Scriptures

One should hear the scriptures during the early stages of spiritual discipline. After attaining God there is no lack of knowledge. Then the Divine Mother supplies it without fail. 

A child spells out every word as he writes, but later on he writes fluently. 

The goldsmith is up and doing while melting gold. As long as the gold hasn't melted, he works the bellows with one hand, moves the fan with the other, and blows through a pipe with his mouth. But the moment the gold melts and is poured into the mold, he is relieved of all anxiety.

 

Mere reading of the scriptures is not enough. A person cannot understand the true significance of the scriptures if he is attached to the world.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 200 

                        (7 April 1883)

Renunciation - False and True

Remembering God

A holy man who has renounced the world will of course chant the name of God. That is only natural. He has no other duties to perform. If he meditates on God it shouldn't surprise anybody. On the other hand, if he fails to think of God or chant His holy name, then people will think ill of him. 

But it is a great deal to his credit if a householder utters the name of the Lord. Think of King  Janaka. 
What courage he had, indeed! He fenced with two swords, the one of Knowledge and the other of work. He possessed the perfect Knowledge of Brahman and also was devoted to the duties of the world. 

An unchaste woman attends to the minutest duties of the world, but her mind always dwells on her paramour.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 193 
                        (11 March 1883)

Mother’s Machine

Parable of Homa Bird

There is the parable of the Homa bird in the Vedas. The bird lives high up in the sky and never descends to earth. It lays its egg in the sky, and the egg begins to fall. But the bird lives in such a high region that the egg hatches while falling. 
The fledgling comes out and continues to fall. But it is still so high that while falling it grows wings and its eyes open. Then the young bird perceives that it is dashing down toward the earth and will be instantly killed. The moment it sees the ground, it turns and shoots up toward its mother in the sky.  Then its one goal is to reach its mother. 

Youngsters like Rakhal are like that bird. From their very childhood they are afraid of the world, and their one thought is how to reach the Mother, how to realize God.
  
- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 192 
                  (11 March 1883)

Jivatma and Paramatma

Dogmatism Condemned

With sincerity and earnestness one can realize God through all religions. The Vaishnavas will realize God, and so will the Saktas, the Vedantists, and the Brahmos. The Mussalmans and Christians will realize Him too. All will certainly realize God if they are earnest and sincere.

Some people indulge in quarrels, saying, 'One cannot attain anything unless one worships our Krishna', or, 'Nothing can be gained without the worship of Kāli, our Divine Mother', or, 'One cannot be saved without accepting the Christian religion.' 
This is pure dogmatism. 
The dogmatist says, 'My religion alone is true, and the religions of others are false.' This is a bad attitude.  

God can be reached by different paths.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 191 
                  (11 March 1883)