Calling on God

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
(18 Feb 1836 - 16 Aug 1886)
Ramakrishna Aratrikam - Khandana Bhava Bandhana
Ramakrishna Sahasranama Stotram

Object of study is to find means of knowing God

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.

One ultimately discovers God by trying to know who this "I" is

One ultimately discovers God by trying to know who this 'I' is. Is this 'I' the flesh, the bones, the blood, or the marrow? Is it the mind or the buddhi? Analysing thus, you realize at last that you are none of these. This is called the process of 'Neti, Neti', 'Not this, Not this'. One can neither comprehend nor touch the Atman. It is without qualities or attributes.

But, according to the path of devotion, God has attributes. To a devotee Krishna is Spirit, His Abode is Spirit, and everything about Him is Spirit.

God cannot remain unmoved if you have Raga-Bhakti

God cannot remain unmoved if you have Raga-Bhakti, that is, love of God with passionate attachment to Him. Do you know how fond God is of His devotees' love? It is like the cow's fondness for fodder mixed with oil-cake. The cow gobbles it down greedily.

Raga-Bhakti is pure love of God, a love that seeks God alone and not any worldly end. Prahlada had it.

The grace of God falls alike on all His children

The grace of God falls alike on all His children, learned and illiterate - whoever longs for Him. The father has the same love for all his children. Suppose a father has five children. One calls him 'Baba', some 'Ba', and some 'Pa'. These last cannot pronounce the whole word. Does the father love those who address him as 'Baba' more than those who call him 'Pa'? The father knows that these last are simply too young to say 'Baba' correctly.

Practice Japa out of yearning and love for God

You practise religious rites - japa, fasting, and the like. That is very good. If a man feels sincerely drawn to God, then God makes him practise all these disciplines. The devotee will certainly realize God if he practises them without desiring their results.

A devotee observes many rites because of the injunctions of the scriptures. Such devotion is called Vaidhi Bhakti. But there is a higher form of devotion known as Raga Bhakti, which springs from yearning and love for God. Prahlada had such devotion. When the devotee develops that love, he no longer needs to perform prescribed rites.

Pray to God with a restless heart

Whatever path you may follow, you must pray to God with a restless heart. He is the Ruler of the soul within. He will surely listen to your prayer if it is sincere.

Whether you follow the ideal of the Personal God or that of the Impersonal Truth, you will realize God alone, provided you are restless for Him. A cake with icing tastes sweet whether you eat it straight or sidewise.

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