SRI RAMAKRISHNA JAYANTHI

Today is Sri Ramakrishna's 177th Birthday Celebration. A Video of his room, where he lived for many years and met Swami Vivekananda and others at Dhakshineswar is embedded. Also some Photos taken at Belur Math on this occasion are given.

Photos of Sri Ramakrishna Jayanthi:

SRI RAMAKRISHNA SHRINE

PANDAL STAGE DECORATION WITH 175 LIGHTS 

MUSIC TOWER AT THE ENTRANCE

ENTRANCE DECORATION

SRI RAMAKRISHNA'S PARABLES ILLUSTRATED

BELUR MATH OLD SHRINE

PANDAL VIEW

STAGE DECORATION - A CLOSE VIEW

DEVOTEES GATHERING

USHA KIRTAN DANCING IN FULL SPEED

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MAHA SHIVARATRI:2012

Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated every year in reverence of Lord Shiva. It is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day of the Maagha or Phalguna month of the Hindu calendar. Celebrated in the dark fortnight or Krishna Paksha(waning moon) of the month of Maagha according to the Shalivahana or Gujarati Vikrama or Phalguna according to the Vikrama era.

‘Shivaratri’ means ‘night of Lord Siva’. The important features of this religious function are rigid fasting for twenty four hours and sleepless vigil during the night. Every true devotee of Lord Siva spends the night of Sivaratri in deep meditation, keeps vigil and observes fast.

According to the Shiva Purana, the Mahashivaratri worship must incorporate six items:

1.    Bathing the Shiv Linga with water, milk and honey, and Wood apple or bel leaves added to it, representing purification of the soul;

2.    The vermilion paste applied on the Shiv linga after bathing it, representing virtue;

3.    Offering of fruits, which is conducive to longevity and gratification of desires;

4.    Burning incense, yielding wealth;

5.    The lighting of the lamp which is conducive to the attainment of knowledge;

6.    Betel leaves marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures.

In accordance with scriptural and discipleship traditions, penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation, in order to reach life's summum bonum steadily and swiftly.

Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead by worshippers of Lord Shiva. These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga), so also they represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.

Wearing a rosary made from the rudraksha seed of the rudraksha tree (said to have sprung from the tears of Lord Shiva) when worshipping Lord Shiva is ideal. A rudraksha seed is a mahogany-like color, sometimes black, and sometimes may have traces of sacred sandalwood powder, turmeric, kumkum, or holy ash if the rosary was used in worship ceremonies or anointed.

Legends:

1.According to a legend, Parvati performed tapas, prayed and meditated on this day to ward off any evil that might befall her husband on the moonless night. Since then, Mahashivaratri is believed to be an auspicious occasion for women to pray for the well-being of their husbands and sons. An unmarried woman prays for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be the ideal husband.

2.Another legend of the day is that Shiva and Shakti married each other.

3.There is one more legend of Shivaratri associated with Samudra Manthan, a process in which the asuras and the gods joined hands to churn out amrut(necter) from the depths of the ocean, using a mountain and a snake as a rope. Among many things that came out, a pot of poison came out of the ocean and on the request of gods, Lord Shiva drank the poison. The poison was so potent that it changed the color of His neck to blue. For this reason, Lord Shiva is also called Neelkanth

4.Another version relates that the whole world was facing destruction and Goddess Parvati worshipped her husband Shiva to save it. She prayed for the jivas (living souls) remaining in sea - like particles of gold dust in a lump of wax -- during the long period of pralaya (deluge) night, that they should, upon becoming active again, have His blessings, but only if they worshipped Him just as she did. Her prayer was granted. Parvati named the night for the worship of Ishwara by mortals Maha-Sivaratri, or the great night of Shiva, since Pralaya is brought about by Him.

The Lord Shiva's Favorite Day:

After creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which devotees and rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is his most favourite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation.

The Story Of King Chitrabhanu:

Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa (India), was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.

The sage asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his past birth, and in his previous life he had been a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. The day before the new moon, while roaming through forests in search of animals, he saw a deer, but before his arrow flew he noticed the deer's family and their sadness at its impending death. So he let it live. He had still not caught anything when he was overtaken by nightfall and climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. His canteen leaked water, so he was both hungry and thirsty. These two torments kept him awake throughout the night, thinking of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time he engaged himself in plucking the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.

The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.

At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, sent to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there had been a Lingam (a symbol for the worship of Shiva) at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped had fallen on the Lingam, in imitation of its ritual worship. The water from his leaky canteen had washed the Lingam (also a ritual action), and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously had worshipped the Lord. As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he had lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for a long time before being reborn as Chitrabhanu. This story is narrated in the Garuda Purana.

When creation had been completed, Siva and Parvati had been living on the top of Kailas. Parvati asked: “O venerable Lord, which of the many rituals observed in Thy honour doth please Thee most?” Lord Siva replied: “The thirteenth night of the new moon, Krishna Paksha, in the month of Phalguna (February-March) is known as Shivaratri, My most favourable Tithi. My devotee gives Me greater happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths, and offerings of flowers, sweets, incense, etc.

“The devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships Me in four different forms in the four successive Praharas, each made up of three hours of the night. The offering of a few Bilva leaves is more precious to Me than the precious jewels and flowers. He should bathe Me in milk at the first Prahara, in curd at the second, in clarified butter at the third, and in honey at the fourth and last. Next morning, he should feed the Brahmins first and break the fast after the performance of the prescribed ceremonies. There is no ritual, O Parvati, which can compare with this simple routine in sanctity.

Just hear, My Beloved, of an episode which will give you an idea of the glory and power of this ritual, said Lord Shiva to Parvati.

“Once upon a time, there lived in the town of Varanasi a hunter. He was returning from the forest one evening with the game birds he had killed. He felt tired and sat at the foot of a tree to take some rest. He was overpowered by sleep. When he woke up, it was all thick darkness of night. It was the night of Shivaratri but he did not know it, He climbed up the tree, tied his bundle of dead birds to a branch and sat up waiting for the dawn. The tree happened to be My favourite, the Bilva.

“There was a Linga under that tree. He plucked a few leaves dropped them down. The night-dew trickled down from his body. I was highly pleased with involuntary little gifts of the hunter. The day dawned and the hunter returned to his house.

“In course of time, the hunter fell ill and gave up his last breath. The messengers of Yama arrived at his bedside to carry his soul to Yama (god of Death). My messengers also went to the spot to take him to My abode. There was a severe fight between Yama’s messengers and My messengers. The former were totally defeated. They reported the matter to their Lord. He presented himself in person at the portals of My abode. Nandi gave him an idea of the sanctity of Shivaratri and the love which I had for the hunter. Yama surrendered the hunter to Me and returned to his abode quickly.

“The hunter was able to enter My abode and ward off death by simple fasting and offering of a few Bilva leaves, however involuntary it might be because it was the night of Sivaratri. Such is the solemnity and sacredness associated with the night”.

Parvati was deeply impressed by the speech of Lord Siva on the sanctity and glory of the ritual. She repeated it to Her friends who in their turn passed it on to the ruling princes on earth.

Panchaakshari:

Shiva, as the god of destroying evil, is the third among the divine trinity of Hindu mythology. The holy mantra consisting of five-syllables: "Na" "Ma" "Shi" "Vaa" "Ya" (Om NamaH Shivaaya) in praise of Lord Shiva is chanted incessantly on special occasions like Shivaratri. His thousands of names, each of which describe His greatness, may also be chanted. Shiva means "auspicious". As Shankara, He is the giver of happiness to all. Nataraja (the king of dancers) is a favourite form adored by dancers and musicians.

Rudrabhisheka:

There is a special mantra in the Vedas (the most ancient scripture in the history of human race and which forms the fountain-head of the Hindu culture) - Rudra Sukta - which is recited by pundits while they offer a holy bath to Lord Shiva by way of washing a Shiva-linga or a Shaligrama which are the symbols of god with the waters of sacred rivers like the Ganges. This ritual is known as "Rudrabhisheka". A Shaligrama constitutes a sacred pebble that often conceals ammonite fossils within. Such precious stones are brought from the river Gandaki at the frozen summits of the Himalayas.

Washing the Shaligrama as a part of Shiva-puja symbolises the removal of impurities from our mind. It also means washing off false ego. Unless we attain self-realization, we all become the victims of a false-self or an ego. False-self is due to an illusion (or ignorance), a covering upon our real soul, of our mind, which then acts from mistaken identity. According to Vedanta (philosophical doctrines), this accumulation of false-self upon our real Self is often the root cause of our bondage and sufferings in life. This notion of purification (of Shaligram stone by holy waters) also symbolises at the philosophical level, the eradication of the accumulated material interests (of us) which often blur the inherent spiritual hard core or Reality.

Mrtyunjaya Mahaa Mantra:

The Mrtyunjaya-maha-mantra, which is found in the Mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat and chanted as part of ŚrīRudram, is said to eradicate diseases, pain, sufferings and death:

Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe Sugandhim Pushti-vardhanam Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan- Mrityor-muksheeyamaamrtaat - Om .

Meaning: O three-eyed one (Lord Shiva), we worship you, the One of sublime fragrance who is the source of all vitality, growth and splendour. Just as a ripe cucumber is plucked from its vine, May we transcend death and gain Immortality.

Swaha Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe SugandhiM Pushti-vardhanam Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan- Mrityor-muksheeyamaamRtaat - swaha

Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe SugandhiM sadhana-vardhanam Urvaarukamiva Yonani- Mrityor-muksheeyamaamRtaat - swaha

Meaning: Om. O three-eyed one (Lord Shiva), we worship you, the One of sublime fragrance who is the source of all vitality, growth and splendour. Just as your ripe cucumber is grows in its vine, May we receive the shower of vitality and immortality.

Source: wikipedia

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PARABLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

TWO FARMERS:

Sri Ramakrisha

The wife saw his state of mind and ran away in fear. Through a whole day's back-breaking labour the farmer managed by evening to connect his field with the river. Then he sat down and watched the water flowing into his field with a murmuring sound. His mind was filled with peace and joy. He went home, called his wife, and said to her, 'Now give me some oil and prepare me a smoke.' 

With serene mind he finished his bath and meal, and retired to bed, where he snored to his heart's content. The determination he showed is an example of strong renunciation. "Now, there was another farmer who was also digging a channel to bring water to his field. His wife, too, came to the field and said to him: 'It's very late. Come home. 

It isn't necessary to overdo things.' The farmer didn't protest much, but put aside his spade and said to his wife, 'Well, I'll go home since you ask me to.' (All laugh) That man never succeeded in irrigating his field. This is a case of mild renunciation. "As without strong determination the farmer cannot bring water to his field, so also without intense yearning a man cannot realize God."

THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

CHAPTER-3; PART-IV

Then Sri Ramakrishna sang a song glorifying the Power of faith:

If only I can pass away repeating Durga's name,
How canst Thou then, O Blessed One,
Withhold from me deliverance,
Wretched though I may be?

The Master continued: "Faith and devotion.  One realizes God easily through devotion.  He is grasped through ecstasy of love."

With these words the Master sang again:

How are you trying, O my mind, to know the nature of God? 

You are groping like a madman locked in a dark room. 

He is grasped through ecstatic love; how can you fathom Him without it? 

Only through affirmation, never negation, can you know Him; 

Neither through Veda nor through Tantra nor the six darsanas. 

It is in love's elixir only that He delights, O mind; 

He dwells in the body's inmost depths, in Everlasting Joy.  

And, for that love, the mighty yogis practise yoga from age to age; 

When love awakes, the Lord, like a magnet, draws to Him the soul. 

He it is, says Ramprasad, that I approach as Mother; 

But must I give away the secret, here in the marketplace?
From the hints I have given, O mind, guess what that Being is!

While singing, the Master went into samādhi.  He was seated on the bench, facing west, the palms of his hands joined together, his body erect and motionless.  Everyone watched him expectantly.  Vidyasagar, too, was speechless and could not take his eyes from the Master. 

Brahman and Śakti are identical:

After a time Sri Ramakrishna showed signs of regaining the normal state.  He drew a deep breath and said with a smile: "The means of realizing God are ecstasy of love and devotion - that is, one must love God.  He who is Brahman is addressed as the Mother.

He it is, says Ramprasad, that I approach as Mother; 

But must I give away the secret, here in the market-place? 

From the hints I have given, O mind, guess what that Being is!

"Ramprasad asks the mind only to guess the nature of God.  He wishes it to understand that what is called Brahman in the Vedas is addressed by Him as the Mother.  He who is attributeless also has attributes.  He who is Brahman is also Śakti.  When thought of as inactive, He is called Brahman, and when thought of as the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, He is called the Primordial Energy, Kāli.

"Brahman and Śakti are identical, like fire and its power to bum.  When we talk of fire we automatically mean  also its power to burn.  Again, the fire's power to burn implies the fire itself.  If you accept the one you must accept the other. 

"Brahman alone is addressed as the Mother.  This is because a mother is an object of great love.  One is able to realize God just through love.  Ecstasy of feeling, devotion, love, and faith - these are the means.  Listen to a song:

As is a man's meditation, so is his feeling of love; 

As is a man's feeling of love, so is his gain;

And faith is the root of all. 

If in the Nectar Lake of Mother Ka1i's feet 

My mind remains immersed, 

Of little use are worship, oblations, or sacrifice. 

Growth of divine love lessens worldly duties

"What is needed is absorption in God - loving Him intensely.  The 'Nectar Lake' is the Lake of Immortality.  A man sinking in It does not die, but becomes immortal.  Some people believe that by thinking of God too much the mind becomes deranged; but that is not true.  God is the Lake of Nectar, the Ocean of Immortality.  He is called the 'Immortal' in the Vedas.  Sinking in It, one does not die, but verily transcends death. 
Of little use are worship, oblations, or sacrifice. 

If a man  comes to love God, he need not trouble himself much about these activities.  One needs a fan only as long as there is no breeze.  The fan may be laid aside if the southern breeze blows.  Then what need is there of a fan?

(To Vidyasagar) "The activities that you are engaged in are good.  It is very good if you can perform them in a selfless spirit, renouncing egotism, giving up the idea that you are the doer.  Through such action one develops love and devotion to God, and ultimately realizes Him. 

"The more you come to love God, the less you will be inclined to perform action.  When the daughter-in-law is with child, her mother-in-law gives her less work to do.  As time goes by she is given less and less work.  When the time of delivery nears, she is not allowed to do any work at all, lest it should hurt the child or cause difficulty at the time of birth.

"By these philanthropic activities you are really doing good to yourself.  If you can do them disinterestedly, your mind will become pure and you will develop love of God.  As soon as you have that love you will realize Him.

"Man cannot really help the world.  God alone does that - He who has created the sun and the moon, who has put love for their children in parents' hearts, endowed noble souls with compassion, and holy men and devotees with divine love.  The man who works for others, without any selfish motive, really does good to himself. 

"There is gold buried in your heart, but you are not yet aware of it.  It is covered with a thin layer of clay.  Once you are aware of it, all these activities of yours will lessen.  After the birth of her child, the daughter-in-law in the family busies herself with it alone.  Everything she does is only for the child.  Her mother-in-law doesn't let her do any household duties. 

Parable of the wood-cutter:

"Go forward.  A wood-cutter once entered a forest to gather wood.  A brahmachari said to him, 'Go forward.' He obeyed the injunction and discovered some sandal-wood trees.  After a few days he reflected, 'The holy man asked me to go forward.  He didn't tell me to stop here.' So he went forward and found a silver-mine.  After a few days he went still farther and discovered a gold-mine, and next, mines of diamonds and precious stones.  With these he became immensely rich.

"Through selfless work, love of God grows in the heart.  Then, through His grace one realizes Him in course of time.  God can be seen.  One can talk to him as I am talking to you."

In silent wonder they all sat listening to the Master's words.  It seemed to them that the Goddess of Wisdom Herself, seated on Sri Ramakrishna's tongue was addressing these words not merely to Vidyasagar, but to all humanity for its good.

It was nearly nine o'clock in the evening.  The Master was about to leave. 

Master (to Vidyasagar, with a smile): "The words I have spoken are really superfluous.  You know all this; you simply aren't conscious of it.  There are countless gems in the coffers of Varuna.  But he himself isn't aware of them."

VIDYASAGAR (with a smile): "You may say as you like."

MASTER (smiling): "Oh yes.  There are many wealthy people who don't know the names of all their servants, and are even unaware of many of the precious things in their houses."(All laugh.)

Everybody was delighted with the Master's conversation.  Again addressing Vidyasagar, he said with a smile:  "Please visit the temple garden some time - I mean the garden of Rasmani.  It's a charming place."

VIDYASAGAR: "Oh, of course I shall  go.  You have so kindly come here to see me, and shall I not return your visit?"

MASTER: "Visit me? Oh, never think of such a thing!"

VIDYASAGAR: "Why, sir?  Why do you say that? May I ask you to explain?"

MASTER (smiling): "You see, we are like small fishing-boats.  (All smile.) We can ply in small canals and shallow waters and also in big rivers.  But you are a ship.  You may run aground on the way!" (All laugh.)

Vidyasagar remained silent.  Sri Ramakrishna said with a laugh, "But even a ship can go there at this season."

VIDYASAGR (smiling): "Yes, this is the monsoon season." (All laugh.)

M. said to himself: "This is indeed the monsoon season of newly awakened love.  At such times one doesn't care for prestige or formalities."

Sri Ramakrishna then took leave of Vidyasagar, who with his friends escorted the Master to the main gate, leading the way with a lighted candle in his hand.  Before leaving the room, the Master prayed for the family's welfare, going into an ecstatic mood as he did so.

As soon as the Master and the devotees reached the gate, they saw an unexpected sight and stood still.  In front of them was a bearded gentleman of fair complexion, aged about thirty-six.  He wore his clothes like a Bengali, but on his head was a white turban tied after the fashion of the Sikhs.  No sooner did he see the Master than he fell prostrate before him, turban  and all. 

  

When he stood up the Master said: "Who is this? Balaram? Why so late in the evening?"

BALARAM: "I have been waiting here a long time, sir."

MASTER: "Why didn't you come in?"

BALARAM: "All were listening to you.  I didn't like to disturb you."  The Master got into the carriage with his companions.   

VIDYASAGAR (to M., softly): "Shall I pay the carriage hire?"

M: "Oh, don't bother, please.  It is taken care of."

Vidyasagar and his friends bowed to Sri Ramakrishna, and the carriage started for Dakshineswar.  But the little group, with the venerable Vidyasagar at their head holding the lighted candle, stood at the gate and gazed after the Master until he was out of sight.

SOURCE: THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHANA:

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SWAMI VIVEKANANDA PHOTOS

 A VIDEO OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA' PHOTOS. MAY SWAMI VIVEKANANDA BLESS ALL.

THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

CHAPTER-III; PART-III

Different manifestations of God's power:

"Just see how picturesque this universe is! How many things there are! The sun, moon, and stars; and how many varieties of living beings! - big and small, good and bad, strong and weak - some endowed with more power some with less."

VIDYASAGAR: "Has He endowed some with more power and others with less?"

MASTER: "As the All-pervading Spirit He exists in all beings, even in the ant.  But the manifestations of His Power are different in different beings;  otherwise, how can one person put ten to flight, while another can't face even one? And why do all people respect you? Have you grown a pair horns? (Laughter.) You have more compassion and learning.  Therefore people honour you and come to pay you their respects.  Don't you agree with me?"

Vidyasagar smiled. 

The Master continued: "There is nothing in mere scholarship.  The object of study is to find means of knowing God and realizing Him.  A holy man had a book.  When asked what it contained, he opened it and showed that on all the pages were written the words 'Om Rama', and nothing else. 

"What is the significance of the Gita? It is what you find by repeating the word ten times.  It is then reversed into 'tagi', which means a person who has renounced everything for God.  And the lesson of.  the Gita is: 'O man, renounce everything and seek God alone.' Whether a man is a monk or a householder, he has to shake off all attachment from his mind. 

"Chaitanyadeva set out on a pilgrimage to southern India.  One day he saw a man reading the Gita.  Another man, seated at a distance, was listening and weeping.  His eyes were swimming in tears.  Chaitanyadeva asked him, 'Do you understand all this?' The man said, 'No, revered sir, I don't understand a word of the text.' 'Then why are you crying?' asked Chaitanya.  The devotee said: 'I see Arjuna's chariot before me.  I see Lord Krishna and Arjuna seated in front of it, talking.  I see this and I weep.'

"Why does a vijnāni keep an attitude of love toward God? The answer is that 'I-consciousness' persists.  It disappears in the state of samādhi, no doubt, but it comes back.  In the case of ordinary people the 'I' never disappears.  You may cut down the Aśwattha tree, but the next day sprouts shoot up.  (All laugh.)

Ego causes our sufferings:

"Even after the attainment of Knowledge this 'I-consciousness' comes up, nobody knows from where.  You dream of a tiger.  Then you awake; but your heart keeps on palpitating! All our suffering is due to this 'I'.  The cow cries, 'Hamba!', which means 'I'.  That is why it suffers so much.  It is yoked to the plough and made to work in rain and sun.  Then it may be killed by the butcher.  From its hide shoes are made, and also drums, which are mercilessly, beaten.  (Laughter.) Still it does not escape suffering.  At last strings are made out of its entrails for the bows used in carding cotton.  Then it no longer says, 'Hamba! Hamba!', 'I! I!'   but 'Tuhu! Tuhu!', 'Thou! Thou!'.  Only then are its troubles over.  O Lord, I am the servant; Thou art the Master.  I am the child; Thou art the Mother.  

"Once Rama asked Hanuman, 'How do you look on Me?' And Hanuman replied: 'O Rama, as long as I have the feeling of "I", I see that Thou art the whole and I am a part; Thou art the Master and I am Thy servant.  But when, O Rama, I have the knowledge of Truth, then I realize that Thou art I and I am Thou.'

"The relationship of master and servant is the proper one.  Since this 'I' must remain, let the rascal be God's servant. 

Evil of "I" and "mine":

" 'I' and 'mine' - these constitute ignorance.  'My house', 'my wealth', 'my learning', 'my possessions' - the attitude that prompts one to say such things comes of ignorance.  On the contrary, the attitude born of Knowledge is: 'O God, Thou art the Master, and all these things belong to Thee.  House, family, children, attendants, friends, are Thine.'

"One should constantly remember death.  Nothing will survive death.  We are born into this world to perform certain duties, like the people who come from the countryside to Calcutta on business.  If a visitor goes to a rich man's garden, the superintendent says to him, 'This is our garden', 'This is our lake', and so forth.  But if the Superintendent is dismissed for some misdeed, he can't carry away even his mango-wood chest.  He sends it secretly by the gate-keeper.  (Laughter.)

"God laughs on two occasions.  He laughs when the physician says to the patient's mother, 'Don't be afraid, mother; I shall certainly cure your boy.' God laughs, saying to Himself, 'I am going to take his life, and this man says he will save it!' The physician thinks he is the master, forgetting that God is the Master.  God laughs again when two brothers divide their land with a string, saying to each other, 'This side is mine and that side is your'.  He laughs and says to Himself, 'The whole universe belongs to Me, but they say they own this portion or that portion.'

"Can one know God through reasoning? Be His servant, surrender yourself to Him, and then pray to Him.

(To Vidyasagar, with a smile) "Well, what is your attitude?"

VIDYASAGAR (smiling): "Some day I shall confide it to you."(All laugh)

MASTER (laughing): "God cannot be realized through mere scholarly reasoning."

Intoxicated with divine love, the Master sang:

Who is there that can understand what Mother Kāli is?

Even the six darsanas are powerless to reveal Her. 

It is She, the scriptures say, that is the Inner Self 

Of the yogi, who in Self discovers all his joy; 

She that, of Her own sweet will, inhabits every living thing. 

The macrocosm and microcosm rest in the Mother's womb; 

Now do you see how vast it is? In the Muladhara 

The yogi meditates on Her, and in the Sahasrara:

Who but Śiva has beheld Her as She really is? 

Within the lotus wilderness She sports beside Her Mate, the Swan.

When man aspires to understand Her, Ramprasad must smile;

To think of knowing Her, he says, is quite as laughable

As to imagine one can swim across the boundless sea.

But while my mind has understood, alas! my heart has not;

Though but a dwarf, it still would strive to make a captive of the moon. 

 Continuing, the Master said: "Did you notice?

The macrocosm and microcosm rest in the Mother's womb;

Now do you see how vast it is?

Again, the poet says: 

Even the six darsanas are powerless to reveal Her. She cannot be realized by means of mere scholarship. 

Power of faith:

"One must have faith and love.  Let me tell you how powerful faith is.  A man was about to cross the sea from Ceylon to India.  Bibhishana said to him: 'Tie this thing in a corner of your wearing-cloth, and you will cross the sea safely.  You will be able to walk on the water.  But be sure not to examine it, or you will sink.' The man was walking easily on the water of the sea - such is the strength of faith - when, having gone part of the way, he thought, 'What is this wonderful thing Bibhishana has given me, that I can walk even on the water?' He untied the knot and found only a leaf with the name of Rama written on it.  'Oh, just this!' he thought, and instantly he sank. 

"There is a popular saying that Hanuman jumped over the sea through his

 faith in Rama's name, but Rama himself had to build a bridge.

"If a man has faith in God, then He need not be afraid though he may have

committed sin - nay, the vilest sin."

SOURCE: THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

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