SAYINGS OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

A Brahman’s son is no doubt a Brahman by birth; but some of these born Brahmans grow up into great scholars, some become priests, others turn out cooks, and still others roll themselves in the dust before courtesans' doors.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

It is true that God is even in the tiger, but we must not therefore go and face that animal. It is true that God dwells even in the most wicked beings, but it is not proper that we should associate with them.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

The Deity Narayana (God) broods over the water, but every kind of water is not fit for drinking. Similarly, though it is true that God dwells in every place, yet every place is not fit to be visited by man. One kind of water may be used for washing our feet, another for the purposes of ablution, and a third for drinking, while there are still others which are unfit even to be touched. Similarly there are different places, of which some may be approached and others visited, while there are still others which should only be saluted from a distance and bidden goodbye.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

Beware of the following: the garrulous man; the man who is not open-hearted; the man who makes a parade of his devotion by sticking sacred Tulsi leaves on his ears; the woman who wears a long veil; and the cold water of the stagnant pool overgrown with rank vegetation, which is very injurious to health.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

Even at the time of death, the 'bound souls' speak of worldly matters only. There is no use in visiting places of pilgrimage, or bathing in the holy Ganges, or counting beads; if there are worldly attachments in the heart, they are sure to manifest themselves at the dying moment. Hence 'bound souls' indulge in random talks even at that time. A parrot may ordinarily sing the holy name of Radha-Krishna, but when it is attacked by a cat, it cries out 'Kang', 'Kang' - its natural cry.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

Man suffers so much simply for want of devotion to God. One should therefore adopt such means as would help the thought of God to arise in the mind at the last moment of one's life. The means is practice of devotion to God. If this is done during one's life-time, the thought of God is sure to occur to one's mind even at the last hour.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

A man's rebirth is determined by what he has been thinking about just before death. Devotional practices are therefore very necessary. If, by constant practice, one's mind is freed from all worldly ideas, then the thought of God, which fills the mind in their place, will not leave it even at the time of death.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

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

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Man

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

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

Maya is to Brahman, what the snake in motion is to the snake at rest. Force in action is Maya, force in potency is Brahman.

As the water of the ocean is now calm and next agitated into waves, so are Brahman and Maya. The ocean in the tranquil state is Brahman, and in the turbulent state, Maya.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

The relation of Brahman to Sakti, is that of fire to its burning property.

Siva and Sakti (Intelligence and Energy) are both necessary for creation. With dry clay no potter can make a pot; water also is necessary. So Siva alone cannot create without the help of Sakti.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

Desirous of seeing Maya I had one day a vision: A small drop slowly expanded and formed itself into a girl; the girl became a woman and gave birth to a child; and as soon as the child was born, she took it up and swallowed it. In this way, many children were born to her and were devoured by her. Then I knew that she was Maya.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

The snake itself is not affected by the poison in its fangs; but when it bites, the poison kills the creature bitten. Likewise Maya is in the Lord but does not affect Him, while the same Maya deludes the whole world.

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

A certain Sadhu lived for some time in a room in the temple of Dakshineshwar. He did not speak to anybody and spent his whole time in meditation on God. One day, all of a sudden, a cloud darkened the sky, and shortly afterwards, a light wind blew away the cloud. The holy man now came out of his room and began to laugh and dance. Upon this the Master asked him, "How is it that you, who spend your days so quietly in your rom, are dancing in joy and feeling so jovial today?" The holy man replied, "Such is Maya that envelops this life! No trace of it was there before; but suddenly it appears, in the serene sky of Brahman, creating the whole universe, and is dispersed by the breath of Brahman."

[Rajesh Davda]

MAN AND THE WORLD

Maya

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana went to the forest as exiles. Rama walked in front, Sita in the middle, Lakshmana behind her. Lakshmana was very anxious to have always a full view of Rama; but as Sita was in the middle, he could not have it. Then he prayed to Sita to move aside a little; and as soon as she did so, Lakshmana's wish was fulfilled, and he saw Rama. Such is the arrangement of Brahman, Maya and Jiva in this world. So long as the illusion of Maya does not move aside, the creature cannot see the Creator - man cannot see God.