Maya obstructs vision of God

“Maya won’t allow us to know the will of God. On account of God’s maya the unreal appears as real, and the real as unreal. The world is unreal.

This moment it exists and the next it disappears. But on account of His maya it seems to be real. It is only through His maya that the ego seems to be the doer. Furthermore, on account of this maya a man regards his wife and children, his brother and sister, his father and mother, his house and property, as his very own.

“There are two aspects of maya: vidya and avidya. Avidya deludes one with worldliness, and vidya-wisdom, devotion, and the company of holy men-leads one to God.

“He who has gone beyond maya, through the grace of God, views alike both Vidyā and Avidyā . Worldly life is a life of enjoyment. After all, what is there to enjoy in ‘woman and gold’? As soon as a sweetmeat has gone down the throat, one doesn’t remember whether it tasted sweet or sour.

“But why should everybody renounce?

Renunciation, true and false

Is renunciation possible except in the fullness of time? The time for renunciation comes when one reaches the limit of enjoyment. Can anybody force himself into renunciation?

There is a kind of renunciation known as ‘monkey renunciation’. Only small-mindedpeople cultivate it. Take the case of a fatherless boy. His poor widowed mother earns her livelihood by spinning. The boy loses his insignificant job and suddenly is seized with a fit of renunciation.

He puts on the ochre cloth of a monk and goes to Benares. A few days later he writes home, ‘I have secured a job for ten rupees a month.’ In the mean time he tries to buy a gold ring and beautiful clothes. How can he stifle his desire for enjoyment?”

Keshab arrived with some Brahmo devotees and respectfully saluted the Master. He took a seat on Sri Ramakrishna’s left, Ram on his right. For some time a reader recited from the Bhagavata and explained the text.

God and worldly duties

MASTER (to the devotees): “It is very difficult to do one’s duty in the world. If you whirl round too fast you feel giddy and faint; but there is no such fear if you hold on to a post. Do your duty, but do not forget God.

“You may ask, ‘If worldly life is so difficult, then what is the way?’ The way is constant practice. At Kamarpukur I have seen the women of the carpenter families flattening rice with a husking-machine. They are always fearful of the pestle’s smashing their fingers.

At the same time they go on nursing their children and bargaining with customers.

They say to the customers, ‘Pay us what you owe before you leave.’

“An immoral woman goes on performing her household duties, but all the time her mind dwells on her sweetheart.

“But one needs spiritual discipline to acquire such a state of mind; one should pray to God in solitude every now and then. It is possible to perform worldly duties after obtaining love for God. If you try to break a jackfruit, your hands will be smeared with its sticky juice.

But that won’t happen if, beforehand, you rub them with oil.”

The kirtan began. Trailokya was singing. The Master danced, Keshab and the other devotees dancing with him. Though it was winter, the Master became hot and perspired.

After the music he wanted something to eat. A plate of sweetmeats was sent from the inner apartments. Keshab held the plate before Sri Ramakrishna and the Master ate. When he had finished, Keshab poured water on his hands and then dried the Master’s hands and face with a towel. Afterwards he began to fan the Master.

MASTER (to Keshab and the other devotees): “They are heroes indeed who can pray to God in the midst of their worldly activities. They are like men who strive for God-realization while carrying heavy loads on their heads. Such men are real heroes. You may say that this is extremely difficult. But is there anything, however hard, that cannot be achieved through God’s grace? His grace makes even the impossible possible. If a lamp is brought into a room that has been dark a thousand years, does it illumine the room little by little? The room is lighted all at once.“These reassuring words gladdened the hearts of Keshab and the other householder devotees.

KESHAB (to Rajendra Mitra, the uncle of Ram and Manomohan): “Wouldn’t it be nice if you could arrange a festival like this at your house one day?”

RAJENDRA: “Very good, I will. Well, Ram, you’ll have to take charge of everything.”

Sri Ramakrishna was asked to go to the inner apartments, where Manomohan’s mother had prepared his meal. A glass of ice-water, of which the Master was very fond, was placed near his plate.

Keshab and the other devotees sat in the courtyard and were treated to a sumptuous feast. The Master joined them and watched them eat. He danced and sang to entertain the guests.

When it was time for Sri Ramakrishna to leave for Dakshineswar, Keshab and the other devotees took the dust of his feet and saw him off in a hired carriage.