PARABLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA:

CONTENTS [ UPDATED]:
4. SELF-SURRENDER
5. GO FORWARD 
6. GUILELESS FAITH 
7. GURU’S GRACE 

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GUILELESS FAITH [Posted on 22.8.10]

Once there was an Annaprasana [first offering of boiled rice to a baby] ceremony in a guru’s house. His disciples volunteered, according to their capacity to supply the different articles of food.

The guru had a very poor widow disciple called Indukumari. She owned a cow. She milked it and brought the guru jar of milk. He thought she would take charge of all the milk and curd for the function. Angry at her poor offering, he threw the milk away. He then said to her, “Go and drowns you”.

Indukumari accepted his words as a command. Immediately she went to the river to drown herself. But God was pleased with her guileless faith and appearing before her, said: ‘Take this pot of curd. You will never be able to empty it. The more curd you pour out, the more will come from the pot. This will satisfy your guru.’

The guru was speechless with amazement when the pot was given to him. After hearing from the widow the story of the pot, he went to the river, saying to her, I shall drown myself if you cannot show God to me.’ God appeared then and there, but the guru could not see Him. Addressing God, the widow said, ‘If my teacher gives up his body because Thou dost not reveal Thyself to him, then I too shall die.’ So God appeared to the guru-but only once. Now you see, because of faith in her guru the disciple herself had the vision of God and also showed to her guru. 

Source:The Gospel of Sri Ramakrisahna

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GURU’S GRACE

Once a tigress attacked a flock of goats. As she sprang upon her pray, she gave birth to a cub and died on the spot. The cub grew up in the company of the goats. The goats ate grass and so also the cub. They bleated; the cub bleated too. Gradually it grew into a big tiger.

One day another tiger came and attacked the same flock. It was amazed to see the grass eating tiger. Running after it, the wild tiger at last seized it, where upon the grass eating tiger began to bleat.

The wild tiger dragged it to the water and said:  “Look at your face in the water. It is just like mine. Here is a little meat. Eat it.” Saying this it thrust some meat into its mouth. But the grass eating tiger would not swallow it and began to bleat again. Gradually, however, it got the taste and began to relish the meat.

Then the wild tiger said: “Now you see there is no difference between you and me. Come along and follow me into the forest.”

So, there can be no fear if the guru’s grace descends on one. He will let you to know who you are and what your real nature is.  [Source:The Gospel of Sri Ramakrisahna] 

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SELF-SURRENDER:

A Bird wants to cross the ocean and sits on the mast of a ship. Being impatient, it tries to fly in all directions to reach the shore. Failing in it and realising its own effort can not take it to the destination, it comes back to the ship and sits on its mast. The ship in its own time takes it across the sea to the other shore.
True resignation can come only after we have exhausted all our efforts. And when we are truly resigned to God. He bestows His Grace. So Sadhana and Self-surrender accompanied by Self -effort must go on all through our life.  [Source:The Gospel of Sri Ramakrisahna]  

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GO FORWARD

A wood cutter, named Muthukumar lived near a forest. He used to go to forest for collecting wood. He sold it in the market for his livelihood.

On his way to forest, one day he met a brahmachari and saluted him. The holy man said, “Go forward”.

Muthukumar obeyed his advice and went further into the forest. He found sandal wood trees. He cut them and sold in the market. He got some more money. Some days passed. He then reflected on the words of the holy man: ‘The holy man asked me to go forward. He did not tell me to stop here.’ So he went forward and found a silver-mine. Then he became richer. After a few days he went still further and discovered a gold- mine. By selling the gold he became very rich. Then later he found mines of diamonds and precious stones which made him immensely rich.

A spiritual aspirant too should not be satisfied with his little progress. He has to strive more and more until he becomes the possessor of the Almighty, the richest of all riches. Thus by going forward one reaches the ultimate goal of life and attains eternal Peace and Joy.

SOURCE: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

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