Destroy the Ego

Know thyself, and thou shalt know the non-self, the Load of alls.

What is my ego?
Is it my hand or my foot, flesh or blood , muscle or tendons? Ponder deeply and thou shalt know that there is no such thing as “I” .An analysis of the “Ego” convinces that the ultimate substance is God alone. When egoism vanishes, Divinity manifests itself.

Sri RamaKrishna's spiritual experiences

"One day I had the vision of Consciousness, non-dual and indivisible. At first it had been revealed to me that there were innumerable men, animals, and other creatures. Among them there were aristocrats, the English, the Mussalmans, myself, scavengers, dogs, and also a bearded Mussalman with an earthenware tray of rice in his hand. He put a few grains of rice into everybody's mouth. I too tasted a little.

"Another day I saw rice, vegetables, and other food-stuff, and filth and dirt as well, lying around. Suddenly the soul came out of my body and, like a flame, touched everything. It was like a protruding tongue of fire and tasted everything once, even the excreta. It was revealed to me that all these are one Substance, the non-dual and indivisible Consciousness.

"Another day it was revealed to me that I had devotees-my intimate companions, my very own. Thereafter I would climb to the roof of the room as soon as the bells and the conch-shells of the evening service sounded in the temples, and cry out with a longing heart: 'Oh, where are you all? Come here! I am dying to see you!'

Love Of God

Devotee: "How can one see God?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "Not with these eyes. God gives one divine eyes; and only then can one behold Him. God gave Arjuna divine eyes so that he might see His Universal Form.
"Your philosophy is mere speculation. It only reasons. God cannot be realized that way.
"God cannot remain unmoved if you have raga-bhakti, that is, love of God with passionate attachment to Him. Do you know how fond God is of His devotees' love? It is like the cow's fondness for fodder mixed with oil-cake. The cow gobbles it down greedily.

"Raga-bhakti is pure love of God, a love that seeks God alone and not any worldly end. Prahlada had it. Suppose you go to a wealthy man every day, but you seek no favour of him; you simply love to see him. If he wants to show you favour, you say: 'No, sir. I don't need anything. I came just to see you.' Such is love of God for its own sake. You simply love God and don't want anything from Him, in return."

"Woman and gold" is the obstruction to yoga

Sri RamaKrishna: "Some are born with the characteristics of the yogi; but they too should be careful. It is 'woman and gold' alone that is the obstacle; it makes them deviate from the path of yoga and drags them into worldliness. Perhaps they have some desire for enjoyment. After fulfilling their desire, they again direct their minds to God and thus recover their former state of mind, fit for the practise of yoga.
"Have you ever seen the spring trap for fish, called the 'satka-kal'?"

Devotee: "No, sir, I haven't seen it."

Sri RamaKrishna: "They use it in our part of the country. One end of a bamboo pole is fastened in the ground, and the other is bent over with a catch. From this end a line with a hook hangs over the water, with bait tied to the hook. When the fish swallows the bait, suddenly the bamboo jumps up and regains its upright position.
"Again, take a pair of scales for example. If a weight is placed on one side, the lower needle moves away from the upper one. The lower needle is the mind, and the upper one, God. The meeting of the two is yoga.
"Unless the mind becomes steady there cannot be yoga. It is the wind of worldliness that always disturbs the mind, which may be likened to a candle flame. If that flame doesn't move at all, then one is said to have attained yoga.

" 'Woman and gold' alone is the obstacle to yoga. Always analyse what you see. What is there in the body of a woman? Only such things as blood, flesh, fat, entrails, and the like. Why should one love such a body?

Spiritual disciplines necessary at the beginning

Sri RamaKrishna: "I should like to visit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar(Devotee of Sri ramakrishna) a few times more. The painter first draws the general outlines and then puts in the details and colours at his leisure. The moulder first makes the image out of clay, then plasters it, then gives it a coat of whitewash, and last of all paints it with a brush. All these steps must be taken successively. Vidyasagar(Devotee of Sri ramaKrishna) is fully ready, but his inner stuff is covered with a thin layer. He is now engaged in doing good works; but he doesn't know what is within himself. Gold is hidden within him. God dwells within us. If one knows that, one feels like giving up all activities and praying to God with a yearning soul."

Sri RamaKrishna: "A little spiritual discipline is necessary in order to know what lies within."

Devotee: "Is it necessary to practise discipline all through life?"

Sri RamaKrishna : "No. But one must be up and doing in the beginning. After that one need not work hard. The helmsman stands up and clutches the rudder firmly as long as the boat is passing through waves, storms, high wind, or around the curves of a river; but he relaxes after steering through them. As soon as the boat passes the curves and the helmsman feels a favorable wind, he sits comfortably and just touches the rudder. Next he prepares to unfurl the sail and gets ready for a smoke. Likewise, the aspirant enjoys peace and calm after passing the waves and storms of 'woman and gold'.

Life of Sadhus.

Sri RamaKrishna would compare the sadhus(Holy men ,Monk) with Snack, As the snack never digs a hole for itself, but lives in the hole made by rat, Similarly a Sadhu builds no house for him-self, but lives in other men’s houses, if there be needed.

God's name destroys sin

Devotee: "Sir, we are sinners. What will happen to us?"

Sri RamaKrishna: "All the sins of the body fly away if one chants the name of God and sings His glories. The birds of sin dwell in the tree of the body. Singing the name of God is like clapping your hands. As, at a clap of the hands, the birds in the tree fly away, so do our sins disappear at the chanting of God's name and glories.
"Again, you find that the water of a reservoir dug in a meadow is evaporated by the heat of the sun. Likewise, the water of the reservoir of sin is dried up by the singing of the name and glories of God.
"You must practice it every day. The other day, at the circus, I saw a horse running at top speed, with an Englishwoman standing on one foot on its back. How much she must have practiced to acquire that skill!
"Weep at least once to see God.
"These, then, are the two means: practice and passionate attachment to God, that is to say, restlessness of the soul to see Him."

Everything is possible for God

Devotee (Mahendra Nath Gupta): "I haven't much faith in rebirth and inherited tendencies. Will that in any way injure my devotion to God?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "It is enough to believe that all is possible in God's creation. Never allow the thought to cross your mind that your ideas are the only true ones, and that those of others are false. Then God will explain everything.
"What can a man understand of God's activities? The facets of God's creation are infinite. I do not try to understand God's actions at all. I have heard that everything is possible in God's creation, and I always bear that in mind. Therefore I do not give a thought to the world, but meditate on God alone. Once Hanuman was asked, 'What day of the lunar month is it?' Hanuman said: 'I don't know anything about the day of the month, the position of the moon and stars, or any such things. I think of Rama alone.'
"Can one ever understand the work of God? He is so near; still it is not possible for us to know Him. Balarama did not realize that Krishna was God."