Water and Waves

'I am He', 'I am the Pure Self' - that is the conclusion of the jnanis. But the bhaktas say, 'The whole universe is the glory of God.' 

Who would recognize a wealthy man without his power and riches? But it is quite different when God Himself, gratified by the aspirant's devotion, says to him, 'You are the same as Myself.' Suppose a king is seated in his court, and his cook enters the hall, sits on the throne, and says, 'O King, you and I are the same!' People will certainly call him a madman. But suppose one day the king, pleased with the cook's service, says to him: 'Come, sit beside me. There is nothing wrong in that. There is no difference between you and me.' Then, if the cook sits on the throne with the king, there is no harm in it.  

It is not good for ordinary people to say, 'I am He'. The waves belong to the water. Does the water belong to the waves?  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 248 

                      (15 June 1883)

As Many Faiths, So Many Paths

Established in the non-dual state, the Master experienced another truth also. 

He discovered that the ultimate goal of all spiritual disciplines is to become firmly established in non-duality. After performing sadhana according to the main religious denominations prevalent in India, he observed that each one of them led the aspirant towards the nondual plane. 

When we asked about the nondual state, he told us repeatedly: “It is the last word, my child, the culmination of sadhana. At the ultimate development of love for God, this nondual experience manifests spontaneously in the life of all aspirants. Know it to be the goal of all faiths; and as many faiths, so many paths.” 

- Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, P 318

Mahabhava

 

Traits of a True Devotee

 

Awakening of the Kundalini

 

Seven Planes of the Vedas

There is much similarity between the seven 'planes' described in the Vedānta and the six 'centres' of Yoga. 

The first three planes of the Vedas may be compared to the first three Yogic centres, namely, Muladhara, Svadhisthana, and Manipura. With ordinary people the mind dwells in these three planes, at the organs of evacuation and generation and at the navel. When the mind ascends to the fourth plane, the centre designated in Yoga as Anahata, it sees the individual soul as a flame. Besides, it sees light. At this the aspirant cries: 'Ah! What is this? Ah! What is this?'  

When the mind rises to the fifth plane, the aspirant wants to hear only about God. This is the Visuddha centre of Yoga. The sixth plane and the centre known by the yogi as Ajna are one and the same. When the mind rises there, the aspirant sees God. But still there is a barrier between God and the devotee. It is like the barrier of glass in a lantern, which keeps one from touching the light. King Janaka used to give instruction about Brahmajnana from the fifth plane. Sometimes he dwelt on the fifth plane, and sometimes on the sixth. 

After passing the six centres the aspirant arrives at the seventh plane. Reaching it, the mind merges in Brahman. The individual soul and the Supreme Soul become one. The aspirant goes into samadhi. His consciousness of the body disappears. He loses the knowledge of the outer world. He does not see the manifold any more. His reasoning comes to a stop.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 245 

                       (10 June 1883)

'Mansion of Mirth'

 … the Bhakti scriptures describe this very world as a 'mansion of mirth'. Ramprasad sang in one of his songs, 'This world is a framework of illusion.' Another devotee gave the reply, 'This very world is a mansion of mirth.' 

As the saying goes, 'The devotee of Kali, free while living, is full of Eternal Bliss.' The bhakta sees that He who is God has also become maya. Again, He Himself has become the universe and all its living beings. The bhakta sees God, maya, the universe, and the living beings as one. Some devotees see everything as Rāma: it is Rāma alone who has become everything. 

Some see everything as Radha and Krishna. To them it is Krishna alone who has become the twenty-four cosmic principles.  It is like seeing everything green through green glasses.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 243 

                    (10 June 1883)