Ramakrishna, Child of the Mother

[Guest guest]

The other night, Shree Maa was reading from the Kathamrita, in

Bengali, and Swamiji was translating.

Ramakrishna was speaking about the Path of Wisdom and the Path of

Devotion.

 

When you seek union with God through the path of wisdom or knowledge, it is

necessary to first purify your consciousness, through sadhana.

But in the path of devotion, if you even once have true devotion to the lotus

feet of the Lord, you truly enjoy singing to God with pure love, you don't even

have to try to control your senses. The 6 ripus come under control of their

own accord.

 

Ramakrishna spoke of fireflies. When devotees see (divine) light, they run

towards it, understanding it's a jewel; from the light of the jewel, you won't

burn your skin.

 

But the Path of wisdom/knowledge is difficult. In this path, one says, "I am

not

the body, the mind, the intellect, I have no sickness, I have no grief, I have

no

lack of peace, I am the intrinsic nature of satchitananda."

First, one has to burn the thorn in the fire of wisdom before they can claim

it does not cut or hurt.

 

Ramakrishna also spoke of playing chess: when one is playing chess, the

viewer can see the game better than the player.

When one is caught in worldliness, they may be very intelligent, but they are

players and don't understand their own game, due to selfish attachment.

 

Those freed from selfish attachment are the intelligent ones in this world.

Here too much intellectual knowledge can be an obstacle.

 

Great souls have the intrinsic nature of a child--they are always children in

front of God.