m "-.»ii&
I
BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE
SAGE
ENDOWMENT FUND' THE GIFT OF
Henrg W. Sage 1891
t,
Cornell University Library
13967 lakrishna
:
3 1924 031 227 865
Cornell University Library
The tine
original of
tliis
bool<
is in
Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright
restrictions in
the United States on the use of the
text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031227865
RAMAK/?/SHiVA HIS LIFE
AND SAYINGS
OjtfotS
HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
RAMAK7?/SHi\^A HIS LIFE
AND SAYINGS
THE RIGHT HON.
F.
MAX MULLER,
FOREIGN MEMBER OF THE FRENCH INSTITUTE
FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD
NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 18^9
K.M.
PREFACE The name mentioned
of Ritnakrishna. has lately been so often
in
Indian, American,
papers that a
fuller
seemed to me
likely to
many who moral
and English news-
account of his
life
and doctrine
be welcome, not only to the
take an interest
the intellectual and
in
state of India, but to the few also to
growth of philosophy and
religion,
whom
abroad, can never be a matter of indifference. therefore tried to
collect as much
own devoted
I
information as
about this lately-deceased Indian Saint (died partly from his
the
whether at home or
disciples,
I
have could
in 1886),
partly from
Indian newspapers, journals, and books in which the principal events of his
life
were chronicled, and his
moral and religious teaching described and discussed,
whether
in
a friendly or unfriendly
Whatever may be the Indian ascetics to
said
spirit.
about the aberrations of
whom RdmakyÂŤshÂŤa as
belonged,
PREFACE.
VI
some of them who deserve our nay even our warmest sympathy. The torwhich some of them, who hardly deserve to be
there are certainly interest,
tures
called SaMnyisins, for they are not
jugglers or Ha/-^ayogins, ascetic
inflict
much
better than
on themselves, the
methods by which they try to subdue and
annihilate
their
and bring themselves to
passions,
a state of extreme nervous exaltation accompanied
by trances or fainting fits of long duration, are well known to all who have lived in India and have become acquainted there not only with Rajahs and MahSrijahs, but with
all,
the various elements that
constitute the complicated system of Indian society.
Though some of the
stories told of these
of the flesh and of the spirit
enough remains of our curiosity.
may
martyrs
be exaggerated,
real facts to rouse at all events
When some
of the true SumnyAsms,
however, devote their thoughts and meditations to philosophical and religious problems, their utterances,
which sway large multitudes that gather round them their
in
own
country,
cannot
fail
to
attention and sympathy, particularly
engage if,
as
our
in the
case of RSmakreshwa, their doctrines are being spread
by
zealous
America
advocates not
only in
nay even
England.
also,
We need
in
India,
but
in
not fear that the Saw^nyasins of India will
ever find followers or imitators in Europe, nor would it
be at
all
desirable that they should, not even for
PREFACE.
Vll
the sake of Psychic Research, or for experiments in
But apart from
Physico-psychological Laboratories. that,
a better knowledge of the teachings of one
them seems
of
statesmen
certainly desirable, whether for the
who have
to deal with the various classes of
Indian society, or for the missionaries to understand
and
who
are anxious
to influence the inhabitants of that
country, or lastly for the students of philosophy and religion
who ought
to
know how
the most
philosophy of the world, the Vedinta, present
day by the Bhaktas,
that
is
is
ancient
taught at the
'the friends and
devoted lovers of God,' and continues to exercise
its
powerful influence, not only on a few philosophers, but
on the large masses of what has always been called a country of philosophers.
A
such thoughts as were uttered
country permeated by
by Ramakrzshwa cannot
possibly be looked upon as a country of ignorant idolaters to be converted
by the same methods which
are applicable to the races of Central Africa.
As
the Vedclnta forms the background of the sayings
of Kkmakrishna., I thought
it
useful to
add a short
sketch of some of the most characteristic doctrines of that philosophy.
Without
it,
many
readers would
hardly be able to understand the ideals of
knshÂŤa and I
RSma-
his disciples.
am quite aware that some of his sayings may sound
strange to our ears,
nay even
ofliensive.
Thus the
conception of the Deity as the Divine Mother
is
apt to
:
:
:
Vlll
-
'
PREFACE.
we can understand what R^makn'sh«a meant by it, when we read his saying (No. 89)
startle us,
really
Why
but
does the God-lover find such pleasure in address-
ing the Deity as Mother ?
with
:
Because the child
mother, and consequently she
its
than any one
is
is
more
free
dearer to the child
else.'
Sometimes the language which these Hindu devotees use of the Deity must appear to us too familiar, nay
even irreverent.
They
themselves seem to be aware
of this and say in excuse
'A is
true devotee
:
who has drunk deep
observe the rules of propriety
Or '
of Divine
Love
a veritable drunkard, and, as such, cannot always
like
'
(104).
again
What
is
God, and
the strength of a devotee
He
?
tears are his greatest strength
'
a child of
is
(92).
Unless we remember that harem means originally
no more than a sacred and guarded place, the following saying will certainly jar on our ears '
The Knowledge of God may be likened to a man, God is like a woman. Knowledge has
the Love of
while entry
only up to the outer rooms of God, but no one can enter into the inner mysteries of
God
save a lover, for a
has access even into the harem of the Almighty
How
woman
(172).
deep RSmakr«sh«a has seen into the mysteries
of knowledge and love of God,
saying
'
we
see from the next
PREFACE.
IX
Knowledge and love of God are ultimately one and the There is no difference between pure knowledge and
'
same.
pure
love.'
The
following utterances also
nature of his faith
show the exalted
:
'Verily, verily, I say unto you, that
Him
God, finds '
all
He who
'
'
he who yearns
for
(159).
has faith has
all,
and he who wants
faith
wants
(201).
So long as one does not become simple like a child, one does not get Divine illumination. Forget all the worldly knowledge that thou hast acquired, and become as '
ignorant about
it
as a child,
knowledge of the True '
'
and then thou
wilt get the
(241).
Where does the strength of an aspirant lie ? It is in As a mother gives her consent to fulfil the desire
his tears.
weeping child, so God vouchsafes to His weeping son whatever he is crying for (306). As a lamp does not burn without oil, so a man cannot
of her importunately
'
'
without
live '
God
the reason
From
God'
in all
is
why
(288).
men, but
all
men
are not in
God
:
that
is
they suffer' (215).
such sayings
we
learn that though the real
presence of the Divine in nature and in the
human
was nowhere felt so strongly and so universally in India, and though the fervent love of God, nay
soul
as
the sense of complete absorption in the Godhead, has nowhere found a stronger and more eloquent expression than in the utterances of Kkmakrishna., yet
X
PREFACE.
he perfectly knew the barriers that separate divine
and human nature. If we remember that these utterances of Rima-
own thoughts, but of human beings, we
krishna, reveal to us not only his
the faith and hope of millions
may
indeed
there,
and
worship
God
is
feel
The
country.
is
shared
indeed the in
by
all,
even by those
man
who seem
is
to
This constant sense of the presence of
idols.
hope that
hopeful about the future of that
consciousness of the Divine in
common ground on which we may
time not too distant the great temple of
the future will be erected, in which Hindus and non-
Hindus may join hands and hearts same Supreme Spirit who is not
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
of us, for in
Him we
live
in
worshipping the
far from every one and move and have our
being.
F.
IGHTHAM Mote, Oct. i8, 1898.
M. M.
CONTENTS PAGE
Introduction
1-97
The Mahatmans The Four Stages
i
of Life
3
SamnySsins or Saints Ascetic Exercises or
6
Yoga
8
RSmakrzshna DaySnanda Sarasvati PawSri Baba Debendranath Tagore Rai ShaligrSm Saheb Bahadur
RSmakWsh»a The Dialogic
.
12 .
....
.
13 16
20 23
Process
RSmalo^sh«a's Life
25
.... ....
Remarks on Ramalcr2sh»a's Life Mozoomdar's Judgement RSmakrzshwa's Language RSmalcrsshwa's Wife RSmak?-2sh»a's Influence on Keshub Chunder Sen Ved&nta-philosophy
Ekam
10
advitlyam.
One without a Second
30
59 .
61
62
.
64 66 69
rvSiBi aeavrSv
74 80
Final Conclusion, Tat tvamasi Remarks on the Sayings
95
The Sayings of Ramaicb/sh^a Index to the Sayings
.
.
91
98-187 189-200
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
rAmak/?/sh7va The MaMtmaus. It
not
is
many
years since I
upon
called
felt
to say
now going on have been very much
a few words on certain religious movements in India,
which seemed to
me
to
misrepresented and misunderstood at home.
who
To
people
are unacquainted with the religious state of India,
whether modern or ancient, and ignorant of the systems of philosophy prevalent in what has often,
been called a country of philosophers,
and not
it is
unjustly,
very difficult to
understand these movements, more particularly to guish between their leaders,
who may be open
and the ideas themselves by which they
distin-
to criticism,
feel inspired,
and
which they preachy often with great eloquence, to the multitudes that believe in article,
entitled
August number, gave
and
rise
to
them and
follow them.
'A Real Mahitman,' appeared 1896,
of the Nineteenth
in
Century,
My the
and
a good deal of controversy both in India
in England.
My
object was twofold: I wished to
B
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RA.UAKRISHNA.
2
protest against the wild
and Sages
living
and overcharged accounts of Saints
and teaching
had been pubUshed and
at present in India
which
in Indian,
scattered broadcast
American, and English papers, and I wished to show the same time that behind such strange
Theosophy, and Esoteric Buddhism and
was something
real,
names the
all
rest,
there
something worth knowing, worth know-
ing even for us, the students of Plato and Aristotle,
and Hegelj
at
as Indian
in Europe.
What happens
Kant
so often to people
whose powers of admiration are in excess of
their
know-
ledge and discretion, has happened to the admirers of
Hindu
certain first
to
whom
sages.
They thought they had been the
discover and unearth these Indian Mahitmans,
they credited not only with a profound knowledge
of ancient or even primeval wisdom, but with superhuman
powers exhibited generally in the performance of very miracles.
silly
Not knowing what had long been known
to
every student of Sanskrit philology, they were carried away
by the idea that they had found of
human
most
beings,
who had gone through
fearful ascetic exercises,
a new race number of the
in India quite
had
a
retired
from the world,
and had gained great popularity among low and high by their preachings and teachings, by their abstemious life, by their stirring eloquence, and by the power ascribed to MahStman, however, is but them of working miracles. one of the many names by which these people have long been
known.
Mahatman means
then high-minded, noble, and
all
literally
the
used simply as a complimentary term,
great-souled,
rest.
much
It
as
is
often
we use
THE FOUR STAGES OF reverend or honourable, but
it
LIFE.
3
has also been accepted as
a technical term, applied to a class of
men who in the known to us by their means literally one who
ancient language of India are well
name has
of Sawznyisin.
laid
down
SawznySsin
or surrendered everything,
who has abandoned 'He is to be known Bhagavad-gita V,
that
one
is,
all
worldly affections and desires.
as
a SaÂť2nyasin,' we read in the
'who does not hate and does not
3,
love anything.'
The Four Stages The
life
of a
Manu, divided a
pupil
was, according to the
four
periods
BrahmaHrin,
or
GÂŤhastha,
BrShman into
an
of
hermit or Yati^
enough; they represent the stages of a man's rules
as
to
devoted to
life,
stages
scholastic
Laws of that
of
householder
or
and
stages
of
a
are clear
and the married
the former regulated by the strictest
and
study,
the second
the duties of a married man, including the
duty of performing
The names
and second
obedience, chastity, all
a
Vdnaprastha,
or
first
or Axramas,
of
that
ascetic
The
of Life.
sacrifices,
both public and private. for the third
and fourth
are of course approximate renderings
only; not
of ascetic
and hermit
having the thing, we have not got the name.
But the
chief difference between the two seems to be that in the third stage
the BrS,hman
still
the forest outside his village, and
keeps to his dwelling in
may even be accompanied
there by his wife, see his children, '
Manu
and keep up
VI, 87.
B 2
his sacred
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAK^/SHJVA.
4 fires,
performing
all
the time certain exercises, as enjoined
man
in their sacred books, while in the last stage a
released from
all
and has to
restrictions,
Some
without any fixed abode'-
have used
translators
In
hermit for the third, and ascetic for the fourth stage. Sanskrit also there exists a variety of stages,
names
but the distinctive character of each
third stage
representing a mere
all duties,
life
two
clear,
the
is
worldly interests,
all
a sundering of
passion and desire, and a
for these
retreat firom the world,
the fourth a complete surrender of
a cessation of
all
the fetters of
without a fixed abode.
modern MahStmans should
The
be considered as
therefore
belonging partly to the third, partly to the fourth or
They
stage.
are what
mendicants, for
it
and to
charity.
on
live
is
we should
their
call friars or
last
itinerant
acknowledged privilege to beg
Another name of these literally
is
alone and
live
SawznySsins
was Avadhfita,
one who has shaken
off all attachments, while in
common
people they are often called
the language of the
simply Sadhus, or good men. It
has
SaÂť2nyisins
sometimes been denied that there are any left
in India,
The whole scheme
of
and
one sense
in
with
life,
its
Laws of Manu, seems to have been more or less of an ideal scheme, a plan of in the
this
life
according to the aspirations of the Brihmans,
human
ever have been
over India.
all '
nature as
Apastamba
true.
at all times
'
be, but as, taking
is
four stages, as traced
it
is,
Anyhow,
II, 9, 22, 21,
it
it
such
could hardly
at present,
&c.
as,
ought to
though
THE FOUR STAGES OF there are
and are what
men
called
in India
who
call
LIFE.
5
themselves Sanyasins,
Sadhus by the people, they are no longer
Manu meant them
to
They no longer pass
be.
through the severe discipline of their studentship, they
need no longer have
fulfilled all
the public and private
duties of a married householder, nor have remained for
a number of years in the seclusion of their forest dwelling.
They seem restraints,
free at
if
need
any time of
their life to
throw
off all
and begin to
be, their very clothing,
preach and teach whenever and wherever they can find people willing to listen to them.
That the
rules laid
been broken
down
in early times,
Manu's Law-book had often
in
we
learn from the existence of
a whole class of people called Vrityas. the BrShma^a period
who had not but who,
if
we read of
As
far
back as
these Vrityas, outcasts
practised brahma,4arya, proper studentship \
they would only perform certain sacrifices,
might be readmitted to
the privileges of the three
all
upper castes.
That these VrStyas were
Aryan people
is
repeated, but never been proved.
The name was
applied, during the Bi&hmana. period, to
had belonged
to
a certain
their caste-privileges
pertaining to the
originally
non-
a mere assertion that has often been
by
first
caste,
their
own
but
technically
Aryan people who
who had
forfeited
neglect of the duties
stage, brahma-^arya.
There were
actually three classes of them, according as the forfeiture
affected
them
grandparents. '
personally or dated from their parents or
All the three classes could be readmitted
Jonm. As. Soc. Bombay, XIX, p. 358 (they use silver coins).
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
6 after
performmg
certain
RAMAKiS/SHiVA. In the modern lan-
sacrifices.
guage vrStya has come to mean no more than naughty or unmanageable. It
curious to observe
is
how
the Buddhist revolt was
mainly based on the argument that enjoyed in the
spiritual freedom, as
ticularly in the fourth stage, life
on
earth,
end of life.
if
third,
and more
par-
was the highest goal of our
was a mistake to wait
it
emancipation or
The Buddhists were
in
for
it
till
the very
one sense Vratyas who
declined to pass through the long and tedious discipline of
a pupil,
who
considered the performance of the duties of
a householder, including marriage and endless sacrifices,
Buddha
not only as unprofitable, but as mischievous.
himself had declared against the penances prescribed for the Brdhmanic ascetic as a hindrance rather than as a help to those
passions
who wished and
Brahmanic
for perfect freedom,
desires,
society.
It
seems almost as
Buddhists, by adopting the for the
members of
freedom from
name
all
BrShmanic principles
if
the
had wished to
Sawznydsins, carrying out the old
to their natural conclusion,
though
they had renounced at the same time the Vedas, the of tradition, and
and vexation of
all
early
of Bhikshu, mendicant,
their order (Sawgha),
show that they were
all
and from the many prejudices of
Brahmanic
sacrifices as
Laws
mere vanity
spirit.
Sa^znyftsins or Saints. Similar ideas existed already among the Brahman s, and we meet among them, even before the rise of Buddhism,
SAMNYASINS OR SAINTS. with
men who had shaken off all home and family, lived by
their
from
all
who had
social fetters,
themselves in forests or
left their
in caves, abstained
7
material enjoyment, restricted
food and drink to a startling minimum, and often
underwent tortures which make us creep when we read of them or see them as represented in pictures and, in
modern
surrounded by a halo
received the
of
holiness,
and they
who visited Some of these
they wanted from those
little
them and who saints,
Such men were
times, in faithful photographs.
naturally
profited
by
their teaching.
but not many, were scholars, and became teachers
of ancient
Some, however, and we need not be
lore.
surprised at
it,
turned out to be impostors and hypocrites,
and brought disgrace on the whole
We
profession.
must
not forget that formerly the status of a SaÂťznyasin pre-
supposed a very serious discipline during the many years
and the domestic
of the student
Such
life.
might generally be accepted as a warrant controlled
mind and
When
Saints.
when anybody
at
a well-
as security against the propensity to
self-indulgence, not quite so-called
discipline
for
uncommon even this
any time of
security life
may
in the lives of
removed, and
is
proclaim himself
a Sawnyasin, the temptations even of a Saint are very
much
increased.
But that there were
real SaÂťznySsins,
and
now men who have completely shaken passion, who have disciplined their body
that there are even off the fetters of
and subdued the imaginations of
their
mind
marvellous extent, cannot be doubted. called Yogins, as having exercised Yoga.
to a perfectly
They
are
often
;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
8
Ascetic Exercises or Yoga. Within certain
limits
one
cipline, and, in
sense,
as a technical term,
the idea that
it
Yoga seems
we ought
to
be an excellent
all
means application, concentration,
meant
originally
dis-
Yoga,
to be Yogins.
effort
union with the deity has long
been given up. This Yoga, however, was soon elaborated into an
artificial
system,
and though supplying the means only
that are supposed to
be helpful
for philosophy,
it
has been
Yoga
elaborated into a complete system of philosophy, the
philosophy ascribed to Pata«^li, a variety of Kapila's
As
SS»«khya-philosophy.
knsh«inanda
in the
as practised at present, of four kinds
and Ha^a-yoga.
by Svimin Rama-
described
Brahmav^din,
p.
511
seq.,
consists,
it
—Mantra, Lay
Mantra-yoga
consists
in
a,
Ra^a,
repeating
a certain word again and again, particularly a word expressive of deity,
Laya-yoga
and concentrating is
one's thoughts
all
the concentration of
all
on
it.
our thoughts on
a thing or the idea of a thing, so that we become almost
one with
it.
Here again the
ideal
image of a god, or
names expressive of the Godhead, are the
Ra^a-yoga
ducing absorption in God. trolling the breath so
as
best, as
control the mind.
to
pro-
consists in conIt
was
observed that when fixing our attention suddenly on anything
new we hold our
breath,
fore that concentration of the
and
it
was supposed there-
mind would be
sure to follow
the holding back of the breath, or the PrS«4yima.
yoga is
is
Ha^^a-
concerned with the general health of the body, and
supposed to produce concentration by certain portions of
ASCETIC EXERCISES OR YOGA.
9
the body, by fixing the eyes on one point, particularly the tip of the nose,
and
similar contrivances.
All this
fully
is
described in the Yoga-S(itras, a work that gives one the
No
impression of being perfectly honest. believe
difficult to
all
also are often very startling. difficult to believe
I confess
them or not
is
I find
it
equally
We
to believe them.
are
by eye-witnesses and trustworthy witnesses that these
Yogins go without food can
it
and the achievements of modern Yogins
are credited with,
told
doubt
the things which the ancient Yogins
sit
unmoved
pain, that they
for
weeks and months, that they
any length of time, that they
for
feel
no
can mesmerise with their eyes and read All this I can beheve, but
people's thoughts.
if
the same
authorities tell us that Yogins can see the forms of gods
and goddesses moving
God
in the sky, or that the ideal
appears before them, that they hear voices from the sky, perceive a divine fragrance, and lastly that they have been
seen to
sit
in the air without
the privilege of
bound
St.
Thomas
any support,
a
little
longer,
to say that the evidence that has
support of the last achievement
That what
is
is
most
I
must claim
though
come
to
am
I
me
in
startling'.
called a state of Samadhi, or a trance, can
be produced by the very means which are employed by the Yogins in India,
exist
is,
I believe,
authorities;
psychiatric
among
admitted by medical and
and though impostors
the Indian Yogins,
we should be
to treat all these Indian Saints as
temptation, '
no doubt,
is
certainly
careful not
mere impostors.
great for people,
who
The
are believed
See also H. Walter, HaMayogapradlpikd, 1893.
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKS/SHiVA.
lO be
to
inspired, to pretend to
be what they are beh'eved to
be,
nay, in the end, not only to pretend, but really to believe what others believe of them.
And
if
they have been brought up
a philosophical atmosphere, or are
in
feelings, they
mans
filled
by deep
religious
would very naturally become what the MahSt-
are described to be
—men who can pour out
in perfervid eloquence and high-flown poetry, or to enter even
their souls
who
are able
on subtle discussions of the great problems
of philosophy and answer any questions addressed to them.
B&maknsh/za. Such a man was Ramak«sh«a, who has
lately
obtained
considerable celebrity both in India and America, where his disciples
have been actively engaged in preaching
and winning converts This
audiences.
to his doctrines, even
may seem
his gospel
among
Christian
very strange, nay, almost in-
credible to us.
But we have only to remember what the
religion of large
numbers of people
consists in
who
call
themselves Christians, without even having had an idea of
what Christ history of
really taught or
mankind.
what
He
was meant
for in the
There are many who know absolutely
nothing either of the history or of the doctrines of Christianity, or if
by
heart.
atom of
they do, they have simply learnt their catechism
They repeat what they have learnt, but without an real faith or love.
religious yearnings,
it
Yet every human heart has
its
has a hunger for religion which sooner
or later wants to be satisfied.
Now
the religion taught by
the disciples of 'BAmakrishna. comes to these hungry souls
without any outward authority.
So
far
from being forced on
RX.MAKRISHNA. them,
it is
to
them
If they listen to
it
heathen and despised
at first a at
of their
all, it is
they believe in any part of
I I
it, it
is
own
of their
religion.
free will
own
;
and
if
free choice.
A chosen religion is always stronger than an inherited religion, and hence we
find that converts
are generally so zealous for their
from one
new
religion to another
faith,
while those
who
never knew what real religion meant are enthusiastic in proclaiming any truths which they seem to have discovered for themselves
and
to
which
number of those who
the
their heart has yielded a free
Hence, though there may be some exaggeration
assent.
are stated to have
verted to the religion of R§.makrishna., and though
who now reality
call
themselves converts to the Vedanta
have made but the
first
in
become consome
may
in
step towards real Christianity,
there can be no doubt that a religion which can achieve such
successes in our time, while
it
calls itself
with perfect truth
the oldest religion and philosophy of the world,
the
viz.
Vedanta, the end or highest object of the Veda, deserves our careful attention
'.
Ra.maknshÂŤa himself never claimed of a
new
India,
religion.
He
to
be the founder
simply preached the old religion of
which was founded on the Veda, more
particularly
on
the Upanishads, and was systematised later on in the Sfitras
of Badarayawa, and finally developed in the commentaries '
This
is
the explanation given of the
probably an after-thooght.
name of Vedanta.
But
it is
Like other compounds in anta, such as
SiddhSnta, Svitranta, &c., it was probably meant at first for no more than the subject-matter of the Veda then, as it stands at the end of BrahmaÂťas and Aranyakas, it was explained as end of the Veda, and ;
lastly as the end, i.e. the goal, the highest object of the
Veda.
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
12
of Samkara. and others.
and
Even
RAMAK/irSHiVA.
in preaching that religion,
in living the life of a recluse, as
he
by no means claimed to stand alone.
did,
Ramak«sh«a
There were several
leading Vedanta preachers in India during the last years,
Sen, well
known
in
fifty
Keshub Chunder
sometimes called Paramaha»zsas.
England and America, who was a great
reformer with a strong leaning towards Christianity, was not
counted as one of them, because he never passed through the proper discipline and did not live the
But he mentions four among deserved that
title
:
first,
Dayananda
unfortunately connected with
Pawiri Baba of Ghazipur; raon; and
lastly,
life
of a SawnySsin.
contemporaries
thirdly, the
who
Sarasvatt, for a time
Madame Blavatsky;
secondly,
Sikh Nagaji of
Doom-
our Ramak«'sh«a, commonly called the
Faramahamsa of Dakshi«esvar. four ascetic saints
his
whom
'
These,' he adds,
'
are the
our friends have from time to time
duly honoured, and in whose company they have sought the sanctifying influences of character and example.
May
we respect,' he continues, and serve with profound respect and humility, every ascetic saint whom Providence may '
bring to us.
The impure become pure
in the
company of
Sadhus.'
Bay&nanda Of very
the full
life
of the
accounts.
first,
He
of
Sarasvatt.
Dayinanda
initiated
Sarasvatt,
we have
a great reform of BrSh-
manism, and seems to have been a liberal-minded man, so as social reforms
were concerned.
He
also
was
far
willing to
surrender his belief in the divine revelation of the Br£ihma»as,
dayAnanda sarasvatI. though he retained
Vedic hymns.
in full strength with regard to the
it
He
13
published large commentaries on the
Vedas, which show great familiarity with Sanskrit and very
wide reading, though
He
judgement. ported the
at the
same time an utter want of critical
sanctioned the remarriage of widows, sup-
movement
age of boys and
in favour of raising the marriageable
girls,
and altogether showed himself
from many prejudices as
and
to caste, food,
all
the
free
He
rest.
condemned idolatry and even polytheism. His name became better known in Europe also, from the time that he fell into the net spread for
him by Madame Blavatsky. But this and when he perceived what
lasted for a short time only,
her real objects were, the Sa/wnySsin would have nothing
more
She was not quite the Maitreyi he had
to say to her.
expected.
He
did not
Bengali or Sanskrit other at
first,
;
know
while later on, as
understood each other but too
he certainly seems influence
English, she did not
became
to
some people
well.
greater
and
greater,
till
they be,
at last his op-
unchanging Brahmans, were
suspected of having poisoned their dangerous died suddenly, but his followers, under the still
said,
However that may
have been a powerful disputant, his
ponents, the orthodox and
Samdj, form
know
hence they did not understand each
rival.
name
He
of Arya-
a very important and growing sect in
India, that keeps aloof from all
European
influences.
Fawd;ri Bd^ba.
is
The second Saint was Pawiri Baba known of him, but his recent death
of Ghazipur.
Little
has created a painful
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
14
RAMAK/JZSHiVA.
He had lived for about thirty and was venerated as a Saint by the whole native community. The last nine years, however, he sensation
all
over India.
years at Ghazipur,
had almost
entirely
himself in a
withdrawn from the world ', living by
compound surrounded by high
protected by a formidable gate.
and
walls
Inside there was a small
flower-garden, a well, a small temple,
and
house, which consisted of one room.
He
his
own
dwelling-
never allowed the
and no one ever saw him except his Once every week or ten days, however, he would come up to the gate and converse for a few moments from within with any one who happened to be gate to be opened,
younger brother.
there.
His younger brother always remained within
distance.
But though
his saintly brother
calling-
had told him that
he could not any longer bear the misery which the Kali-yuga, i.
e.
the present age, had brought upon India, he
pected what his brothers meant.
The
little
sus-
venerable man, after
taking his usual bath and performing his devotions, seems to
have covered
his
sprinkled himself fire
whole body with all
clarified butter, to
to the four corners of his lonely house,
flames had taken hold of
thrown himself into sacrifice.
have
over with incense, then to have set
it
the
on
all sides,
to
and when the
have deliberately
thus performing
his
last
Before anybody could rescue him, the old
man
fire,
was burnt to ashes, and what remained of him was consigned with due ceremony to the sacred waters of the
Ganges. always '
All this
difficult to
happened only a few months ago.
It is
get an exact account of anything that
Interpreter, June, 1898.
Indian Social Reformer, June 19, 1898.
PAWARI BABA. happens
The
in India.
many
years cannot be doubted,
nor the discovery of his burnt body.
to
fire
But some of
his
admit his self-immolation, ascribe the
an accident, while others consider
sacrifice as the
5
conflagration of the house in which
the old Saint had lived for
friends, unwillihg to
I
proper ending to his saintly
His name Pawari, sometimes a contraction of Pavanahari, he
his voluntary
life.
spelt Pahtri, is explained as
who
lives
on
air.
His teaching was probably much the same as that of RSmakrÂŤshÂŤa, but
accurate account of
and a Saint seems
have not been able to get a more
I
Keshub Chunder Sen that
as
His
it.
to have
a
is
position, however, as
a Sage
been generally recognised, and sufficient authority for the fact
he well deserved a place by the side of such men
Dayinanda
Sarasvatt
and R&makrishna..
The
people
of India evidently distinguish clearly between these professed ascetics
and
saints
on one
side,
and mere reformers such as
Rammohun Roy and Keshub Chunder Sen on They
world and
its
pleasures, riches,
quite believe in the truth
and reformers. penances
and
the other.
evidently want to see a complete surrender of the
for
miracles
is
and honours before they
and the
sincerity of
Having undergone severe
any teachers tortures
and
likewise an essential condition of Sainthood,
the crowd at large even the power of working is
by no means out of fashion yet as a
test
of
being an inspired sage.
The best-known name by which some of these sages are name that hardly lends itself to translation in English. Scholars who like to cavil and raise a smile
called is Paramaha^zsa, a
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF ^MAKRISHNA.
6
at every
custom or tradition of the Hindus, translate it literally
by Great Goose, but
it
would be more
title
though
the same word as goose,
it is
faithful to
is
But though these ParamahaÂť?sas form an
render
Besides, hawsa,
by High-soaring Eagle.
that ancient
not the same bird. //t'te
by themselves,
we know how many men there have been and are even now in India who, by the asceticism and saintliness of their deserve a place very near to the Paramahawsas in
lives,
We
our estimation.
know how Udayashankar,
the Prime
Minister of Bhavnagar, tried hard to revive, in his the
strict rules
The
of
life
own
case,
prescribed for the ancient SawnySsins.
Keshub Chunder Sen also, though he was a married man and travelled much and moved in the world, life
was a
of
life
of extreme self-denial, as
much
as that of any
ParamahaÂť?sa.
Bebendran&th Tagore.
The same apphes
to
Debendranath Tagore, the friend
and constant patron of Keshub Chunder Sen.
Though he
was the head of a wealthy and
influential family,
most of
from the world,
his life in retirement
meditation, is
and contemplation.
He
he spent in
study,
now what eighty-two, and we
has reached
considered a very high age in India,
are glad to hear that he has written an autobiography to be
published after his death.
Keshub Chunder he has acted a
far
more important
visit
friend
and protector of
part in the history of the
commonly supposed. The following lately paid to him by some members of
Brahma-Samij than account of a
As the
Sen, though for a time separated from him,
is
the Brahma-Samdj will give us an idea of the
life
of this
DEBENDRANATH man.
I
am
TAGORE.,
some of
in possession of
his letters,
very instructive, but which are hardly
Some
who
friends
him
visited
I
7
which are
for publication.
fit
the following
lately give
account of their interview with the old Saint.
'We were conducted second
story,
a chair.
We
bowed down
The Maharshi was came here
the
less
first
reverentially
to speak.
three months ago,
my
and took our
He
said
seats.
" Since you
:
communication with the
been much diminished.
external world has
much
on the
to the spacious verandah
where the venerable old man was seated on
and hear much fewer words. But
I see things
that
is
no
loss to
As my dealings with the external world are decreasing, my Yoga with the internal world is rapidly increasing. No effort on my part is now required for communion. I sit by myself and enjoy this company." As he spoke these me.
words '
on
his
On
countenance glowed with emotion.
being asked
which
texts to
he
if
back to
the verses
selected
form the
liturgy of the
by him many years call
he remembered the
ago),
my mind
different occasions
from
the Saint replied
after
Ved^ntic
the
Brihma-Samdj (published :
" I cannot
such a length of time the
process through which these texts were brought together
from different Upanishads. things within thereof.
me
So there
the texts. Intelligent
is
now
have got the essence of these
I
now, and
I
no.
am
enjoying the sweetness
more need
for
me
to
go to
I fully agree with you, that from the True and the
we go
to the Infinite person,
in the Infinite infinite splendours
mercy and other
I
attributes.
c
and
that then
and behold
we find
his infinite
might have talked much
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ7SHiVA.
8
come a
with you on these subjects, had you before
Now my mind
this.
which the eyes see not nor the ears hear, so
much
able to talk of I
my
life
connect
been moved by the
as I have
me
we did not
will be.
it
the world.
with
be
"I am
with God, the Maharshi continued,
a recluse, I have no energy
me now
The
left.
is
little
replied
been in life
God, but
have become
When we
to have
life
I
have now very
I
the world."
consider his
Spirit of
Now
had given the world an example of a
ness you see in
I shall not
with you. ... I have written an account
do not know of what use
quite useless to
short time
mostly occupied with things
is
vain, as
lived in
to
that
he
and
living the life of
energy and earnest-
roused only by seeing you.
Long, long ago, while I was studying the Upanishads, a great
light
dawned upon my soul and
I felt that India
would one day worship Brahman, the Only True God.
man after my own heart, who would have my feelings and join hands with me. I tried almost all the men of light and leading of the time, I
then badly wanted a companion, a
but could find none. repaired to the
hills.
I
then
left
of the river Sutlej suggested to I
heard a voice urging
my
holy work.
I
Calcutta in despair and
After a two years' stay there, the
me
to
my mind
go to Calcutta and resume
was so much engrossed with
voice that nothing would give
me
rest.
this divine
Every object
and press me came back, and as came back, Brahmananda (Keshub Chunder Sen) made
seemed
to reverberate the Divine injunction
to
the Lord's
I
fall
a sacred lesson.
fulfil
my
acquaintance.
will.
I
In
all
haste I
saw at once that he was exactly the
9
DEBENDRANATH TAGORE. man whom
right I
was led by the
wanted.
I
Spirit to
We
knew no bounds.
I
could then discern
I
come back
to Calcutta.
why
My joy
passed the greater portion of the
nights in conversation about deep spiritual matters, even
two in the morning. BrahmSnanda even told me when he would be gone, those whom he would leave behind would express and promote my cause. I find his
up
to
that
words are going to be fulfilled now." " Yes," we replied, " that is very true. While our minister was with us in the
we did not realise our nearness unto you so much. Our impression is that the Brahma-Samij has accepted RSja Rammohun Roy, but has not yet accepted you. As you represent Yoga or direct vision of God, the Br3,hmaflesh,
Samij
will
unless
it
not be able to attain to that feature of
The
accepts you.
the BrS.hma-SamSj
owing to
is
spirituality,
present deplorable state of its
non-acceptance of you."
The Maharshi replied " God has called you to preach the Brahma Dharma to this poor countryof India, and particularly :
to Bengal
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our weak,
indigent,
and
the mother loves her decrepit child
tenderly, so
has shown this greater love to these His poor ones. this special grace
has
shown
we
particularly
special fit
to
for your work.
Paraloka and
salvation, in
I
have published
my
a small volume.
I
make an
last
offering of
After these words the pilgrims departed,
comforted and helped'.' '
God
and has made you
Mukti, the next world and
work about to you.''
you,
God For
are peculiarly thankful to God.
favour
As
helpless country.
more
Unity and the Minister, 1896, Jnly
C 2
12.
it
much
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJJ/SH^A.
20 I
thought that this glimpse at what passes in India
within doors, and
those
who
is
but seldom seen or even suspected by the palaces, the RSjahs
much about
us so
tell
and Maharajahs, the
car
of Juggernath, the Towers
of
Silence, or the Caves of EUora, was worth preserving and
might
We
interest the true friends of India.
have but to open the Indian papers to meet with
notices of
devoted
men who
life
have led the same saintly and God-
Debendranath Tagore, but who nevertheless
as
have not reached the rank of a Paramahawsa in the eyes of the people of India.
who
It is quite possible that
are venerated as Saints in their
own
disposed of as fools or fanatics by European they hold their
own
place in their
own
some of them would be
country,
critics.
country,
Still
and they
represent a power which ought not to be entirely neglected
by the
rulers of
'
weak, indigent, helpless Bengal.'
Bai Shaligrd^m Saheb Bahadur.
One more
case and I have done with
sketch of the stage on which
RdmakWshwa
my
imperfect
appears before
us to act his part, together with his fellow-actors
who
sup-
ported and often guided him in his unselfish and devoted
endeavours.
We
read in the Prabuddha Bhirata, May,
1898, p. 132 seq., of one Rai ShaligrSm Saheb Bahadur.
Saheb Bahadur, who
is
now about
has spent a very active and useful
seventy years of age, life
as
an
oiEcial in
the Post Office, where he rose to be Postmaster-General of the North- Western Provinces. of the mutiny in 1857
made
It
seems that the horrors
a deep impression on his mind.
RAI SHALIGRAM SAHEB BAHADUR.
He
21
saw thousands of men, women, and children butchered
before his eyes, the rich reduced to poverty, the poor raised
and undeserved wealth, so that the idea of
to unexpected
the world's impermanent and transient nature took complete
and estranged him from
possession of him
all
had
that
formerly enlisted his interest and occupied his energies.
From
his very youth, however, his
mind had been
with religious and philosophical questions, and he
much
have devoted all
No wonder from
flee
the study of the Sacred
official life to
horrors of the mutiny
wished to
therefore that after wrtnessing the
and
its
suppression, he should have
den of misery and
this
unalloyed and permanent where alone
He
went
filled
said to
time from his youth onward through
the years of his
Scriptures.
is
it
to consult several Sa^^znyisins
to get happiness
could be found.
and Yogins, but
At last one of his colleagues at recommended his elder brother as a spiritual
they could not help him. the Post Office
guide
who
lectures,
and other holy or Chela.
his teaching with that of the
and then became
writings,
During
his stay at
He
to serve his master.
cook
For two years he attended
could be trusted.
compared
his meals,
his
his
Upanishads
devoted pupil
Agra he allowed no one
else
used to grind the flour for him, to
and feed him with
his
own
hands.
Every
morning he could be seen carrying a pitcher of pure water
on
his
head
for the
Guru
from a place two miles
was handed over to the his pupils, wife
All his
home
and
to bathe in,
distant.
Saint,
children,
affairs
which he fetched
His monthly
who used
it
salary also
for the support of
and spent the
rest in charity.
were superintended by his Guru, and
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAUAKRISBNA.
22
was done in
this
caste cooking the Saint's food
the Khetris.
he,
West he
pupil wished to retire
but the Saint would not allow
service,
true spiritual
on
his
knees before the Saint and begged
life,
and enter soul and body would
is
said,
many
new post
years held his
in
no way
Accordingly he
interfere with his spiritual progress.
Agra, and for
into the
but the Saint once more refused, saying
that the discharge of his official duties
it
it.
was appointed Postmaster-General of the Northfell
his permission to retire
as
his dishes,
of another caste, that of
some time the
After
from the postal
and eating from
member
because the Saint was a
When
castemen
spite of the opposition of his
Kayasthas, and did not approve of one of their
who were
left
at Allahabad,
with great success, having introduced
many
reforms and useful changes in the Postal Department. It
was not
till
the service.
He
Guru
the death of his
Postmaster-General
felt
then became a Guru himself, and im-
parted spiritual instruction to those his
Often those
help.
in 1897 that the
himself free and justified in leaving
who came
who came
to seek for
to listen to
him were
so inspired by his teaching that they renounced the world
and began
to lead the life of Sawznyisins, so that
a general belief
forsake his family that
it
became
that whoever went to Rai Shaligrim would
and become an
no one could even look
ascetic. at the
Nay,
it
was said
lamp burning on
the upper story of his house without being influenced to
renounce the world, to forsake
become
useless to the
heard of the old man was
his relations,
community still alive,
at
his
large.
and thus
When
to
last
house besieged every
RAMAKii/SHiVA.
23
day by large numbers of persons, both male and female,
who
from
flock there
holds
five
parting religious instruction, so that he has hardly
than two hours
no
He
different parts of the country.
meetings day and night for the purpose of im-
distinction
Everybody
left for sleep.
is
is
more
welcome, and
made between Brihman and ^lidra, rich bad. The people are convinced
and
poor,
that
he can work miracles, but he himself regards such
good and
things as unbecoming, that the late Doctor
and below
Makund
his dignity.
Viceroy, was in the habit of sending to
had made themselves
It is said
Lai, Assistant-Surgeon to the
senseless
him
patients
who
by excessive practice of
Prd/zSyama, restraint of the breath, and that by a mere look he
brought them back to their senses, and taught them that this practice
The few
was of little good, and in many cases
cases mentioned here
'R&.makn'shna. that,
however much the old
Stages as described by still
may
was by no means a social
Manu may
SawnySsins in India who
injurious.
show
that
solitary instance,
and
suffice to
system of the Four
have changed, there are
live the life
of the ancient
Sa^znySsins, though of course in different surroundings
under
different conditions.
ticated as anything that likely to be.
If
These cases are
comes
and
as well authen-
to us from India
is
ever
we turned our eyes to the ancient literawe should see SanySsins in large
ture of that country,
numbers, but their performances would probably be considered as fabulous, nor should I venture to say that they
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
24
RAMAK/S/SHiVA.
what we mean by well authenticated.
are
some of these
ever, that
SaÂť2nyS.sins
The
men
can hardly be doubted,
ings
against such
if
we may judge by
is
own
manic
that of
Buddha
but derived so
ascesis,
A well-known
himself, who, before
went through
religion,
the warn-
excesses which appear at a very early
time in the ancient literature of the country.
his
how-
mere skeletons ^ or became raving mad-
ascetic exercises to
instance
fact,
reduced themselves by
all
little
he founded
the tortures of Brdh-
them that
benefit from
he denounced the whole system, as then practised, not only as useless but as mischievous, preferring in
all
things
what he called the via media. If
now we
turn our attention again to the fourth of the
Paramahai^sas, recognised by Keshub Chunder
among
pre-eminent surprised
by
one of a
his contemporaries,
his life
class
possess indeed
and
his doctrines,
we
Sen as
shall feel less
but accept him as
which has always existed in India.
full
accounts of his
life,
We
but they are often so
strangely exaggerated, nay so contradictory, that
it
seemed
almost hopeless to form a correct and true idea of his earthly career
and
his character.
I applied therefore to
one of his
most eminent pupils, Vivekinanda, asking him venerable teacher, and I received
to write down own knowledge of his from him a full descrip-
be
easily seen, however, that
for
me
what he could
tion of his Master's
even
this
If I give '
it
account as
life.
is
tell
of his
It will
not quite free from traditional elements.
much as possible unaltered, I have a reason for it.
See > remarkable instance in Mrs. Flora Annie Steel's 'In the
Pennanent Way,' 1898.
THE DIALOGIC PROCESS.
25
The Dialogic Process. Such
as
it
which a new grows.
is, it
It will place
which mere
and must produce
facts as they really
as
sect, springs
up and
We
happened.
what
called oral
is
in the description of the
can watch here what
a kind of Dialectic Process which
really
history,
a new
before our eyes the transformation
repetition, conversation, or
tradition will
is
us an insight into the way in
will give
religion, or rather
both ancient and modern.
work
at
is
in all
This Dialectic Process
applied to the facts of history comprehends
all
the
changes which are inevitably produced by the mere communication and interchange of ideas, by the give and take of dialogue, by the turning of thoughts from one side to the other.
It is in reality
what
is
called in
German
the
threshing out of<,a subject, a kind of Durchsprechen, or
what the Greeks called a speaking forward and backward,
Even Hegel's
or dialogue.
of the idea by
itself,
Dialectic Process, the
negative and to conciliation, has prefer to call
its
what
origin in
by a wider name the Dialogic
is
and modern.
hardly a single fact in history which can escape
being modified by this process before of history.
It
logical Process,
Process in
it
reaches the writer
must be distinguished from the Mythowhich forms indeed a part of
under much more special
reporters,
I should
Process, of the
greatest importance in history, both ancient
There
movement
that leads irresistibly from positive to
rules.
Modern History
We also,
it,
but acts
can watch the Dialogic
though we have here
and newspapers, the autobiographies and remin-
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
26
RAMAKi?/SHiVA.
iscences of great statesmen which would this Dialogic infection
only guess what
it
seem
to render
We
impossible or harmless.
can
must have been in times when neither
shorthand nor printing existed, when writing and reading
were the privilege of a small
class,
and when very often
two or three generations had passed away before the idea of recording certain facts and certain sayings occurred to a chronicler or a historiographer. so
many
It is extraordinary that
historians should have completely neglected this
Dialogic Process through which ever)^hing must pass before it
reaches even the
first
been
many
solved,
how many
miracles would
ligible, if historians
recorder, forgetting that
How many difficulties
never have been absent.
it
could
would have
contradictions explained, nay
become
perfectly natural
would only learn
we do not and cannot know
this
one
and
how intel-
lesson, that
of any historical event that has
not previously passed through this Dialogic Process.
Let us take so recent an event as the telegram sent from
Ems, where
I
am
writing.
It
was meant to
tell
the world of
the supposed insult which Benedetti had offered to the King of Prussia. events in
That telegram marks one of the most decisive
modern
history,
whole face of Europe.
it
has really helped to change the
What do we know
of
it,
even
after
own confessions, beyond what he thought and spoke in his own mind, beyond what he said to my friend Abeken, who wrote it out and sent it off, beyond what the people in Germany and in France thought of it, said of it, made of it, whether as justifying or condemning the war that sprang out of it. Shall we ever know the ipsissima Bismarck's
THE DIALOGIC PROCESS.
27
verba of Benedetti, his tone of voice, the tone of voice in
the Emperor's reply, the consternation or chuckle the iron chancellor heard from
own words and
of his
but yesterday. actually said,
all
And
thoughts.
yet
when
Europe the echo
parts of
happened
all this
Benedetti himself has told us what
he
what the Emperor replied ; Bismarck himself
has told us what he meant when he had the cooked telegram
published to
what
really
all
Does the
the world.
historian
know then
happened, what was intended by the words used
by Benedetti, by the Emperor, and by Bismarck ?
Ems
the very spot
is
though opinions vary even on
We
this point.
in
now
possess
the version given by the French diplomatist which different
Here
shown where the words were spoken, is totally
from that given by Bismarck, and yet they had
passed through one Dialogic Process only, that of the old
King
and
in his conversation with Benedetti
munications with his ministers.
com-
in his
Again, every reader of
modern history is acquainted with the words put into the mouth of the French officer at Waterloo, La guarde meurt, mats ne
se
knows by
rend pas ; and every reader of French Memoirs this
been uttered
time the real word which
at
that
historical
is
moment.
said to have
How
can we
ever hope to escape from the transforming power of oral tradition ?
The changes wrought by
that
power are of course more
or less violent according to circumstances I believe, they never are.
;
And nowhere
entirely absent,
are they
more
evident than in the accounts which have reached us of the founding of
new
religions
and of
their founders.
In
28
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
the case of Buddhism, scholars
it is
well
rAmAK/J/SHA^A.
known
some
that
excellent
have actually denied that there ever was such
a person as the young prince of KapilavSstu, of whose
and doings and sayings we possess
fuller
the founders of any other religion.
And
be remem-
let it
bered that no revealed or miraculous character for
is
claimed
Buddha's biographies, nay that Buddha himself rejected
any such
claims
exceptional
for
apostles, being satisfied with having
which, according to him,
angels and above
his time.
all
is,
Buddha and
and
even in
reality,
all
gods,
is
one of the names
which the gods were held by
in
which
their followers.
This inevitable influence of the Dialogic Process history cannot
his
earth,
high above
Buddha, showing the estimation in
for
man on
gods (devas), such as they were in
Atideva, above
assigned to
himself
been a
the highest form of being in
is
the world, potentially, and all
life
accounts than of
be recognised too soon.
It will
in
remove
we are ensnared, endless diswe have ensnared ourselves. If we
endless difficulties by which honesties in which
once understand that
after only
one day, one week, one
year any communication, even a communication given from
heaven, must suffer the consequences of this Dialogic Process,
must be infected by the breath of human thought and of
human weakness, many a self-made difficulty will vanish, many a story distorted by the childish love of the miraculous will regain its true moral character, many a face disguised by a misplaced apotheosis his truly
human,
loving,
whatever religion they
and
may
will
look upon us again with
divine eyes.
All honest hearts,
profess, will feel relieved
and
THE DIALOGIC PROCESS. grateful if they
29
once thoroughly understand the
dialectic or
dialogic working of oral tradition, particularly where
be traced back
it
can
pure and perfectly natural sources.
to
very reason, and because this process can
It is for this
be so seldom watched, but can generally be traced its
later results only, that
even
this slight sketch of
a disciple of R&makrt'shna., with every wish to be
can
tell
us of his master,
selves both for
own
its
may be
some
of
up and
nothing so
much exposed
Whatever the
nature.
to have been,
on the
Nothing
be recorded.
to
study that
soil,
human
human
throws
grow
as religion,
human may be supposed
to the frailties inherent in
origin of a religion
growth from the very
its
recipient
it
religion has to
so
is
truthful,
interest to our-
sake and for the light which
on the conditions under which every
in
what
that
is,
nature as
first
on human
it
reacts
on
depends nature, religion
clearly
and is
to
one
of the most useful lessons of Comparative Theology. I
had made
as clear as possible to
it
the accounts hitherto published
Master, however
might _ be to his followers, would sound
edifying they perfectly
VivekSnanda that
of his
absurd to European
students,
that
stories
of
miraculous events in childhood, of apparitions of goddesses (devi)
communicating to the SaÂťznyisin a knowledge of
languages and literatures which, as possessed in real
life,
we know, he never
would simply be thrown away on
us poor unbelievers, and that descriptions of miracles per-
formed by the
Saint,
however well authenticated, would
produce the very opposite effect tended
for.
VivekSnanda himself
of what they were inis
a
man who knows
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF HAMAKRISliNA.
30
England and America Yet even
meant.
I
well,
his
and
what
perfectly understood
unvarnished description of his
Master discloses here and there the clear traces of what I call the Dialogic Process,
and the
tendencies of devoted disciples.
does
it
only
so, if
irrepressible miraculising
And
I
am
really glad that
helps to teach us that
it
no
historian
man whom
can ever pretend to do more than to show us what a or a fact
he has I
to
be to him or to the authorities
and not what he or
to follow,
have
of the
seemed
also, as far as I could, life
it
actually was.
consulted another account
of Ramalw/shÂŤa published in the late numbers
But I
of the BrahmavS.din.
am
sorry to say that
this
account stops with No. 19, and has not been continued. TLdxaSLkriahn&'B Life. 'BAvaakrtshna.,
we
are told, was born in the village of
KamSrpukar, in the Zillah Hugli, situated about four miles to the west of the Jah3.nSbad subdivision,
miles south of Burdwan.
His
life
on
and
thirty-two
earth began
on the
20th of February, 1833, and ended the i6th of August, 1886,
I
a.m.^
The
village
in
which he was born was
inhabited chiefly by people of the lower castes, mostly blacksmiths, Karmakars, or in familiar abbreviation, Ka-
mars, and hence called Kamarpukar, with
vartas),
'
(Kai-
head
are inaccnrate in the biographical notices of
RSma-
kfishna, as published his death.
sprinkling
was the
cowherds
and oilmen
Even dates
some
husbandmen
of carpenters,
(Gowalas),
(Telis).
in
His
father
various Indian papers immediately after
1
RAMAKiJ/SHWA of
only Brahmanic
the
Though
very
from the
in
the
village.
stray
path of Brdhmanical orthodoxy.
The
name given
original
family settled
3
he would rather starve than
poor,
strictest
S LIFE.
was GadSdhara, a name
to his child
of Vish«u, which means one
who
was given him, we are
on account of a prophetic
dream of
his
told,
to
father,
Vish«u appeared,
to Gya,
would be born as
it
whom, while on a pilgrimage telling him that he, the deity,
son.
his
holds the club, and
It
was
later
We
began to be called BAmakrishna..
could hardly have expected anything
in life that
are told,
he
and we
else, that his father,
whose name was Khudiram ChattopSdhyiya, was a great lover of
what
is
man
God, a
straightforward
and
rumour but of which
Process
pure in mind, handsome of
another
we spoke
figure,
—
Rumour says and name for the Dialogic
independent.
—that
natural powers, particularly what
is
he possessed super-
Vak-siddhi,
called
power of speech, which means that everything he
told,
good or bad, of anybody, would always come
pass.
He
was highly reverenced by
who
the people of his village,
stood up whenever they saw him coming, and saluted
him, nay
who would
It could hardly also,
all
to
never talk
frivolity in his presence.
have been otherwise than that his mother
Chandrama«i Devi, was a pattern of
kindness.
We
are told that
simplicity
Mathura Ndth, the
rich
and and
devoted disciple of her son, came to her once and pressed her to accept a present of a few thousand rupees, but to his astonishment she declined the offer.
The
father proved his independence while
still
living at
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAK/JJSHiVA.
32
Dere, on his village
own
The Zemindar
ancestral property.
of the
wanted him to appear as a witness on his
threatening
him with
pulsion from his village, left his village,
if
and migrated
managed
to
KSmarpur, a
ex-
refused,
village
two or
There, through the help of some
three miles east of Dere. true friends, he
Khudiram
he refused.
side,
and
confiscation of his property
to
make a poor
hving,
and yet he
was always profusely generous to the poor and hospitable to everybody, living chiefly in the
company of
religious
men, performing every kind of worship, and trying to realise religion to its fullest extent.
There pay a
to
is
a story that 'R&makrishna.'s father was going his daughter
visit to
miles
travelling
more than
beautifully
tree,
one day, some twelve or
from the place where he
fourteen
These leaves are very sacred
to a ^iva.
in worshipping the
god
The Bel-trees were casting man had not recently been the
tree,
returned daughter.
On
gathered as
little
green leaves.
Hindu, and they use It
was spring-time.
oif their old leaves,
and the
able to find any good leaves
finding these, he at once climbed
many
leaves as
he could
carry,
up
and
home
to worship ^iva, without going to see his
He
was a great lover of Rima, and his tutelary
deity was the pure
a
across a Bel-
new-grown
them
to offer to 5iva.
came
half the way, he
covered with
After
lived.
and divine
Srt
RSma^andra.
plot of land outside the village,
time, after getting a
man
first,
name
He
in the
to plough the field,
himself, put a few grains of rice in the
on the ground
and
had
sowing
he would go of Raghuvira
and then order the labourers
to finish
RAMAKRZSHiVA S LIFE. the work.
It is said that that little plot
enough, as long as he family.
He
lived, to
33
of land produced
maintain the whole of the
ever depended upon his Raghuvlra, or the hero
of the race of Raghu, the divine
Rama, and never cared
His son R&makn'shnu, we are
the morrow.
told,
for
had
something in him which attracted everybody and made people love him, as
even at the
first
The young
if
he were of
their
own
kith
and
kin,
appearance.
child used to repeat the whole of the religious
operas and dramas, the acting, the music, and everything, after hearing
voice
and a
He
them once.
had a very good musical
He
taste for music.
was a very good judge
of the merits and defects of the statues or images of gods or goddesses, and his judgement was held as final by the old people of the village, even from his childhood.
could draw and
make images
the broken stone images of in later days,
is still
to
&{
be seen
of gods himself. Krishfia, in the
One
He of
which he repaired
temple of DakshiÂŤex-
vara of Rani RSsmoni, about four miles to the north of Calcutta.
After hearing a religious drama,
e. g.
the doings
of Sri Krishna., he would gather his playmates, teach them the different parts, and enact trees. .Siva,
six
Sometimes he would
and worship
it
it
in the fields,
JDuild
an image of the god
with his companions.
he was well versed
in
under the
At the age of
the PurSÂŤas, likewise in the
Ram^a^za, the Mahabhirata, and the 5rimad Bhagavata,
by hearing them from the
Ka/,4aks, a class of
men who
preach and read these Purawas for the enlightenment of the uneducated masses
all
over India.
D
(His knowledge of
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR7SHJVA.
34 the
PurS«as, the Mahibhslrata, the Riiniya«a, and the
Bhigavata must have been in Bengali, as he never, according to Mozoomdarj
who was
his friend,
knew a word
of Sanskrit.)
The
pilgrim road to Puri passes through the outskirts
of the village where he lived, and very often a whole host of ascetics and religious in
Zemindar of the
family, the
to
men would come and
take shelter
the Dharmasili or pilgrim-house, built by the
go there very
mark
often, talk to
their habits,
and hear
them on
religious subjects,
their tales of travel.
the custom in India to gather
It is
Ltha
Ramakr/sh«a used
village.
all
the learned pandits
or professors of the neighbourhood at a funeral ceremony.
In one of these gatherings in the house of the Liha family, a question arose about
some
intricate points of theology,
and
come to a conclusion. The boy them and decided it quickly with his
the professors could not
Ramakr/sh»a went
to
simple language, and
all
present were astonished.
might be taken from any Evangelium
Before he reached his teens, he was walking in the
one day. a
flight
The
of white cranes moving along
contrast of
to his imagination,
in him, that
he
fell
down
in
(This would admit of a very natural pathological
explanation,
He
The
it.
and dazzling
and produced such thoughts
would
fields
sky was very clear and blue, and he saw
colours was so very beautiful
a trance.
(This
tnfantiae.)
and may therefore be
perfectly true,
though
it
easily lend itself to further poetical expansion.)
was the youngest child of a family of three sons and
two daughters.
His eldest brother, Ramkumar Chattopa-
RAMAICR/SHiVA S LIFE.
35
He
dhyaya, was a very learned professor of the old school.
had
own
his
school at Calcutta.
At the age of sixteen
Ramak«sh«a, having been invested by his own the sacred Brihmanic thread, was taken to this what was
father with
school, but
how
being and non-being, on Brahman and MayS, on soul
is
by the
liberated
after lust
and
name and
gold, after
the
Atman, they would
realisation of
never dream of practising these precepts in their own
run
on
his disgust to find that after all their high talk
lives,
He
fame.
but
told his
brother plainly he would never care for that kind of learning, the sole aim of which was to gain a few pieces of
a few maunds of rice and vegetables.
something which would
him
as a recompense
him above
raise
God
He
Himself.
silver,
or
yearned to learn
all these,
From
and give
that time he
kept aloof from the school.
The temple five It
of the goddess Kali at Dakshi«exvara, about
miles to the north of Calcutta, was established in 1853 a.d.
stands on the side of the Ganges, and
temples in India.
name of for
is
one of the
The temple deeds were drawn
the Guru, or spiritual director of Rani Rasmoni,
she being of a lower caste, none of the higher castes
would come
to the
the deeds in her
temple and take food there
own name. The
if
she drew
eldest brother of SiA
krtshna.
was appointed as
brothers
came on the day when the temple was
and
finest
in the
priest to the temple.
The two
first
established, but such were the caste prejudices of
'krishna, at that
Rima opened
RSma-
time that he protested vehemently against
his brother's taking service
under a 5fldra woman, or one of
the lowest caste, and would not take any cooked food in
D
2
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAi/iAKRISHNA.
36
the temple precincts, because So, amidst
all
it
was forbidden in the 5istras.
the rejoicings of the day, in which
some
fifteen
to twenty thousand people were sumptuously entertained,
he was the only man who kept
At night he went
his fast.
to the grocer's close by, took a pice-worth of fried paddy,
and returned his brother
consented to
is
after
return again,
live there,
be allowed to cook which
But
to Calcutta.
made him
a week his love for
and
own meals by the
his
at his entreaty
side of the Ganges,
the holiest place according to the Hindus.
months afterwards
his brother
ducting the services through krishfia. to
he
on condition, however, that he' should
A
few
became incapable of con-
illness,
and requested Rama-
He
take charge of the duties.
consented at
and became a recognised worshipper of the goddess
last,
Kdh. Sincere as he always was, he could do nothing from
mercenary motives, nor did he ever do anything which he
He now
did not thoroughly believe.
began to look upon
the image of the goddess Kali as his mother and the mother
He
of the universe.
believed
it
to be living
and taking food out of
his
worship he would
there for hours
hymns and mother,
till
sit
talking
he
and breathing
hand. After the regular forms of
and hours, singing
and praying to her as a child
lost all consciousness
Sometimes he would weep
to his
of the outward world.
for hours,
and would not be
comforted, because he could not see his mother as perfectly as
he wished.
regarding him.
some took him
People became divided in their opinions
Some
held the young priest to be mad, and
to be a great lover of
God, and
all this
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
HAUAKRISHNA S
LIFE.
37
outward madness as the manifestation of that
mother and brothers, thinking that
His
love.
would
his imagination
calm down when he had a young wife and a family of
his
own to look after, took him to his native village and married him to the daughter of RIma Chandra Mukhopadhyaya, who was then
five years of age, .Srimatt
damani Devi by name.
It is said
Saroda Devi or Sara-
when
mother and
his
brothers were looking after a suitable bride for him, he
man
himself told them that the daughter of such and such a
was destined to be joined to him in marriage, and that she
Was endowed with
the qualities of a goddess or Devi,
all
and they went and found the
He
bride.
used to hold that some
qualities of
women were born with The former would
the Asurt, or the demoniacal.
husbands to lust their
in
and
becoming
religious,
the
sensuality,
and he could
A
mere appearance.
afterwards.
distinguish
woman, a
She was of a noble
man, and mother of
once that she had the
would prove
it
to them.
them by
perfect stranger to
many
family, the wife of
five or six children, yet
very young and beautiful.
help their
and would never lead them
him, came to see him once at Dakshi^exvara
at
all
a Devt, and some with the opposite qualities
years
a gentle-
looked
still
E.lmak/-ÂŤshÂŤa told his disciples
qualities of
He
a Devi in her, and he
ordered them to burn some
incense before her, and taking some flowers, placed them on
her feet and addressed her as
'
mother.'
And
the lady
who
never knew anything before of meditation, or Samidhi, and
had never seen him hands
lifted as in
before, fell into a
the act of blessing.
deep trance with her
That trance did not
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
38
some
leave her for
and he got frightened
hours,
at the
thought that her husband would accuse him of some black
He
magic.
began, therefore, to pray to his mother Kail
she came to
herself,
and when she opened her eyes they
were quite red, and she looked as
Her
attendants had to
if
she were quite drunk.
support her while she got into
a carriage, then she drove back home.
same kind
instances of the
Of men he used crowds of select
This
him
to
and point out some whoj he
must enjoy
life
a
one of many
In his later days, when
to tell the same.
and of the
life,
is
(evidently cases of hypnosis).
men and boys came
religion in this
By-and-by
back to her senses.
(the goddess) to bring her
rest
he would
to learn, said,
would
realise
he would say that they
longer before they would have
little
He
a sincere desire for religion.
who had been an emperor
used to
say,
'
That man
in his former birth,
who had
enjoyed the highest pleasures the world can give, and who
had seen the in this life
on
vanities of
them
all,
would
attain to perfection
earth.'
After his marriage he returned to Calcutta
and took upon
himself the charges of the temple again, but instead of
toning down, his fervour and devotion increased a thousandfold.
His whole
tears,
and he appealed
him and
soul, as
it
were, melted into one flood of
have mercy on
to the goddess to
reveal herself to him.
No
mother ever shed such
burning tears over the death-bed of her only child.
Crowds
assembled round him and tried to console him, when the blowing of the conch-shells proclaimed the death of another day,
and he gave vent
to his sorrow, saying,
'
Mother, oh
my
RAMAKR/SHJVA S LIFE. mother, another day has gone, and
have not found
I
still
People thought he was mad, or that he was suffering
thee.'
from some acute
pain, for
devoted as they were to
Mother with as much
The
children ?
who had
how was
lust
man
to imagine that a
nS.th,
39
and
possible for them,
it
gold, to
name and
God
could love his
fame,
or Goddess
intensity as they loved their wives
and
RSni Rasmoni, Babu MathurS-
son-in-law of
always had a love for this young Brihman,
took him to the best physicians in Calcutta to get him
But
cured of his madness.
was of no
all their skill
Only one physician of Dacca told them a great Yogin or ascetic, and that
all their
was useless
indeed
at
So
all.
for curing his disease, if
his friends gave
Meanwhile he increased day.
One day
as he
him up
as
in love
was feeling
avail.
man was
that this
pharmacopoeia
it
were a disease
lost.
and devotion day by from Devi
his separation
very keenly, and thinking of putting an end to himself, as
he could not bear
his loneliness
any longer, he
lost all
outward sensation, and saw his mother (Kalt) in a
These
visions
came
became calmer.
to
it
true, if
and then he would
them
at the very
For instance, he said one day,
true,
and not
say,
resulting
'
this temple,
tree this afternoon,
I
would
I
hour he ex-
could believe
from a disease of
the two young daughters of RSni Rasmoni,
once came to
'
such and such a thing happened,' and
would invariably happen, even
pected.
if
them
vision.
and then he
again,
Sometimes he doubted whether these
visions were really true,
believe
him again and
my
brain,
who never
would come under the big banyan-
and would speak
to me,' though he
was
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
40
a perfect stranger to them.
And what was
his astonishment
when he saw them standing under the tree at the exact hour, and calling him by name, and telling him to be consoled, for the Mother Kill would surely have mercy on
These
him.
Zenana had never come when young, but somehow or
to a public
ladies of the
place, especially
other they
got a strong desire to see that temple that very day, and
they got permission to go there.
These
visions
grew more and more, and his trances
became longer and longer it was no longer possible
for
him
For instance,
course of duties. 5astras that a
in duration,
man
it
till
every one saw
to perform his is
should put a flower over his
own head
and think of himself as the very god or goddess he and RSmakr/shÂŤa, as he put the
to worship,
daily
prescribed in the
is
going
flower,
and
thought himself as identified with his mother, would get entranced, and would remain in that state for hours. again,
identity, so
much so as to appropriate to himself the offerings
brought for the goddess. the
MathurSnath it
is
Sometimes forgetting to adorn
he would adorn
image,
wards,
Then
from time to time, he would entirely lose his own
said,
he
the flowers. after-
he saw the body of RimakyÂŤshÂŤa
trans-
objected to
figured into that of the god
forward
himself with
but shortly
at first
looked
this,
^iva,
and from, that day
upon him as God Himself, and
addressed him always as Father whenever he spoke to him.
He
appointed
conduct the regular whatever he liked.
the
nephew of 'Kimakrishna. to and left him free to do
services,
1
V.AUAKRISHNAS The
4
LIFE.
ardent soul of Ramakr/shwa could not remain quiet
with these frequent visions, but ran eagerly to attain perfection
He
and
realisation of
God
Looking back
ascetic exercises.
torture in his later days,
tornado, as
made it
in all
His
different aspects.
thus began the twelve years of unheard-of tapasya, or
he
were, raged within
it
to these years
said,
of
self-
'that a great religious
him during these years and
He had no idea then that He never had a wink of sound
everything topsy-turvy.'
lasted for so long a time.
sleep during these years, could not even doze, but his eyes
would remain always open and times that he was seriously
fixed.
He
thought some^
and holding a looking-glass
ill,
before him, he put his finger within the sockets of the eye,
the lids might close, but they would not.
that
despair he cried out, result of calling
'
Mother, oh
!
my
mother,
upon thee and believing
In his
And
in thee?'
anon a sweet voice would come, and a sweeter smiling and
said,
'
My
highest truth,
and of your said,
'
if
son
how
!
you don't give up the love of your body
little
self?
'
'
A
torrent of spiritual light,'
I used to
tell
my
never learn from these erring thee,
my
my mind and
mother, " Mother
men; but
son
" '
'I did not once,'
preservation of
my
body.
matted, and I had no idea of
used to bring
me some food
he continued,
My it.
daily,
and some days did not succeed
hair grew
My
urging !
I
'
till
he
me
could
I will learn
and thee alone," and the same voice would !
face,
could you hope to realise the
would come then, deluging
forward.
the
is this
say, "
from Yea,
look to the it
became
nephew, Tiridaya,
and some days succeeded
in forcing a few mouthfuls
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
42
down my
RAMAKi?7SHiVA.
though I had no idea of
throat,
clean in
it
me
and
with
all
hands, and prayed, " Mother
my own
am
idea that I
in so
'Sometimes,' he
my "
'I would
said,
!
destroy
a Brahman, are they but
soul
this
!
the
in
by the Ganges,
sit
and a heap of rubbish
silver coins
and taking some coins
side,
My
who
pariahs, for
and a handful of rubbish soul,
am
I
many forms?"'
with some gold and
by
and that
great,
and
that they are low
Thou
Sometimes
it.
and sweepers and
I used to go to the closet of the servants
my
in
what the world
is
impressed with the queen's
calls
hand
my
tell
money,
has the power of
It
face.
right
would
I
left,
bringing you rice and vegetables, of feeding the poor, of building houses, and doing
but
it
as rubbish."
Then mixing
is
rubbish,"
between the two Ganges. this
No
in
lost
I
my
all
Regard
the coins
it,
therefore,
and the rubbish
the time, " all
the ever-existent
realise
the Brahman.
bliss,
hands, while repeating
money
that the world calls great,
can never help thee to
knowledge and
my
all
money
perception
of
is
in
rubbish,
difference
mind, and threw them both into the
wonder people took
time Mathurinitha,
who was
me
for
mad.'
About
very devoted to him, one
day put a shawl fringed with gold round him, which cost
At
about 1,500 Rs.
first
he seemed
to
be pleased with
it.
But what was the astonishment of Mathurinatha when the next
moment RimakWshÂŤa threw
trampled and spat on the
room with
it,
it,
and began
it
on the ground,
to cleanse the floor of
saying, 'It increases vanity, but
it
never help to realise the ever-existent knowledge and
can bliss
(Sat-kit-Snanda),
RAMAK/JZSHA-A
S LIFE.
and therefore
no better than a piece of
is
43
torn rag.' '
About
of the
and a was
me
this
time,'
over
all
wood
said,
'
I
felt
such a burning
it
;
Then a Brihman
insufferable.
of
he
my body I used to stand in the waters Ganges, with my body immersed up to the shoulders wet towel over my head all through the day, for it
sensation
lady
came and cured
my body with sandalon my neck, and the pain
She smeared
in three days.
paste and put garlands
vanished in three days.'
Now this Brihman Bengali woman.
lady was,
we
She was versed
are told, an extraordinary in the philosophies
and
mythologies of India, and could recite book after book
from memory.
She could hold her ground
with the best pandits of the country.
she combined in herself qualities that
would
ordinaiy mortals.
versed in music.
raise
all
Tall
any
man fine
or
argument graceful,
and
intellectual
woman
high above
the physical
She had a
in
and
voice
and was
well
She had given up the world, practised
Yoga (ascetics), attained to some wonderful Yogic powers, and was roaming all over India in the red garb of a Sawnyasin. Nobody knew anything of her birth or family or name even, and nobody could induce her to say anything about them. She was as if some goddess had come to this earth to help men to perfection, moved by the sorrows and sins of this wicked world. She seemed to have known
full
well that she
particular personages, perfection.
was destined to help three
who were
very advanced in attaining
Rimakn'shna. had been informed by his divine
44
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
mother that she would come and teach him the certain
way to
He
attain perfection.
she recognised him and said, two,
and have been searching
and to-day krishna. his
I
have found
had not found a
recognised her at once, and '
I
have found out the other
for thee for
thee.'
Up
a long, long time,
Ramawho could understand
single soul
to this time
superhuman devotion and perfect
arrival of this
woman was
and the
purity,
therefore a great relief to him.
His devotion and love knew no bounds. All people were astonished at the wonderful learning of this
Brahman
lady,
but they could not understand
how she
could sympathise and place even above herself this halfcrazed Ramak/7shÂŤa they took
him
for.
To
prove that he
was not mad, the lady mentioned some Vaishwava
scriptures,
got the manuscripts from some learned pandits, and quoted
passage
after
manifestations
passage,
come
showing that
these
all
to an ardent lover of
recorded in these books that
all
physical
God.
It
was
these states physical
and
mental did happen to the great religious reformer of Bengal, Sri Chaitanya, four
were given, this
too,
hundred years back, and the remedies
by which he overcame them.
burning sensation, as
if all
the
For instance,
body were
from which Sii RamakWsh^a was suffering
in flames,
at the time,
was
mentioned in these Vaishwava scriptures as having happened to the shepherdess of Braja, to the stainless Sii RadhS, the
beloved of Krishna, centuries before, and again in times to Sii Chaitanya,
when both of them
felt
pain of separation from their beloved (God). these cases relief
later
deeply the
In both
came by smearing the body with
sandal-
RAMAK/J/SHiVA S LIFE.
45
wood paste and wearing garlands of sweet-scented flowers. The lady held it to be no real disease, but a state of physical disturbance, which would come to all who arrive at that She applied the same
stage of Bhakti, or love of God.
remedies for three days, and the trouble passed away.
At another time during her an
he suffered much from
stay
However much he might eat, the preying upon him as if he had taken
insatiable appetite.
appetite was there,
nothing.
The Brdhman
had happened all sorts
him
same
that the
and other Yogins, and ordered
of dishes to be put into his room on every
day and night. days,
lady assured
to Chaitanya
and the
side,
This practice was continued for a few
sight of so
much
food gradually acted upon
the mind, and the false sensation passed away.
The
some
lady lived there for
and made her friend Yoga which make a man
years,
practise all the different sorts of
complete master of his body and mind, render his passions subservient to his
reason,
and produce a thorough and
deep concentration of thought, and, above
and unbiased
disposition
who
know
desires to
About
this
which
all,
the fearless
essential to
is
everybody
the truth and the whole truth.
time Rimakft'shna. began to practise Yoga, or
the physical discipline, which makes the body strong and enduring.
He
began by regulating
his
and went
breath,
through the eight-fold methods prescribed by PataÂŤ^ali.
His teachers were astonished
came
to the realisation
ascetic practices.
One
at the short
time in which he
and attained the end of
night,
he was very much frightened
when he was at
two
all
these
practising Yoga,
strings of clotted
blood
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAM.AKRISHNA.
46
coming out of
his
mouth.
hands of one of
in the
great learning
and
The temple
services
purity
and possessed of
certain defects of his character, so
him and
cousin cursed
A few days
much
said that blood should
to
so that his
come out
of
So Ramaknsh«a was frightened, but a great
mouth.
Yogin who was
living there at the time
came, to his help,
and
after inquiring into his case assured
very
good
that the blood
because he had to teach that
of
R4makr/sh«a had offended him by pointing out
before,
his
man
a
certain psychical
powers, such as Vak-siddhi, power of speech.
him
were then
his cousins, Haladhiri,
him
that
had come out that way.
many men, and
to
do good
it
was
It
was
to them,
he was not permitted to enter into that Samadhi (trance)
from which nobody returns.
when a
man
He
explained to him that
has attained to the perfection of this
Yoga
his
blood rushes to his brain, and he becomes absorbed in Samadhi, perceives his identity with the Supreme
and
Self,
never returns any more to speak of his religious experiences
Only a few returned, namely, those who by the
to others. will
of
God were bom
to
be the great teachers of mankind.
In their case the blood rushes to the brain, and they feel the identity for
some
time, but after that the blood flows
out again and they are able to teach.
By
this
BrShman
time Ramakr«sh«a
had
higher truths,
when a Gn^nin
and
him
initiated
He
still
all
(a true philosopher)
tall,
the
that
hankering after
into the truths of the Vedanta.
was a SawnySsin named TotS-puri, powerful.
learnt
lady could teach, but he was
came This
muscular, and
had taken the vow of the order from
his
RAMAKiirSHiVA S LIFE.
47
very boyhood, and after a hard struggle had succeeded in realising the highest truths of the
clothes whatever,
He
Vedinta.
and never rested under a
wore no
When
roof.
doors of palaces might have been opened to him
if
the
he had
only wished, he passed the night always under a tree or the
blue canopy of the heavens, even in winter and in the rainy season, never remaining
and never caring
more than
to ask for food
the wind, he was roaming
all
three days in any place,
from anybody.
Free as
over the country, teaching and
exhorting wherever he could find a sincere soul, and helping
them
to attain to that perfection
reached.
He
was a
Vedinta, when properly rule of
life.
On
which he had himself
living illustration of the truth realised,
seeing Sri R^makrishna. sitting on the
border of the Ganges, he
at
once recognised
Yogin and a perfectly-prepared ground once and
at
to perfect
said,
My
son
!
him a
great
He
do you want
addressed
to learn the
? Come, then, and I will teach it to who never did anything without first
freedom
Kkmakrishna.,
you.'
'
in
for the reception of
the seeds of the highest truths of religion.
him way
that
can become a practical
asking his mother (the goddess Kdli), said that he did not
know what he should do, but he would go and ask his mother. He came back in a few minutes and told the SaÂť2nyasin that he was ready. Tota-puri made him take and told the vow, him how he was to meditate and how to realise unity.
to
After three days
the highest, the
there
is
object.
of practice he attained
Nirvikalpa stage of Samadhi, where
no longer any perception of the subject or of the
The
Sawznyisin was perfectly bewildered at the
;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
48
and
rapid progress of his protdg^, I
realised
arrived at in three days.
was the love of
many
him
this
of the Sawnyasin.
own
He
my
friend.'
Ramakr«h«a
for Sri
There
disciple.
always kept a
One day
what
!
he
that
months, and in his turn learnt
for eleven
things from his
as very holy.
man
holy
boy
my disciple And such
you
I dare not call
henceforth I will address you as
stayed with
My
'
of hard struggle, you have
forty years
after
said,
as
he was
fire
sitting
a story told
is
and regarded by
it
and
this fire
man came and lighted his The Sawnyasin felt enraged at
talking to Sit Ramakn'sh^a, a
pipe out of the same
fire.
this sacrilege, when a gentle scolding came from his disciple, who said, Is this the way that you look upon everything as Brahman ? Is not the man himself Brahman as well as the fire? What is high and what is low in the sight of a GwSnin ? The SawnySsin was brought to his senses, and said, Brother, you are right. From this day forth you shall '
'
'
me
never find
He
angry again,' and he kept his word.
could never understand, however, Rlmak«sh«a's love his
Mother
mere
(the goddess Kali).
He
and
it,
superstition,
made him understand thou, nor
thought.
I,
ridicule
it
is
long, however, as there
relativity left, the
and within the
Absolute
is
limits of the
servient to the universal
for.
it
as
when Ramaky-/sh«a beyond is
all
is
no
speech or
the least grain of
within thought and speech
mind, which mind
is
mind and consciousness ; and
omniscient, universal consciousness was to
and God.
talk of
that in the Absolute there
nor God, nay, that
As
would
him
his
subthis
mother
RAMAKiJ/SHWA S LIFE.
49
After the departure of TotS-puri, Rkmakrishfia, himself tried to
and
remain always in union with the absolute Brahman
Looking back to
in the Nirvikalpa state.
of his
life. in
months
said, 'I
in that state of perfect union
and
reach,
he
his later days,
if
they reach
it.
But
for six
which people seldom
they cannot return to their
it,
Their bodies and minds
individual consciousness again.
could never bear
this period
remained
my body
this
is
Sattwa particles (pure elements) and can bear
made up of much strain.
In those days I was quite unconscious of the outer world.
My
body would have died
want of nourishment,
for
but for a Sadhu (an advanced religious ascetic) at that time
He
and stayed there
recognised
my
Samddhi, and took
state of
terest to preserve this body, while I
very existence.
when
all
He
methods
who came
for three days for
might bring
with
very sorrowful.'
days when he could not
after
a severe beating, he was
After six months the body gave way under
these severe irregularities, and
with dysentery.
This disease, he
RamakÂŤshÂŤa was said, did much in
to consciousness, slowly
When
sort
and he would immediately
Some
produce any response, even
or two.
me
back to con-
or two mouthfuls of food before I was lost
again in deep Samidhi.
him back
me
Sometimes he succeeded in awakening a
down one
its
failed to restore sensation or conscious-
of partial consciousness in me, force
in-
used to bring some food every day, and
club, so that the pain
sciousness.
sake.
was unconscious of
ness to this body of mine, he would even strike
a heavy
my
much
and
laid
up
bringing
gently, in a
month
the native physicians had cured him, his
E
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
50 deep
love,
He
religious zeal took another turn.
and
tise
realise the
This
becomes manifested
according to the Vaishwavas,
any one of the following
practically in
began to prac-
Vaish«ava ideal of love for God.
relations
—the
re-
lation of a servant to his master, of a friend to his friend,
of a child to his parents, or vice versa, and a wife to her
The highest point of love is reached when the human soul can love his God as a wife loves her husband. The shepherdess of Braja had this sort of love towards husband.
the divine Knsh«a, and there was no thought of any carnal
No
relationship.
of
man, they
SA RadhI and Sn Krishna
from
all
books which
K«'sh«a, because they are
R^mak«sh«a, women's
can understand until
They even
carnal desires.
to read the
in
say,
he
is
prohibit ordinary
treat of this love of still
this love
perfectly free
men
RSdhd and
under the sway of passion.
in order to realise this love, dressed himself
attire for several
a woman, and at
last
days, thought of himself as
succeeded in gaining his
ideal.
He
saw the beautiful form of Sri K«sh«a in a trance, and was After
satisfied.
having thus devoted himself to Vaish-
many other religions prevalent Mohammedanism, always arriving at an
«avism, he practised in turn in
India, even
understanding of their highest purposes in an incredibly
Whenever he wished
short time.
to learn
doctrines of any faith, he always found a
man do
of that faith coming to
it.
This
happened
is
in his
and
practise the
good and learned
him and advising him how
to
one out of many wonderful things that life.
coincidences, which
is
They may be explained much the same as to say
as
happy
they were
ramakr7Sh;va s life.
To
wonderful, and cannot be explained.
51
give another such
At the time when he perceived the desire of and realising religion, he was sitting one day
instance.
practising
under the big banyan-tree (called the Pancha-vatI, or the place of the five banyans) to the north of the temple.
found the place very secluded and
He
religious practices without disturbance.
of building a
thatched hut in the place,
little
came up the
and brought along with
river
necessary to
make
rope and
—and
all
a httle hut
He
place where he was sitting.
In his
his
later
when the
tide
that
was
sticks,
the
it
all
just
a few yards off the
took the materials joyfuUy,
and with the help of the gardener he practised
was thinking
—the bamboos, the
dropped them
He
for carrying out his
fit
built his little hut,
where
Yoga.
days he was thinking of practising the tenets
of Christianity.
He
had seen Jesus
in
a vision, and for
three days he could think of nothing
and speak of nothing
but Jesus and His love.
this peculiarity in all
There was
—
that he always saw them outside himself, but his visions when they vanished they seemed to have entered into him. This was true of Rama, of .Siva, of Kali, of Krishna,, of Jesus,
and of every other god or goddess or prophet.
After
all
religions true,
these visions
he came
and
his realisations of different
to the conclusion that all rehgions are
though each of them takes account of one aspect only
of the Akhanda Sa^>^^idSnanda, eternal
existence,
different religions
i.e.
the undivided and
knowledge, and bUss.
Each of these
him a way
to arrive at that
seemed
to
One.
K
2
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
52
During
lost all idea
had
these years he forgot entirely that he
all
been married, which was not unnatural of the existence even of his
one who had
for
The
own body.
had in the meantime attained the age of seventeen or
girl
eighteen.
She had heard rumours that her husband had
become mad, and was that
deep
in
Then again she heard
grief.
he had become a great religious man. She determined
him and to learn her fate from himself. Having obtained permission from her mother, she walked
therefore to find
all
the way, about thirty or forty miles, to the Dakshiwef-
Ramakr?shÂŤa received her very
vara temple.
told her that the old Ramak/-ÂŤshÂŤa
new one could never look upon any woman
as his wife.
He
Goddess
KSlt,
said that even then he saw his mother, the in her,
and however much he might
anything
He
else.
her with flowers
try
he could never see
addressed her as his mother, worshipped
and incense, asked her
a child does from his mother, and then a deep trance.
The
wife,
who was
fully
husband, but that he would teach her
how
that
as
lost in
worthy of such as
her
God,
to realise
and allow her to remain near him and cook little
blessings,
became
him she wanted nothing from him
a hero, told
do what
kindly, but
was dead, and that the
his meals
and
From
she could for his health and comfort.
day forward she lived within the temple compound,
and began to
practise whatever her
husband taught
Mathuranitha offered her the sum of 10,000 declined, saying that her
by renouncing gold and for any, as she
her.
Rs., but she
husband had attained perfection
all pleasures,
and she did not care
was determined to follow him.
She
is
living
rXmakrishna's still,
revered by
all for
life.
53
her purity and strength of character,
helping others of her sex to religion and perfection, looking
upon her husband
as
trying to forward the
Though
an incarnation of
God
Himself, and
work her husband began.
R&raakrishKa. had no proper education, he had
such a wonderful
once heard.
memory
In his
later
he never forgot what he
that
days he had a desire to hear the
AdhyStma RSmayaÂŤa, and he requested one of his disciples it to him in the original verse. As he was hearing, another of his disciples came and asked him whether he was understanding the original verses. He said he had heard the book before, with an explanation of it, and therefore knew all of it, but he wanted to hear it again because the book was so beautiful, and he repeated at once the purport of some of the verses which followed, and which to read
were about to be read.
He
had attained
to
great
Yoga powers, but he never
cared to display these marvellous powers to anybody. told his
a
man
as
disciples
that all
these
he advanced, but he warned them never
any heed of the opinions of men.
men, but
to take
to please is,
The power of working miracles was
rather a hindrance in the it
They had not
to try to attain the highest perfection, that
unity with Brahman.
He
powers would come to
way
diverted the attention of
to perfection,
man from
inasmuch as
his highest goal.
But persons who went to him have found abundant proofs of his possessing such powers as thought-reading, predicting future events, seeing things at a distance, and healing
a disease by simply
willing.
The one
great
power of
54
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF ^kUAKRISHNA.
which he made most
use,
and which was by
the most
far
wonderful, was that he was able to change a man's thoughts
by simply touching
his body.
In some
this
touch produced
immediate Samidhi, in which they saw visions of gods and goddesses',
and
ward world. but they tion
felt
lost for
some hours
In others
it
sensation of the out-
all
produced no outward changes,
that their thoughts
had received a new
and a new impetus, by which they could
the path of progress in religion. instance,
would
feel that their
The
direc-
easily travel in
carnally minded, for
thoughts never ran after
carnal pleasures afterwards, the miser
would find that he
did not love his gold, and so on.
About
that time Mathuranatha
a pilgrimage, and took
and
his family
RSmak«sh«a
Hindus
visited all the sacred places of the
went on
They Brm-
with them. as far as
dabana, and Ramakn'shzza took the opportunity not only of seeing the temples, but of forming acquaintances with all
the
religious
men, and with the
SawnySsins
who
were living in these places, such as the famous Tailanga
SwSmin
of Benares
and Gangi MitS. of B^/ndabana.
SSdhus assigned to him a very high
him not only
as a
Brahma^Snin, but
These
and regarded
position,
as a great religious
teacher (Achirya), nay, as an incarnation of
God
Himself.
At B«'ndabana he was so much struck by the natural scenery and associations of the place, that he nearly made up his mind to reside there for ever. But the memory of his old
mother made him return home.
On
he was so much struck by the poverty of a Vaidyanath, that he wept
bitterly,
his
way back
village near
and would not go from
RAMAKR/SHNAS
LIFE.
the place without seeing them happy.
55
So Mathurtnitha
fed the whole village for several days, gave proper clothing
and some money to each of the
and departed
villagers,
Ramaknsh«a contented. 'When the rose is blown, and sheds its around, the bees come of themselves. The with
full-blown rose,
and not the rose the
^ri 'R^makn'shna. has
own
life.
began to
From day-dawn
life.
leisure to eat or drink, so
exhorting,
and
bees.'
verified often
all
This saying of
and often
in his
Numbers of earnest men, of all sects and creeds, flock to him to receive instruction and to drink
the waters of
no
been
fragrance
bees seek the
and ministering
to the wants of these
Men
thirsty millions.
to night-fall
hungry
possessed of wonderful
powers and great learning came to learn from
Paramaha»zsa of Dakshi«efvara,
knowledged him as
he had
engaged was he in teaching,
and
in
Yoga
this illiterate
turn
their
their spiritual director (Guru),
ac-
touched
as they were by the wonderful purity, the childlike simplicity,
in
the perfect unselfishness, and by the simple language
which he propounded the highest truths of
philosophy. till
Babu Keshub Chunder Sen went
about him.
religion
and
But the people of Calcutta knew him not to
him and wrote
RSmak^sh^a's interview with Keshub was
brought about in this way.
Keshub was leading a
It
life
was in the year 1866 that
of prayer and seclusion in a
garden house at Belgharia, about two miles temple of Dakshi«ejvara.
went to see him. the simple words,
from
the
BAmakrishna. heard of him, and
Keshub was so much impressed with full
of the
highest
knowledge,
the
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKK/SHiVA
56
Rama-
wonderful love of God, and the deep trances of Sri
kWshwa, that he began to come often and often to him.
He
would
sit
for hours at the feet of
From time
of that wonderful man.
would be
Ramakrishwa
to time
a deep Samddhi, and Keshub would
in
lost
Rimak«'sh«a and
wonderful sayings on religion
listen with rapture to the
gently touch his feet that he might thereby be purified.
Sometimes he would or would take
him
invite the
in
Paramahawzsa to his house,
a boat and proceed a few miles
He
up and down the
river.
on some points of
religion to clear
A
strong
away
his
own
doubts.
and deep love grew up between the two, and
Keshub's whole later,
then used to question him
life
became changed,
he proclaimed
his
a few years
till,
New
views of religion as the
Dispensation, which was nothing but a partial representa-
of the truths which
tion
Ramaknsh«a had
taught for
a long time.
A
RSmakr/sh«a, and
brief sketch of the teachings of
a few of his sayings, which Keshub published, were cient to rouse a
wide
suffi-
interest in the Faramaha^.izsa,
and
numbers of highly-educated men of Calcutta and women of noble family began to pour in to receive instruction
from
this
them and too,
wonderful Yogin. talk to
he had no
RAmakrishna. began to teach
them from morn
rest, for
till
evening.
some of the more
remain and spend the night with him. his
sleep,
At
night,
earnest would
He
then forgot
and talked to them incessantly about Bhakti
(devotion) or Gnina. (knowledge)
and how he arrived
at them.
and
Though
his
own
experiences,
this incessant labour
; ;
RAMAKRTSHiVA S LIFE. began
at last to tell
upon him,
yet he
57
would not
rest.
In
men and women began to and he went on as before. When pressed
the meanwhile the crowds of increase daily, to take rest,
he would
sorts of bodily pains,
times, if
by so doing
freedom and
say,
'
I
and death I
would
suffer willingly all
also, a
hundred thousand
could bring one single soul to
salvation.'
In the beginning of 1885 he suffered from what
is
known
'the clergyman's throat,' which by-and-by developed
as
He
into cancer.
physicians were Sircar, &c.,
who
was removed to Calcutta, and the best
advised him to keep the
but the advice was to no
women
Babu Mohindra Lai
engaged, such as
gathered wherever he went, and waited patiently
to hear a single
word from
his
mouth, and he, out of com-
passion for them, would not remain
he would be of his body
lost in
and of
became so
silent.
a Samadhi, losing
his disease,
talk incessantly as before.
throat
strictest silence
Crowds of men and
effect.
all
and coming back he would
constricted that
at
it
10 o'clock in the night,
at first to
efforts.
ever,
Samadhi, from which he never returned. took
his
he could not swallow
undaunted and remained as cheerful as 1886,
a time
Even when the passage of
even liquid food, he would never stop his
16,
Many
consciousness
till
He
was
on August
he entered into
His
disciples
be an ordinary SamSdhi, such as he
used to have every day, during which the best doctors even could not find any pulsation or beating of the heart but, alas, they were mistaken.
Ramakrishna.
felt
such an aversion to gold and
silver
58
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF kXmaKRISHNA.
that
he could not even touch them, and a simple touch,
even when he was asleep, would produce physical con-
His breath would stop, and his fingers would become contorted and paralysed for a few minutes, even when the metal had been removed. In his later days he tortions.
could touch no metals, not even iron.
He
God and man.
was a wonderful mixture of
In his
ordinary state he would talk of himself as servant of
He
men and women.
looked upon them
as
all
God.
all
He
himself would never be addressed as Guru, or teacher.
Never would he claim
any high position.
for himself
would touch the ground reverently where his trodden.
disciples
But every now and then strange
fits
He had
of God-
He then became changed into a diiferent being altogether. He then spoke of himself as being able to do and know everything. He spoke as if he had the power of giving anything to anybody. He consciousness
came upon him.
would speak of himself as the same soul that had been born before as Rima, as Krishna., as Jesus, or as Buddha,
He
born again as Rimakrishna.. before anybody
would come said that
and
to
knew him, him
he was
that
shortly,
free
from
struggles after religion
told MathurSnStha, long
he had many
and he knew all eternity,
all
disciples
of them.
and the
all for
them
which he went through were
alone.
Nitya-mukta, or eternally Himself. first,
'The
fruit of
and then the
He
practices
only meant to show the people the way to salvation.
had done
who
free,
He
He
would say he was a
and an incarnation of God
the pumpkin,' he said, 'comes out
flowers
;
so
it is
with the Nitya-muktas,
REMARKS ON RAMAKJJ/SHJVA S who
or those
are free from
good of
for the
During the
all
state of
down upon a
burned deep into
but
come down
totally
unconscious
eternity,
SamSdhi he was
to
At another time
come
in to extract the coal,
his foot slipped,
The surgeon came and bound As
till
it
it
felt
and he broke
his hand.
But
it
was impossible.
soon as anybody spoke anything of religion or
he went
straight into the state of
became
straight
stiff,
when
the wound.
up and advised him not
was quite cured.
and
It
but he did not know for hours,
he came back to consciousness, and
it
At one time he
piece of live coal during this state. his flesh,
and the surgeon had
to use
59
others.'
of himself and of the outward world. fell
LIFE.
on God,
SamSdhi, and ''his hands
and the injured hand had to be
bound up again. This went on for months, and it took six months or more to cure that simple fracture. Mathurinatha proposed again and again to hand over to
him the temple of Dakshiraexvara and a property
an income of 25,000 Rs. a posal,
and added
place
if
that
he would have to
Mathurinatha pressed
another time another gentleman
his
Bemarks on This
him
is all
to write
that
fly
gift
away from the
At
upon him.
made an
25,000 Rs. to him, with the same
yielding
he declined the pro-
year, but
offer
of
some
result.
Bftmabr/sh/za's Life.
VivekSnanda sent
me when
down whatever he could
I
had asked
gather from his
own
memory and from communication with Rdmakr/sh^a's other disciples.
I
had warned him repeatedly not
to send
me
;
6o
THE LIKE AND SAYINGS OF TlXmAKRISHNA.
mere
fables,
such as I had read about his Giiru in several
Indian periodicals, and I believe he I
Yet we can hardly
meant.
fail
understood what
fully
to see the first beginnings
of the ravages which the Dialogic Process works even in the first
generation.
master, there
is
Given his own veneration for his departed a natural unwillingness, nay, an incapability,
to believe or to repeat anything that might place his master in
an unfavourable
light. Besides, his
these records were written,
bonum
is
master was dead when
and the de mortuis nihil
deeply engraved in every
human
nisi
What
heart.
is
believed and told by everybody in a small village, chiefly by his friends
and admirers,
and if once a man
is
not likely to be contradicted
looked upon as different from others, as
is
possessed of superhuman and miraculous powers, everybody
has something new to add in confirmation of what everybody is
ready to believe, while a doubt or a denial
is
a sign of unkindness, possibly of envy or malice. for
instance,
of the
Brahman
lady
who was
messenger and teacher to Ramak/fshwa, far
from probable.
But when
I first
treated as
The story, sent as a
sound to us
will
heard of
it,
this lady
was represented as a kind of goddess who met her pupil in a forest and instructed him, like another Sarasvatl, in the Vedas, Purawas, and philosophies.
had to be solved by the fact that
this
The
all
difficulty that
heavenly apparition was, no doubt,
RSmakWshwa had never
received a proper
and yet spoke with authority about the ancient hterature and religion of his countrymen. The classical education,
fact that
know a
he was ignorant of single
Sanskrit, nay, that he did not word of the sacred language of India, is
1
mozoomdar's judgement,
6
denied by nobody, and has been distinctly asserted by one of his great admirers, the Rev. P. C. Mozoomdar. course he
knew
Of
and a man who speaks Bengali
Bengali,
can guess the meaning of Sanskrit as an Italian may guess the meaning of Latin.
Some
of the classical Sanskrit texts
and may have given him
exist in Bengali translations,
the information which he wanted for his
own
say nothing of his constant intercourse with learned
who would have warned him any question he chose to was
wanted.
really not
title
BrShman
If this
that
Devi
lightened lady
lady was called a
not
much more
exceptionally well-informed
and
en-
might well have been spoken of as an
incarnation of the goddess Sarasvati.
between deity and humanity to
is
of honour given to high-born and illustrious
nay, that an
ladies,
men
and answered
Thus the Dea ex machina
ask.
we must remember
goddess,
than a
against mistakes
all
purposes, to
is
In India the distance
very small
;
gods are believed
become men, and men gods, without much ado about
it.
Mozoomdar's Judgement. Fortunately in our case
we have
the testimony not only
of Vivekinanda, who, as a devoted disciple of
might be suspected of
partiality,
RSmaknshwa,
but we have several inde-
pendent witnesses, some favourable, others unfavourable.
Mozoomdar must be counted
as a favourable witness.
He
stands aloof from the propaganda carried on by Ramak/7shÂŤa's disciples, but
a
letter
wrote
:
he speaks of him in the highest terms.
which he addressed to '
Both
in Keshub's Life
me
In
in September, 1895, he
and Teachings, and
in the
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RkUAKRISUNA.
62
old Theistic Review, I have frankly and warmly expressed
my estimate
of that saintly
man and
But there was another side of
his character,
one could not take up, because
we
our obligations to him.
it
was not
which of course
Here
edifying.'
see another ingredient of the Dialogic Process.
Bftmakmh^a's Iiangoage. '
His speech
he was, as you draw a
single
was abominably
at times say,
word
filthy.
sciously imbibes from the atmosphere around
of Vedantism, which
is
it
all that,
RSmak/ishÂŤa was
I wrote in his praise.
not in the least a Vedantist, except that every
national cult.
For
a real Mah^tman, and I would not with-
He
is
Hindu unconsome amount
the philosophical backbone of every
know a word of Sanskrit, and knew enough BengSU. His result of genius and practical
did not
doubtful whether he
wisdom was the
spiritual
observation.'
There there
is
a ring of truth and impartiality about
is
no sign of
among
jealousy,
in
India,
As
to his filthy language,
plain speaking
religious
among
certain classes of
men
which often breaks
Oriental races.
and even
for
much
In a country where
are allowed to walk about in public
with us requires to be veiled.
filthy.
out,
reformers and their followers.
we must be prepared
places stark naked, language too
difference
this,
between what
is
not likely to veil what
There
is filthy
is,
and what
however, a great is
meant
to be
I doubt whether the charge of intentional filthiness
or obscenity, which has been brought against writers like Zola, could
be brought, or has ever been brought, against
RAMAKRTSHiVA's LANGUAGE. RSmakr?shÂŤa.
63
Hindus who belong
It is quite true that
socially to the higher classes, though not necessarily BrShmans
by
would be more careful in
birth,
their expressions.
We
seldom find any blemishes of that kind in the writings of
Rammohun
Roy, Keshub Chunder Sen, and
their friends.
But a certain directness of speech which would be most offensive in in India,
England
is
evidently not regarded in that light
and every scholar knows
that
many of their classical
poems, nay, even their Sacred Writings, contain passages
which simply do not admit of translation into English.
In
the three centuries (jataka) of Bhartn'hari, treating of worldly
wisdom, love, and passionlessness, the second, that of love, has generally been
out in English translations.
left
the spirit of that Sn'mgiia-Sataka.
On
as that of Zola's novels.
the poet
is
to
is
But
by no means the same
the contrary, the object of
warn people against voluptuousness, not
as something in itself criminal, which has never been an
Indian view, but as a hindrance in obtaining that serenity of
mind without which
be obtained. has lately
A most
the highest objects of
life,
dis-
and clear-sightedness can never
passionateness, serenity,
useful edition of
all
the three ^atakas
been published by Purohit Gopi Nath, M.A.,
Bombay, 1896. It
should not be forgotten that in Homer, in Shakespeare,
nay, even in the Bible, there are passages against which our
modern
taste revolts, yet
we
object to Bowdlerised editions,
because the indecencies are never of an intentional character,
and would seem
removed by
us.'
to
have been
so, if
they were
now
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJZSHWA.
64
Wife.
Hd.aia.'k.riahna.'s
Another charge which Mozoomdar seems to consider as proved against Rajaakrishna.
what he
is
dently that he forgot or neglected her
But
years of age. India,
where
this
till
house
for years before
her, should
such as Ramakr/sh«a
should decline to
live
is
And
maritakment,
VivekSnanda told us that when
on
is
again by no
own
make her
man
means
also.
age of seventeen
at the
went to find him, he received her with
and
his
that a
described to have been in
unusual in Eastern, nay, in Western countries
ness,
remain
she migrated to the
house of her husband and his parents.
his wife
is evi-
she was seventeen
can hardly be called barbarous in
when he married
of age, as his wife was
in a state
almost
a recognised custom that a girl of five years
it is
at her parents'
calls his
What he means
barbarous treatment of his wife.
real kind-
with him
that she
was quite
terms,
he would only enlighten her mind and
if
and
to see
to serve
satisfied
God.
to live
Such a relationship
is
by no means without a precedent, and cannot be called barbarous, for volenti non fit injuria. received not
many days ago a
letter
who had gone
to visit
Ole
widow of the famous
Bull,
the
Strange to say, I
from an American lady
Ramak«sh«a's widow, Mrs. violin
S. C.
player,
and
deeply interested in the religious movements in India.
On
July II, 1898, she writes from ^rm3,gar in Kashmir:
'We were
the
Sarada-devS, the
first
foreigners
who were
widow of Ramak«'sh«a.
her children, and saying that our
visit to
allowed to see
She
called us
her was of the
rAmakjj/shjva's wife. Lord, she
no strangeness
felt
65
When
in being with us.
asked to define the obedience to a Guru, who in her case
was her husband, she replied to the
had chosen a Guru or obey
effect that
one should
when one
listen to
and
directions for spiritual advancement, but in
all his
things temporal one
own
using one's
teacher,
could most truly serve a Guru by
best discernment, even
if at
times
it
were
not in agreement with suggestions given.
'When she
gladly gave her husband, to
whom
she had
been united by child-marriage, her assent that he should lead a SanySsin's
and became
life,
she gained his intimate friendship,
his disciple, receiving daily instruction.
the years of her
life
with
him she was
During
his adviser, praying
earnestly for such purity of motive that she might never fail
him.
chastity,
She had
and
also taken the
vow
she became with him the spiritual parent of It
is
of poverty and
in renouncing the natural joys of a mother,
strange that a
man
many
children.'
of Mozoomdar's knowledge and
experience should have considered the resolve of kn'shnn's wife to live with
barous treatment.
She
him
RSma-
as a Sawznyasini as bar-
herself evidently did not think so,
nor have I heard of any other cruelties on the part of her
husband. right to
If she was satisfied with her
complain ; and
is
love between
life,
who has any
husband and wife
really impossible without the procreation of children ?
We
Hindu honesty, however incredulous might justly be on such matters in our own country. we no one else who has taken offence Anyhow, I know of must
learn to believe in
at Kimakrishna.'s spiritual marriage.
—
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKRISHNA.
66
B&makr2sh»a's Influence on Eeshub Chunder Sen.
A more
painful misunderstanding has arisen with regard
Rimak«sh«a and Keshub may mean many things, but
to the exact relationship between
Chunder Sen.
A
disciple
Keshub Chunder Sen was never chary in giving credit where credit was due, and he was the last man to withhold the name of master and teacher from Ka.xnakrish.na. or any one
from
else
whom he had
'
I desire to
leam from him.
I love to learn at his feet.
that a lac of rupees has
by hearing
received inspiration, encourage-
'Whoever he may
ment, or instruction.
his
If
come
hymns. ...
I
be,'
he
writes,
If I see an ordinary minstrel,
an ascetic comes, to
my
house.
I
I consider
leam much
can clearly perceive that when-
me he pours into my heart his To some extent I become like him I am a bom On the other hand, no one repudiated the title of
ever a saint takes leave of virtues.
disciple!
Master or Guru more emphatically than Rimakrjshwa. relative of
Keshub Chunder Sen, however, who
A
evidently
completely misapprehended whatwas implied by the influence
which I said that Ramak«sh«a had exercised on Keshub
Chunder Sen, Mozoomdar, and others as very anxious to establish the priority of Sen, as truth.
if '
his disciples, is
Keshub Chunder
there could be priority in philosophical or religious
It
was Keshub Chunder,' he
RamakWshwa
out of obscurity.'
tells us,
*
That may be
who brought so, but how
often have disciples been instrumental in bringing out their
master?
He
then
continues
to
bring charges against
RSniak«sh«a, which may be true or not, but have nothing
RAMAKiJ/SHiVA's INFLUENCE. to
do with the
kr/sh«a.
true relation between
as
If,
we
'
among
Keshub and Ramashow sufficient
are told, he did not
moral abhorrence of alone in this
67
prostitutes,
he does not stand quite
the founders of religion.
If
he did not
honour the principle of teetotalism according to Western
notions,'
no one, as
far as I
any excess in drinking.
would have been most
know, has ever accused him of
Such bickerings and
distasteful
Sen and to E.Smak/-/sh«a.
Both had no words but words
of praise and love for each other, and their
it
was a great pity that
mutual relation should have been treated
spirit,
and thereby
cavillings
both to Keshub Chunder
totally misrepresented.
I
in a jealous
can under-
stand that in India, where the relation between Guru and
^shya is a very pecuhar and very definite one, one of Keshub Chunder Sen's relatives should have objected to Ramakr/sh«a being represented as the Guru of Keshub.
had no
real
RSmaknsh«a. well as I
But that he learnt from Ramak/7sh«a he, as
Mozoomdar, has repeatedly admitted.
As to
can only say that Keshub Chunder Sen's memory
safe in
my
Keshub
Guru, nor was he a Brahman by birth like
myself, is
quite
hands, perhaps safer than in those of his rela-
I stood up for him when his nearest friends forsook him and turned against him. If my words could possibly tives.
have been misunderstood in India,
I gladly state that neither
RimakHshna act as Guru •Sishya. The only thing that
Keshub Chunder Sen
did
or
interested
me
as
was whether
the influence exercised by the former on the latter might possibly account for certain, as yet unexplained, phases in
the later spiritual development of F 2
Keshub Chunder
Sen.
THE
68
would be a
It if
we knew
AND SAYINGS OF
LIFE
RAMAK/J/SHiVA.
Keshub Chunder Sen his quote the words of Mozoomdar
real help in judging of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
that
to
selectivism of
'
developed the conception
association with Kimakrishna.
of the Motherhood of God';
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
or,
again, that 'the strange
Ramakn'shwa suggested to Keshub's appre-
mind the thought of broadening the spiritual strucown movement.' Whether toward the end of his life Keshub became mystic and ecstatic in his utterances, and whether his concept of the Godhead as the Divine Mother was inspired by Ramakrishwa, I gladly leave to others to decide. By whatever terms these words mystic and ecstatic may be, if translated into Bengali, in English they mean exactly that spirit which pervades many of the utterances of the so-called New Dispensation, and which ciative
ture of his
was so
many
and
severely,
far
too severely, animadverted on by
of Keshub's European admirers.
terrible
meaning
in
English as
that mystic has something to
'
a
Rajam
man
live
do with
Iyer wrote in the
The Vedanta
will certainly
be mysticism
him
stiff like
The Vedinta
to enable
man
leaving the
to
body
will
work wonderful at will,
if it
:
make
seek to
to preserve his
late
123
p.
life
as
a corpse, dead entirely
to the world, though an obscure spark of in the system.
Thus the
mist.
Prabuddha Bharata,
without food, enable
long as he pleases, or get
term
People always seem to imagine
seems to have in Bengdli. B. R.
Mystic has no such corresponding
its
life
may
be mysticism
yet linger if it
feats, as flying in
and wandering
in space
seek
the
air,
unob-
structed like a ghost, or entering into the bodies of others,
and possessing them
like spirits,
and doing
similar things
vedAnta-philosophy. The VedSnta make a man read
69
of an unnatural character.
will certainly
mysticism
the thoughts of
if it
and
others,
lay
more dead than others.'
seek to
him
an eternal trance, when he would be
in
both with reference to himself and to
alive,
I quote these
tion of the
words partly to show the misapplica-
term mysticism,
for all this
mysticism, but fraud and jugglery
the VedSnta
is
not,
be
and
Keshub Chunder Sen
or
;
should not be called
and
partly to
show what
certainly never was, in the eyes of
RSmak«sh«a.
It
was in order to
my conviction that some later phases in Keshub's so-called New Dispensation were not essential to his simple
express
them back
original teaching, that I tried to trace different sources.
made capital
If
some of RSmak«sh«a's
to their
followers have
out of these remarks, surely such local jealousies
and backbitings may
safely
An
be ignored.
honest under-
standing between East and West, which was one of Keshub's highest ideals, cannot be furthered by the somewhat childish
misunderstandings of Keshub's self-constituted advocates.
Keshub himself would have been
the last person to approve
of the spirit that pervades his friend's passionate, though, I trust, well-intentioned advocacy.
Vedflnta-philosophy.
now we return
RSmakr?sh«a,
I
can assure Keshub's
zealous advocate that I never looked
upon Kiraakrishna.
If
as
the
not a
originator
man
to
of the VedSnta-philosophy.
He
was
possessed of a scholarlike knowledge of the
ancient system of the VedSnta-philosophy, nor do I feel certain that even
Keshub Chunder Sen had studied Sam-
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
70
RAMAKiJ/SHJVA.
kara's or
RSmdnu^'s famous commentaries on
Sdtras.
But both were thoroughly imbued with the
of that philosophy, which
more
or less by every
religion.
It
is
is,
spirit
in fact, like the air breathed
Hindu who
difficult
the Vedanta
cares for philosophy or
we should
to say whether
treat
the Vedinta as philosophy or religion, the two being really inseparable from the
What
and
Sen's
curious,
is
Hindu
point of view.
however,
both in Keshub Chunder
in RamakÂŤ"sh;2a's utterances, is the
of European ideas.
admixture
Neither the one nor the other would
have spoken as they did, before the English Government
began
its
teaching
The bulk
educational work in India.
is,
no doubt, Indian
old Indian philosophy,
to the backbone.
properly
and sometimes
far
is
the
Vedanta or the
called
highest goal of the Veda, but there
of their
It is
clearly
a sprinkling,
more than a mere sprinkling, of European
and we often meet with
thoughts in Keshub's writings
;
quite unexpected references to
European
subjects, not ex-
cluding railways and gas, in the sayings of Rimakrishna. It is
of that
necessary to explain in a few words the character
Vedanta-philosophy which
running through It is
all
by no means
is
easy, however, to give
of that ancient philosophy, particularly it
exists
the very marrow
the bones of RSmakWshÂŤa's doctrine.
if
a short abstract
we consider
that
now, and seems always to have existed, under three
Advaita School (non-duality school), School (non-duality school, with a and the Dvaita School (real duality school),
different forms, the
the Vifish/a-advaita difference),
the last of which seems hardly to have a right to the
name
1
VEDANTA-PHTLOSOPHY. of Vedanta, but nevertheless
The Advaita
so called.
is
7 or
non-duality school, chiefly represented by Sa.mka.ta. and his
and there can be one
followers, holds that there is
only, whether
we call
Unknowable
or
it
God, the
Brahman, so that
rules of logic that whatever is or
reality
Infinite or the Absolute, the
by the
follows
it
seems
strictest
can be that one
to be,
Absolute only, though wrongly conceived, as we are
by AvidyS or Nescience.
told,
soul, like everything
and can be nothing but Brahman or the Absolute,
else, is
though
The
The human
misconceived by Avidya or Nescience.
for a time
desire of each individual soul
not,
is
commonly
as
supposed, an approach to or a union with Brahman, but
simply a becoming what
and
recollection of
its
it
has always been, a recovering
true being, a recognition of the full
and undivided Brahman
as
the
eternal
basis
of every
apparently individual soul.
The second
school, called Vij-ish/^-advaita, or Advaita,
non-duality, with a difference, was evidently intended for a
larger
selves to
some
public,
deny
I
those
who could not
reality to the
individuality likewise to their
cult to say
and
for all
bring them-
phenomenal world, and
own
souls.
It is diffi-
which of the two schools was the more ancient,
am bound
to acknowledge, after Professor Thibaut's
luminous exposition, that the Vifish/idvaita interpretation
seems to rdyaÂŤa.
me more It
is
in keeping with
true that
Ramdnu^
the Sutras of Bidalived in
the twelfth,
.Sawikara in the eighth century, but there were Virish/Sdvaita
expositions
and
commentaries long
Considered as a case of philosophical
before
RdmSni;^.
athletics, the rigidly
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
72
monistic school cannot
and never
in
itself,
one
Brahman, does not possess
To
both being and thought.
is
begins
is, is
even those of being and thinking,
qualities (vijesha), not it
He
without variableness or shadow of
This, what he calls the
turning.
our admiration.
parts with his conviction that whatever
and the same
but
command
to
makes no concessions of any kind.
Sa.mka.TiL
any
fail
RAMAKii/SHJVA.
every attempt to
define or qualify Brahman, .Samkara has but one answer
No
No,
When
!
the question
asked as to the cause of
is
what cannot be denied, namely, the manifold phenomenal world, or the world as reflected in our consciousness, with individual subjects,
and
all
its
all
that .Sa^zkara condescends to say
individual objects,
its
that their cause
is
Here hes what
Avidya or Nescience.
mind
all
strikes
is
a Western
as the vulnerable point of Samka.ra.'s Vedanta-philo-
We
sophy.
should
inclined
feel
to
say that even
this
AvidyS, which causes the phenomenal world to appear,
must
itself
not allow
have some cause and this,
Nescience
illusion,
reality,
but Samkara. does
and repeats again and again is
that,
neither real nor unreal, but
is
as an
some-
own ignorance when, for instance, we imagine we see a serpent, while what we really see is a rope, and yet we run away from it in all earnestness thing exactly like our
as if
were a real cobra.
it
This creative Nescience once
granted, everything else proceeds smoothly enough.
man
(or
Brah-
Atman), as held or as beheld by AvidyS, seems
modified into
all
that
is
phenomenal.
Our instruments of
knowledge, whether senses or mind, nay, our whole body, should be considered as impediments or
fetters rather, as
VEDANTA-PHILOSOPHY. Upidhis,
as they are called, which one feels tempted to
And here the difficulty arises
by impositions.
translate
73
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are
these Upidhis, these misleading organs of knowledge, the
cause or the result of Avidyi? the cause of AvidyS
we
call created,
less
;
With us they are
clearly
but are they not, like everything that
the result also of that universal beginning-
AvidyS, without which
become even phenomenally
Brahman could never have This
creative ?
requires further consideration. It
is
is
a point that
touched upon, but hardly
decided, by Sumkaxa. in his commentary (pp. 787, 789), where
we read ^
'
:
The omniscience and omnipotence of the Atman
are hidden by
union with the body, that
its
with the body, senses,
Manas
the objects, and their perception as such.'
have the simile
As
:
fire
is
And
here
we
endowed with burning and
light,
but both are hidden when
wood
or
is
by the union
is,
(mind), and Buddhi (thought),
fire
has retired into the
covered with ashes, in the same manner, through
the union of the Self with the UpSdhis, such as body, senses, &c., that rfipa,
is,
with the Upidhis formed by Avidya from
names and
forms, there arises the error of the
not being different from them, and this
is
NSmaAtman
what causes the
hiding of the omniscience and omnipotence of the Atman. It
is
under the influence of that AvidyS that Brahman
assumes or receives names and forms (namarflpa), which
come very near to the Greek Xdyoi, Then follow the material
thing.
constitute animate
objective world. '
or the archetypes of everyobjective elements which
and inanimate bodies, But
all
this is illusive.
Deussen, System des Vedinta,
in fact the
In
p, 115.
whole
reality there
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKS/SHiVA.
74 are
no individual
only seem
Atman
to
no individual souls (^vas)
so long as Nescience
they
;
prevails over
or Brahman.
Ekam If
things,
exist
you
One without a Second.
advitiyam.
ask,
what then
individual soul?
a Second, the
real in all things
is
the answer
One
is.
whom
besides
and
in every
Brahman, the One without there
is
nothing
but this
;
answer can be understood by those only who know Avidya,
and by knowing it have destroyed it. world that.
is
this or that,
Man
and
Others believe that the
that they themselves are this
thinks that he
is
and
an Ego dwelling in the body,
seeing and hearing, comprehending and reasoning, reasoning
and lies
acting, while with the strict Vedintist the true Self
deep below the Ego, or the
the world of illusion.
Aham,
which belongs to
As an Ego, man has become
already
an actor and enjoyer, instead of remaining a distant witness of the world.
He
is
then carried along into the
the concourse of the world;
SsLmsiiSL,
he becomes the creature or
the slave of his accumulated acts (karman), and goes
from change to change,
till
in the
Brahman which alone really himself is called Atman or
on
end he discovers the true
exists, Self,
and which
and
at the
as
being
same time
Paramatman, or the Highest, Atman and Brahman, both being one and the same thing. ful
Good works may be
help-
in producing a proper state of mind for receiving
knowledge, but
it is
this
by knowledge alone that men can be
saved and obtain Mukti, freedom, and not by good works.
This salvation or freedom finds expression in the celebrated
EKAM ADVITIYAM, tvam
words Tat
thou
asi,
75 thou
art that, i.e.
art
not thou,
Brahman ; the Atman, Self, and the Brahman are one and the same. Strange as ^awkara's monism may seem to us, yet but
that,
i.
e.
the only existing
God
current idea that
can ever
exist
than that nothing
else
by the side of God, that God, out of His own
and the
energy, supplied both the material
of the world.
the
created the world out of nothing
mean nothing
can, strictly speaking,
the
Rstmanu^
is
less exacting.
efficient
He
is
cause
at
one
with Sumkaia. in admitting that there can be only one thing
namely Brahman, but he allows what ^awzkara
real,
strenuously
His chief
denies,
that
Brahman
intelligence,
but he
is
possesses
Raminu^,
attribute, according to
is
attributes.
thought or
likewise allowed to possess omnipo-
tence, omniscience, love,
and other good
qualities.
allowed to possess within himself certain powers
He
is
(jaktis),
the seeds of plurality, so that both the material objects of our experience and the individual souls (^vas)
may be
considered as real modifications of the real Brahman, and
not merely as phenomena or illusions
modified capacity Brahman Lord,
world
is
and both the thinking (a^it) are
then called the
(mSya).
In
this
spoken of as mara, the (^it)
and the unthinking
supposed to constitute
Antarydmin,
his
body.
He
is
the ruler within, so that
both the objects and the souls which he controls are entitled in their individuality to
which, as also
we
saw,
an independent
reality,
^awkara boldly denies. Though RSm^nnga
would hardly accept our idea of
evolution or a process by which
all
creation,
he teaches
that existed potentially
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF ukUAKRISHNA.
76
or in a subtile invisible form in the one Brahman, while in its
undeveloped
objective,
state (pralaya),
and individual
in this
becomes
visible, material,
phenomenal world.
our evolutionists have wished for a better ancestor ?
may be
phraseology
Ramanu^ Brahman
different,
but what
distinguishes between
as an
effect,
is
meant
Brahman
is
Could Their
the same.
as a cause
and
but he teaches at the same time that
cause and effect are always the same, though what cause undergoes pariwima,
i.
we
call
development, in order to
e.
become what we call effect. Instead of holding with Samkara. that we are deceived about Brahman, that we turn it aside or invert
it
(vivarta) while
under the sway of Nescience,
BAminuga. teaches that Brahman potential in
him
really changes, that
becomes
at first,
real
and objective
Another important difference between the two &iÂť2kara's highest goal consists in
Brahman
is
what
is
at last.
that while
recovering itself
by knowledge, Raman^§a recognises the merit of good works, and allows a pure soul to rise by successive stages to the world of
without fear of
Brahman,
new
With him, as with
to enjoy there perfect felicity
births or of further us,
the
soul
is
approach the throne of Brahman, to become
and
transmigration.
really
supposed to like
Brahman,
participate in all his powers except one, that of creating,
that
is,
sending forth the phenomenal world, governing
and absorbing only does
it
again
Ramanu^
when
the time comes.
it,
Thus not
allow individuality to individual souls,
but likewise to I jvara, the Lord, the personal God, while with Samkaia. a personal god would be as unreal as a personal soul,
both becoming real only in their recovered identity.
EKAM ADVITIYAM. What RamSnu^
thus represents as the highest truth and
by a man seeking
as the highest goal to be reached salvation,
']']
not altogether rejected by .Sawzkara.
is
tolerated, but
it
is
for
It
is
looked upon by him as Lower Know-
Brahman as the Lower Brahman. That Brahman is called aparam, lower, and sagu«am, qualified, and being a merely personal God, he is often worshipped by RSminu^ and his numerous followers, even under such popular names as Vishnu or Naraya«a. With ^kwkara that ledge, the personal
personal trvara or Lord would be conceived as the pratika,
we might almost
the outward face or appearance only, the
persona
or the
worship (upisana), though ignorant,
recommended
is
God would
tolerated
God makes
the
God
be
and
virtuous
man
be what he
to
to
such as
it
eternal
A worship of that
is
is,
it
worshipped as (Ved.
may
mukti), with freedom from
this,
it
is
true
salvation, that
even in
karman
lead the pious
But
happiness.
knowledge alone that can produce eternal recovered Brahmanhood, and
the
in his eyes the same,
a pratika or persona of the Godhead.
Sfltra III, 4, 52), and,
and even
The Jewish and
as practically useful.
Christian id,ea of
say as
of the Godhead, and his
trpoirainou
this life
is,
(^tvan
(works) and from
all
further transmigration after death, in fact with freedom from
the law of causality.
It
seems strange that the followers of
these two schools of Vedanta have so long lived in peace and
harmony
together,
sider the
most
religion.
The
though
differing
essential points,
on what we should con-
whether of philosophy or
followers of 5a»zkara
do not accuse the
fol-
lowers of Ramintr^ of downright error (mithyadar^ana), but
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKitrSH^A,
78
of, humanly speaking, inevitable Avidya. Even the phenomenal world and the individual souls, though due to Avidya, are not, as we saw, considered as empty or false; they are phenomenal, but have their reality in Brahman
of Nescience only, or
only our eyes, by the withdrawal of AvidyS, are opened
if
What
see the truth.
to
but
is
phenomenal
is
not nothing,
is
always the appearance of that which
and remains
is
A
whether we
real,
an
call
it
the Brahman, the Atman, the Abso-
the Unknowable,
lute,
Besides,
sick.
in Kantian language, das
or,
phenomenal world may be treated as even seem to
exist (videri)
The
Brahman.
tion in
(vyavahira) the
that for all practical purposes
monists,
unless
it
had
say
is
not say that
that
it is
there,
its real
only riddle that remains
it is
proving thereby,
At
first
but
ling,
it
or that
and
philosophy to annihilate
that
it
by
it is
it is
not
Vidysi,
some time one grows it
that
Avidyd
Sa.mksxa. him-
All he can
real.
Nescience by science,
would seem, that Avidyi
becomes so fond of
founda-
is
the aim of the Vedinta-
sight this Vedtnta-philosophy
after
could not
It
real.
or Nescience, often called MayS. or illusion. self will
Ding
recognised, even by the strictest
is
it
is,
is
not
real.
no doubt,
so familiar with
one wonders why
it
it
start-
and
should not
have been discovered by the philosophers of any other country. itself to
It
seems to solve
which does not intrench tion
to
and miracle. The
it
all difficulties
but one, to adapt
any other philosophy, nay, to every kind of itself
religion
behind the ramparts of revela-
difficulty is to find
a natural approach
from the position which we occupy in looking at
philosophical and religious problems. I tried before to open
EKAM ADVITIYAM.
79
one of its doors by asking the question, what all
things? and
we met with
the cause of
is
the answer that that cause must
be one, without a second, because the very presence of a second would limit and condition that which
We
unlimited and unconditioned. explain what
saw how,
is
to
be
in order to
cannot be doubted, namely, the constant
changes in the world by which we are surrounded, Avidya or Nescience was called in to explain what cannot be denied
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
variety of our sensations. It
is
curious only that what
the Greek philosophers called the logoi, the thoughts or
names
as architypes of
all
phenomenal
were by the
things,
Vedanta treated not as the expressions of Divine Wisdom or of Sophia, but as Nama-rupa, names and forms, the result of
This Greek conception, apparently
Nescience or AvidyS.
the very opposite of that of the VedSnta,
is
nevertheless the
same, only looked at from a lower and higher point of view. Nama-rfipa, is
names and forms, and Logoi, names and what
named, express the same
idea, namely, that as
thoughts realised, the whole creation
is
expression of eternal thoughts, whether of
of the Godhead,
or,
in
represents the idea in
its
words are
the word or the
Brahman
or
another version, that the world dialectic progress
from mere being
to the highest manifestations of thought.
That Brahman
can the
easily
be proved to have
coincidence
originally
meant word, makes
between VedS,nta, Neo-Platonism, and
Christian philosophy
still
more
striking,
though
it
would be
hazardous to think of any historical connexion between these ancient conceptions of a rational universe.
should be supposed that
I
Lest
it
had assimilated the Hindu idea
8o
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJJ/SHiVA.
of the word, as being with Brahman and becoming the origin of the world, too closely to the
of the Logos,v I subjoin a
^awkara's commentary
man
is
Greek conception
literal translation
(p.
96,
He
i).
of a passage in
holds that Brah-
pure intelligence, and when the opponent remarks
that intelligence telligence,
he
is
possible only
replies
:
if
there are objects of in-
'As the sun would shine even
if
were no objects to illuminate, Brahman would be
gence even his
if
there were
intelligence.
no objects on which
Such an
however,
object,
to exercise exists
before the creation, namely, Nama-rupa, the
there
intelli-
even
names and
forms, as yet undeveloped, but striving for development
(avyakwte, vyS^iklrshite), that living in the
Might not
mind of the
this
is
the words of the
Veda
creator even before the creation
^'
have been written by Plato himself? Ti'uGi (râ&#x201A;ŹaUTiSi>.
We may
try
now
Vedanta-philosophy,
Vedanta nearer Vedinta, so that strange
to it
another door for an entrance into the
which
may
ourselves,
help
in
bringing
the
or ourselves nearer to the
may be looked upon
and curious system, but
not simply as a
as a system of thought
we can sympathise, nay, which, with certain we can appropriate for our own purposes One of the most ancient commands of Greek philosophy was the famous Tvadt o-eaurdv, know thyself. Here the Hindu philosopher would step in at once and say that
with which
'
modifications,
'
'
See Denssen, Das System des Veddnta, pp. 75, 147. Cf. Deussen, 1. c. p. 60 seq.
"'.
1
TNOei 2EAYT0N.
8
this is likewise the very highest object of their
sophy, only that they express
it
more
own
But
atmanS, pajya, See the Self by the Self!
philo-
by Atmanam
fully
true
like
philosophers they would let no word pass unchallenged, and
would ask
who or what is meant by the The VedSnta-philosophy has been
at once,
or by the Self ?
atros,
called
a philosophy of negation, which tries to arrive at the truth
by a repeated denial of what cannot be the defines
its
own
character by Na, na,
Vedanta would
First of all then the
which
is
what we
are, the Self,
is
not eternal,
(deha But
it is
if it
we
it
really
to
know what
In the
right to
ceases to be,
As
is.
see that
aMs
we know comes
all
be
and
the body reality.
truly real, the
is
or sthflla^arira) cannot be the if
no
not, has
is
not real in the highest sense of
we want
If therefore
not that.
say, the aurdi, or that
called being, sat, because sooner or later
nothing can ever cease to be,
It often
this,
cannot be the body.
body
true sense of the word, the
truth.
Not
body
or the Self. to us through
the five senses of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling, that
we cannot go beyond the
senses, that
we
never have nor can have more than sensuous images of the world and of ourselves, and that what
knowledge consists in the not of any
realities,
first
which we may
underlying these images, but which
we not
except by hypothesis, might as a whole are our reply again. No, no.
air<5s
or Self?
Our
we
call
our
instance of these images,
senses
postulate, indeed, as
we can never
reach,
say that our senses
The
Vedantist would
are wonderful indeed,
but they are only the instruments of our knowledge, they
G
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
82
RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
form part of our body, they perish with the body, and cannot therefore constitute our real
Hindus
senses which the
knowledge, they admit
karmendriyas, speaking,
This
is
call
other senses which they call
five
of action, namely, the senses of
senses
moving,
grasping,
Besides the five
Self.
^ÂŤSnendriyas, senses of
an idea peculiar
and
excretion,
procreation.
to the Hindus, the former five
being intended for action from without to within (upalabdhi),
The
the latter for action from within to without (karman).
images brought to us by the senses, on which we depend our knowledge, are what
for all
we should call much
states of
consciousness, they are not even our Ego,
They come and
Self.
therefore
In
real
and
or eternal, as
we may
as the body.
distinguish the subject or the
passive or objective elements are what
customed to five senses
and
call matter,
by which
it
is
this matter,
perceived,
kinds, viz. ether, corresponding to
sponding to seeing
;
air,
This
smelling.
is
the five elements. or vi^nina exists,
only, the
may
that
They
and
exist as
we can
knowledge are
five
light, corre;
water,
corresponding
legitimately
to
mean by
are to us states of consciousness,
known, or in the form of knowledge
Vedanta does not deny
say about
divided into
hearing;
earth,
are ac-
But though to us elementary matter
only.
and can
all
is
we
according to the
corresponding to touching
corresponding to tasting;
it
little
less our
and cannot
vanish,
and the object or the passive element.
element,
active
The
be called
these images
all
go, arise
its reality.
all
its
existence, whatever
If the objects of our sensuous
the result of Avidya, the elements also
TNaei SEAYTON. must share
nomenal
that fate,
83
and cannot claim more than a phe-
reality.
As, however, there are few, ing to
one element
others,
each element
to contain
if
any, sensations correspond-
mixed up with
only, without being
supposed to be
is
one preponderating
quality,
five-folded, that
This so-called V&nMk&xa.na. or quintupling
of the others.
not to be found, however, in the ancient VedSnta;
is
is,
and small portions
it
belongs to the refinements, and not always improvements,
we owe such works
of a later age to which
A
popular Vedantasira. far
more
diiferent and, as
2.
as the very
would seem,
primitive conception of the elements
the Upanishads, for instance, the
VI,
it
We generally find
is
found in
.OSndogya Upanishad
in India four elements, or, with
the addition of akSja, ether, as the vehicle of sound,
The most
five.
primitive conception of the constituent elements
of the world, however, would seem to have been three,
namely, what
is
earthy,
what
fiery,
is
and what
is
watery.
These three elements could not possibly be overlooked, and this threefold division is actually
found in the .Oandogya,
where the three elements are called Anna, Te^s, and Ap, fire,
or,
earth. it
as they are arranged there,
light,
and warmth, then Ap,
It is true that
first,
water,
Anna means
Te^s, including and
lastly
Anna,
otherwise food, but
can here be taken in the sense of earth only, as sup-
plying food.
The
first
is
represented as red, the second
These three elements
as white, the third as black.
are
represented
as
being
mixed
in
three
also
proportions,
and as constituent elements of the human body they are G
2
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
84
represented as passing through three forms of development, the earthy portion being manifested in faeces, flesh, and
Manas, the watery portion
in urine, blood,
and
the
life,
fiefy
There are many
portion in bones, marrow, and speech.
of these purely fanciful speculations to be found in the This, however, should not be allowed to pre-
Upanishads.
judice us against what
is
simple and primitive and rational
But
in these depositories of ancient thought.
Can
and
these passive
Vedantist says again, No, no; they are not what in search of, they cannot
be the
airos,
asked,
if it is
be the Self? the
active senses
we
which must be
are real,
unchanging, and eternal. If this applies to the ten senses,
strength to what
Manas,
all
is
treated as material,
Manas
element.
it
applies with equal
sometimes called the eleventh sense, the
is
and
as products of the earthy
etymologically closely connected with
mens and has therefore been generally translated by mind.
But though language,
it
senses
in
that
has a narrower meaning
it
meant
It is
may be used
for the central
and
of perception
and combining organ of the
action.
originally,
what we ascribe to the
(avadhana)
:
it
we
acts, as
sense in ordinary
in Sanskrit philosophy.
This Manas performs faculty
of attention
are told, as a doorkeeper, pre-
venting the impressions of the different senses from rushing in simultaneously, It is
easy to
show
and producing nothing but confusion. that this central sense also falls
the Vedantic No, no.
be permanent and
real
fore called anta/%karaÂŤa
It ;
cannot be the
it is
Self,
an instrument
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the inner organ.
under
which must
only,
and
We see
there-
here the
rNOei 2EAYT0N. same confusion which
85 There
exists elsewhere.
abundance of words expressive of what us,
our antaAkaraÂŤa, our mind in
that
we
The
worst of
is
such an
going on within
various manifestations,
are embarrassed rather than helped by this wealth. it
supposed at a peculiar
its
is
that as there are so
is
many
words,
time that each must have
later
meaning; and,
if it
had
it
its
was
own
not, scholastic definition
soon came in to assign to each that special meaning which it
was to have in
In the meantime the stream of
future.
languages flowed on in complete disregard of such
became if
artificial
and with every new philosophy the confusion
barriers,
greater
and
greater.
each language by
itself
It is
easy to understand that
can seldom give us well-defined
terms for the various manifestations of our perceptive and reasoning powers, the confusion becomes
we attempt
those of another language.
Atman,
as
what
free
is
is
For instance,
from
if
when
of one by
we
translated
passions by a word which generally
all
the example of others and translate Verstand,
greater
mostly done, by soul, we should be rendering
implies the seat of the passions.
or
still
to render the psychological terms
And if we were to follow Manas by understanding
we should render what
is
meant
as chiefly
a perceptive and arranging faculty by a name that implies reasoning from the lowest to the highest form.
Verstand
is
what distinguishes
the Vedanta
Manas
would seem,
to plants ^
It
is
men from
With us
animals, while in
not denied to animals, not even, as
it
seems better therefore to retain as much as possible *
Deussen,
l.u. p. 258.
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RlMAK/i/SHiVA.
86
the technical terms of Sanskrit philosophy, and to speak of
Atman
or the Self instead of soul, of Manas, or possibly
mind, instead of understanding or Verstand.
We is
shall see that
even in Sanskrit
itself
the confusion
more terms than can be accombe kept distinct one from the other. By the
very great, there being
modated or
side of the Indriyas, or senses, for instance, PrS/zas, literally vital spirits,
as a conditio sine so-called
we
also find
which include the Manas, and
qua non, but not as one of the Indriyas, the
Mukhya
PrSÂŤa, the vital breath, that passes from
the lungs through the mouth, and which again in a very artificial, if
not to say foolish, manner
The Manas
varieties.
meant
part of the body, being
more than the But
it
has
no
I believe, for
some of which
Manas
itself.
is
We
and mental
for perception
or what
.^itta, thought
separate faculties.
first,
names of the
have Buddhi, the general name
discrimination,
at
and the names of some of them
functions,
are interchanged with the
activity,
divided into five
and superintending perceptive organ.
central
many
is
then treated, like the senses, as
is
thought,
Vi^ÂŤana,
are sometimes treated as
Sawzkara, however, shows his powerful
grasp by comprising
all
under Manas, so that Manas
is
sometimes reason, sometimes understanding, or mind or thought. it
may
This simplifies his psychology very much, though
lead to misunderstandings also.
Manas
gives us the
images (Vorstellungen) which consist of the contributions of the different senses fixes
it
;
it
tells
us this
is this (nij/^aya)
and
(adhyavasSya). Images are formed into concepts and
words (sawkalpa); these may be called into question {sa.msa.ya.),
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ;
TNOei 2EAYT0N.
87
and weighed
(vikalpa) against each other, so as to give us
judgements.
Here then we should have
the elements of our psychology, but
it
that they were never minutely elaborated
Even
philosophers. different
psychological terms,
logically rather
himself.
the meanings
were
form
in a rough
must be confessed
by the Vedanta
here assigned to the so
etymo-
assigned
than from definitions given by ^aÂťzkara
According to him, Manas gives us everything
impressions, images, concepts,
and judgements, nay even
self-consciousness or Ahamkira.,
i.
e.
the Ego-making, and
consequently the distinguishing between subjects and ob-
But when we ask, is the Manas, or Buddhi, or Xitta, are any of thfe Manas, such as KSma, desire, Dht, fear, Hrt, Manas.
jects, all are
the Aha^zkara, attributes of
or
shame, Dhl, wisdom, Vi^ikitsS,
doubt,
AaddhS,
belief,
Ajraddhd, unbelief, Dhriti, decision, Adhr/ti, wavering, are
all
again.
or any of these the true Self? the Vedantist answers
No, no ; they are temporal, they are composite, they
come and they of,
cannot be what we are in search
go, they
the true and eternal
my
It is clear that
Self.
when we
say
body, there are two things presupposed, one thing the
body, the other he to
we speak of my distinguish
because that
belongs.
So again when
is
my
time
my
Self,
But we should never say
tautological
:
Ego, we
for the
the Self cannot belong to any
we were to say my Self, we could only mean we say our Self, i.e. the Self of all, or simply we mean Brahman, Brahman as hidden within us and
else.
If
our Ego, but Self,
it
mind, nay of
between a possessor and what
being he possesses.
one
whom my
senses,
if
;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
88
within the world.
At the time of death the organs of know-
ledge are not supposed to be destroyed absolutely, but while there
is
another
before us, they are reduced to a seminal
life
or potential form only,
and though the outward organs them-
selves will decay, their potentia or
what
in
body
is
called the Sfikshma-^Sarira, the subtile body, the
and becomes again
that migrates from birth to birth
and again a Sthula-&rira, a
new
in every
will be.
existence
real
this Sukshma-.Sarira also
Atman only, or Brahman as The form assumed by the
vanishes and there remains the
he was and always
But when
material body.
freedom has once been obtained,
body
powers remain, dwelling
determined by the deeds
is
and thoughts during former existences
so to say,
it is still,
:
under the law of causality.
Then what remains
for the airos, for the
Atman ?
Greek sages have hardly any answer to give ; auTcSs
to
The
them the
was seldom more than the Ego, Ahawzkara, while with
the Vedantist
it
distinctly
is
not the
Ego
as opposed to
a Non-Ego, but something beyond, something not touched
by the law of
causality,
something neither
suffering,
enjoying, nor acting, but that without which
gross nor the subtile this the true airSs,
body could ever
neither
exist.
This
it
As
for ever a
;
it
says No, no,
but what the Self
Giva.,
mere looker-on, untouched by anything.
I said before, the Vedinta-philosophy
of negation
Self,
was discovered as not-personal
though dwelling in the personal or living Atman, the
remained
the
was discovered in the lotus of the heart
in true Self-consciousness,
it
nor
is,
it
says
defies all
all
is
a philosophy
that the Self
words and
all
is
not,
thoughts.
TNOei 2EAYT0N.
89
Our thoughts and our words return from it baffled, as the Veda says. There are passages in the Upanishads where attempts are made to bring us nearer to a conception of the Self, whether we call it the Brahman or the Atman, but these attempts never go so far as a definition of these two,
One
or of this III, 14,
XHndogya Upanishad
In the
Power.
we read:
'Surely this universe
Brahman.
is
It
should be worshipped in silence as the beginning,
and the end of
being,
body, light (ether).
its
form.
works
It
Its
all.
matter
thought,
is
the
life
its
Its will is truth, its Self the infinite wills all,
all, it
embracing the Universe,
silent
it
scents
all, it
tastes
and unconcerned.
all,
This
is
the Self in the innermost heart, smaller than a mustard-
seed or the kernel of heart, larger than
than
larger
working,
the
sky,
all-willing,
embracing,
silent,
is
the Self in the innermost
earth, larger than the atmosphere,
larger
than
all-scenting,
all
Brahman,
is
He who
parting from hence.
worlds.
one,
all-tasting
unconcerned one,
the innermost heart, this
when
This
it.
the
this
is
The
all-
the
all-
the Self in
this I shall
has
this,
become
does not
doubt.'
This subject as
we saw
it
is
in the Taittiriya
another
is
First
moved, then the thought,
till
This
again and again.
^Mndogya, we Upanishad II, 1-7. One
there removed,
the pure Self.
bliss.
treated
treated in the
vital
till
it
much
treated
covering after
there remains in the
the body of flesh and blood
end
is
breath, then the Manas, and with
at last nothing remains is
Very
find
but the Self
called the sap or the essence.
full
reit
of
It is this Self
;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAK/e/SHWA.
go
and
that brings bliss, finding peace
rest in the invisible,
So no
the immaterial, the inexpressible, the unfathomable.
long as anything else
peace and no Or,
however wise a
rest,
as 'YS^avalkya
says
:
'
man may
He who
pressing what
Upanishads
really inexpressible,
is
to
Brahman.
short, neither subtile still,
Brahman
nor gross
;
he
is
is
think himself.
knows
this,
Every name that can be imagined
everything.'
activity,
hidden anywhere, there
is left,
knows ex-
for
assigned in the
is
neither long nor
is
without parts, without
without spot, without fraud, he
is
unborn,
never growing old, not fading nor dying, nor fearing anything; he
is
without and within.'
can be called he, nor she; he
is
is
Whether such a being
very doubtful, for he
is
neither he
the very highest sense of that un-
It in
differentiated pronoun.
We
thus see that both methods, the
first
that started
from the postulate that the true Self must be one, without a second, and the second, which holds that the true Self
must be unchanging, arrive
eternal,
world can be nothing that world,
without beginning or end,
the same final result,
at
is
viz.
that the Self of the
perceived in this changing
and that our own Self too can be nothing that
is
perceived as changing, as being born, as living and dying.
Both may,
in
one sense of the word, be called nothings
though they are everything else is
in reality that in is
not, if the Self
nothing. is
comparison with which
If the world
real the
world
is
is
not.
real the Self
FINAL CONCLUSION, TAT TVAMASI.
9
1
Final Conclusion, Tat tvamasi.
Then
follows the final conclusion that these two Selfs are
one and the same, only reached by is
man
phenomenally, the world
is
different
methods.
gods of the world are gods phenomenally, but in all
are the Godhead, call
phosed and hidden
for a
it
Man
world phenomenally, the
Atman
full reality
or Brahman, metamor-
time by AvidyS. or Nescience, but
always recoverable by VidyS or by the Vedanta-philosophy.
These ideas
in
a more or less popular form seem to
pervade the Hindu mind from the date.
They
earliest to
the latest
are taught in the schools, but even without
the schools they seem to be imbibed with the mother's
They are often exaggerated and caricatured so as become repulsive to a European mind, but in their purity and simplicity they contain an amount of truth which can no longer be safely neglected by any student, whether milk. to
of philosophy or religion.
It
can no longer be put aside as
merely curious, or disposed of as mystic, without a definition of
what
is
meant by mystic, and without an argument
that everything that
do with
is
called mystic has really nothing to
That
either religion or philosophy.
it
may
lead to
dangerous consequences no one would deny, but the same
may be if
said of almost every religion
carried to
its
last
consequences.
and every philosophy, I
have already drawn
attention to the false reasoning, that because
good works
cannot secure salvation, therefore bad works also are different
or
harmless.
Good
works, according
to
in-
the
Vedanta, certainly do not lead straight to salvation, but
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
92
they represent the salvation, while evil
deeds form a barrier that keeps a
from making even the
first
knowledge and beatitude.
only, but
is
it
easily seen
in
deeply enough impressed on
RamakÂŤshÂŤa
of
what sense
this
or
that
either
is
cannot be
It
the minds of the
nothing would
modern
be more
own work
lower their master and their
likely to
sin,
been held true not in India
true or false, whether in India or at home.
apostles
man
step in his progress towards
That a Saint cannot
Sciens non peccat, has
that
on to
step that leads
essential
first
RAMAK/J/SHiVA.
in the
eyes of serious people than the slightest moral laxity on their part, or
that a
a defence of any such laxity on the ground
GÂŤanin, a Knower,
thing to say that such a
is
above morality.
man cannot
are completely subdued, another that
if
state
there
is
could not be imputed to him as a httle uncertainty on that point even
authorities,
but we know as yet
far
one
he should from any
defect of knowledge lapse from his passionless it
It is
sin because his passions
sin.
and
perfect
I confess
among
ancient
too Uttle of the classical
Veddntic writings to speak with confidence on such a point.
There are too many passages
in
which
strict
morality
is
enjoined as a sine qua non for Vedintic freedom to allow
any one to use a few doubtful passages in defence of im-
When we
morality.
from the Vedanta, or, if possible,
Plato
the
and
full
to
have
it
will
on towards
it.
can be learnt
to begin to criticise
We
it,
study the systems of
Spinoza and Kant, not as containing
perfect truth, cut the' truth.
learnt all that
be time
improve
Aristotle, of
and
first
and
dry,
but as helping us
Every one of these contains
partial
FINAL CONCLUSION, TAT TVAMASI.
93
truths which might easily be proved to lead to dangerous
consequences.
What
necessary to us at present, more
is
than at any previous time,
a historical study of
is
philosophy, that of India not excluded, in dialectic
development, so that we
itself as
new, though
has been discussed again and again before, and,
be, far
more thoroughly than by
its
it
may
most recent advocates.
sound almost incredible that
It will hereafter
all
genetic or
may not be swayed by every
philosophical breeze that announces it
its
in our time
the philosophical public should have been startled by the idea of evolution as a philosophical novelty, nay, that there
should have been an angry contest as to the
first
really
discoverer of what has been discussed again
again during the if
who was
last
not evolution, the evolution advocated by
rejected by Samkaxa..
and
two thousand years. What is pari«ama,
That the
Rdminu^,
but
illustration of this evolu-
tionary process of the world, as given in our time, should
stand incomparably higher than anything attempted from
R^manuga. down to Herder, who would deny ? historian of philosophy the idea
of
it
quite another.
Darwin,
who was
It is
is
one
But to the
thing, its illustration
most unfair to represent a man
like
the most eminent observer of nature, as
a philosopher, an abstract philosopher, the very thing which
he himself would have most strongly deprecated.
At
present, however, I
am
philosophy, Jiure ef simple,
not concerned with Indian
but with
its
effects
popular mind of India, as shown by one of representatives,
Ramak«sh«a.
He
very clearly between philosophy or
its
on the recent
himself distinguishes
Gnina (knowledge) and
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
94
RAMAK/tTSHiVA.
devotion or Bhakti, and he himself was a Bhakta, a worshipper' or lover of the deity,
much more than
from which Ramakr/sh«a emerges, and the shades
the
of
thought
I
it
atmosphere
in
nC sense of the word an
new
Presence where
it
was
enthusiast, or, if
you
dreams also have a
he recognised the Divine
least suspected,
like,
he was a
a dreamer of dreams.
right to exist,
and sympathy.
attention
seen,
idea or the pro-
But he saw many
pounder of any new view of the world.
had not
that
short sketch of Vedantic
original thinker, the discoverer of a
things which others
and
lights
he moved,
which
in
add a
useful to
Ramakr«sh«a was
thought.
GnSnm
a
It was in order to show the background
or a knower.
poet,
an
But such
and have a claim on our never composed
'Rsimakrishfia.
a philosophical treatise; he simply poured out short sayings,
and the people came was
time in
at the
to listen to them, whether the speaker full
a dream, or in a trance. clear that
possession of his faculties, or in
From
all
we can
learn,
by long continued
ascetic exercises, arrived at
of nervous excitability that he could at any
away or
fall
Samadhi. ^
it is
quite
he had, by a powerful control of his breath, and such a pitch
moment
faint
into a state of unconsciousness, the so-called
This Samadhi may be looked
at,
however, from
This difference between Bhakti, devotion, and Gnina, knowledge,
is fully
treated by Kishori Lai Sarkar in his interesting little book,
Hindu System of Religions Science and
Rationalism and Emotionalism, Calcutta, 1898. says,
'
sees
with a telescopic, Bhakti with
a.
Intelligence, Bhakti reciprocates the
'
GnSjia.,'
the anthor
microscopic eye.
perceives the essence, Bhakti feels the sweetness.
Supreme
The
Art, or the Revelations of
C^ana
Gnhia. discovers the
Supreme Loving
Will.'
THE SAYINGS OF two
RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
points, as either purely physical or as psychical.
an ordinary SaraSdhi a man may recover from a fainting
fit,
as
From
Samidhi there
this
nothing
left
reached
it,
is
no
that can return.
A
their Ego,
become the
Supreme
is
is
often
sleep,
in
it
by means of a small efficacy of their
recovered
fallen into this
his breath only;
He
had
its
his Self,
glory, freed
will be, the
from
all
it
was
at
fallen into a trance,
lay hold of his
no longer
Brahmahood, had become what
been and always
deep
so long that his friends were afraid
time of his death.
its
for
With Ramakn'sh^ea
and dying.
and he never awoke, but even death could body and
wish
Some-
waking, sleeping with dreams,
he would never return to consciousness, and so last at the
is
who have
This deep, unconscious sleep
happened that when he had
he remained
only
the state of deep dreamless sleep,
states,
sleeping without dreams,
men
supposed to be with Brahman
a time, but able to return.
one of the four
it
Spirit.
because there
and saviours of mankind.
instructors
during which the soul
it
few
and through the
thing very like Samadhi
is
return,
are enabled to return from
remnant of
From
one recovers
but the true Samidhi consists in losing
oneself or finding oneself entirely in the
to
95
it
Atman, the Highest
his,
had
had always Self, in all
the clouds of appearances, and
independent of individuality, personality, and of the whole
phenomenal world.
The Sayings of
B,&m.a,'krtBhna,.
His sayings or Logia were collected and written down by his pupils, in Bengali;
some were
translated into Sanskrit
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rXnLAKRISUNA.
96 and
There are many that remind us of old
into English.
Sanskrit sayings, of which there are several collections,
The
however, in metrical form.
all,
sayings of 'R.&makrishna,
are different, because they are in prose, uttered evidently
on the spur of the moment, and tinged here and there with European ideas which must have reached RSmakr/shÂŤa through his intercourse with Anglo-Indians, and not from books, for he was ignorant of English.
them from
collection of
nanda, well States
known by
and England.
I received a
'KS.vaakn'shna.'s
own
complete Viveka-
pupil,
his missionary labours in the
I give
them
United
as they were sent to me,
with such corrections only as seemed absolutely necessary. I thought at first of arranging
them under
different heads,
but found that this would have destroyed their character
and made them rather monotonous reading. as
they are,
they give a true picture of the
I
believe
man and
of his way of teaching, suggested by the impulses of the
moment, but by no means
and by no means
systematic,
from repetitions and contradictions. very
much
to
seem
to our mind, they
blasphemous.
out
leave
But should
against historic truth?
has exercised and as
is
some of insipid,
I not in
We
I
his sayings,
in
free
should have liked
bad
because,
taste, or
even
doing so have offended
want to know the
man who
exercising so wide an influence, such
he was, not such as we wish him
to
have been.
He
himself never wished to appear different from what he was,
and he he was.
often seems to have Besides,
if
I
made himself out worse than so, I know that there are
had done
.men who would not have been ashamed of suspecting
me
THE SAYINGS OF
RAMAK/JZSHJVA.
97
of a wish to represent the religions of the East, both
and
men who would
very
find
lesson to learn from
I said, let the
Few
remain together.
tares
many a
No,
Ramakr?sh;za's sayings.
modem
These are the
ancient, as better than they really are.
wheat and the
thoughtful readers will go
through them without finding some thought that makes
them ponder, some
truth that will startle
from so unexpected a quarter.
them
coming
as
Nothing, on the other hand,
would be easier than to pick out a saying here and
and thus This
is
show
to
a very old
trick,
the rice-merchants
and who
offer
that the field
that they are all
insipid
there,
foolish.
described in India as the trick of
who wish
to sell or to
buy a
you a handful of good or bad
is
and
rice-field,
show
grains to
either valuable or worthless.
To my mind
these sayings, the good, the bad, and the indifferent, are interesting because they represent
an important phase of
thought, an attempt to give prominence to the devotional
and
practical side of the Vedanta,
and because they show
They
the compatibility of the Vedinta with other religions. will
of
make
its
it
clear that the
own, which
Vedinta
may seem
also possesses a morality
too high and too spiritual for
ordinary mortals, but which in India has done good,
good, and
may
In conclusion, I have to thank
and
is
doing
continue to do good for centuries to come.
my
friend
Mozoomdar,
several of the disciples of RAmakrishna.,
ticularly VivSkS,nanda
and the
for the ready help they
more
have rendered
me
in publishing this
collection of the sayings of their departed Master.
H
par-
editor of the Brahmavadin,
THE
SAYINGS OF RAMAIC^/SHiVA\
1.
Thou
seest
many
stars at night in the sky,
them not when the sun are
no
stars,
rises.
but findest
Canst thou say that there
then, in the heaven of
day?
So,
O
man,
because thou beholdest not the Almighty in the days of thy ignorance, say not that there
As one and
2.
different
is
no God.
the same material,
names by
different people
viz. water, is called
—one
calling
it
'
by
water,'
another 'vtri,' a third 'aqua,' and another 'pa«i'
—so
the one Sat-^t-ananda, the Everlasting-Intelligent-Bliss,
is
invoked by some as God, by some as Allah, by some as
and by others
Hari,
Two
3.
persons were hotly disputing as to the colour
of a chameleon. tree
is
One
said,
'
The chameleon on that palmThe other, contradicting
of a beautiful red colour.'
him, said, blue.'
Brahman.
as
'
You are mistaken,
Not being able
the chameleon
to settle the matter
is
not red, but
by arguments,
both went to the person who always lived under that tree
and had watched the chameleon in
all its
phases of colour.
' Some more of R^akrtsh»a's sayings have been sent to me lately, but their publication will have to wait for another opportunity.
THE One
of them said,
'
Sir, is
of a red colour?' other disputant said,
not red, 'Yes,
The
sir.'
not the chameleon on that tree
'
That person again humbly
he said
'
replied,
person knew that the chameleon
animal that constantly changes that
99
The person replied, 'Yes, sir.' The What do you say ? How is it ? It is
blue.'
is
it
SAYINGS.
yes
to both
'
colour;
its
thus
an
is
was
it
these conflicting statements.
The Sat-^it4nanda likewise has various forms. The devotee who has seen God in one aspect only, knows Him in that aspect alone. But he who has seen Him in His manifold aspects,
is
alone in a position to say,
'
All these forms are
God is multiform.' He has forms and has and many are His forms which no one knows.
of one God, for
no forms, 4.
Many
names of God, and infinite the forms know Him. In whatsoever name or form call Him, in that very form and name you will
are the
that lead us to
you desire to see
Him.
5.
Four blind men went
see an
to
touched the leg of the elephant, and like a pillar.'
'The elephant touched the jar.'
The
is like
The second touched like
is
belly,
and
that
and
said,
is
The
'
third
elephant
to dispute
arbitrate.
'What
quarrelling, said, ?
'
They
That man
H
2
is
like a big
A
as to the figure of the elephant.
them thus
you are disputing about
and asked him to
elephant
The
club.'
Thus they began
a winnowing basket.'
passer-by seeing
The
'The elephant
fourth touched the ears,
amongst themselves
'
the trunk, and said,
a thick stick or said,
One
elephant.
said,
told
him
said,
'
is
it
everything,
None
of
you
:
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJUSBNA.
lOO
The
has seen the elephant. its
legs are like pillars.
It is
elephant
ears are like
its
elephant
is
its
proboscis
the combination of
manner those
quarrel
its
not like a winnowing
It is
winnowing baskets.
a thick stick or club, but
pillar,
not like a big water-vessel,
belly is like a water-vessel.
basket,
not like a
is
It
not like
who have seen one
The
In the same
these.'
all
is
is like that.
aspect only of the
Deity.
As the same sugar is made into various figures of and beasts, so one sweet Mother Divine is worshipped various climes and ages under various names and forms.
e.
birds in
creeds are
Different
but different
to reach
paths
the
Almighty. 7.
As with one gold
different forms
different countries
names.
various ornaments are made, having
and names, so one God and
ages,
and
is
worshipped in
has different
forms and
Though He may be worshipped variously, some him Father, others Mother, &c., yet it is one
loving to call
God
that
is
being worshipped in
all
these various relations
and modes.
God of every religion is the same, why God is painted differently by different A. God is one, but His aspects are different
8. Q. If the is
it
then that the
religionists ?
as
one master of the house
another,
and husband to a
different
names by those
is
father to one, brother to
third,
and
is
called
different persons, so
by these
one
God
described and called in various ways according to
is
the
THE particular aspect in
lOI
SAYINGS.
which
He
appears to His particular
worshipper.
In a potter's shop there are vessels of different shapes
9.
and forms
made
—
pots,
different ages
plates,
&c.
one, but
is
dishes,
jars,
So God
of one clay.
is
and climes under
different
—but
all
are
worshipped in
names and
aspects.
God is one, but his aspects are many. One and the may be made to taste differently, according to the modes of preparing it, so one God is enjoyed different 10.
same
fish
variously
(i.
U. Man be
His various aspects) by His devotees.
e.
in
is
like
The
a pillow-case.
red, another blue, another black,
same
So
cotton.
black,
another
dwells in
them
is
it
water
is
is
beautiful,
one
is
a fourth wicked; but the Divine
brooded over by Nariya^a, but every
is
not
fit
for drink.
Similarly,
though
it is
the Almighty dwells in every place, yet every
true that
place
—one
may
contain the
all
all.
12. All waters are
kind of water
man
with
holy,
is
colour of one
but
not
fit
As one kind of another may and others may be drunk,
to be visited by
may be used
for
man.
washing our
serve the purpose of ablution,
feet,
and others again may not be touched are different kinds of places.
We may
at
all
;
so there
approach some, we
can enter into the inside of others, others we must avoid, even
at a distance.
13. It
is
true that
God
is
not go and face the animal.
even in the
So
it
is
tiger,
but we must
true that
God
dwells
'
'
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHJVA.
I02
even in the most wicked, but
it is
not meet that
we should
associate with the wicked.
The
14.
manifestation of the Divinity must be under-
stood to be in greater degree in those respected,
and obeyed by a
who have gained no such The Master
15.
The
who
are honoured,
large following, than in those
influence.
said: 'Everything that exists
pupil understood
it literally,
is
but not in the true
While he was passing through a
God.' spirit.
he met with an
street,
The driver (m^hut) shouted aloud from his The pupil argued high place, Move away, move away in his mind, Why should I move away ? I am God, so What fear has God of Himself? is the elephant also God. elephant.
'
!
'
'
At
Thinking thus he did not move.
last
the elephant
took him up by his trunk, and dashed him aside. severely hurt,
and going back
to his Master,
He
was
he related the
The Master said, 'All right, you are The elephant is God also, but God in the shape of
whole adventure.
God.
Why
the elephant-driver was warning you also from above.
did you not pay heed to his warnings
?
16. God, His scripture (the Bhigavata), are
all to
be regarded
17. Every being
is
as one,
i.e.
in
Man
Niriyawa.
knave, nay, the whole universe,
is
and His devotee
one and the same
light.
or animal, sage or
NiriyaÂŤa, the Supreme
Spirit.
18.
As many have merely heard of snow but not many are the religious preachers who have read
it,
so
in
books about the
attributes of
seen only
God, but have not realised
THE SAYINGS. them
And
in their lives.
tasted
many
so
it,
as
IO3
many may have seen but who have
not
are the religious teachers
got
only a glimpse of Divine Glory, but have not understood real essence.
its
what
is like.
it
He who has tasted He who has enjoyed now
in different aspects,
as a servant,
now
tell
19.
what are the
attributes of
as a friend,
Him,
as a lover, or as being absorbed in
can
snow can say
the
the society of
Put the pot with
its
ingredients
on the
fire
;
it it.
But the heat does not belong to the tained in in
and the
pot,
or potato, &c.
be so hot as to burn your finger when you touch
it.
will
man
so
oil,
without God.
live
20. The human body is like a boiling mind and the senses are like water, rice in
he alone
&c.,
God.
As the lamp does not burn without
cannot
God now
man
but
it,
in the
that causes the
their functions, also, or
is
So
pot, nor anything con-
it is
mind and the
and when that
God,
I
'
am
charmer that healeth;
and the executioner
fire
23.
fire
of
Brahman
senses to perform
ceases to act, the senses
God
tells
I
the snake that biteth and the
am
the judge that condemneth
that whippeth.'
the thief to go and
steal,
time warns the householder against the
in the
the
the organs, stop.
21. Says
22.
fire.
How body
and
doth the Lord dwell in the body like the plug of a syringe,
and yet apart from
it.
at the
same
thief.
i.
e.
?
He
dwells
in the body,
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKRISHNA.
I04
The Lord can
24.
He
a needle.
As
25.
pass an elephant through the eye of
can do whatever
He
pond covered over with reeds
fishes playing in a
and scum cannot be seen from the heart of a
human
invisibly,
God
outside, so
plays in
being screened by MiyS, from
view.
A man
28.
man
likes.
sitting
under the shade of the Kalpa-vÂŤTisha
(wishing-tree) wished to
The
was a king.
next
be a king, and
moment he wished
in
an instant he
to
have a charm-
ing damsel, and the damsel was instantly by his side.
man
then thought within himself,
devoured him, and alas a tiger
!
God
!
all his
27.
who
destitute
The
:
in the jaws of
whosoever in His
thinks and believes that the Lord
landlord
he accepts
may be
it
fulfils
Him.
very rich, but
humble present
The
came and
and poor, remains as
wants, receives everything from
cultivator brings a heart,
is
tiger
an instant he was
like that wishing-tree
is
presence thinks that he such, but he
in
a
if
to
when a poor
him with a loving
with the greatest pleasure and
satis-
faction.
28. While a bell
is
being rung, the repeated ding-dongs
can be distinguished one from the other, but when we stop ringing, then an undistinguishable sound only remains audible. other, as
We if
can
easily distinguish
one note from the
each distinct note had a certain shape
;
but the
continued and unbroken sound when the ding-dongs have ceased of the
is
undistinguishable, as
bell,
God
is
if
formless.
Like the sound
both with and without form.
;
THE SAYINGS.
IO5
29. As a boy begins to learn writing by drawing big scrawls, before
he can master the small-hand, so we must
mind by fixing it first on forms and when we have attained success therein, we can easily
learn concentration of the
fix it
upon the
formless.
30. As a marksman learns to shoot by first taking aim at large and big objects, and the more he acquires the facility, the greater becomes the ease with which he can shoot at smaller marks
the
on the
target, so
when
easy for
to
it
God
31.
in
it
becomes
be fixed upon images having no form. the Absolute and Eternal Brahman, as well
is
The
as the Father of the Universe. is like
mind has
the
been trained to be fixed on images having form,
indivisible
Brahman
a vast shoreless ocean, without bounds and
which
can only struggle and sink.
I
limits,
But when
I
approach the always sportive (active) personal Deity (Hari), I get peace, like the sinking
32.
God
and
formless,
is
man who is
with form too, and
that which transcends both form
alone can say what else
He
nears the shore.
He is He
and formlessness.
is.
33. At a certain stage of his path of devotion,
God
devotee finds satisfaction in stage, in
34.
Him 35.
God
the
with form; at another
without form.
The God
with form
is
visible,
nay,
we can touch
face to face, as with one's dearest friend.
As
at
one time
naked, so Brahman
another without.
is
I at
am
clothed,
and
one time with
at another time
attributes
and
at
;
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJJ/SHiVA.
I06 36.
As water when congealed becomes
form of the Almighty
the all-pervading formless Brahman.
so the visible
may be
It
As the
in fact, Sat-^it-inanda solidiiied.
and
ice,
the materialised manifestation of
is
called,
being part
ice,
parcel of the water, remains in the water for a time
and afterwards melts
in
so the Personal
it,
He
parcel of the Impersonal.
remains
rises
and ultimately merges
there,
God
is
part
and
from the Impersonal, into
it
and
dis-
appears.
name
87. His too,
is
Intelligence
and He, the Lord,
38.
when
Two
is
;
His abode
is
Intelligence
Intelligence Himself.
when
are the occasions
the Lord smiles,
first,
brothers remove the chains which partition off the
family property, saying, 'This
is
and secondly, when the patient and the physician
says,
'
mine and is
that
is
thine;'
on the point of death,
I will cure him.'
30. Lunatics, drunkards, and children sometimes give
out the truth unconsciously, as
40. The sun
is
many
from
is
fall
appears like a small disk.
So
but owing to our being too
far
it
infinitely great,
Him we
inspired by Heaven.
times larger than the earth, but
owing to the great distance the Lord
if
very, very short of
comprehending His
real greatness.
41.
Knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or uncon-
sciously, in
whatever state we utter His name,
the merit of such utterance. into a river
we
acquire
A man who voluntarily goes
and bathes therein gets the benefit of the bath
,
THE SAYINGS. who has been pushed
so does likewise he
who
another, or
I07 into the river
by
while sleeping soundly has water thrown
upon him by another. 42. Satan never enters the house wherein are always
sung the praises of Hari.
A king having committed the mortal crime of killing
43.
a Brihma^a, went to the hermitage of a sage to learn what
penance he must perform
in order to
be
purified.
sage was absent from home, but his son was there.
son hearing the case of the king,
said,
'
Repeat the
The The name
God (Rama) three times and your sin will be expiated.' When the sage came back and heard the penance prescribed of
he said to him in great wrath,
by
his son,
in
myriads of births are purged
name
the
O
dala,.'
For
!
Sins committed
once by but once uttering
how weak must be thy faith, ordered that name to be repeated
of the Almighty ;.
son, that thou hast
thrice
at
'
And
this olfence of thine
the son
go and become a Kin-
became the Guhaka
Xlindkla. of the
RS.miyaÂŤa. 44. Consciously or unconsciously, in whatever way one into
the trough of nectar, one becomes immortal.
Similarly,
whosoever utters the name of the Deity voluntarily
falls
or involuntarily finds immortality in the end.
45. As a large and powerful steamer moves swiftly over the waters, towing rafts and barges in
a Saviour descends,
ocean of Mllyi
He
(illusion).
easily carries
its
wake, so when
thousands across the
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAmAKR/SHWA.
I08 46.
When
flood
comes,
overflows
it
When
the Saviour becomes incarnate,
The Siddhas (perfect much pain and penance.
through His grace. themselves with 47.
When
a mighty
raft
of wood
can carry a hundred men, and
down may
floating
flxed chanall
are saved
ones) only save
down a
stream,
does not sink.
still it
find salvation
refiige
much
under Him.
toil
and
So
wagons.
and takes with
it
The
trouble.
48. The locomotive engine reaches the destination also draws
it
A reed
incarnate, innumerable are the
by taking
Siddha only saves himself with
and
and
adjacent
sink with the weight of even a crow.
So when a Saviour becomes
men who
floats
rivers all
But the rain-water flows away through
lands. nels.
the
and makes one watery surface of
streams,
itself,
a long train of loaded
likewise act the Saviours.
They
carry multi-
tudes of men, heavily laden with the cares and sorrows of the world, to the feet of the Almighty.
49.
When Bhagav^n
,51:1
Rima^andra came
seven sages only could recognise incarnate.
So when God descends
Him
to
to this world,
be the
God
into this world, few only
can recognise His Divine nature. 50.
On
Rimas,
down
the tree of Sat-^it-inanda there are innumerable
KrishnsLS, Christs, &c.
into this world
;
now and
one or two of them come then,
and produce mighty
changes and revolutions. 51.
He
is
The Avatira like the
or Saviour
is
the messenger of God.
Viceroy of a mighty monarch.
As when
THE there
some disturbance
is
in a far-off province the king
sends his viceroy to quell
waning of
lOQ
SAYINGS.
so whenever there
it;
any part of the world,
religion in
God
is
any
sends His
Avatdra there. 52. It
is
one and the same Avat^ra
into the ocean of
rises
life,
up
Krishna, and diving again
known
in
having plunged
that,
known
as
another place and
is
one place and
rises in
is
as Christ.
53. In
some seasons water can be obtained from the and with great difficulty, but
great depths of the wells only
when
the country
flooded in the rainy season, water
is
obtained with ease everywhere.
So
ordinarily,
God
is is
reached with great pains through prayers and penances, but when the flood of Incarnation descends,
God
is
seen
anywhere and everywhere. 54. logist
A
Siddha-purusha (perfect one)
who removes
is
like
an archaeo-
the dust and lays open an old well
which was covered up during ages of disuse by rank growth.
engineer
no water only
The who
Avatara, on the other hand, sinks a
before.
who have
new
Great
devoid of
like a great
men
can give salvation to those
the waters of piety and goodness hidden
in themselves, but the Saviour saves is
is
well in a place where there was
all love,
and dry
him too whose
heart
as a desert.
55. Think not that Rima, Sit^, .Sri Krishnu, R^dh^ Ar^na, &c., were not historical personages, but mere allegories, or that the Scriptures
have an inner and esoteric
meaning
human
only.
Nay, they were
beings of flesh and
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
no
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
blood just as you their lives
56. the
are,
but because they were Divinities,
can be interpreted both
None knoweth
RAMAKiJ/SHJVA.
historically
and
spiritually.
the immensity of the sacrifice which
Godhead maketh when
it
becomes incarnate or becomes
flesh.
57.
The
Brahman
Saviours are to
as the waves are to
the ocean.
58. What is the state which man and well-cooked food
a Siddha attains ? (A perfect are
both
called
siddha.
is a pun here on the word.) As potato or brinjal, when boiled properly (siddha), becomes soft and tender, when a man reaches perfection (Siddha) he becomes all
There &c.,
so
humility and tenderness.
59. Five are the kinds of Siddhas found in (i)
The Svapna Siddhas
by means of dream (2)
are those
this
world
:
who
attain perfection
who
attain perfection
who
attain perfection
inspiration.
The Mantra Siddhas
are those
by means of any sacred mantra. (3)
The
suddenly.
Ha/lfet Siddhas are those
As a poor
man may
finding a hidden treasure, or
suddenly become rich by
by marrying into a
rich family,
many sinners become pure all of a sudden, and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (4) The Kripk Siddhas are those who attain perfection through the tangible grace of the Almighty, as a poor man is made wealthy by the kindness of a king. (5) The Nitya Siddhas are those who are ever-perfect. As a gourd or a pumpkin-creeper brings forth fruit first and so
THE then his
its
born a Siddha, and
flower, so the ever-perfect is
seeming exertions
Ill
SAYINGS.
after perfection
all
are merely for the
sake of setting examples to humanity.
60. There
which
live so
is
a fabled species of birds called 'Homi,'
high up in the heavens, and so dearly love
those regions, that they never condescend to
Even
the earth.
begin to
fall
their eggs, which,
down
when
their course
by
and begin
to fly
Men
instinct.
Jesus, Sa.mkai^ktya.
The
young ones.
birth to the
find out that they are falling
thither
to
by gravity, are downward course
to the earth attracted
said to get hatched in the middle of their
and give
come down
laid in the sky,
and
fledgelings at
once
down, and immediately change
up towards
their
home, drawn
such as Suka. Deva, Nirada,
others, are like those birds,
even in their boyhood give up
all
who
attachments to the things
of this world and betake themselves to the highest regions of true Knowledge and Divine Light.
These men are
called Nitya Siddhas.
61.
The Divine
God's nearest
sages form, as
relatives.
kinsmen of God.
They
it
were, the inner circle of
are like friends, companions,
Ordinary beings form the outer
circle or
are the creatures of God.
62.
When
the shell of an ordinary cocoa-nut
is
through, the nail enters the kernel of the nut too.
pierced
But
in
the case of the dry nut, the kernel becomes separate from the
shell,
touched.
and so when the
shell is pierced the kernel is
Jesus was hke the dry nut,
i.e.
not
His inner soul
1 1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAUAKRISUNA.
2
was separate from His physical
and consequently
shell,
the sufferings of the body did not affect Him.
Once a holy man, while passing through a crowded street, accidentally trod upon the toe of a wicked person. The wicked man, furious with rage, beat the Sadhu merci63.
he
lessly, till
fell
to the
ground in a
His
faint.
disciples
took great pains and adopted various measures to bring
him back
to consciousness,
recovered a
who who
little,
attending upon you ?
is
A true SMhu
beat me.'
a friend and a 64.
and when they saw
one of them asked,
'
Sir,
The Sadhu
'
no
finds
that
he had
do you recognise replied,
distinction
The swan can do
separate the milk from water;
Similarly
so.
with MiyS. ; ordinary
on the word throws
65. well
oflF
'hawzsa,'
that
is
intimately
Him
mix with
it
Other
mixed up
separately from
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;here
is
a pun
which means both soul and swan)
God
only.
carries the smell of the
sandal-wood as
of ordure, but does not mix with either.
Similarly a perfect
man
lives in the world,
but does not
it.
A perfect man is like a lotus-leaf in
a mud-fish in the marsh. the element in which 67.
God
cannot see
Mtyi, and takes up
The wind
as
66.
men
Only the ParamahaÂťzsa (the great soul
M3,yi.
He
foe.
drinks only the milk, leaving the water untouched. birds cannot
'
between
As water
the water or like
Neither of these
is
polluted by
it lives.
passes under a bridge but never stagnates,
3
THE money
so
'The Free' who
it.
68. As a rope that has become ;
1 1
passes through the hands of
never hoard
it
SAYINGS.
all ashes,
the
similarly,
burnt retains
is
shape
its
man who
intact,
but
bound with
so that nothing can be
emancipated retains the form
is
of his egoism, but not an idea of vanity (Ahawkira).
69. As an aquatic bird, such as a pelican, dives into water, but the water does not
man
perfect
lives in the
wet
plumage, so the
its
world, but the world does not
touch him.
When
70.
the head of a goat
signs of
egoism)
life.
Similarly,
beheaded
is
is
some
the trunk moves about for
severed from time,
still
its
body,
showing the
though the AhaÂťzk^ra (vanity or
in the perfect
man, yet
sufificient
of
its
make such a man carry on the functions of but that much is not sufficient to bind him
vitality is left to
physical
life
;
again to the world.
Ornaments cannot be made of pure
71.
alloy
must be mixed with
Mayi
will
A man
it.
not survive more than twenty-one days.
man it may
Some
gold.
totally
devoid of
So long
as the
has body, he must have some Miyi, however
small
be, to carry
on the functions of the body.
72. In the play of hide-and-seek,
if
the player once
succeeds in touching the non-player, called the grand-dame (Boo;^),
he
is
no longer hable
to
be made a
down by
the fetters of the
thief.
Similarly,
man is no longer bound world. The boy, by touching
by once seeing the Almighty, a
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF kXmAKRISBNA.
114
the Boofi,
free to
is
go wherever he wishes, without being
pursued, and no one can
make him a thief. Similarly, in no fear to him who has
this world's playground, there is
once touched the 73.
The
iron,
of the Almighty.
feet
once converted into gold by the touch of
may be
the Philosopher's stone,
thrown into a rubbish-heap, but never return to
will
case with
its
kept under the ground, or it
remains always gold, and
former condition.
Similar
him who has once touched the
Almighty.
Whether he dwells
feet
is
the
of the
in the bustle of the world,
or in the solitude of forests, nothing will ever contaminate
him.
The
74.
sword turns into a golden sword by the
steel
touch of the Philosopher's stone, and though it
Similarly, the
outward form of a
feet
of the Almighty
doeth any
human
is
man who
has touched the
not changed, but he no longer
loadstone rock under the sea attracts the ship
sailing over
planks,
retains its
evil.
The
75.
it
becomes incapable of injuring any one.
former form
it,
draws out
and sinks the soul
is
all
its
iron nails, separates
vessel into the deep.
attracted
by the magnetism of Universal
Consciousness, the latter destroys in a individuality
and
its
Thus, when the
selfishness,
and plunges
moment it
all
its
in the ocean
of God's infinite Love. 76. Milk and water, to
mix so
So
if
when brought
into contact, are sure
that the milk can never
be separated again.
the neophyte, thirsting after self-improvement, mixes
5
THE SAYINGS. indiscriminately with
I 1
of worldly men, he not only
all sorts
loses his ideals, but his former faith, love,
also die
the milk into butter, floats
head,
over
by
it
no longer mixes with
Similarly,
it.
may
it
affected
and enthusiasm When, however, you convert
away imperceptibly.
live
in
when
water, but
the soul once attains God-
any company, without ever being
evil influences.
its
77. So long as no child
is
born to
her, the newly-married
remains deeply absorbed in her domestic duties.
girl
no sooner
is
a son born, than she leaves off
all
But
her house-
hold concerns, and no longer finds any pleasure in them.
On
the contrary, she fondles the newborn baby the livelong
day,
and
kisses
it
with intense joy.
of ignorance, performs
Thus man,
in his state
of worldly works, but no
all sorts
sooner does he see the Almighty, than he finds no longer
any
relish in
them.
On
the contrary, his happiness
consists only in serving the Deity
now
and doing His works
alone.
78. So long as a
aloud and
man
is
far
from the market, he hears
indistinct buzzing only,
something
like
'Ho! Ho!'
But when he enters the market he no longer hears the
some one and so on.
uproar, but perceives distinctly that for potatoes, another for Brinjal,
a
man
is far
away from God, he
is
bargaining
is
As long
and confusion of reason, argument, and discussion
when once
as
in the midst of the noise
a person approaches the Almighty,
all
;
but
reasonings,
arguments, and discussions cease, and he understands the mysteries of
God
with vivid and clear perception. I
2
.
Il6
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ/SHiVA
79. So long as a
(O God
O God
!
man
80. So long as the bee
its
drinks
its
Ho
Allah
!
Ho
!
be sure that he has not found God, for
!),
and has not tasted emitting
'Allah
calls aloud,
he who has found him becomes
it
'
outside the petals of the lotus,
is
honey,
its
buzzing sound
;
still.
it
hovers round the flower,
but when
nectar noiselessly.
it is
inside the flower,
So long as a man quarrels
and disputes about doctrines and dogmas, he has not tasted the nectar of true faith
;
when he has
tasted
he becomes
it
still.
room
81. Little children play with dolls in a as they like, but as soon as their mother
apart just
comes
Mamma
You
!
'
also are
now
in they
'Mamma,
throw aside the dolls and run to her crying,
playing in this world deeply
absorbed with the dolls of wealth, honour, and fame, and
have no
But
fear or anxiety.
Mother entering wealth, honour,
in,
you
will
and fame.
if
you once see the Divine
not find pleasure any more in
Leaving
off" all
these you will
run to Her. 82.
The naked
Sage, Totapuri, used to say,
pot be not rubbed daily,
it
will get rusty.
So
if
'
If a brass
a
man
does
not contemplate the Deity daily, his heart will grow impure.'
To him of gold,
SjA RS,makr/shÂŤa replied, it
Yes, but
does not require daily cleaning.
has reached 83.
'
God
He who
the vessel be
if
The man who no more.'
requires prayers or penances
has once tasted the refined and crystalline
sugar-candy, finds no pleasure in raw treacle slept in a palace,
;
he who has
wiU not find pleasure in lying down
in
THE SAYINGS.
1 1
7
So the soul that has once tasted the sweet-
a dirty hovel.
ness of the Divine Bliss finds
no
delight in the ignoble
pleasures of the world.
84. She who has a king for her lover will not accept the homage of a street beggar. So the soul that has once found favour in the sight of the Lord does not want the paltry things of this world.
85.
When
a
and the mighty
man
pine-tree
how
small
tain
and looks from
is
he sees the lowly grass
in the plains
is
the grass
!
its
'
and
says,
How big is the
'
So
there are differences of rank
Divine sight
and
is
and
high peak to the plain below, the
mighty pine-tree and the lowly grass blend into one
mass of green verdure.
tree
But when he ascends the moun-
indistinct
in the sight of worldly
and
when
position, but
opened there remains no
men the
distinction of high
low.
86.
When water is poured into an empty vessel a bubbling when
noise ensues, but heard.
Similarly, the
87.
and he
A woman
is full
no such noise
has not found
God
But when he has seen Him,
vain disputations. disappear,
the vessel
man who
silently enjoys the
all
is full
is
of
vanities
BUss Divine.
naturally feels shy to relate to all the talk
she daily has with her husband, save to her
own companions.
Similarly, a devotee does not like to relate to
any one but
a true Bhakta (devotee) the ecstatic joys which he experiences in his Divine
communion ;
nay, sometimes
he becomes im-
patient of relating his experiences even to those of his class.
own
Tl8 88.
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAJCR/SayA. The moth once
darkness
therefrom. life
for his
89.
Why
more
a good devotee gladly sacrifices his
Similarly,
God by
renunciation.
does
addressing is
seeing the light never returns to
the ant dies in the sugar-heap, but never retreats
;
free
with
such pleasure in
the God-lover find
Deity
the
its
Mother?
as
Because
the child
mother, and consequently she
is
dearer to the child than any one else.
90.
The
pious
man,
like
hemp-smoker never
finds pleasure in
91. If a strange animal
enters a
only a
cow
enter,
and
by mutual
friends with her
all
(The
smoking alone.) herd of cows,
driven off by the combined attacks of the whole herd. let
no
a hemp-smoker, finds
pleasure in singing the praises of the Almighty alone.
the other cows will
licking of bodies.
it
is
But
make
Thus, when
a devotee meets with another devotee, both experience great happiness
and
feel loth to separate,
but when a scoffer
enters the circle they carefully avoid him.
92.
What
is
the strength of a devotee ?
He
is
a child
of God, and tears are his greatest strength.
The yQHng of a monkey clasps and clings to its mother. The young kitten cannot clasp its mother, but mews piteously whenever it is near her. If the young monkey lets go its hold on its mother, it falls down and gets hurt. This is because it depends upon its own strength but the 93.
;
kitten runs
no such
risk, as
about from place to place. self-reliance
and
the mother herself carries
Such
is
it
the difference between
entire resignation to the will of
God.
THE 94.
fabled that the pearl oyster leaves
It is
up
the bottom of the sea and comes
catch the rain-water It
floats
when
the star Sviti
bed
its
at
to the surface to
is
in the ascendant.
about on the surface of the sea with
its
mouth
succeeds in catching a drop of the marvellous
agape, until
it
Sviti-rain.
Then
rests, till
II9
SAYINGS.
it
down
dives
to
its
sea-bed and there
has succeeded in fashioning a beautiful pearl
it
Similarly, there are
out of that rain-drop.
who
eager aspirants
travel
some
from place to place
true
and
in search of
watchword from a godly and perfect preceptor (Sad-
that
guru) which
and
will
open
for
them the gate of
search one
if in their diligent
eternal bliss,
fortunate
is
enough
to
meet such a Guru and get from him the much-longed-for which
logos,
retires
from
and
heart
down
sure to break
is
rests there,
till
fetters,
all
he
deep recess of
society, enters into the
at
once
his
own
he has succeeded in gaining
eternal peace.
95. water,
still
flint it
may remain
does not lose
whenever you
iron
So
The
is
like
myriads of years under
for
inner
its
and out
the true devotee firm in his
remain surrounded by
all
iire.
Strike
it
with
flows the glowing spark.
Though he may
faith.
the impurities of the world, he
never loses his faith and love.
He
becomes entranced
as
soon as he hears the name of the Almighty. 96.
The Stone may remain
and the water softened into
will
for
myriads of years in water,
never penetrate
mud by
it.
But clay
the contact of water.
is
soon
So the strong
heart of the faithful does not despair in the midst of
trials
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
I20
RAMAICR/SHiVA.
and persecutions, but the man of weak shaken even by the most
How
97.
a doll to
No God
one
is
the simphcity of the child
and wealth.
riches
is
easily
So
is
He
!
prefers
the faithful devotee.
can throw aside wealth and honour to take
else
only.
God
98.
away from it
sweet
all
faith
trifling cause.
is
it
like
unto a
hill
of sugar.
a larger grain.
But the
hill
even a grain of one Divine
him
A
99.
all
His
remains as large as before.
They become
So are the devotees of God. within
A small ant carries
a small grain of sugar, the bi^er ant takes from
attribute.
ecstatic with
No one
can contain
attributes.
once asked Sii RimakÂŤshÂŤa, 'What
logician
are knowledge, knower,
and the object known
?
'
To which
Good man, I do not know all these niceties of scholastic learning. I know only my Mother Divine, and that I am Her son.' he
replied,
100.
on end
'
A man who finds all the hairs at the bare
sheer ecstasy, and
name
of his body standing
mention of SjA Hari's name, through
who sheds
tears of love
on hearing the
of God, he has reached his last birth.
101.
The more you
scratch the ringworm, the greater
grows the itching, and the more pleasure do you find in scratching.
Similarly, the devotees
His
never get tired of
praises,
and hours 102.
it,
once beginning to sing but continue for hours
together.
When
grains are
measured out to the purchaser
in
THE
121
SAYINGS.
the granary of a rich merchant, the measurer unceasingly
goes on measuring, while the attending
women
supply him
with basket-fulls of grain from the main store.
The mea-
women
incessantly
surer does not leave his seat, while the
supply him with grain.
such attendants, nor it is
But a small grocer has neither
his store so inexhaustible.
is
God Himself who
Similarly,
sentiments in the hearts of His devotees, and that
why
reason
and
constantly inspiring thoughts
is
the latter are never in lack of
is
new and
the
wise
thoughts and sentiments; while, on the other hand, the book-learned,
like
petty
grocers,
soon
find
that
their
thoughts have become exhausted. 103.
A
born farmer does not leave
off tilling the soil,
may not rain for twelve consecutive years, while a merchant who has but lately taken himself to the plough The true believer is discouraged by one season of drought. though
is
it
never discouraged,
fails
to see
104.
Love
is
if
even with his lifelong devotion he
God.
A true hke a
devotee
who has drunk deep
veritable drunkard,
of the Divine
and, as such, cannot
always observe the rules of propriety.
105. Dala (sedge) does not grow in large and pure water-tanks, but in small stagnant Similarly,
and miasmatic
whose adherents are guided by pure, broad, and motives, but
it
unselfish
takes firm root in a party whose advocates
are given to selfishness, insincerity, in Bengali,
pools.
Dala (schism) does not take place in a party
and
bigotry.
means both sedges and schism.)
('
Dala,'
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKjRJSHJVA.
122
The Yogins and Sawy3sins
106.
snake never digs a hole for
it
it
The
hves in the hole
When one
hole becomes uninhabit-
enters into another hole.
So the Yogins and the
made by able,
are like snakes.
but
itself,
the mouse.
Sawyisins make no houses for themselves days in other men's houses
;
they pass their
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;to-day in one house, to-morrow
in another.
The
107.
sage alone can recognise a sage.
deals in cotton twists can alone quality a particular twist
A
108.
a roadside himself,
'
is
tell
made.
sage was lying in a deep trance (Samadhi) by
a thief passing by, saw him, and thought within
;
This fellow, lying here,
a
is
So
The
Soon '
me
let
!
now
be here to catch him.
Thus thinking, he ran away. a drunkard came upon the sage, and said,
thou hast fallen into the ditch by taking a drop
too much.
am
I
steadier than thou,
Last of
to tumble.'
all
came a
sage,
and
am
and touched him, and began
An
itinerant
not going
and understanding
that a great sage was in a trance (Samadhi),
109.
has been sleeps ex-
escape in time.'
after
Hallo
police will very soon
He
thief.
breaking into some house by night, and hausted.
He who
of what number and
he
sat
down,
to rub gently his holy feet.
Sadhu came once upon the Kali
temple of Rini R^samam, and seeing a dog eating the remains of a him,
'
giving
feast,
Brother,
me
he went up to him and
how
a share?'
with the dog.
The
is
it
So
said,
embracing
that thou eatest alone, without saying,
he began to eat along
people of the place naturally thought
THE
SAYINGS.
1
him mad, but when standing before the temple of
23 the
Goddess, he began to chant forth some hymns in praise of
and the temple appeared
Kili,
of his devotion.
The
Sidhu.
men,
true
Then
The
knew him
Sidhus roam about
in dirty clothes,
110.
to shake through the fervour
the people
and various other
true religious
man
is
there
111.
in
is
none
to look after
he who does not do
meaning
'forbear,'
i.
e.
letters are alike
sibilants {Sa., sha,
'forbear,'
alone,
is
and blame him.
In the Bengali alphabet no three
sound except the three
mad
disguises.
anything wrong or act impiously when he
when
be a great
to
like children or
and
sa),
all
This shows that
'forbear.'
even from our childhood we are made to learn forbear-
The
ance in our very alphabets. is
quality of forbearance
of the highest importance to every man. 112. Sugar
rejects the
men
sift
and sand may be mixed
together, but the ant
sand and goes off with the sugar-grain
;
so pious
the good from the bad.
113. It
is
the nature of the winnowing basket to reject
the bad and keep the good
;
even such
is
the case with
pious men. 114. i.
e.
in a
He
is
truly a pious
whose passions and
man who
desires
is
dead even in
have been
all
Ufe,
destroyed as
dead body.
115. Worldly persons perform acts with a
sorrow,
many
pious and charitable
hope of worldly rewards, but when misfortune,
and poverty approach them, they
forget
them
all.
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
124 They '
RAMAILR/SHJVA.
are like the parrot that repeats the Divine
Radha-KÂŤshÂŤa, Ridha-Kr/shwa
'Kaw, Kaw' when caught by a
cries
name
the livelong day,
'
but
cat, forgetting the
Divine name.
A
116.
upon
spring cushion
but
it,
pressure
is
it
squeezed down when one
is
soon resumes
So
removed.
its
with worldly
is
it
sits
when the men. They
original shape
are full of religious sentiments, so long as they hear rehgious talks
but no sooner do they enter into the daily routine
;
of the world, than they forget
and become
thoughts,
So long as the iron
117.
but
So
is
becomes black as soon
it
also
is
the worldly man.
in the furnace
as
it is
As long
in the society of pious people, tions,
those high and noble
all
as impure as before.
he
is
it is
red-hot,
taken out of the as he
is
in
fire.
church or
of religious emo-
full
but no sooner does he come out of those associations
than he loses them alL
Some one
118.
said,
'
When my boy
Harish grows up,
I wiU get him married, and give him the charge of the
family
j
I
shall
then renounce the world, and begin to
At
practise Yoga.'
this
a Sadhu
remarked,
'You
will
never find any opportunity of practising Yoga (devotion). You will say afterwards, " Harish and Girish are too much
They do not like to leave my company Then you wiU desire perhaps, " Let Harish have
attached to me. as yet."
a son, and will
let
me
see that son married."
be no end of your
119. Flies
sit
And
thus there
desires.'
at times
on the sweetmeats kept exposed
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
THE
SAYINGS.
1
shop of a confectioner ; but no sooner does
for sale in the
a sweeper pass by with a basket
full
leave the sweetmeats
and
sit
the honey-bee never
sits
on
filthy
drinks honey from the flowers.
The
of
filth
upon the
the other hand,
flies
But
and always
objects,
men
worldly
sweetness, but their natural tendency for
them back to the dunghill of the
than the
filth-basket.
At times they get a momentary
flies.
25
taste filth
are like
of Divine
soon brings
The good man, on
world.
always absorbed in the beatific con-
is
templation of Divine Beauty.
N.B. The worldly lives
and dies
in
man
filth,
is
like
the good
man
the
and now on the sweet
filth
a Yogin
is
of the world
like the
is
When
120.
it,
it
filthy
worm
that always
like the fly that sits ;
now on
while the free soul of
bee that always drinks the honey of
God's holy presence, and nothing
may remain
a
and has no idea of higher things;
else.
was argued that a family-man {Grihastha)
in the family, but
may have no concern
with
and consequently may remain uncontaminated by the
world, an illustration was cited to refute such an argument,
which
A
as follows
is
:
poor BrahmaÂŤa once came to one of those family-
men, who are unconcerned with family
When
money. replied,
'
Sir,
the beggar asked of
I never
would not go away. the
man
to
beg some
him some money, he
touch money.
your time in begging of me?'
affairs,
Why
are you wasting
The BrihmaÂŤa,
however,
Tired with his importunate entreaties
at last resolved in his
mind
to give
him a
rupee.
126
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
and told him, I
can do
'
Well,
for you.'
told his wife,
RAMAK/J/SHiVA.
sir, come to-morrow, I shall see what Then going in, this typical family-man
who was
the manager of
all his affairs,
he
being unconcerned, 'Look here, dear, a poor BrllhmaÂŤa is
in .great difficulty,
and wants something of me.
made up my mind
to give
opinion about
'Aha! what a generous
are!'
it?'
him a
she replied, in great excitement at the
rupee.
'
Rupees are
away without any
the wife,
'
I
give
him
you
name
of a
be thrown
'Well, dear,' replied the hus'
man
the
is
cannot spare that
much
that,
if
;
you
here
very poor and
'No
than a rupee.'
less
and you can give him
have your
is
fellow
not, like leaves or stones, to
thought.'
band, in an apologising tone,
we should not
I
What
rupee.
is
like.'
!'
replied
a two-anna-bit
The man
of
course had no other alternative, being himself unconcerned in all
such worldly matters, and he took what his wife
gave him.
a
Next day the beggar came, and received only Such
two-anna-bit.
uncontaminated family-men are
really
henpecked persons who are
wives,
and as such are very poor specimens of humanity.
guided by their
solely
121. Seeing the water pass glittering through
of
bamboo frame-work \
great pleasure,
out again
the net
the small fry enter into
it
with
and having once entered they cannot get
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and
are caught.
into the world allured
by
Similarly, foolish
its false glitter,
to enter the net than to get out of
world than renounce '
it,
after
it, it
is
men
enter
it is
easier
but as
easier to enter the
having once entered
A trap for catching small fish.
it.
THE Men
122.
is
man who
only this solitary example.
The
His case was not the
general rule
spiritual perfection unless
Do
greed.
and yet attained
lived in the world
but the exception.
can attain
27
But throughout the whole history of mankind
perfection.
rule,
I
always quote the example of the king G^anaka,
as that of a
there
SAYINGS.
not think yourself to be a
centuries have rolled
that
is
he renounces
no one lust
(Panaka.
and
Many
away and the world has not produced
another (kanaka. 123. This world parts
is
under various
They do not
disguises.
like to take
mask, unless they have played for some time.
off the
them play of their 124.
for
a while, and then they
own
accord.
The
heart of the devotee
the slightest mention of the the
where men perform many
like a stage,
fire
lust
and
greed,
like
Let
mask
a dry match ; and
of the Deity kindles
But the mind of the worldly,
of love in his heart.
soaked in
is
name
will leave off the
is
like the moist match,
can never be heated to enthusiasm, though
and
God may be
preached to him innumerable times.
A
125.
worldly
man may be endowed with may take as much
great as that of kanaka,
trouble as a Yogin, ascetic
;
but
all
and make
these he
for worldliness, honour,
126.
intellect as
pains and
as great sacrifices as
makes and
does, not for
an
God, but
and wealth.
As water does not
enter into a stone, so religious
advice produces no impression on the heart of a worldly
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF sluAKRISHNA.
128
As a
127.
nail
cannot enter into a stone, but can easily earth, so the advice of the pious
be driven into the
not affect the soul of a worldly man.
does
It enters into the
heart of a believer.
As
128.
soft clay easily takes
an impression, but not so
Wisdom
a stone, so also the Divine
the heart of the devotee, but not
impresses
on
itself
on the soul of the worldly
man.
The
129. that
characteristic of a thoroughly worldly
he does not only not
others from hearing them, societies,
that
and
man
is
religious dis-
The
and abuses
alligator
off harmless.
to a worldly
As
religious
men and
scoffs at prayers.
has got such a thick and scaly hide
no weapons can pierce
131.
hymns,
praises of the Almighty, &c., but also prevents
courses,
130.
listen to
on the contrary, they
howmuchsoever you may preach
So,
man,
it ;
it
will
have no
effect
upon
fall
religion
his heart.
the water enters in on one side under the bridge,
and soon passes out on the worldly souls.
other, so religious advice affects
It enters into
them by one
ear
and goes
out by the other, without making any impression upon their minds.
132.
By
talking with a worldly
man one
his heart is filled with worldly thoughts
as the crop of a pigeon 133.
So long as the
bubbles.
Remove
the
is filled
fire is fire
and
can
feel that
desires,
even
with grains.
beneath, the milk boils and
and
it
is
quiet again.
So the
THE SAYINGS.
1
29
heart of the neophyte boils with enthusiasm, so long as
he goes on with
his spiritual exercises, but afterwards
it
cools down.
As
134.
to
approach a monarch one must ingratiate
oneself with the
officials that
keep the gate and surround
the throne, so to reach the Almighty one must practise
many devotions, as company of the
the
Keep
135.
Do
thy
well as serve
own
devotees and keep
sentiments and faith
not talk about them abroad.
a great
many
wise.
salt,
the second
made
get dissolved
and
lose
its
will
in water, the
represents the
the
'
man who merges Self
Mukta purusha
or Bhakta,
its
who
'
is full
j
first will
form, while the
be impervious to the water.
and All-pervading
made made of
first
form, the second will absorb
a large quantity of water but retain third
the
of cloth, and the third
be immersed
If these dolls
stone.
thyself.
loser.
136. There are three kinds of dolls;
of
to
Otherwise thou wilt be
The
first
doU
his self in the Universal
and becomes one with
it,
that
is
the second represents a true lover
of Divine bliss and knowledge
the third represents a worldly man,
who
will
;
and
not absorb
the least drop of true knowledge. 137.
As when fishes are caught in a net some do not all, some again struggle hard to come out of
struggle at
the net, while a few are happy enough to effect their escape
by rending the netj so there are three
K
sorts
of men,
I30 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHWA. (Baddha), wriggling (Mumukshu), and released
viz. fettered
(Mukta). 138.
As
sieves separate the finer
and coarser
parts of
a pulverized or ground substance, keeping the coarser and rejecting the finer, even so the
and
wicked
man
takes the evil
rejects the good.
139. Two men went man no sooner entered
into a garden.
The
worldly-wise
the gate than he began to count
number of the mango-trees, how many mangoes each 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 conthe
tree bore,
sent. it
Now who
is
the wiser of the two?
your hunger.
will satisfy
What
is
Eat mangoes,
the good of counting
The
the leaves and making vain calculations? of intellect
is
uselessly
wherefore' of creation, while the humble
man
man
vain
busy in finding out the
'
why and
of wisdom
makes acquaintance with the Creator and enjoys Supreme Bliss in this world.
140.
The
while he
is
vulture soars high
looking
of putrid carcasses.
down
up
in the
air,
all
the while their
the
into the charnel-pits in search
So the book-read pandits speak
and volubly about Divine Knowledge, but talk, for all
but
mind
is
it
is
all
thinking about
glibly
mere
how
to
get money, respect, honour, power, &c., the vain guerdon
of their learning. 141.
Once a
dispute arose in the court of the Maharajah
THE
SAYINGS.
I31
Burdwan among the learned men
of
the greater Deity, to
^va
Some gave
or Vish«u.
When
others to Vishwu.
Siva.,
there, as to
met
.Siva
At
for
none of the disputants a
Sire, I
have
I say
who
this the dispute stopped,
had seen the
really
Deities.
none should compare one Deity with another.
Similarly
When
'
how can
nor seen Vish«u;
the greater of the two?'
is
preference
the dispute grew hot
a wise pandit remarked, addressing the Rija, neither
who was
man
has really seen a Deity, he comes to
that all the Deities are manifestations of
know
one and the same
Brahman. 142.
As
the elephant has two sets of teeth, the external
tusks and the inner grinders, so the God-men, like
Krishna, &c., act and behave
common men,
to
all
appearances
Sii like
while their heart and soul rest far beyond
the pale of Karman. 143.
The S^dhu who
toxicants,
is
distributes medicines,
not a proper Sidhu
;
and uses
in-
avoid the company of such.
A Br3,hma«a was
laying down a garden, and looked One day a cow straying into the garden browsed away a mango sapling which was one of the most carefully-watched trees of the Brihma^a. The
144.
after
it
day and night.
Brihma^a it
seeing the
cow destroy
such a sound beating that
The news soon
it
his favourite plant
gave
died of the injuries received.
spread like wildfire that the Br^hma/za
killed the sacred animal.
Now
the
Br4hma«a was a
taxed with the sin denied
so-called VedSntist, it,
K
2
saying,
— 'No,
I
and when have not
'
132 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiiZSHiVA. cow;
killed the
Indra
my hand
is
it
done
that has
the presiding Deity of the hand, so
is
incurred the guilt of killing the cow,
Indra in his Heaven heard
it,
and as
any one has
if
Indra and not
it is
I.'
assumed the shape
all this,
of an old Brahma«a, came to the owner of the garden, and said, 'Sir,
whose garden
Brihma»a
—
— 'It
Indra
'
for
has planted the trees
BrS.hma«a — 'Well,
are planted under
my
— Indeed
Indra
'
laid out this
executed.'
Brihmawa
Then Indra
'
You have and
neatly
sir,
that
also
is
he
my
work.
The
trees
personal supervision and direction.'
It is very ably
All this has been
and you take
in this garden,
a
got
artistically
!
it
is
hard
But who has
planned and neatly
done by me.'
with joined hands said,
things are yours,
done
how
see
O, you are very clever.
!
road?
—
this?'
a beautiful garden.
is
gardener,
skilful
is
Mine.'
'When
all
credit for all the lines for
these
works
poor Indra to be
held responsible for the killing of the cow.'
145. If thou art in right earnest to be good and perfect,
God
will
send the true and proper Master (Sad-Guru) to
Earnestness
thee.
146,
As when
is
the only thing necessary.
going to a strange country, one must abide
by the directions of him who knows the way, while taking the advice of
many may
lead to confusion, so in trying to
reach God one should follow single
implicitly the advice of
Guru who knows the way
to
God.
one
THE Whoever can
147.
call
SAYINGS.
1
on the Almighty with
sincerity
But such a man
and intense earnestness needs no Guru.
The Guru may be
hence the necessity of a Guru or Guide.
is rare,
33
should be only one, but Upagurus (assistant Gurus)
He from whom any thing whatsoever is
many.
The
Upaguru.
Many
148.
from
started
roads
lead
home
his
He
metropolis.
must
great Avadhfita
'Follow
an
A
Calcutta.
certain
man
man on
the road,
'What road
The man
Calcutta soon?'
said,
Proceeding some distance, he met
road.'
this
is
a distant village towards the
in
asked a
I take to reach
to
learned
had twenty-four such Gurus.
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 another
'
'
'
did
Going
so.
a third
Thus
!
man who
in that
new road
for
some
distance he
met
pointed him out another road to Calcutta.
made no
the traveller
progress, but spent the
changing one road for another.
As he wanted
day
in
to reach
Calcutta he should have stuck to the road pointed out to
him by the
God must 149.
He
The
must
first
man.
Similarly those
who want
disciple should never criticise his
obey whatever his Guru
implicitly
a Bengali couplet
God
The Guru
together.
own Guru. says.
Says
:
Though my Gnrn may visit tavern and My Gnra is holy Rai Nityananda still.
150.
to reach
and one only Guide.
follow one
is
a mediator.
He
still,
brings
man and
134 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SffiVA. Take the
151.
pearl
and throw the
away.
oyster-shell
Follow the mantra (advice) given thee by thy Guru and
throw out of consideration the human
of thy
frailties
teacher.
152. Listen not,
Leave
Guru.
any one
criticises
and censures thy
his presence at once.
As the moon
153. is
if
is
the uncle of every child, so
children in Bengal call the
A
154.
disciple,
moon
their
'
God (The
the Father and Guide of the whole Humanity.
maternal uncle.')
having firm faith in the infinite power
of his Guru, walked over a river even by pronouncing his
The Guru,
name. '
I
Well,
seeing this, thought within
must be very great and powerful, no doubt
day he also tried to walk over the
river
himself,
my name ? Then
there such a power even in
is
The
! '
pronouncing
'
next
I, I, I,'
but no sooner had he stepped into the waters than he sank
and was drowned. or egoism
is
Faith can achieve miracles, while vanity
the death of man.
155. Gurus can be had by hundreds, but good Chelas (disciples) are very rare.
156. It
is
easy to utter 'do,
re,
mi,
fa,
sol,
la,
mouth, but not so easy to sing or play them on any
So
ment.
it is
easy to talk religion, but
it is
si,'
by
instru-
difficult to act
religion.
157.
Common men
a grain of life is
it,
talk bagfuls of religion,
while the wise
a religion acted out.
man
speaks
little,
but act not
but his whole
THE 158.
What you wish
159. Verily,
others to do,
135
do
yourself.
who
say unto you, that he
verily, I
yearns
God, finds Him.
for
160.
The
petals of the lotus drop off in time, but they
So when true knowledge comes egoism
leave scars behind.
goes all
SAYINGS.
off,
but
its
traces remain.
These, however, are not at
active for evil.
161. There are two Egos in man, one ripe and the other
The
unripe.
ripe
Ego
thinks,
The
always free and eternal.' thinks,
'
This
is
my
'
even
I see, or feel, or hear, nay,
house,
my
Nothing this
is
body
mine ; whatever
is
not mine, I
am
unripe Ego, on the contrary,
room,
my
my
child,
wife,
my
body, &c.' 162.
The cup
of times.
which
in
nasty odour, though
it
Egohood
garlic juice is kept retains the
may be rubbed and
also
is
scoured hundreds
such an obstinate creature.
It
never leaves us completely. 163. their
The
but leave
still
Similarly, so long as
one
leaves of the cocoa-palm
marks behind on the trunk.
fall off,
has this body, there will remain the mark of egoism,
high soever a
man may advance
traces of egoism
in spirituality.
do not bind such men
how
But these
to the world nor
cause their re-birth. 164.
but
it
The sun can
shut out
God
give heat
and
light to the
whole world,
can do nothing when the clouds are in the sky and its rays.
Similarly, so long as
cannot shine upon the heart.
egoism
is
in the soul,
136 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAmAK/J/SHATA, 165. Vanity
is
like a
heap of rubbish or ashes on which
the water, as soon *as
Prayers and
dries away.
falls,
it
contemplations produce no effect upon the heart puffed
up with
Of
166.
be the
vanity.
the birds of the air the crow
all
and he thinks himself so
wisest,
He
into a snare.
and
off at the slightest
flies
He
wisdom can supply him with no This
is
never
falls
approach of danger,
But
food with the greatest dexterity.
steals the
foul matter.
considered to
is
too.
all this
better living than filth
the result of his having the
and
wisdom of
the pettifogger. 167.
Once upon a time
conceit entered the heart of the
Divine Sage N^rada, and he thought there was no greater
Reading
devotee than himself. Vishrau said,
'
the Lord
his heart,
.Sri
Narada, go to such and such a place, there
is
a great Bhakta of mine there, and cultivate his acquaint-
rose early in the morning, pronounced the
who name of Hari
only once, and taking his plough went out to
till
Nirada went there and found an
ance.'
all
day long.
the
name
'
At night he went to bed
of Hari once more.
How can
this rustic
and
Lord city
man
said all said,
'
in him.'
pronouncing
be called a lover of God ?
I see
and he has no
him
signs of
NS,rada then went back to the Lord
he thought of
his
new
Nirada, take this cup
and come back with
to the ground.'
after
the ground
Nirada said within himself,
busily engaged in worldly duties,
a pious
agriculturist,
it,
full
but beware
The
acquaintance.
of
oil,
lest
Nirada did as he was
go round
a drop of
told,
this
it
fall
and on
his
THE SAYINGS.
I37
return he was asked, 'Well, Nirada,
remember me
your walk?'
in
how
replied Nirada, 'and this '
could
cup brimming over with
This one cup of
you did
forget
often did you
I
my Lord/
oil?'
when I had to watch The Lord then said,
did so divert your attention that even
oil
me
how
'Not once,
altogether, but look to that rustic who,
carrying the heavy load of a family,
still
me
remembers
twice every day.'
168. There are three kinds of love, unselfish.
towards
its
The own
selfish love is
It
only looks
happiness, no matter whether the beloved
In mutual love the lover not only
weal or woe.
suffers
mutual, and
selfish,
the lowest.
wants the happiness of his or her beloved, but has an eye towards his or her is
own happiness also. The unselfish love The lover only minds the welfare
of the highest kind.
of the beloved.
A true lover sees his God as his
169.
relative, just as
the shepherd
5rt KHshna., not the
women
nearest
and dearest
of V^hd^-vana saw in
Lord of the Universe (G^agann4tha),
but their own beloved (Gopin3,tha). 170.
'
must
I
attain perfection in this
days I must find
God
name
Him
I will
Lord
is
go
Him,
to
171.
draw
;
to me.'
attracted soon.
A
if
at
lover
through a a distance.
life,
yea, in three
nay, with a single utterance of
With such a
The lukewarm
His
violent love the
lovers take ages to
all.
and a knower of God were once passing
forest.
On
The Gninin
their
way they saw a
or knower of
God
said,
tiger
at
'There
'
138 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAmaKB/SHJVA. no reason why we should
is
At
certainly protect us.'
come
let
flee
God
the Almighty
this the lover said,
Why
us run away.
;
'
will
No, brother,
should we trouble the Lord
what can be accomplished by our own exertions ?
for
172.
The Knowledge God
while the Love of
of
God may be like
is
likened to a man,
a woman.
Knowledge has
entry only up to the outer rooms of God, but no one can enter into the inner mysteries of
a
woman 173.
Knowledge and love of God are There
the same.
and pure 174.
God
A
save a lover, for
has access even into the harem of the Almighty. ultimately
one and
no difference between pure knowledge
is
love.
group of fisherwomen on their way
home from
a distant market held on an afternoon, were overtaken by a heavy hailstorm at nightfall in the middle of their way,
and so were compelled near at hand.
to take shelter in a florist's
Through the kindness of the
house
florist
they
were allowed to sleep that night in one of his rooms, where
some baskets of sweet-smelling supplying his customers.
flowers
had been kept
The atmosphere
of the
for
room was
too good for the fisherwomen, and they could not, owing to
it,
get even a wink of sleep,
a remedy by saying,
'
till
one of them suggested
Let each of us keep her .empty basket
of fish close to her nose, and thus prevent this troublesome smell of flowers from attacking our nostrils and killing our sleep.'
Every one gladly agreed to the proposal, and did
accordingly
;
and soon
all
began to snore.
Such, indeed,
is
THE
SAYINGS.
39
1
the power and influence of bad habits over
all
those
who
are addicted to them.
176.
A
tame mungoose had
of a house.
One end
home high up on
its
of a rope was tied to
the wall
neck, while
its
The mungoose
the other end was fastened to a weight.
with the appendage runs and plays in the parlour or in the
yard of the house, but no sooner does it
at
But
once runs up and hides it
home on
cannot stay there long, as the weight
of the rope draws
it
home.
a
Similarly,
down, and
man
has his
and misfortune he goes up to in a short time
world by
home
he
is
its irresistible
is
his
the wall.
at the other
end
constrained to leave
it is
Whenever he
of the Almighty.
176.
get frightened than
it
itself in its
its
high up at the feet
frightened by adversity
but his true home come down into the
God,
constrained to
;
attractions.
As Helonchi (Hingcha
repens)
should
counted among pot-herbs, or sugar-candy among sweets, because even a sick
man
not
be
common
can use them without
injuring his health; or as the praÂŤava ('^)
counted as a word, but as Divinity
itself;
is
not to be
so the desires
of holiness, devotion, and love are not to be reckoned as desires at
177. selves.
all.
When
the fruit grows the petals drop off of them-
So when
the
Divinity in
weakness of humanity in thee 178.
The new-born
thee
calf falls
and tumbles down
learns to stand steady.
of times before
it
of devotion, the
slips are
many
increases,
the
will vanish.
So
before success
scores
in the path
is
achieved.
I40 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHJVA. 179.
Some
get tipsy with even a small glass of wine.
Others require two or three bottles to cated.
But both get equal and
Similarly,
some devotees
by coming
full
become
full
intoxi-
get intoxicated with celestial bliss
in direct contact with the
while others
make them
pleasure of intoxication.
Lord of the Universe,
of ecstasy even by a glimpse of the
But both are equally fortunate, since both
Divine Glory.
are deluged with Divine bliss.
180.
The snake
very venomous.
is
approaches to catch
It bites
when any one
But the person who has learnt the
it.
snake-charm can not only catch a snake, but carries about several of
them
many ornaments.
like so
Similarly,
he who
has acquired spiritual knowledge can never be polluted by lust
and greed.
181.
When
a
man
he becomes perfect:
one of the following
realises
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
(i) All this
am
I;
states
(2) All this art
thou ; (3) Thou the Master, and I the servant. 182. to find
Thou
shouldst sacrifice thy body, mind,
and
riches,
God.
183. Humanity must die before Divinity manifests itself
But
this
Divinity must, in
turn,
manifestation of the Blissful
on the bosom of dead
He
finds
God
place.
It is
Divinity (^va) that the Blissful
Mother dances Her dance 184.
die before the higher
Mother takes
celestial.
the quickest whose yearning and
concentration are the greatest.
185. Samidhi
is
the state of bliss which
is
experienced
THE by a is
live fish
time,
and mountains, dales and
hills
valleys,
but they are not visible from the surface.
sea,
in the state of
ocean
some
it.
186. There are
So
141
which, being kept out of water for
again put into
under the
SAYINGS.
Samadhi, when one
of Sat-/^it-3.nanda,
human
all
upon the
floats
consciousness
lies
latent in him.
187. If you it
days
;
fill
upon a
apart
but
filled as
if
an earthen
shelf,
it
will
it
kept there.
is
bosom with the
love of
yourself in other
God
for
Fill
will is
remain
the case
and enrich your
a time, and then employ
forgetting
affairs,
it
Even such
with your love to the Lord God.
set
dry up in a few
you place the same pot into water
long as
and
vessel with water,
the water in
Him
all
the while, and
then you are sure to find within a short time that your heart has
become poor and vacant and devoid of But
precious love.
that
you keep your heart immersed
if
always in the depth of that holy love, your heart
is
sure
to remain ever full to overflowing with the Divine fervour
of sacred love. 188.
He who
at the time of contemplation is entirely
unconscious of everything outside, has acquired the perfection of contemplation.
189. outside.
A
jar
kept in water
Similarly the
soul
all-pervading spirit within
180.
When
is full
of water inside and
immersed
in
God
sees
the
and without.
the grace of the Almighty descends, every
;
142 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKRTSHiVA. one
will
understand his mistakes
knowing
;
this
you should
not dispute. 101.
The
soon as a
darkness of centuries
light is
is
dispersed at once as
The accumulated
brought into the room.
ignorances and misdoings of innumerable births vanish before the single glance of the Almighty's gracious look.
192.
When
the Malaya breeze blows,
all trees,
having
become converted into sandal-trees but those which have no stamina remain unchanged as
stamina
them,
in
bamboo,
before, like
plantain,
Divine Grace descends,
men
So when
&c.
palm-tree,
having the germs of piety and
goodness in them are changed at once into holy beings
and are
filled
with Divinity, but worthless
and worldly men
remain as before. 193. As the dawn heralds in the rising sun, so unselfishness, purity, righteousness. Sec, precede the advent of the
Lord.
104.
As a
king, before going to the house of his servant,
sends from his
own
stores the necessary seats, ornaments,
food, &c., to his servant, so that the latter receive
reverence,
faith,
yearning,
&c.,
into
may
He
him ; so before the Lord cometh. the
properly
sends love,
heart of
the
devotee.
195. Shallow water in an open
up though no one may is
lessen
it
field will in
by using
it.
time be dried
So a sinner
sometimes purified by simply resigning himself
and
absolutely to the
mercy and grace of God.
totally
THE SAYINGS,
A
108.
1
policeman can see with a dark lantern
eye) every one upon
whom
he throws the
light
towards
So does God see every one, but no one seeth
himself.
Him
(bull's-
but no one
rays,
can see him so long as he does not turn the
43
Lord revealeth Himself
until the
to
him
His
in
mercy.
197. There are some fish which have bones, and others have one;
and
the bones sins
eats
the
many
sets
of
but as the eater cleans
all
some men have many
so
fish,
and others have few; but the grace of God
them
all in
198.
The
breeze of His grace
over thy head. Wantest to
purifies
time.
Unfurl the
make
sails
is
blowing night and day
of thy boat (mind)
rapid progress through the ocean of
if
thou
life.
199. Fans should be discarded when the wind blows. Prayers and penances should be discarded of
God
200. Creeds and perform with Faith
is
wants
the grace
and
Let every one
practices of his creed.
the only clue to get to God.
has faith has
all,
and he who wants
faith
all.
202.
The
repeat with
faith-healers of India order their patients to full
ness in me, there it,
sects matter nothing.
faith the devotions
He who
201.
when
descends.
conviction the words, is
no
illness at
all.'
'There
The
is
no
ill-
patient repeats
and, thus mentally denying, the illness goes
off.
So
if
you think yourself to be morally weak and without good-
144 THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKi^SHJVA. ness,
you
believe that
power
come
will
be so in no time.
really find yourself to
will
Know and
to
you are of immense power, and the
you
at last.
had
203. Bhagavin Sii Rama^andra
bridge
to
ocean before he could cross over to Lawki. (Ceylon).
Hanum3.n,
his
one jump
monkey-servant, with
faithful
crossed the ocean through the firmness of his faith in
Here the through
servant achieved
wanted to cross the
him an amulet and man, taking
When he
it
'
'
This
in his hand,
sage gave
The
began to walk over the waters.
and he opened the amulet
name of Rima. The man
Is this the only
he sank down. works miracles,
secret ?
will
'
No
for faith is
life,
to see
bit
what was
of paper, the
at this said deprecatingly,
sooner had he said this than
It is faith in the
How
205. Q.
always think of
workest
A
river.
will carry thee across.'
Therein he found, written on a
it.
sacred
said,
reached the middle of the river curiosity entered
into his heart, in
Rima.
more than the master, simply
faith.
A man
204.
the
But
name
of the Lord that
and doubt
is
death.
can I perform devotion when I must
my
daily
bread?
supply thy necessities.
A.
He
God
whom
for
hath
made
thou pro'
vision for thy support before he sent thee here.
206. Q.
When
shall I
be free?
(egoism) will vanish, and thy
A.
self-will
When
thy I-hood
be merged
in
the
Divinity.
207. Out of the myriads of paper kites that are made to
THE in the
fly
air,
SAYINGS.
1
45
only one or two rend the string and get
So out of hundreds of Sddhakas, only one or two get free from worldly bonds. free.
208. As a piece of lead, thrown into a basin of mercury, soon dissolved therein, so the
is
dividual existence
when
human
soul loses
into the ocean of
it falls
in-
its
Brahma.
209. Q. What do you say about the method of religious preaching employed now-a-days? A.
one
It is inviting
when the food supply
of persons to dinner,
that time, that
make himself from
all
is
When
free,
from
all sides
uninvited and unasked.
211.
Hast thou
got,
O
strives to
Hundreds come
no one knows whence,
taught.
As the humblest
He who
the real preacher.
free, is
sides,
one worships God
if
enough preaching.
and are
is
to
him who
a flower opens the bees
showing his badge ; so must thou,
O preacher,
the order and inspiration from God.
212.
He
alone
is
come
King
riot
obtain
by
first
So long as thou hast
not this inspiration, thou mayest preach
be mere waste of
is
preacher, the badge of authority ?
subject wearing the badge of the
heard with respect and awe, and can quell the
will
for
only.
210. Instead of preaching to others, all
hundreds
is sufficient
all
thy
life,
but that
breath.
the true
'
man who
'
man,' and free from chain
'
is
illumined with
the Spiritual Light. 213.
The
soul enchained
'.Siva' (God).
is
is
:
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
146 214. lighter
The one
with too
many
cares
Similarly
and
that
is
God
why
the reason
they
men
all
'What
invaluable
;
keep
I
impart
to thyself,'
it
are not in
God
suffer.
The Guru
216. There are two sorts of men.
of his disciples,
down
up towards
less cares rises
men, but
in all
is
he who
while the
weighed down
is
anxieties of the world, goes
he who has Kingdom of Heaven.
215.
down
heavier scale of a balance goes rises up.
to the world, while
the
RAMAKiJ/SHArA.
to thee,
and the
said to
my
one
dear,
disciple kept
is
it all
But when the Guru imparted that knowledge
to himself.
to another of his disciples, the latter,
able worth, and not liking to enjoy
knowing
it all
its
inestim-
alone, stood
upon
a high place and began to declare the good tidings to all
The
the people.
Avatiras are of the
latter class,
while
the Siddhas are of the former.
217.
No man
keeps a total
fast.
others at noon, others at 2 p.m., Similarly, at
some time or
lives, all will
see God.
218.
When
artificially
ripened
shrivelled up.
in the evening.
and
falls
fruit is
of
many
itself,
it
plucked and
does not taste so sweet and becomes
So when one has attained
observance of caste distinctions
but so long as
ripe
but when unripe it
get food at 9 a.m.,
other, in this life or after
becomes
fruit
tastes very sweet;
Some
and others
this
falls off
of
exalted knowledge
one must observe caste
distinctions.
perfection, the itself
is
from him,
not reached,
'
THE SAYINGS. When
219.
a storm blows,
47
impossible to distin-
is
it
1
guish an Afvattha (pippal) and a Vafe (banian) tree.
when
So
the storm of true knowledge (the knowledge of one
universal existence) blows, there can
be no
distinction of
caste.
220.
When
off of itself;
Similarly,
wound
a
but
when
if
is
perfectly healed, the slough falls
the slough be taken off earlier,
the perfection of knowledge
a man, the distinctions of caste
wrong
When
from him, but
Then
off of themselves.
there
is
obtained,
no
is
the sacred thread-sign of caste
falls
away of
all fetters fall
222. Q.
In that case
Why
it off.
do you not lead a family
life
home he saw
there was the
cheek of his Mother. Seeing dear,
how have you
The Goddess Durg^ work,
with your
A. The God Kirtikeya, the leader of the Heavenly
army, once happened to scratch a cat with his going
But so
itself.
has the consciousness of distinction and
difference he should not forcibly throw
wife ?
is
distinction of a Brih-
mana. or a ^lidra, a high caste or a low caste.
man
it
proper to keep the Brahmanical thread?
it
the knowledge of self
long as a
bleeds.
break sHch distinctions.
for the ignorant to
221. Q. Is
A.
fall off
it
reached by
is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
this,
mark of a
he asked of her,
'
â&#x20AC;˘
On
on the
Mother,
got that ugly scratch on your cheek ? replied,
'
Child, this
is
mark scratched by thy own
asked in wonder,
nail.
scratch
Mother, how
to have scratched thee
!
'
is it ?
The Mother
thy
own
handi-
nail.'
Kirtikeya
I never
remember
replied,
'
Darling,
hast thou forgotten having scratched a cat this morning ? I.
2
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJJ/SHiVA.
T48
Kirtikeya said, 'Yes, I did scratch a cat
The Mother
cheek get marked?'
hurtest,
was greatly surprised at never to marry; for
was mother to him.
woman
as
my
this,
I
did your
'Dear
replied,
nothing exists in this world but myself.
Whomsoever thou
how
but
;
am
all
child,
creation.
Kartikeya
thou hurtest me.'
and determined thenceforward
whom would he marry? I am like Kartikeya. I
Every woman consider every
Divine Mother.
upon chaste women of respectable them the Mother Divine arrayed in the garb of a chaste lady ; and again, when I look upon the public women of the city, sitting in their open verandas, 223.
When
I look
families, I see in
arrayed in the garb of immorality and shamelessness, I see in
them
also the
Mother Divine, sporting
in a
different
way.
224.
The
light of the gas illumines various localities with
various intensities. gas,
But the
life
comes from one common
teachers of
all
through which
climes is
of the
and ages are but
as
So the rehgious
many
emitted the light of the
constantly from one source, the
namely, the
light,
reservoir.
lamp-posts
spirit
flowing
Lord Almighty.
225. As the rain-water from the top of a house
may be
discharged through pipes having their mouth-pieces shaped like the
head of a
tiger,
a cow or a
bull, &c.,
although the
water does not belong to these pipeSj but comes from the
heaven above, so are the holy Sadhus
mouths
eternal
and heavenly
world by the Almighty.
(saints)
through whose
truths are discharged into this
THE 226.
The
149 The
cries of all jackals are alike.
men
the wise
all
SAYINGS.
teachings of
of the world are essentially one and the
same. 227. Whatever gives happiness in this world contains a bit of divine
two
is
enjoyment in
as between treacle
The
it.
difference
between the
and refined candy.
228. He who is absorbed in others' affairs, forgets his own outer and inner affairs (i.e. does not think about his own lower and higher self, but is absorbed in the affairs of other
selfs).
229.
When
the
mind
dwells in evil propensities,
it is
like
a high-caste BrihmaÂŤa living in the quarters of the outa gentleman dwelling in the back slums of
castes, or like
the town.
230. If a
and causes ; remembers
man
sees a pleader he naturally thinks of cases
similarly,
his
on seeing a pious devotee, the man
God and
the hereafter.
What is the reason that a Prophet is not honoured ? A. The kinsmen of a juggler do not crowd round him to see his performances, while strangers 231. Q.
by his own kinsmen
stand agape at his wonderful
232.
The
seeds of Va^avintula do not
From
of the tree. tree
and take root
fests itself at
tricks.
there.
So the
a distance, and he
233. There
is
fall
to the bottom
the shell they shoot far away from the
is
Spirit of
a Prophet mani-
appreciated there.
always a shade under the lamp while
light illumines the surrounding objects.
So the man
its
in the
;
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
50
immediate proximity of a Prophet does not understand him.
Those who
live afar off are
charmed by
his spirit
and
extra-
ordinary power.
The
234.
and round
waters of a swiftly-flowing current
in eddies
So the hearts of
these they resume their former course.
the pious grief,
and
fall
A
235.
sometimes into the whirlpools of despondency,
unbelief, but
does not
It
move round
whirlpools, but quickly crossing
and
it is
only a momentary aberration.
last long.
tree,
laden with
always bends low.
fruit,
So,
if
thou wantest to be great, be low and meek.
The
236.
heavier scale goes
but the fool
is
is
the lighter one
always humble,
always puffed up with vanity.
The anger
237.
down and
So the man of merit and ability
rises up.
of the good
is
like
a line drawn on the
surface of water, which does not last long.
238. If a white cloth
is
stained with a small speck the
blackness appears very ugly indeed by the contrast smallest fault of a holy
by
man becomes
;
so the
painfully prominent
his surrounding purity.
The
239.
sunlight
is
one and the same wherever
it falls
but bright surfaces like water, mirror and polished metals, &c., can reflect
equally
and
it fully.
impartially
So on
is
all
the Light Divine. hearts,
It falls
but the pure and
clean hearts of the good and holy Sidhus only can fully reflect
it.
240. As in a pane of glass on which quicksilver has
THE been
one can see
laid,
15I
SAYINGS.
his face reflected, so in the chaste
heart of a totally abstinent
man
is
reflected the
image of
the Almighty.
So long as one does not become Simple
241.
one does not get Divine illumination.
Forget
like a child,
all
the worldly
knowledge that thou hast acquired, and become as ignorant about
as a child,
it
and then thou
wilt get the
knowledge of
the True.
The Hindu almanacs
242. annual
contain predictions of the
But squeeze the book, and not a drop of
rainfall.
water will be got out of
it.
So
also
many good
not
make one
religious.
One
sayings
them
are to be found in books, but merely reading
will
has to practise the virtues
taught therein.
243. Q. water it
Why
do
pure, but
is
becomes
passes through.
discharge
244.
religions degenerate?
soiled according to
If the roof
The rainthe medium
A.
and the pipe be
dirty, the
is dirty.
Money can
not consider
it
procure bread and butter only.
therefore as
if it
Do
were thy sole end and aim.
245. As by rubbing gold and brass on a touch-stone, their real worth
becomes known
;
so a sincere
Sidhu and
a hypocrite are found out when they are rubbed through the touch-stone of persecution and adversity.
246. The iron must be heated several times and hammered before
it
becomes good
steel.
Then
only
it
becomes
fit
to
be made into a sharp sword, and can be bent any way you
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rXmAKRISHNA.
152
So a man must be heated
like.
several times in the furnace
hammered with the persecutions of the he becomes pure and humble.
of tribulations, and world, before
own
247. Remain always strong and steadfast in thy faith,
but eschew
bigotry
all
and
intolerance.
248. Be not like the frog in the well. The frog in the weU knows nothing bigger and grander than its well. So are
all
own
bigots
they do not see anything better than their
:
creeds.
man who worshipped ,Siva, but hated One day Siva appeared to him and said,
249. There was a all '
other Deities.
I shall
never be pleased with thee, so long as thou hatest
the other gods.'
days
^va
But the man was inexorable.
as Hari-Hara, that
and the other half pleased
is,
one side of
his
body was At
side that of Vish«u.
and half
displeased.
the side representing
Sivsi,
He
the side representing Vishnu, and
enough
that of ,S5va,
this the
man was
laid his offerings
and did not
burning incense to his beloved God well as audacious
After a few
This time he appeared
again appeared to him.
offer
when he (6'iva)
on
anything to offered
the
he was careful as
to press the nostril of Vish«u, the
other half of Hari-Hara, lest the fragrance should be pleasing to Vish«u.
Seeing him altogether inexorable, the
was sorely displeased with him, and his sight.
this,
the
name of Vish«u
man hung
two
God ^va
once vanished from
But the man was as undaunted as
ever, the children of the village
ing the
at
ever.
began to tease him by
Howutter-
in his hearing.
Displeased with
bells to his ears,
which he used to
THE SAYINGS.
1
names of Vish«u,
ring as soon as the boys cried out the
And
order to prevent the sound entering his ears.
53 in
thus he
was known by the name of Bell-eared, or Gha«/i-kar«a.
He
is still
much hated
so
for his bigotry that every year at
a certain period the boys of Bengal break with a cudgel, and this serves
him
down
his effigy
right.
250. As the young wife in a family shows her love and respect to her father-in-law, mother-in-law,
member
husband more than these ;
similarly,
own
tion to the Deity of thy
A
truly religious
being firm in thy devo-
choice (Ishfe-Devati), do not
them
despise other Deities, but honour 251.
and every other
of the family, and at the same time loves her
man
all.
should think that other
are paths leading to the truth.
ligions
also
always
maintain
We
re-
should
an attitude of respect towards other
religions.
252.
The
Hinduism
difference between the like the difference
is
music and the whole music. content with the single note of religion is
made up
modern Brdhmaism and
between the single note of
The modern Brihmas are Brahman, while the Hindu
of several notes producing a sweet and
melodious harmony. 253.
Some
years ago,
were preaching
when
the
Hindus and the Brahmas
their respective religions with true earnest-
ness and great zeal,
some one asked Bhagavin
Sii
Rama-
kr!sh«a his opinion about both parties^ on which he replied, '
I see that
through both
my Mother parties.'
Divine
is
getting her
work done
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
54
Hari
254. hearts,'
(from hri, to
255. Sin
like quicksilver
The
is
steals
our
our strength.'
can never be kept concealed.
takes calomel, sooner or later
it
sure to
is
the shape of eruptions on the skin.)
itself in
256.
means 'He who
and Haribala means 'Hari
(When a man show
steal)
RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
tears of repentance
and the
tears of happiness
flow from the two different corners of the eye.
The
tears
of repentance flow from the side near the nose, and the tears of happiness flow
from the other extremity.
They
are wanderers
Their minds
have become
257. Visit not miracle workers.
from
the
path
of
truth.
entangled in the meshes of psychic powers, which
way of the pilgrim towards Brahman, of these powers, and desire
258.
A man
Overjoyed at
'
My
hard asceticism in
the power of walking over
last
this acquisition,
Guru, and told him of his grand replied,
the
Beware
not.
after fourteen years of
a lonely forest obtained at the waters.
them
lie in
as temptations.
At
feat.
he went
to his
this the
Master
poor boy, what thou hast accomplished
fourteen years' arduous labour, ordinary
men do
after
the same
by paying a penny to the boatman.'
259.
A
youthful
disciple
of
5rt
Rimakn'shwa once
acquired the power of reading the heart of another.
he related
and
said,
'
this experience to the Master,
Shame on
on these petty 260.
thee, child,
When
he rebuked him
do not waste thy energies
things.'
A washerman keeps a large
store of clothes
and has
THE
SAYINGS.
a rich wardrobe, but these are not
washed
clothes are
his
1
55
As soon
as the
wardrobe becomes empty.
Men
his.
having no original thoughts of their
own
are
like
the
washerman.
Greed brings woe, while contentment
261.
A
ness.
happi-
all
is
barber was once passing under a haunted tree
when he heard a voice say, ' Wilt thou accept of seven jars The barber looked round, but could see no one. of gold ? '
The
mysterious voice again repeated the words, and the
cupidity of the barber being greatly roused by the spon-
taneous offer of such vast wealth he spoke aloud, 'When the merciful
God
barber like me,
is is
there anything to be said as to
accepting the kind offer so generously the reply came,
'
Go home,
The barber
thither.'
I
promised
to see the
another and saw them
and
filled.
silver
upon
arose the desire of
So he sold
But the
jar
still
began to starve himself and
insufficient, coarse,
savings into the
jar,
The barber then it
jar.
was not
He
all filled,
ornaments and converted them
threw them into the
He now
Now
jars there.
the heart of the barber.
last jar in
my
At once
have already carried the
them one
which was half
made?'
jars
ran in hot haste to his house, and
was transported after
on a poor
so good as to take pity even
and cheap
opened
save one
filling this
all his
gold
into coins
and
remained empty.
his family
by
living
food, throwing all his
but the jar remained as empty as ever.
requested the King to increase his pay as
sufficient to
maintain him and his family.
was a favourite of the King, the
latter
As he
granted his request.
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
56
The barber now began and throw them no sign of being
to save
all
his
pay and emoluments,
into the jar, but the greedy jar
all
He now
filled.
began
and became as wretched and miserable
to live
'
Hallo
!
when
thou wast
One day
as ever.
the King seeing his sad plight, inquired of
showed
by begging,
him by
saying,
thy pay was half of what thou gettest now,
happier and more cheerful, contented, and
far
healthy, but with double that pay I see thee morose, care-
worn, and dejected.
Now
what
Hast thou accepted the seven was taken aback by
is
the matter with thee?
jars of gold ?
'
hands asked the King as to who had informed about the matter.
and wretched
is
plight.
I
Do away
hoarding and not for spending.'
and
said,
home
'
by
this advice
O Yaksha,
have known thee through with the it.
money
at once.
That money
for
is
The barber was brought
and went to the haunted
tree
take back thy gold,' and he returned
them
to find the seven jars vanished, taking with
life-long savings.
after
be reduced to such an
sure to
canst not spend a farthing of
to his senses
his majesty
'
this invariable sign.
Thou
barber
The King answered, Whosoever accepts
the riches of a Yaksha abject
The
and with clasped
home-thrust,
this
his
Nevertheless he began to live happily
it.
262. It
is
very pleasant to scratch a ringworm, but the
after-sensation
is
very painful
and
intolerable
;
so
the
pleasures of the world are very pleasant in the beginning,
but their after-consequences are very plate.
terrible to
contem-
THE 263. Q. What fruit, all
skin
is
SAYINGS.
I
A.
the world like?
and stone with but very
It is like
little
57
an Amli,
pulp, the eating
of which produces colic.
264. Like unto a miser that longeth after gold,
let
thy
Him.
heart pant after
266. So long as the heavenly expanse of the heart troubled and disturbed by the gusts of desire, there
is
is little
chance of our beholding therein the brightness of God.
The
which
beatific vision occurs only in the heart
and rapt up 266.
in divine
The
soiled mirror never reflects the rays of the sun,
and the impure and unclean
Miyi
calm
is
communion.
in heart
who
are subject to
never perceive the glory of the Bhagavin
(illusion)
But the pure
(the Venerable).
in heart see the Lord, as
the clear mirror reflects the sun.
Be
holy, then.
267. As on the troubled surface of rolling waters the
moon
shines in broken images, so on the unsettled
a worldly
man
engrossed in M.tyk, the perfect
mind of
God
shines
with partial light only.
268.
Why
does a
Bhakta
(one
full
forsake everything for the sake of
from the darkness as soon as any ant loses the
its
Bhakta
life
of the love of
God?
light
An
meets
God)
insect flies
its
eyes
;
in molasses, but never leaves them.
cleaves unto his
God
for ever^
and leaves
the
So all
else.
269. As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a
bamboo
or a staircase or a rope, so diverse
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAmAKJI/SHJVA.
158
also are the
ways and means to approach God, and every
religion in the world
270. If
God
is
shows one of these ways.
Omnipresent, why do we not see
Him ?
Standing by the bank of a pool thickly overspread with
scum and weeds, you will say that there is no water in it. If you desire to see the water, remove the scum from the surface of the pond.
Miyi
With eyes covered with the
film of
you complain that you cannot see God.
wish to see Him, remove the film of
Maya from
you
If
your
ofiF
eyes.
271. like
Why
cannot we see the Divine Mother?
a high-born lady transacting
behind the screen, seeing
all,
She
is
her business from
all
Her
but seen by none.
devout sons only see Her, by going near Her and behind the screen of
MiyL
272. Dispute not. allow others also the faiths.
By mere
As you same
rest firmly
on your own
liberty to stand
by
faith,
their
own
disputation you shall never succeed in
When
convincing another of his error.
descends on him, every one
will
the grace of
God
understand his own
mistakes.
273.
A husbandman
whole of a day.
was watering a sugar-cane
field
the
After finishing his task he saw that not
a drop of water had entered the
field
gone underground through several big
all
;
the water had
rat-holes.
Such
is
the state of that devotee who, cherishing secretly in his heart worldly desires (of fame, pleasures,
and ambitions, worships God.
Though
and comforts)
daily praying,
he
:
:
THE SAYINGS. makes no progress because the
159 runs to
entire devotion
waste through the rat-holes of his desires, and at the end of his life-long devotion he
the same
is
man
and
as before,
has not advanced one step.
Keep thyself aloof at the time of thy devotion from who scoflf, and those who ridicule piety and the pious.
274. those
275. Is
it
good to create
word 'Dal,' which means both a as 'the rank growth
(Here
sects ?
'sect' or 'party' as well
in
a current of water:
only in the stagnant waters of petty pools. earnestly longs after the Deity has
He who
(Dal).
276.
a pun on the
on the surface of a stagnant
The 'Dal' cannot grow
else.
is
He
no time
pool.')
it
grows
whose heart for anything
looks for fame and honour, forms sects
(Cf. 105.)
The Vedas, Tantras, and
the
Pur^ÂŤas, and
all
become as if defiled (as food thrown out of the mouth becomes polluted) because they have been constantly repeated by and have the sacred scriptures of the world, have
come out
of
human mouths.
But the
Brahman
or the
Absolute has never been defiled, for no one as yet has
been able to express 277.
The
Him
by human speech. a
parable of
Brahman and
his
low-caste
out, she flies away.
A priest
servant
As soon
as
Miyi
is
found
was once going to the servant with
addressed
him.
him,
accompany me
village of
On
saying,
a
the way, '
Hallo
as a servant?
!
disciple.
He
had no
seeing a cobbler,
good
Thou
man,
wilt
shall dine well
he
thou
and
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; '
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJJ/SHiVA.
l6o
be cared for; come
wilt '
Reverend
am
Sir, I
The
sent your servant?'
Do
not
along.'
priest said,
anybody what thou
tell
acquaintance with
The
of the lowest caste,
any
twilight, while the priest
art,
was
how can
I repre-
'Never mind
that.
nor speak to or make
The
one.'
cobbler replied,
cobbler agreed.
sitting at prayers in
At
the house
Brahman came and addressed the priest's servant, Fellow, go and bring my shoes from there.' The servant, true to the words of his master, made no response. The Brahman repeated the order a second time, but the servant remained silent. The Brihman of his disciple, another '
repeated inch. '
getting annoyed, the
last,
Hallo Sirrah
command The cobbler !
How
!
What
is
darest thou not obey a Brahman's
thy caste ?
Art thou not a cobbler
hearing this began to tremble with
'O
looking at the priest said,
piteously
O
moved not an Brihman angrily said,
again and again, but the cobbler
it
At
venerable Sir
longer, let
me
I
!
flee.'
am
found out.
I
?
fear,
and
venerable
Sir,
cannot stay here any
So saying he took
to his heels.
278. What is the relation between (Pivdtman and Paramitman, the personal and the Highest Self? As when a plank of wood is stretched across a current of water, the water
seems to be divided into two, so the
indivisible appears divided into
279. There long as the
its
mind
two by
limitations (Upidhi)
In truth they are one and the same.
of M%3..
is little
chance of a ship running
astray, so
compass points towards the true North.
of
man
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the compass-needle of the ship
of
So life
if
THE is
l6l
SAYINGS.
turned always towards the Parabrahman without
tion,
oscilla-
will steer clear of every danger.
it
280. The Avadhfita saw a bridal procession passing through a meadow, with the beating of drums and the
Hard by
blowing of trumpets, and with great pomp.
the
road through which the procession was passing he saw a hunter deeply absorbed in aiming at a bird, and perfectly
and pomp of the procession, casting
inattentive to the noise
not even a passing look at hunter, said, tation
'
my mind
let
The
it.
my
you are
Sir,
Avadhflta, saluting the
Guru.
meditation as yours has been on the 281.
An
When
and such a place ?
'
Brother, which
'
The
float
its
The
way
rod.
When is
saluted
him and
in
of the rod at that time was
all
you have been said,
'
Sir,
saying, sir?'
you are
your example, and before finishing attend to anything
A
:
so the
man
attention to his fishing-
my
The Avadhdta
When I sit me follow my devotions let me not Guru.
the contemplation of the Paramitman,
282.
Avadhflta,
the fish was caught, he turned round and said,
'What
it
of
leads to such
indicating that the fish was nibbling the bait
did not give any reply, but was
medi-
object
bird.'
angler was fishing in a pond.
approaching him, asked,
I sit in
concentrated on
be
let
else.'
heron was
slowly
walking
catch a
to
Behind, there was a hunter aiming an arrow bird was totally unmindful of this saluting the heron, said,
'
When M
fact.
at
The
it ;
fish.
but the
Avadhflta,
I sit in meditation let
me
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF VtlUAKRISHNA.
l62
and never turn back to see who
follow your example,
is
behind me.'
A
283.
kite with a fish
a host of crows and other
pecking at
and were
it,
whatever direction followed
it,
in
beak was followed by
its
kites,
which were screeching and
screeching and cawing.
annoyance, the kite caught by another
let
go the
and
kite,
at
kites
The
fish.
first
kite
on the branch of a
was
when
it
O
Kite
;
for
was instantly
once the crowd of
left
and
kites
new owner
of
unmolested, and sat calmly
Seeing this quiet and tranquil
tree.
state of the bird the Avadhfita, saluting
Guru,
and crows
Getting tired of this
fish,
crows transferred their kind attentions to the the
In
trying to snatch the fish away.
went the crowd of
it
you have taught
it,
me
said,
'
You
are
my
man
that so long as
does not throw off the burden of the worldly desires he carries,
he cannot be undisturbed and
peace with him-
at
self.'
284. The the ear;
human Guru
the Divine
whispers the sacred formula into
Guru breathes the
spirit
into
the
make Then
the
soul.
285.
If thou wishest to thread the needle,
thread pointed, and remove
all
extraneous
fibres.
thread will easily enter into the eye of the needle.
the
So
if
thou wishest to concentrate thy heart on God, be meek,
humble, and poor in
spirit,
and remove
all
filaments of
desire.
286. to pass
A snake by
dwelt in a certain place.
that way.
No
one dared
For whoever did so was instan-
THE SAYINGS. and the serpent ran
he
lost all his ferocity,
and was overpowered by the
Seeing the snake, the sage said,
ness of the Yogin. friend, thinkest
thou to bite
and made no
reply.
friend,
after the sage in order to
man
But when the snake approached the holy
bite him.
do
not injure
and nodded
me ?'
At
The
gentle'
Well,
The snake was abashed
the sage said, 'Hearken,
this
anybody
assent.
The snake bowed own way and the
in future.'
sage went his
snake entered his hole, and thenceforward began to a
life
63
Once a Mahitman passed by
taneously bitten to death. that road,
1
live
of innocence and purity without even attempting to
harm any one.
In a few days
to think that the snake
had
all
the neighbourhood began
lost all his
venom, and was no
more dangerous, and so every one began to tease him. Some pelted him, others dragged him mercilessly by the tail, and in this way there was no end to his troubles. Fortunately the sage again passed by that way, and seeing the bruised and battered condition of the good snake, was very
At
much moved, and
this the
inquired the cause of his distress.
snake replied,
'
Holy
sir,
not injure any one, after your advice. merciless
The
!
'
you not to
frighten others.
any creature,
still
able distance by Similarly, if
and
respected.
same
But
sage smilingly said,
you not to
I simply advised
this is
bite
'
because
alas
My
any one, but
!
do
dear friend, I
did not
Although you should not
you should keep every one
I
they are so
at
tell
bite
a consider-
hissing at him.'
thou
livest in
Do
time, injured
the world,
make
thyself feared
not injure any one, but be not, at the
by
others.
M
2
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rKwAKRISHNA.
164 287.
When
the bird has flown away from
it,
So when the bird of
longer for the cage.
one cares no
life
has flown
away, no one cares any longer for the carcase.
288. As a lamp does not burn without
cannot
live
oil,
so a
man
without God.
A learned Brahman once went over to a wise king and said, Hear, O king, I am well versed in the holy 289. 290.
'
I intend to teach thee the holy
scriptures.
book of the
The king, who was the wiser of the two, well knew that a man who has read the BhSgavata would seek more to know his own Self than honour and wealth in Bhigavata.'
a king's court.
He
replied,
'
to
make you my tutor, but go first The Brihman went his way,
How
foolish the king is to say I
Bhagavata
well,
and over again
when
Brยง,hman, that you
book thoroughly.
well.' '
O
I see,
yourself have not mastered that
I
promise
and learn the scripture thinking within himself,
have not mastered the
have been reading the book over
I
for all these years.'
However, he went over
the book carefully once more and appeared before the king.
The
king told him the same thing again and sent him
away.
The Brihman was
must be some meaning
sore vexed, but thought there
for this behaviour of the king.
went home, shut himself up in self
his closet,
more than ever to the study of the book.
hidden meanings began
By and by
kings and courts, wealth
unclouded
vision.
the
to flash before his intellect; the
vanity of running after the bubbles, riches
his
He
and applied him-
and fame,
From
that
all
and honour,
vanished before
day forward he gave
THE SAYINGS.
1
65
himself up entirely to attain perfection by the worship of
God, and never returned to the king.
A
few years after
the king thought of the Brihman, and went to his house to
Seeing the BrUhman,
see what he was about.
with the divine light and love, he said,
I see
'
you have now arrived
the scriptures
I
;
am
duly condescend to 291.
As long
make me
as there
is
radiant
all
knees and
his
meaning of
at the true
ready to be your disciple,
selves to alleviate heat, but
you
if
will
one.'
no breeze blowing, we fan our-
when
the breeze blows both for
We
and poor, we give up fanning.
rich
upon
fell
should persevere
ourselves to reach our final goal as long as there
no help
is
from above; but when that help comes to any,
let
him
then stop labouring and persevering ; otherwise not. 292. Q. Where
A. There are
and again
is
God?
How
pearls in the sea,
until
you get the
pearls.
So there
world, but you should persevere to see
293.
How
is
God
upon the topmast of a ship, getting tired of away
alas
!
As
the
a syringe.
294. As in mid-ocean a bird, which found
flies
in the
Him.
does the soul stay in the body?
piston stays in
Him?
can we get to
you must dive deep again
to discover a
new
place of rest for
without finding any, returns at
its
its
last to its
perch
position,
itself,
and
old roost
upon the masthead, weary and exhausted; so when an ordinary aspirant, being disgusted with the monotony of the task and the discipline imposed well-wishing
upon him by
his
and thoroughly experienced preceptor (Guru),
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAuAKRISHNA.
68
feels the
man
weight of the responsibilities of a
of family,
by binding himself in time to the world by the indissoluble of wedlock, then he
tie
no longer appears
jolly,
the look of dejection, care, and anxiety, and
is
but wears
seen to lose
the glow of health from his cheeks, while wrinkles gradually
make
appearance over the forehead.
their
that remains a air,
boy throughout
his
fresh as a newly-blown flower,
301.
A boat
may
free
life,
and pure
he
is
as the morning
as a dewdrop.
stay in the water, but water should not
An
stay in the boat.
Blessed
aspirant
may
live in the world,
but
the world should not live in him.
302.
He who
thinks his spiritual guide a mere man, can-
not derive any benefit from him.
303.
What you
think you should say.
Let there be a
harmony between your thoughts and your words ; if
you merely
that
tell
God
mind has made the world
is
your
its all
in
all in all, all,
otherwise,
while your
you cannot derive
any benefit thereby. 304.
A
young plant should be always protected by a
fence from the mischief of goats and cows and httle urchins.
But when once a herd' of cows
and
fill
their
little faith
it
becomes a big
may
its
faith,
no worldliness or
dare approach your holy presence will
it
bad company and worldhness.
you grow strong in wicked
spreading boughs,
stomachs with its leaves. So when you have but
within you, you should protect
influences of
will
a flock of goats or
tree,
find shelter under
;
from the
evil
But when once evil inclination
and many who are
become godly through your holy
contact.
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rXmAKRISBNA.
66
loses all hope, and, having forth into the
he a
no confidence
in him, launches
broad world ever in search of a new adviser,
sure at last to return to his original master after
is
fruitless
search,
which
the
increased
however,
has,
reverence of the repentant aspirant for the master.
295. In the month of June a young goat was playing near his mother, when, with a merry
he meant to make a flowers festival.
frisk,
of Ris-flowers, a species
feast
'
Well,
pass through Rds-flowers.
and October
my
and
dam,
darling,' replied the
You
'
you
if
is
not very auspicious to you
;
for
some one ;
then,
have to get through the time of Ktli-pUg^
you are fortunate enough to escape through that
comes the <ragaddhitÂŤ-pfl^, when almost
the surviving male
members
of our tribe are destroyed.
your good luck leads you safe and sound through then you can hope to
make a
the beginning of November.'
we should not
hastily
our youthful hopes fold crises
may
296. As the
all
entertain,
will
all
all
If
these
feast of Ris-flowers in
Like the
approve of
which one
course of one's
human
not
have to
many crises before you can hope to feast on The interval between the coming September
will
period, there
crises,
is
it
will
take you for a sacrifice to the Goddess Durgi
again,
of
budding abundantly during the time of the Rislili
such an easy thing as you seem to think.
may
he told her that
dam
in the fable,
the aspirations which
remembering the mani-
have to pass through in the
life.
fly sits,
now on the unclean
body, and now on the
sore of the
offerings dedicated to the
;
THE gods, so the
SAYINGS.
mind of the worldly man
engaged in religious topics and
is at
one time deeply
moment
at the next
and
the pleasures of wealth
itself in
67
1
loses
lust.
297. As the rain-water falling upon the roof of a house
down
flows
shaped tigers'
the
to
ground
through
mouths, while in
reality
spouts
grotesquely
seeming to come out of
like the tiger's head, thus
descends from the sky
it
even so are the holy instructions that come out of the
mouths of godly men, which seem
men
themselves, while in
throne of God.
298. As
it is
be uttered by those
to
reality they
proceed from the
(See 225). very
gather together the mustard-
difficult to
seeds that escape out of a torn package, and are scattered in all directions
directions is
and
so,
;
is
when
human mind many things
the
occupied with
not a very easy
affair to collect
runs in diverse in the world,
and concentrate
it
it.
299. As thieves cannot enter the house the inmates of
which are wide awake,
no
evil spirits will
its
goodness.
300. merry.
so, if
The new-born It
you are always on your guard,
be able to enter your heart to rob
calf looks very lively, blithe,
jumps and runs
suck the sweet milk from rope placed round
its
all its
So long
as a
world he
is
and
and
day long, and only stops to
But no sooner
dam.
neck than
it
is
the
begins to pine away
gradually, and, far from being merry, wears a dejected
sorry appearance,
of
it
and
gets almost reduced to a skeleton.
boy has no concern with the
as merry as the day
is
long.
affairs
of the
But when he once
THE SAYINGS. 305.
If
he
large,
1 69
you wash the body of an elephant and
is
sure to get himself dirtied in
washing him you
him down
no
him
at
time, but
if
set
own room he by the good influences of holy men you once become pure in spirit, and then allow yourself the liberty to mix freely with worldly men, you are sure to
after will
remain clean.
So
lose that purity soon
your God, you
will
tie
;
to his
if
but
if
you keep your mind
never more get soiled in
308. Where does the strength of an aspirant in his tears.
As a mother
fixed
fulfil
God
His weeping son whatever he
for.
God
307. Meditate on
either in
is
crying
It is
lie ?
gives her consent to
desire of her importunately weeping child, so safes to
on
spirit.
the
vouch-
an unknown corner, or
in the solitude of forests, or within your
own mind.
308. Chant forth the sweet name of Hari (God), keeping time
all
the while by clapping your hands, then you will
acquire mental concentration. sitting
away
under a
tree,
If
you clap your hands,
the birds on the boughs thereof will
in all directions,
and when you chant
of Hari and clap your hands,
all evil
forth the
thoughts
will fly
fly
name away
from your mind. 309. 310. As the same cutlet,
and each has
his
fish is
own
dressed into soup, curry, or
choice dish of
it,
so the Lord
of the Universe, though one, manifests Himself differently
according to the difierent 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,
I
70
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR7SHJVA.
a sweet smiling mother or a devout friend, and to others a
husband or a
faithful
311.
Bow down and
many
so
dutiful
hearts have
and
obliging son.
adore where others kneel, for where
been paying the tribute of adoration,
the kind Lord will manifest Himself, for 312. There are to attract
them
He
is all
mercy.
men, who, although they have nothing
in this world, create
some attachments
for
themselves, and so try to bind themselves to this earth.
They do not want and do not like to be who has no family to care for, no relatives generally takes a cat, or a
A
free.
man
to look after,
monkey, or a dog, or a bird
a pet object and companion
;
milk by drinking mere whey.
and thus Such
is
for
slakes his thirst for
the power of
Mkyk
or Nescience over humanity. 313. 314.
A
patient, in high fever
and excess of
thirst,
imagines that he can drink away quite a sea of water ; but
when
that
fit
of fever goes and he regains his normal
temperature, he can barely quafiF off a single cupful of water,
and
his thirst
small quantity of
is
at
once appeased with even a very
So a man, being under the
it.
excitement of Miyi, and forgetful of his
own
feverish
littleness,
imagines that he can embrace the whole of Divinity within his
own bosom, but when
ray of Divine Light
with eternal divine 315.
and
A
is
the illusion passes away a single
seen to be sufficient to flood him
bliss.
man, under the influence of very high fever
in excessive thirst,
is
placed between a row of pitchers
THE
SAYINGS,
171
filled
with cold water and a set of open-mouthed bottles
filled
with flavoury sauces.
and
restless patient in
Is
possible for the thirsty
it
such a case to refrain from either
drinking the water or from tasting the sauces placed so
near him, although thereby his case
Even such
is
maddening influence of senses
when he
then
liable to
his
ever-active
and misleading
placed between the attractions of woman's
is
charm on the one It is
may become worse? man who is under the
the case with the
and those of wealth on the other. him to behave properly, and he is deviate often from the true path and thus make side
difficult for
his case worse.
318.
None
ventures to keep milk in a vessel in which
curd had formerly formed, curdled.
Nor can the
working purposes
lest
lest
vessel
the milk
be
A
therefore almost useless.
to
to suit his
do any
useful
is
work
that
man
valuable
sure to misinterpret
own mean
for fire.
other It
is
good and experienced pre-
ceptor does not entrust to a worldly
them
used
should crack upon the
it
exalting precepts, for he
should get
itself
safely
Nor
designs.
may
cost a
will
little
and
and misuse he ask him
labour, lest he
should think that the preceptor was taking undue advantage of him. 317.
When
a certain quantity of pure milk
double the quantity of water, labour to thicken milk).
it
The mind
it
is
mixed with
takes a long time
and much
to the consistency of Kshira (condensed
of a worldly
man
is
largely diluted with
the filthy water of evil and impure thoughts, and
it
requires
I
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKJUSBNA.
72
much
time and labour before anything can be done to
purify
and give the proper consistency to
318.
The
may
vanities of all others
it.
gradually die out,
but the vanity of a saint as regards his sainthood
hard
is
indeed to wear away. 319.
Of
the grains of paddy which are fried in a frying-
pan, the few which leap out of the pan and burst outside are the best fried, being without the slightest tinge
pan
;
mark
sure to have at least a very small charred
itself is
So of all good devotees, the few who altogether
of a burn. give
mark of any
while every one of the properly-fried grains in the
up the world and go out of
it
are perfect without any
even the best of those devotees who are in the
spot, while
world must have at
some small spot of imperfection
least
in their character.
320.
We
cannot say that
feeds us, for every father
with food
when
but
;
He
is
God
is
bound
32L
If you can detect it
wUl
when found 322. Fire
embers
it
fly
He
keeps us from going astray, and
holds us back from temptations, then
or MiyS,
gracious because
to supply his children
He
is
truly gracious.
and find out the universal
away from you,
illusion
just as a thief runs
away
out. itself
has no definite shape, but in glowing
assumes certain forms, and the formless
then endowed with forms.
Similarly, the
fire is
formless
God
sometimes invests Himself with definite forms. 323. Should we pray aloud unto
God ?
Pray unto
Him
THE SAYINGS. any way you
in
hear even the
He who
324.
book-learning
is
He
sure to hear you, for
give one an idea of
man who tries to by means of a map or a
A man began to
God by mere
picture.
down
sink a well, but having dug
he could not find the
trace of the water-spring which
was to feed
desisted from the
So he
work and selected another place
for the
he could not find any water.
avail.
gether.
was
At
So again he selected another
last in utter disgust
The sum
little
before, but even then
deeper than before, but
still
least
his well.
There he dug deeper than
spot and dug
can
give one an idea
the
to the depth of twenty cubits
purpose.
73
of an ant.
tries to
is like
of Kift (Benares)
325.
He
like.
footfall
I
total of the
hundred
short of a
was also of no
it
he gave up the task
alto-
depths of these three wells 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
shift their positions in
with success
the case with regard to
we should devote
men who
faith.
continually
In order to meet
ourselves entirely to a single
object of faith, without being doubtful as to
its efficacy.
326. Although in a grain of paddy the germ
is
considered
the only necessary thing (for germination and growth), while
the husk or chaff if
is
considered to be of no importance,
the unhusked grain be put into the ground
sprout up and grow into a plant and produce
it
rice.
still
will
not
To
get
a crop one must needs sow the grain with the husk on
;
but
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAjIAKii/SH^A.
74
if
one wants to get
at the germinating matter itself
So
seed.
rites
and ceremonies are necessary
and perpetuation of a
must perform them before he reaches the 327.
The
growth
central truth.
pearl-oyster that contains the precious pearl
in itself of very little value,
growth of the
man who
for the
They are the receptacles and consequently every man
religion.
that contain the seeds of truth,
is
he must
perform the operation of removing the husk from the
first
pearl.
The
but
it
is
shell itself is
essential for the
of no use to the
has got the pearl, neither are ceremonies and
rites necessary for
him who has
attained the Highest Truth
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;God. 328. small
A
woodcutter led a very miserable
means he could procure by
with the
life
daily selling the load
wood brought from a neighbouring forest. Once a Sawnyisin, who was wending his way through the forest, saw him at work, and advised him to proceed onward of
into the interior recesses of the forest, intimating to
that
he would be a gainer thereby.
obeyed the injunction and proceeded onward to
a sandal-wood
away with him
and sold them
Then he began
tree,
as
to
SaÂť?nyisin did not
sandal-logs
he came
as he could carry,
market and derived
think within himself tell
till
and being much pleased he took
many
in the
him
The woodcutter
much
why
profit.
the good
him anything about the wood
of
the sandal-trees, but simply advised him to proceed onward into the interior of the forest.
So the next day he went
on even beyond the place of the sandal-wood, and
at last
THE
SAYINGS.
175 him
came upon a copper-mine, and he took
with
copper as he could carry, and
in the
much money by
selling
of
as
it
he could
got even more money; and
and
further
at last
the
he got
as the
at the
SMhu
and sold
it all
Such
rich.
is
also the case with
aspires after true knowledge.
If
becomes
supernatural powers, he at last
he does not
and
really rich in the
knowledge of truth.
329. If you oil
and
and diamond-mines, and
stop in his progress after attaining a few extraordinary
eternal
had
and took
silver-mine,
carry,
much
so daily proceeding further
at gold-mines
became exceedingly
man who
still,
came upon a
advised him to do, and
much
as
market got
Next day, without stopping
it.
copper-mine, he proceeded further
with him as
it
first
smear the palms of your hands with
and then break open the
exudation of the trouble you.
So
fruit will if
you
first fortify
knowledge of the Universal
the sticky milky
jack-fruit,
not stick to your hands and
Self,
yourself with the true
and then
of wealth and women, they will affect you
live in
in
the midst
no way.
He who would learn to swim must attempt swimming some days. No one can venture to swim in the sea after
330. for
you want to swim in the sea
a single day's practice.
So
of Brahman, you must
make many
first,
if
before you can successfully
331.
egoism 332.
When
does a
man
ineffectual attempts at
swim
therein.
get his salvation?
When
his
dies.
When
a sharp thorn finds
its
way
into the sole of
one's foot, one takes another thorn to get the former out,
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKiJ/SHiVA.
76
and then
casts
both of them away.
So
relative
knowledge
alone can remove the relative ignorance which blinds the
eye of the
Self.
As both such knowledge and ignorance
comprised truly under Nescience, the
man who
are
attains the
highest Gnina, or knowledge of the Absolute, does
away
with both knowledge and ignorance in the end, being himself free
333.
from
To
all duality.
drink pure water from a shallow pond,
should gently take the water from the surface, turb
If
it.
it is
the bottom and desire to
one
and not
dis-
disturbed the sediments will rise up from
make
the whole water muddy.
be pure, have firm
If you and slowly go on with
faith
your devotional practices, and waste not your energies in useless scriptural discussions
The
and arguments.
little
brain will otherwise be muddled.
334. If this body pious and devout
is
men
of an empty box.
worthless
and
take care of
transitory,
No
it ?
All protect with care a chest
precious jewels, gold,
and
costly articles.
why do
one takes care
The
full
of
pious soul
cannot help taking care of the body in which the Divine
one
dwells, for all our bodies
form the playground of the
Deity.
335.
The
tender
bamboo can be
easily bent,
grown bamboo breaks when an attempt It is easy to
The
but the
made
to
full-
bend
it.
bend young hearts towards good, but the heart
of the old escapes the hold
386.
is
when so drawn.
locomotive engine easily drags along a train of
THE
SAYINGS.
1
77
So the loving children of God, and devotion to Him, feel no trouble in
heavily-laden carriages.
firm in their faith
passing through leading
all
the worries and anxieties of
many men along
337. Every
man
own
should follow his
Christian should follow Christianity, a follow
Mohammedanism, and
so on.
He
alone
is
A
religion.
Mohammedan
should
For the Hindus the
ancient path, the path of the Aryan Rishis,
338, 339.
and
life,
with them to God.
is
the best.
man who is illumined with Others are men in name only.
the true
the light of true knowledge.
340. The magnetic needle always points towards the North, and hence
God he 341.
it is
So long
her course.
cannot be
As
that the sailing-vessel does not lose
as the heart of
lost in the
man
is
the village maidens in India carry four or five
pots of water placed one over the other talking
all
directed towards
ocean of worldliness.
upon
their heads,
the way with one another about their
own
and sorrows, and yet do not allow one drop of water spilt,
so
must the
traveller in the
In whatever circumstances he
joys
to
be
path of virtue walk along.
may be
placed, let
him always
take heed that his heart does not swerve from the true path.
342. In our theatrical exhibitions wherein the
life
exploits of Krishna, are exhibited, the performance
and com-
mences with the beating of drums and the singing aloud of
'O KÂŤshÂŤa, come; come, O dear one.' But the person who plays the part of Krishna, pays no heed to this noise and
turmoil,
and goes on complacently chatting and smoking
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR7SHJVA.
78
green-room behind the stage.
in the
But
upon K«sh«a
with sweet and soft music and calls
K«sh«a
out with a heart overflowing with love,
he can no longer remain
Lord
Lord
come,
O
never
come
;
will
to
come
finds that
and hurriedly comes on
indifferent,
as the religious devotee cries,
So long
to the stage.
O
as soon as the
and the pious sage NSiada enters on the stage
noise ceases,
Come,
'
Lord,' with lip-prayers only, verily the
when
;
the Lord does come, the heart
of the devotee will melt in divine emotion, and his loud utterances will
343. There
is
delay
from the depths of
deep love and devotion.
no Path
safer
and smoother than
Ba-kalami means resigning the
that of
self to the
mine.'
What
344,
happy
:
is
the nature of absolute reliance
state of comfort felt
clining toil
Him
of the Almighty, to have no consciousness that anything
will '
is
(«V).
upon
calls
his heart overflowing with
ba-kalami
The Lord cannot
cease for ever.
all
coming when man
in
by a fatigued worker, when
on a pillow he smokes
it is
a cessation of
all
It is that
?
anxieties
and
re-
hard day's
at leisure after a
worries.
345. As dry leaves are blown about here and there by the wind, and have no choice of their own, and exertion
with His
:
so those will,
who depend upon God move
and can have no
will,
and put
in
forth
make no harmony no
effort,
of their own.
346, 347.
What do you
think of the
orator
and preacher, but whose
He
like a
is
person
man who
spirituality is
who squanders
is
a good
undeveloped ?
another's property
left
in
THE trust with him.
him
He
can
SAYINGS.
I
easily advise others, for
it
79
costs
nothing, as the ideas he expresses are not his own, but
borrowed.
A worldly man
348.
best
is
whatever savours of religion.
known by
He
his antipathy to
does not like to hear any
sacred music or psalm, or to utter the holy
and even dissuades at prayers,
name
and pours down a volley of abuse upon
scoffs
all religious
and men.
societies
349. As a boy holding on to a post or a
round
of God,
He
from doing the same.
otliers
with headlong speed without fear of a
it
pillar gyrates fall,
so, fixing
thy hold firmly on God, perform thy worldly duties, and
thou shalt be free from
dangers.
all
350. As an unchaste woman, busily engaged in household affairs, is all
O
thou
but
the while thinking of her secret lover, even so,
man
of the world, do thy round of worldly duties,
thy heart always on the Lord.
fix
As a wet-nurse
351.
in
a rich family brings up the child
of her master, loving the baby as
knows well that
you
whose
that she has
are but trustees
real father is the
352.
It is useless to
spiritual progress
were her own, but
it ;
so think ye also
and guardians of your children
Lord God
in
Heaven.
pore over holy scriptures and sacred
Shastras without a discriminating
No
if it
no claim upon
and dispassionate mind.
can be made without discrimination
(Viveka) and dispassion (Vairigya).
353.
Know
thyself,
and thou
N
2
shalt then
know
the non-
l8o self
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rKmAKRISHNA. What
and the Lord of all.
my
is
ego ?
Is
it
my
deep, and thou shalt
As by
know
that there
no such thing as
continually peeling off the skin of the onion, so
analysing the ego
it will
be found that there
entity corresponding to the ego.
such analysis manifests
354.
is
hand,
Ponder
or foot, or flesh, or blood, or muscle, or tendon ?
is
God.
When
The
is
I.
by
not any real
ultimate result of
all
egoism drops away, Divinity
itself.
The
truly devotional
and
spiritual practice suited
for this Iron-age (Kali-)aiga) is the constant repetition of
the
name
of the Lord of Love.
355. If thou wishest to see God, have firm faith in the efficacy of repeating the
name of Hari, and try to
discriminate
the real firom the unreal.
356.
When an
elephant
is let
loose,
it
goes about uproot-
ing trees and shrubs, but as soon as the driver pricks
on the head with the goad he becomes quiet
;
so the
him mind
when unrestrained wantons in the luxuriance of idle thoughts, but becomes calm at once when struck with the goad of discrimination.
357. Devotional practices are necessary only so long as tears of ecstasy
He
do not flow
at hearing the
name of Hari. is moved to
needs no devotional practices whose heart
tears at the
358.
mere mention of the name of Hari.
The companionship
of the holy and wise
is
one of
the main elements of spiritual progress.
359.
The
soul reincarnates in a
body of which
it
was
THE SAYINGS. thinking just before
its
Devotional practices
may
l8l
departure from this world.
last
therefore
be seen
necessary.
When, by constant
arise in the
mind, then the god-idea alone
does not leave
it
fills
even when on the brink of
How should
360.
one love
God ?
to
be very
no worldly ideas
practice,
the soul, and
eternity.
As the
true
and chaste
husband and the niggardly miser loves
wife loves her
his
hoarded wealth, so the devotee should love the Lord with heart
all his
and
soul.
How may we
361.
conquer the old
Adam
in
us?
When
the fruit grows out of the flower, the petals of the flower
drop
when the divinity in thee inweaknesses of thy human nature will all vanish
off of themselves.
creases, the
of their
own
362. 363.
accord.
When
does the attraction of sensual and worldly
pleasures die away
Existing Bliss, there
of
So,
In God, who
? is
Indivisible
is
a consolidation of
all
Ever-
happiness and
They who enjoy Him can find no attraccheap and worthless pleasures of the world.
pleasures.
all
tion in the
364. In what condition of the mind does God-vision take place
?
God
mental sea reflect
365. to
seen when the mind
is
is
agitated
God, and then God-vision
How may we
hook a big and
is tranquil.
by the wind of
find our
is
desires,
When it
the
cannot
impossible.
God?
The
angler, anxious
beautiful Rohitta-fish, waits calmly for
hours together, having thrown the bait and the hook into the water, watching patiently until the bait
is
caught by the
1
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF rAmAKRZSHJVA.
82
Similarly, the devotee
fish.
devotions
pull
it
patiently goes
heart of a sinner
on with
his
God. a curled
is like
You
hair.
ever so long, but will not succeed in making
So
straight.
who
sure at last to find his
The
366.
may
is
also the heart of the
wicked cannot be
it
easily
changed. 367. Knowledge leads to unity, and Ignorance to diversity.
368. 369. The society of pious
which
rice is washed.
tion.
So doth the
The
men
is like
the water in
rice-water dissipates intoxica-
society of the pious relieve worldly
men,
intoxicated with the wine of desires, from their intoxication.
370.
The agent
of a rich Zemindar,
when he goes
into
the mofussil or interior, tyrannises in various ways over the tenants.
But when he comes back
under the eyes of
his master,
to the head-quarters
he changes
his ways,
becomes
very pious, treats the tenants kindly, inquires fully into their grievances, all.
The
and
tries to
mete out impartial
tyrannical agent even
fear of the
landlord,
Similarly doth
all
justice to
becomes good through the
and by the
effect
the society of the pious
wicked righteous, awakening awe
of his society.
make even
the
and reverence within
them. 371. Moist
wood placed upon a fire soon becomes dry, to bum. Similarly, the society of the
and ultimately begins
pious drives away the moisture of greed and lust from the hearts of worldly
men and women, and
Viveka (Discrimination) burns
in them.
then the
fire
of
THE 372.
How
SAYINGS.
1
should one pass his or her hfe ?
on the hearth
As
the
83 fire
from time to time with a poker to
is stirred
make it burn brightly and prevent it from going out, so the mind should be invigorated occasionally by the society of the pious.
373.
As
the blacksmith keeps alive the
by the occasional blowing of
of his furnace
fire
bellows, so the
his
mind
should be kept a-burning by the society of the pious.
Throw an unbaked cake make a sort of boiling noise.
374. will
the less becomes the noise
of flour into hot ghee,
But the more
and when
;
bubbling ceases altogether.
it
is fully
So long as a
man
it is
it
fried,
fried the
has
little
knowledge, he goes about lecturing and preaching, but
when make
the perfection of knowledge
is
man who,
375. That
376.
We
must dive deep
the true hero.
is
into the ocean of the Eternal-
Fear not the deep-sea monsters. Avarice
Intelligent-BUss.
and Anger.
midst of the tempta-
living in the
tions of the world, attains perfection,
tion
obtained, he ceases to
vain displays.
Coat thyself with the turmeric of Discrimina-
and Dispassion (Viveka and Vairigya) and
alligators
turmeric 377.
may be
not approach
will is
too
When
much
for
thee,
as
the
scent
those of this
them.
unavoidably entering into places where there
temptation, carry always with thee the thought of
thy Divine Mother. evils that
may be
She
will protect
thee from the
lurking even in thy heart.
many
Cannot the
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF
184
RAlIAKfi/SHiVA.
presence of thy mother shame thee away from evil deeds
and
evil
thoughts?
How may we
378.
human frame
is
blood and bone.
By
It is
and other
blood,
conquer the love of
made up of decaying filthy
things
a collection of
flesh,
The
life?
of flesh and
;
bone, marrow,
substances subject to putrefaction.
thus analysing the body, our love thereof vanishes.
379. Should the devotee adopt any particular costume
The adoption of a
suitable
costume
is
?
Dressed in
good.
the Sawnyisin's orange robes, or carrying the religious
mendicant's tambourine and cymbals, a utter light
a
man
and profane
man can
never
things, or sing profane songs.
But
dressed in the smart style of a beau will naturally
have his heart inclined to think low thoughts and sing low songs.
why does The fire made by the burning of the
380. Sometimes peace reigns in the heart, but it
not always
bamboo
long ?
soon extinguished unless kept alive by constant
is
Continual devotion
blowing. fire
last
is
necessary to keep alive the
of spirituality.
381.
Those who
live
in
the
world
and
salvation are like soldiers that fight protected
work of a
fort,
search of
God
To
fight
open
while the ascetics
try
who renounce
fort is safer
find
breast-
the world in
are like soldiers fighting in the
from within the
to
by the
than to
open
field.
fight in the
field.
382. Pray to the Divine Mother in this wise.
Give me,
THE
O
Mother
1
knows no incontinence, and
love that
!
SAYINGS.
85
faith
adamantine that cannot be shaken. 383. As persons living in a house infested by venomous snakes are always alert and cautious, so should
be always on
in the world
ments of
whole water flows out of
385. whey,
it
When
come
aperture.
the butter
in the
to naught.
produced by churning the
is
should not be kept in the same vessel containing
the remaining whey, for then
sweetness and cohesion.
and
by that small
it
be the smallest tinge of worldliness
his exertions
all
living allure-
a small hole in the bottom of a jar of
is
Similarly, if there
neophyte,
men
guard against the
and greed.
lust
384. If there water, the
their
So
in a different vessel.
perfection in the world,
it
if
something of
will lose
after attaining
one
still
some
partial
continues to mix with
the worldly, and remains in the midst of the world, likely that lives
he
out of
386.
be tainted
;
but he
will
remain pure
it
is
he
if
it.
You cannot
your body to all
will
its
should be kept in pure water
It
some
your caution.
live in
extent,
So,
company of one of
if
a
a sooty
room without blackening it may be, with
however small
man
or a
woman
lives in
the
same
age,
his or her opposite sex of the
with the greatest circumspection and control over his or her passion,
still
some
arise in his or her
387.
Two
carnal thought, however small,
is
sure to
mind.
persons,
it
is
said,
began together the
rite
of
THE LIFE AND SAYINGS OF RAMAKR/SHiVA.
86
1
invoking the Goddess Klli by the terrible process called '
&vasidhana.'
(This Tantrik invocation
is
performed in
the cemetery yard, the invoker sitting on the body of a corpse
One
in a dark night.)
invoker was frightened to insanity
by the horrors of the earUer portion of the night
the other
;
was favoured with the vision of the Divine Mother
at the
Then he asked her, Mother why did The Deity answered, Thou the other man become mad ? didst become mad many times in thy various too, O child previous births, and now at last thou seest me.' end of the
'
night.
!
'
'
!
388. There are various sects among the Hindus
which creed should we then adopt
sect or
asked Mahadeva,
'
O
Lord
!
what
Everlasting, All-embracing Bliss ?
rephed,
'
The
root
is faith.'
The
389. As a
her
MahMeva
thus
and
peculiarities of creeds
and the duties of boy or a
little
conjugal affection,
Pirvati once
?
the root of the Eternal,
To
'
which
Let every one perform with
sects matter little or nothing. faith the devotions
is
;
own
his
creed.
can have no idea of
girl
even so a worldly
man
cannot at
all
comprehend the ecstasy of Divine communion. 390. The body is
it
box.
so
is
transient
much looked
But people
money and
after?
and unimportant.
No
one cares
carefully preserve the
other valuable property.
for
Why
then
an empty
box that contains
The
virtuous cannot
but take care of the body, the temple of the soul in which
God
has manifested Himself or which has been blessed by
God's advent.
THE
How
391. is
it is
removed from is
187
man? The moment
long does godliness remain in
red so long as
iron
long as he
SAYINGS.
in
in
it is
It is black the
fire.
So the human being
fire.
communion
is
godly so
with God.
392. Soft clay admits of forms, but the burnt clay does
So those whose hearts are consumed with the desire
not.
of worldly things cannot realise higher ideas.
393. As the water and bubbles have
bubbles are one, and as the
its
their birth in the water, float
and ultimately are resolved
and the Param^tman are one and the same is
in degrees
infinite
;
the one
394. 395. live
both
drops
is
When
in water
off,
God and
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
one
is
on the
into water; so the
finite
and
:
water,
Gtv^tman
the difference
small,
the other
is
dependent, the other independent. the
tail
and on
man becomes
of the tadpole drops
land. free.
When
He
in the world equally well.
the
tail
can then
off, it
can
of ignorance live
both in
INDEX TO THE SAYINGS ^ [Tie references in
this
Index correspond
numbering of
to the
the
Sayings in this volume.']
Adam, how
to conquer the old,
361.
Adore where others do, 311. Advice of many, leads to confusion, 146, 148. Affairs, danger of being absorbed in otiiers', 228.
Agriculturalist and Vish»u, 167. Ahamkara, vanity or egoism, fo. Almighty, the, dwells in every place, 12. visible form of, the materialised manifestation of the formless
—
Brahman,
36,
— gives — power — power makes a man capable of — absorbing — arguments cease presence — how to reach, 134. — man's home 175. sight of,
safety, 72.
of, lasting, 73. of,
78.
at feet of,
of, 190.
sin,
light
spirit,
of, reflected,
Alphabet, BengSU, 11 1.
Amid
world like, 263. Anger, shortlived in good men, fruit,
237distinguishes sand from sugar, 112. Ar^ima, human being and Divinity,
Ant
55in-
Aspirant,
but
evil, 74effect of, 77.
in
Almighty, the, grace
— disperses accumulated ignorance and 191. — source of of the 224. — transmits truth through teachers, 224, 225. — image 240.
of,
it
may
live in the
should not
live in
world him,
—301. —
like a bird, 294. tears, the strength of, 306. Gurus, Avadhfita, twenty - four
147.
' This Index was made for a collection of the Sayings of Rdmakrishna. which was sent to me in manuscript. When the MS. came to be printed there were several sayings which had been given twice. As these had to be left out when they occurred the second time, it was necessary to assign two numbers to some of the sayings in order not to disturb the figures of the Index.
I
go
INDEX. (Brahma), sometimes with attributes, sometimes with-
Brahman
Avadhfita and hunter, 380.
— and 281. — and heron, 282. — and 283. fisher,
out,
kite,
AvatSra or Saviour, messenger of
God, 51. Avat^ras, Kn'shna and Christ
35. — all-pervading and formless, 36. — Almighty a manifestation — Saviours are to Brahma as waves to ocean, — manifestations 141. — Human soul individual 208. existence ocean — temptations in path towards, — 267276. — hides behind MayS, 313. — sea 330. visible
of, 36.
as,
— keep knowledge to themselves,
57.
of,
I^eities,
loses
216.
of,
in
Baddha, fettered, 137. Ba-kalami (sic), resigning the to will of Almighty, 343. Barber and jars of gold, 261. Bee like a Yogin, 119.
self
inexpressible, of,
Believer, true, never discouraged,
Brahman and low-caste
servant,
parable of, 277.
103.
— and king, story — and Samnyasin,
Bengal alphabet, in. Bhagavan, glory of the, 266.
—
SA Rama/^dra, journey to Ceylon, 203. recognised by seven sages,
49.
BrShmana and
290. story of, 342.
of,
his garden, 144.
Brihmanical thread, 221. Bubbles and water are one, 393. Bnrdwan, MahdrSjah of, 141.
Bh^gavata, scnpture, 10.
— knowledge
Bhakta or true
of,
290. lover, 136, 268.
Bigot, like frog in well, 248. Bigotry, to be eschewed, 247. Blmd men, the, and the elephant, 5. Body, playground of Deity, 334.
— and unimportant, 390. — temple of the 390. transient
soul,
Books, mere reading of, will not make a man religions, 242. Boon or grand-dame, in hide and seek, 72. Boy and goat, likeness between,
300-
Br^hmaism and Hinduism,
252,
253-
Brahman (Brahma), mind to perform 20.
fire of, its
causes
functions,
— God the Absolute and Eternal, 31-
Cage, no value when bird has flown, 287. Calcutta, many
roads
lead
to,
148. Caste, distinctions of, disregarded by a perfect man, 218, 219, 220, 221. Cat scratched by K^rtikeya, 222. Ceylon or La»«k3, 203. Chameleon, many colours of, 3. Chelas (disciples), very rare,
155Child, simplicity of, 97, 241. Children at play, 81. Christ and KWshna, both Avataras, 52-
Clay, burnt and soft, 392. Cloth, doll of, 136. Conceit of NSrada, 167. Contemplation, perfection of, 188. Contentment is happiness, 261. Costume of devotee, 379.
INDEX. Creeds, paths to reach the Almighty, 6. and sects, matter nothing, 200,
—
^91.
Devotion, continual, necessary to
keep up fire of spirituality, 380. must not criticise Guru,
Disciple,
— 149. power of Guru, 154. — a good one very 155.
388.
Crow, wisest of birds, 166.
faith in
rare,
Dala, sedges and schism, 105, 275. Darkness of centuries dispersed at once by light, 191. Deities, manifestations of Brah-
man, 141.
— not be compared, 141. — to be honoured, 250.
Dispute not, 272. Divine Glory, effect
on
in
all
falls
to
man,
—179. Mother every woman, 222, —223. impartially on Light — Illumination, only comes hearts, 239.
all
Deity, daily contemplation of, necessary, 82. Desires of holiness, devotion, and love not to be reckoned among desires, 176. Devotee, stages in path of devotion, 33-
those 241.
who
to are simple as a child,
— Communion, incomprehensible to worldly man, 389. Divinity, manifested in greater degree in those who are honoured,
— loath — — made God, — pleasure meeting a — weakness of humanity vanishes — the strength 92. — manifests 177, death of — a child of God, — though Humanity, and — merged surrounded by impurities of — manifests when egoism world, — away, God — never wearies of Do yourself what you wish to relate experiences, 87. 88.
sacrifices life to
fellow,
in
14Sacrifice
in Incarnation,
56-
91.
at increase of,
of,
tears,
183.
love,
retains faith
the
95. desires
361.
itself after
92.
self
in,
206.
itself
dies
only, 97. praise, loi.
— inspired by God, 102. — heart by name of God, —124. men of God, 230. reminds — progress stopped by —273costume 379. of, fired
353.
others
to do, 158. Dolls, the three, 136. Doubt is death, 204.
DurgS, mother of Kirtikeya, 222.
desires,
of,
Devotees, those out of the world are perfect, 319.
Devotion,
difficult
to
practise,
118.
— many path 178. — how possible when working daily bread, 205. — keep aloof from during, slips in
of,
for
scoffers
274.
Earnestness, necessary, 145. Egoism, disappears when knowledge comes, 160. marks of, never eradicated, 162,
— 163. — shuts out God from the heart, 164. — death gets 331. — drops away and Divinity maniof,
fests itself,
salvation,
353.
Egos, two in man, 161.
192
INDEX.
Elephant and blind men,
— God
God, worshipped under
5.
names,
in the, 15.
different
2, 4, 9.
— multiform, — appears whatever form to us Him, we to — ways of worshipping, — many aspects 10, 309. — present even in or wicked man, — everything that — to be regarded same as 3.
Faith, tme, ends all qnarrel and dispute, 80. weak, easily shaken, 96. achieves miracles, 154, 202, 203, 204. only clue to reach God, 200. he who has, has all, 201. who has not, wants all, 201. is life, 204. be steadfast in, 247, 272. liberty of, 272. should be protected in the beginning, 304. must devote ourselves to single object of, 325. how to attain firm, 333. root of Eternal Bliss, 388. Faith-healers, 202.
—
— — — — — — —
— —
— —
Fault of holy man intensified by surrounding purity, 238. Fire of Brahman, working of, 20.
— no
definite shape, 322.
Fisherwomen, story always
Flint,
of,
174.
contrasted,
119. Fool, puffed up with vanity, 236. 'Forbear' in Beng^, III.
when
Frog
in a well, 248.
shall I
of, 8,
tiger
13.
eadsts is, 15.
light
in
His Scripture and His devotee, J 6.
— impossible to without, — both the snake and the charmer, — both judge and executioner, — the — warns the householder, — dwells the body, yet apart from — omnipotence — screened by Miyi, 270. — the wishing-tree, — with and without form, 32, 322— the Father of the Universe, —31. the Absolute and Eternal Brahman, — with form — live
19.
21.
21.
thief, 22.
incites
22.
in
it,
23.
of, 24.
25, 26.
28,
PS-
Free,
4.
7-
like
retains inner fire,
Fly and honey-bee,
in
call
desire different
be? 206.
33.
31.
is visible,
34.
is Intelligence, 37.
— reached by prayer and penance, 53-
Cagannatha, Lord of the Universe,
sages, like
of,
61.
169.
Gim&a., King, 122, 124. odour of, lasting, 162. (7ivStman and FaiamStman,
creatures of,
61.
Garlic,
re-
lation between, 278, 393. (Tnana, knowledge of the Absolute,
332-
Goat, moves after decapitation, 70. story of young, 295. God, compared with stars by day
—
and by night,
— divine kinsmen — ordinary men the — separable from MSyS, 64. — Love — man the midst of confusion
i.
infinite
of, 75.
in
of argument and reasoning when away from, 78. he who has found Him, is
— — devotee a child quiet, 79, 86.
of,
92.
.
INDEX. God,
like
a
hill
of sugar, 98.
— His devotees, 102. — will send Master, 145. — how to reach, 146, 148, 269, — 292. and man, brought together Gum, I£0. — Father and Guide of Humanity, — 153he who yearns 159. — shut out from heart by egoism, 164. — nearest and 169. — attracted by violent 170. — knower 171. — why trouble Him what we can do ourselves, iji. — only a lover enters the inner mysteries 172. — 182. to — concentration necessary to ing 184. — how best found, 184, 365. — heart must be kept of love 187. — all-pervading 189. — Soul immersed — resignation to mercy 195. — only reached by 200. — provided for before sending us into the world, 205. — gives order and inspiration to preacher, 211. — in men, 215. — men not 215. — will 217. — devotee reminds men 230. miser — heart pants gold, 264. — must be calm orderto 203. Inspires
by-
for, finds,
dearest,
love,
of,
for
into
of,
find,
sacrifice all
find-
of,
full
for,
Spirit, in,
1
89.
of,
faith,
us,
all
in,
all
see,
all
of,
after, like
after
in
— Omnipresent, 270. how
see,
to concentrate the heart
on, 285.
— man cannot without, 288. — source of holy —297. on, never mind 305 live
all
fixed
inspiration, soiled,
193
God, meditate
on,
in
solitude,
—3°rholds us back from temptation, 320. — hears of 323. — book-learning can give no idea 324— children no 336— those who depend on, move m harmony with will 345. — perform worldly holding 350. — how 349, 360. — Ever-Existing ant,
footfall
of,
of,
anxiety,
feel
of,
duties,
fast to,
to love, Indivisible
Bliss,
363-
God,
attributes of, only realised 18.
by communion with Him,
too vast for man's comprehension, 98. God, grace of, purifies sin, 197. prayers and penances discarded when it descends, 199. God, greatness of, man too far away to comprehend, 40.
God, knowledge
of, like
a man,
172.
——
and
love,
ultimately the
same, 173.
God, love of, like a woman, 172. God, name of, merit in, 41, 43, 44.
ecstasy on neanng, 100. God, will of, resignation to, 93. God, worship of, preachirgenough,
210. Godliness,
how long
it
remains in
man, 391. Godly men, inspired by God, 297. God-men, souls beyond pale of Karman, 142. God-vision,
Gold and
— seven
how attained, 364. how distinguished,
brass,
jars of, 201.
Good and
bad, sifted by pious
men, 112, 113.
INDEX.
194
God
like miser
to concentrate
on God,
Goptnatha, beloved, 169. Grace, divine, changes men, 192.
Heart, pants after
Grace of God,
•^ how
——
purifies sin, 197.
a breeze always blowing,
198.
prayers and penances discarded, when it descends, igg. Great, be low and meek if thon
wonldst be, 235. Greed brings woe, 261. Gohaka A'S«//ala of Ramayawa,
after gold, 264.
285.
— must be guarded, 299. — easily influenced when
— of man, towards God, 34°— must not swerve from path, — consumed worldly thmgs, directed
true
341-
,
,
.
vrith
43-
Guide, one to be chosen, 146, 148. spiritual, more than mere man,
—
3°2-
Guru, guide to God, 146.
— sent by God, 145. — necessary, 147. — to be implicitly obeyed, 149. — not to be — Mediator, 150. 149, 152. — in powers 154. — between human and criticised,
is
faith
of,
392-
Hemp-smoker, no pleasure in smoking alone, 90. Hero, true, he who attains perfection amid temptations of the world, 375.
Hindu almanacs and rainfall, Hinduism and Brahmaism,
divine, 284.
358.
Homa, of,
monkey
servant
of
Bhagavan Sii RSmaj^andra,
203.
-
Happiness, divine enjoyment in whatever gives, 227.
of,
bird, 60.
Honey-bee
174.
252,
Hindus, sects among, 388. wise, companionship
Holy and
Habit, power
242.
253-
difference
Hanuman,
young,
335-
and
fly,
contrasted,
119.
Human
frailties
of teacher, to be
disregarded, 151.
Humanity must die
before Divinity
— contentment, 261. manifests 183. Hari, personal Humility, 235, 236. — praise exHusbandman and sugar-cane, Satan, 273. —cluding He who our Ignorance and knowledge, com— 254mental concentration acquired prised under ignorance, 332. — leads to by chanting name 308. 367. — repeating name Incarnation, flood Individual ocean —355- of ecstasy on hearing of Brahman, is
itself,
of,
deity, 31. efficacious
virtue of,
in
42.
'
steals
hearts,'
diversity,
of,
efficacy in
of,
tears
name of, 357. Haribala, 'Hari
of, 53. existence, lost in 208.
Indra, deity of hand, 144. is
our strength,'
254-
Heart, full of vanity, prayer has no
Intelligence,
God
effect on, 165.
— power of reading
the, 259.
is,
37.
Intolerance to be eschewed, 247. Iron changed to gold, 73. Jack-fruit, 329.
INDEX. inner Soul separate from physical shell, 62.
Jesns,
— physical pain no
effect on,
195
Lord, advent
of,
preceded by un-
selfishness, &c., 193.
— prepares heart to
62.
receive
Him,
194.
KaU, temple
— unseen He reveals Him196. — mercy, 311. — of Love, repetition of name
of,
109. goddess, rite of invoking, 387. Kalpa-vriksha, wishing-tree, 26. Karman, heart of God-men beyond pale of, 142. Kartikeya, leader of heavenly army, 222.
—
Kite and
all
of,
364Lotus-leaf, like perfect man, 66. Love, three kinds of, 168. of God, like a woman, 172.
— — and knowledge, ultimately the same, — of God, heart must be kept
383.
fish,
Knowledge,
until
self,
true,
causes egoism
to disappear, 160.
173. — of God, a man, 172. — entry only to outer rooms of 187. God, 172. — of how conquered, 378. — and ultimately the same, Lover of God, ardent and lukewarm, 170. — 173- of one universal Lust and greed, no on him 219. who has acquired Icnow— of True, gained by forgetting ledge, 180. worldly knowledge, 241. — and ignorance comprised under Mahadeva on 388. Nescience, Mahatman and 286. — leads to 332. 367. Malaya breeze, converts to —a makes a 374. like
full of,
•
life,
love,
true,
existence,
effect
true
faith,
snaJce,
unity,
little
Krishna.,
—342and
trees sandal-trees, 192. Man, emancipated, like burnt rope, u8>
noise,
life
Christ,
and exploits both
of,
— freed by touch of Almighty, — playing the world child with 81. — no when alone, no. — two Egos 161. — knowledge of God 172. — home at of Almighty, 176— illumined with Spiritual Light, 212, 339. — Soul enchained 213. — of merit, always humble, 236. — heated in furnace of persecution, 246. — cannot without God, 288. — easily led away, 315.
AvatSras,
52.
72.
Kshlra, condensed milk, 317.
in
like
doll,
LawjkS, Ceylon, 203. Lead, dissolved by mercury, 208.
truly
Life sacrificed to God by renunciation, 88. of wise man, a religion acted out, 157. love of, how conquered, 378. Light disperses darkness of cen-
like a,
his
is,
illumines true man,
212.
—
feet
true,
turies, 191.
spiritual,
divine, falls impartially
on
all
hearts, 239.
live
Loadstone rock, 75.
O
difference
in,
— —
—
religious,
2
196
INDEX.
Man becomes
free when tail of ignorance drops off, 395. Mantra of Guru to be followed,
human frailties disregarded,
151.
Marksman, how trained, 30. Mayi, screens God from human view, 25,
sole end and aim, 224. Uncle Moon,' 153Moth, having seen light never
Money, not
Moon
or
'
returns to darkness, 88.
Mother, Deity addressed as, 89. Mother Divine, worshipped in various forms, 6.
— ocean 270. why 271. 45. — God intimately — — protects from temptation, connected with, 64. 377— necessary prayer 382. — 266. Mountains and — worldly man engrossed 267. view from, — covered with film 270. — under the — eyes screen Mukta, 271. 137. of,
invisible,
to
life,
to,
71.
plains,
illnsion of,
sea, invisible, 86.
of,
—
different
85.
in,
released,
of,
away as soon as found out, 321. limitations of,
flies
—377, 278. — or Nescience, power 312. — mask of Brahman, 313. — 314. of,
Mnktapurusha, one
who merges
himself in the Universal
Self,
136.
Mungoose in house, 175. Mutual love, 168.
fever of,
Men, — God — not — two
three sorts
all
of,
Name
of God, merit mg. 41. 43. 44-
137.
in all, 215. in God, 215.
NSrada, Divine Sage, 167. NSriya«a, all water brooded over
sorts of, 216.
— without
original thoughts, 260.
Mercury dissolves lead, 208. , Mind, concentration of, learnt first by fixing it on forms, then on the formless, 29, 30.
— propensities 229. — compass-needle of ship of —279. to concentrate, 298. — fixed on God, never —305elephant, 356. ruled — invigorated by society of pious, evil
in pronounc-
of,
life,
difiScult
by, 12.
— every being
is,
17.
Nectar, trough of, makes immortal, 44-
Neophyte, harmed by mixing with the world, 76.
— exercises necessary — 133worldliness 384. spiritual
to,
in,
Nescience, or MSyi, power of,
soiled,
— mask of Brahman, 313. 312. — knowledge and ignorance com-
372. 373Miracle-workers, warning against,
Nitya Siddhas, ever-perfect, 59,
like
prised under, 332. 60.
267-
Miracles worked by faith,
154, 202, 203, 204. Mirror, soiled, does not reflect rays of sun, 266. Money, like water passing under a bridge, 67.
Ocean of Sat-^t-Snanda,
186.
Oyster, pearl, 94. Pandits, false, like vultures, 140.
Farabrahman, wards, 279.
mind turned
to-
INDEX. ParamStman and GivStman,
rela-
tion between, 27^" 393contemplation of, 281. Paramahamsa, soul and swan, 64. Parents, guardians, and trustees of children, 351.
—
Parrot and Divine Name, 115. ParvatJ or Eternal Bliss, 388. Pearl, bow fashioned, 94. Pelican, not wetted by water, 69. Perfect man, in the world but untouched by it, 65, 66, 69. freed from egoism, yet alive, 68, 70.
observes no caste distinctions, 21S, 219, 220, 221. reflects
image of Almighty,
•240.
— —
Personal God,
diffused
every-
rises
from Imper-
sonal, 36.
Philosopher's stone, 73, 74. Pillow-case, man compared with, II.
Pious man,
sifts
good from bad,
112, 113.
82.
discarded when grace of descends, 1 99. Preacher, inspired by God, 211.
God
— with
undeveloped
spirituality,
347Preaching, present method of, 209. worthless without inspiration,
—
211. Property, division of, 38. Prophet, why not hononred by his own kinsmen, 231. spirit of, manifests itself at a distance, 232. appreciated at a distance, 232,
— —
234society of, like rice-water,
makes wicked
370. drives
Psychic powers, dangerous, 257. Pupil, the,
and the elephant,
story
of, 15.
Pura«as, defiled by constant repetition, 276.
Pure in heart see God, 266. Purity precedes advent of the Lord,
— 193of holy men, 238. — to keep in
intensifies faults,
difficult
the world,
385-
dead even in life, 1 14. only temporarily despondent,
— —
Prayer and penance not necessary to him who has reached God,
233influence
where, 294. Perfection, state of, 181. Persecution, a tondistone, 245. Persevere until help comes, 291.
—369—
197
away
lust
mvigorates
righteous,
and greed,
mmd,
372,
373-
makes many-shaped vessels out of same clay, 9. Power, comes to those who think
Potter,
they have it, 202. Prayer, no effect on heart filled
with vanity, 165.
Rama, God,
43. — human being and Divinity,
55.
Rank and
position, no difference in Divine sight, 85.
RSs-flowers, 295. RSsltla festival, 295. Reliance, nature of absolute, 344. Religion, no effect on worldly man, 130. easy to talk, difficult to act,
— —156, 157of wise man, a acted 157. — not from books, 242. — every, a way to reach God,
religion
life
out, learnt
269.
INDEX.
198
Religion, rites and ceremonies necessary to growth of, 326. every man should follow his
—
own, 337. Religions, why they degenerate,
—243respect — paths
for other, 251. leading to
all
tmth,
251.
Religious preaching, 209. sentiments, not to be talked abont, 135. Reticence very desirable, 135. Rice-water, dissipates intoxication,
—
369. Rites and ceremonies, necessary for growth of i'eligion, 336. tmnecessaiy to him who
has attaine^ighest growth, 327. Rohitta-fish, 365. Rope, retains form iwhen burnt, but of no use, 68. ' Sadhakas, few 207. Sadhu, the, and the wicked man, get free,
63.
— makes
no distinction between friend and foe, 63. characteristics of, 109. the, and the dog, 109.
— — — —
false,
143.
Sand and sugar, distingoished by ant, 112. Sandal, trees changed to, by Malaya breeze, 192. Samnyasin, has no home, like a snake, 106. Satan kept out by praise of Hari,
42.
Sat-^t-Snanda, Ocean the Everlasting
— — various forms, — 36.
186. LiteUigent
of,
Bliss, 2.
3.
solidified,
—
tree of, 50.
.javas^dhana, rite of invoking goddess Kait, 387. Saviour, carries thousands across ocean of May£, 45. saves all, 46, 47, 48, S4carries multitudes to feet of
— — Almighty, 48. — to rekindle sent
religion, 51.
Saviours are to Brahman as waves to the sea, 57. Sects and creeds matter nothing, 300, 388. how created, 275.
— — among Hindus, 388. 136. — merged Divinity, 206. — knowledge 221. Self, universal,
in
of,
true and false, discovered in persecution, 245.
Self-reliance,
danger
of, 93. Selfish love, lowest kind, 168.
dispense heavenly
Shepherd women of Vrindavana,
reflect Light Divine, 239. Sage, recognised alone by sage,
Siddha, state to which he attains,
S^dhus
(saints),
truths, 225.
169.
—
108. trance, 108. Sages, Divine, like God, 61.
58.
—= man and well-cooked food, — kinds perfect
— 107, in
58.
kinsmen
of
Saint, vanity of, 318. Salt, doll of, 136.
Salvation got by death of egoism, 331-
five
of,
Siddha-pnmsha
Siddhas, save themselves by pain and penance, 46, 47, 48. spread knowledge, 216.
—
.
Samadhi, trance, 108.
—
state of bliss, 185, 186.
59. like an archaeo-
logist, 54.
Sieve,
138.
wicked
man compared
to
a,
INDEX. purged by uttering Name of the Almighty, 43. purified by grace of God, 197, never concealed, 255. Sinner saved by resignation to will of God, 195. SttS, human being and divinity, 55. Siva, and Vish»u, which the greater, Sin,
— —
141.
— soul from chain, 213. — and bigoted worshipper, 249. free
is,
Snake and MahStman, 286. Snow, 18. Soul attracted by magnetism of Universal Consciousness, 75.
— having Godhead, unby world, — immersed God, attained influenced i^
in
—
—
ards,
and children,
all religious
39.
paths leading to,
251.
stays in
— re-incamation
of, 359. Spiritual Light illumines true 212.
Universal Conscioijine'ss, magnetism of, 75. Existence, knowledge of, 219.
— —
Self, knowledge of, 329. Unselfish love, highest kind, 168. Unselfishness precedes advent of the Lord, 193.
is .Siva,
is
it
Teachers, channel through which light is transmitted, 224. Tears, strength of a devotee, 92, 306. of repentance and happiness flow from different corners, 356. Thoughts and words, harmony between, 303. Tiger, God present in the, 13. Treacle and candy, difference between, 227. Truth, uttered by lunatics, drunk-
76.
189. existence 208.
— loses individual ocean of Brahman, — from chain — enchained man, 213. 213. — how body, 293. free
199
man,
— progress impossible without crimination and dispassion, 352. — progress, main elements 358.
UpSdhi, limitations, 278. Upagurus, many, 147.
dis-
of,
:
Sli KfishKa, RadhS,
human being
and
divinity, 55. Stars, invisible by day, 1.
Stone, impervious to water, 96, 126, 136.
— doll
of,
Sugar and
136. sand, distinguished
tion, 276.
by
141.
Viveka, discrimination, 352, 376.
164. best from surfaces, 239, 266. Sv^ti, star, 94.
—
— —
Vish«u or .Siva, which the greater,
ant, 112.
Sun, power
VairSgya, dispassion, 353, 376. Va^ravSntula tree, seeds of, 232. Vanity, death of man, 154. like heap of rubbish, 165. of saint, 318. Vedas, defiled by constant repeti-
—
of,
reflected
polished
SvSti-rain, 94. Swan, peculiarity of, 64.
fire of, 371. Vulture, soars high but searches for carrion, 140.
Water, brooded over by Nar4ya«a, 12.
— no on 136— power of walking 258. — and bubbles are one, 393. effect
Tadpole, 395. Tantras, defiled by constant repetition, 276.
stone, 96, 126, on,
200
INDEX.
Wicked man,
like a sieve, 138. righteous in society of pions,
basket, 113.
Wishing-tree (Kalpa-vnksha), 26. Woe, brought by greed, 261. Woman, every woman the Divine Mother, 222, 223. love of God like a, 172.
—
Woodcutter and SawuySsin, story of, 328.
Words and thoughts, tween, 303. World, men
—
harmony be-
who have
— contamination
of, 385. Worldliness in neophyte, 384. Worldly bond, few freed from, 207. Worldly knowledge, to be for-
37°-
Wife and mother, 77. Wind, carries all scents, 65.
Winnowing
World, those living in should be on their guard, 383.
renounced
gotten, 241.
Worldly man, motive for good deeds, 115, 125. like spring cushion, 116. religious feeling evanescent in,
116, 117, 119, 296.
heart of, never roused to enthusiasm, 124. nninfluenced by good advice, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131. characteristics of, 129.
the, 60. perfect
man
lives in
but does
not mix with, 65, 95. no power over perfect man,
—
69. influence on neophyte
full
of worldly thoughts, 13a.
unchanged by Divine Grace, 192. perfect
God shines in partial
— and more on mind 267. advanced mind, lose purity by mixing with, — no attraction those who 305heart with worldly have tasted Divine 83. — 121. a thoughts and 368. — to enter than renounce, antipathy to that savours 121. of 348. — impossible to attain perfection cannot comprehend ecstasy 122. of Divine Communion, 389. — a Worship of God, preaching enough, 123. — attraction 175. — cares weigh down, 214. — like Smla Yaksha, riches 261. 263. — make yourself feared and 118. Yoga, to 286. a snake, spected Yogin, has no home, — aspirant may 106. 301. — — like a bee, 119. between those who of,
light
76. for
Bliss,
false glitter like
filled
desires,
trap,
all
easier
religion,
in,
lUce
stage,
irresistible
of,
of,
of,
fruit,
re-
difficult
practise,
like
in,
live in,
difference
live in
381.
and those who renounce, Zemindar, agent
of,
370.
oxford: HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY