Liberation

 

Control of Women

A woman is, no doubt, a part of the Divine Mother. But as far as a man is concerned, especially a sannyāsi or a devotee of God, she is to be shunned. …

… 

Woman monopolizes three quarters of the mind, which should be given to God. And then, after the birth of a child, almost the whole mind is frittered away on the family. Then what is left to give to God? … … 

… … 

Once I wanted to go to a certain place. I asked Ramlal's aunt [i.e. Sri Ramakrishna’s wife – Sri Sarada Devi] about it. She forbade me to go; so I could not. A little while later I said to myself: 'I am not a householder. I have renounced "woman and gold". If, in spite of that, this is my plight, one can well imagine how much worldly people are controlled by their wives.’  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 594 (05 October 1884)

God Alone

 

Brahman alone Real

YOUNG MAN: "Sir, what is Knowledge?" 

MASTER: "It is to know that God is the only Reality and that all else is unreal. That which is the Real is also called Brahman. It has another name: Kala, Time. There is a saying, 'O brother, how many things come into being in Time and disappear in Time!' 

"That which sports with Kala is called Kāli. She is the Primal Energy. Kala and Kāli, Brahman and Śakti, are indivisible. 

"That Brahman, of the nature of Reality, is eternal. It exists in past, present, and future. It is without beginning or end. It cannot be described in words. The utmost that can be said of Brahman is that It is of the very nature of Intelligence and Bliss. 

"The world is illusory; Brahman alone is real. The world is of the nature of magic. The magician is real but his magic is unreal"  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 585 (02 October 1884)

Thorny Plant

 

Dying in Benares

 

Māyā hides Knowledge

DEVOTEE: "Why don't we feel dispassion toward worldly objects?"  

MASTER: "Because of māyā. Through māyā one feels the Real to be the unreal and the unreal to be the Real. The Real means That which is eternal, the Supreme Brahman; and the unreal means that which is non-eternal, that is to say, the world." 

DEVOTEE: "We read the scriptures. Why is it that we can't assimilate them?" 

MASTER: "What will one accomplish by mere reading? One needs spiritual practice - austerity. Call on God. What is the use of merely repeating the word 'siddhi'? One must eat a little of it.”  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 583 (02 October 1884)