Sri RamaKrishna says our heart must be pure

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A SANNYASIN dwelt by the side of a temple.There was the house of a harlot

in front. Seeing the constant concourse of men in the prostitute's house,

the sannyasin one day called her and censured her, saying: " You are a great

sinner. You sin day and night. Oh, how miserable will be your lot

hereafter. "

 

The poor prostitute became extremely sorry for her misdeeds, and with

genuine inward repentance she prayed to God beseeching forgiveness. But as

prostitution was her profession,she could not easily adopt any other means

of earning her livelihood. And so, whenever her flesh sinned, she always

reproached herself with greater contrition of heart and prayed to God more

and, more for forgiveness.

 

The sannyasin saw that his advice had apparently produced no effect upon

her, and thought, " Let me see how many persons will visit this woman in the

course of her life. " And from that day forward, whenever any person entered

the house of the prostitute, the sannyasin counted him by putting a pebble

aside,and in course of time there arose a big heap of pebbles.

 

One day the sannyasin said to the prostitute, pointing to the heap: " Woman,

don't you see this heap? Each pebble in it stands for every commission of

the deadly sin you have been indulging in since. I advised you last to

desist from the evil course. Even now I tell you: Beware of your evil

deeds! " The poor wretch began to tremble at the sight of the accumulation of

her sins, and she prayed to God shedding tears of utter helplessness,

inwardly repeating, " Lord, wilt Thou not free me from the miserable life

that I am leading? " The prayer was heard, and on that very day the angel of

death passed by her house, and she ceased to exist in this world. By the

strange will of God, the sannyasin also died on the same day.

 

The messengers of Vishnu came down from Heaven and carried the spirit-body

of the contrite prostitute to the heavenly regions, while the messengers of

Yama bound the spirit of the sannyasin and carried him down to the nether

world. The sannyasin, seeing the good luck of the prostitute, cried aloud:

" Is this the subtle justice of God? I passed all my life in asceticism and

poverty,and I am carried to hell, while that prostitute,whose life was a

whole record of sin, is going to Heaven! "

 

Hearing this, the messengers of Vishnu said: " The decrees of God are always

just; as you think, so you reap. You passed your life in external show and

vanity, trying to get honour and fame;and God has given you this. Your heart

never sincerely yearned after Him.

 

This prostitute earnestly prayed to God day and night, though her body

sinned all the while. Look at the treatment which your body and her body are

receiving from those below. As you never sinned with your body,they have

decorated it with flowers and garlands,and are carrying it with music in a

procession to consign it to the sacred river. But this prostitute's body,

which had sinned is being torn to pieces at this moment by vultures and

jackals.

 

Nevertheless, she was pure in heart and is therefore going to the regions of

the pure. Your heart was always absorbed in contemplating her sins and thus

became impure. You are therefore going to the regions of the impure. You

were the real prostitute, and not she. "

 

Source: Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna

 

--

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone