Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 I was reading the "The Great Master" and I summarize below. I learnt three things from the episode 1) Words carry weight only when Mind=Word=Action 2) We need to be vigilant and keep focussed on our spiritual practices . And calamities are wake-up calls for us to keep at our practices. 3) Ramakrishna felt the pain like anyone, but could go beyond it because of his love for God. And that is the only way out for us as we go through life . Love God more and more. The tougher the problem, the stronger we cling to his feet. That is the only way ! JAI MAA ! ============================================================ One of Ramakrishna's devotees had just lost his son . The other devotees in the room were trying to console this man with the usual phrases , saying "give up grief , have patience, everyone born must die" When three things viz., Minds, Words and Actions are inspired by the same feeling, that our words can touch others' hearts and raise similar waves of feeling there . But with is this qualification is altogether wanting . We say , "The world is transitory", but every thought and action of ours is contrary to this idea. Though we advise others to consider this world to be transitory like a dream , we always regard it in our heart of hearts as eternal and make arrangements for living here forever. How can our words acquire that power to carry conviction ? Ramkrishna suddenly went into a state of divine semi-consciousness and sang "O Man , prepare yourself for battle., There, see Death entering your house in battle array ; Therefore ride on the chariot of great virtue, Harness to it the two horses of devotion and spiritual practice, Stretch the bow of knowledge, And set the unfailing arrow of the love of God" Everybody in the room sat still, being lost in a spiritual mood, which seemed to declare "It is God alone who is our own; we have to offer our heart and life to Him" Then Thakur sat next to the devotee and said " What burning pain is there on earth which can compare with the grief at the death of a son? A son is born of the body, isnt he? So his relation with the body persists as long as it lasts". Saying so, Master began to describe how affected he was by the death of his nephew. He thought "Mother ! How bitterly I feel his demise ! How agonizing the pain must be to the householders !" The Master continued " Those who take refuge in Him do not sink to the bottom on account of this unbearable grief. They regain their balance after a few tossings. Havent you noticed the plight of the small fishing boats when steamers pass through the Ganga? It looks as if they are lost and gone, some even capsize. The bigger vessels regain their balance after a few tossings. But a toss of two must be felt by all" The devotee felt consoled and said "This was why , Sir, I came running to you. I knew of no else who could assuage the fire of my grief" ======================================================= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2004 Report Share Posted February 21, 2004 Latha, That was very beautiful. It reminds me of a story about Shree Maa - it must be in on of the books, but I don't recall now. A woman came to her who had just lost her child. Filled with grief she bowed to Shree Maa's feet, crying. Shree Maa didn't say a word, but simply held her, and I think, cried with her. It reminds me of something I think Pandit Tigunait wrote, that in the process of enlightenment there are two actions that occur. The first is that individual consciousness rises to the unity of all, beyond all pain, all modification. The second, is that that consciousness descends, through all the chakras, each grade of consciousness, bringing with it the knowledge of ultimate unity, but experiencing the dance of duality. That is why the realized souls, though grounded in unity, experience such compassion at the suffering of others. Thanks. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > I was reading the "The Great Master" and I summarize below. > > I learnt three things from the episode > 1) Words carry weight only when Mind=Word=Action > 2) We need to be vigilant and keep focussed on our spiritual > practices . And calamities are wake-up calls for us to keep at our > practices. > 3) Ramakrishna felt the pain like anyone, but could go beyond it > because of his love for God. > > And that is the only way out for us as we go through life . Love God > more and more. The tougher the problem, the stronger we cling to his > feet. That is the only way ! > > JAI MAA ! > > ============================================================ > > One of Ramakrishna's devotees had just lost his son . The other > devotees in the room were trying to console this man with the usual > phrases , saying "give up grief , have patience, everyone born must > die" > > When three things viz., Minds, Words and Actions are inspired by the > same feeling, that our words can touch others' hearts and raise > similar waves of feeling there . > > But with is this qualification is altogether wanting . We say , "The > world is transitory", but every thought and action of ours is > contrary to this idea. Though we advise others to consider this world > to be transitory like a dream , we always regard it in our heart of > hearts as eternal and make arrangements for living here forever. How > can our words acquire that power to carry conviction ? > > Ramkrishna suddenly went into a state of divine semi-consciousness > and sang > > "O Man , prepare yourself for battle., > There, see Death entering your house in battle array ; > Therefore ride on the chariot of great virtue, > Harness to it the two horses of devotion and spiritual practice, > Stretch the bow of knowledge, > And set the unfailing arrow of the love of God" > > Everybody in the room sat still, being lost in a spiritual mood, > which seemed to declare "It is God alone who is our own; we have to > offer our heart and life to Him" > > Then Thakur sat next to the devotee and said " What burning pain is > there on earth which can compare with the grief at the death of a > son? A son is born of the body, isnt he? So his relation with the > body persists as long as it lasts". Saying so, Master began to > describe how affected he was by the death of his nephew. He > thought "Mother ! How bitterly I feel his demise ! How agonizing the > pain must be to the householders !" > > The Master continued " Those who take refuge in Him do not sink to > the bottom on account of this unbearable grief. They regain their > balance after a few tossings. Havent you noticed the plight of the > small fishing boats when steamers pass through the Ganga? It looks as > if they are lost and gone, some even capsize. The bigger vessels > regain their balance after a few tossings. But a toss of two must be > felt by all" > > The devotee felt consoled and said "This was why , Sir, I came > running to you. I knew of no else who could assuage the fire of my > grief" > > ======================================================= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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