Superphysics
The Three Gunas
5 minutes • 1034 words
Table of contents
Sunday, May 25, 1884
Sri Ramakrishna was sitting on the cement platform that encircled the trunk of the old banyan-tree in the Panchavati.
Vijay, Surendra, Bhavanath, Rākhāl , and other devotees were present. A few of them sitting with the Master on the platform, the rest on the ground below.
The devotees had thought of celebrating the Master’s birthday which had had to be put off because of his illness.
Since Sri Ramakrishna now felt much better, they wanted to have the celebration that day. A woman musician, a famous singer of kirtan, was going to entertain them with devotional songs.
It was 1pm.
The Master noticed that Surendra was standing before him.
Come up and sit with us on the platform. Then you can dangle your feet comfortably.
Surendra went up and took his seat. Bhavanath had his coat on. Surendra said to him, “Are you going to England?”
(smiling): “God is our England. Now and then I used to leave off my clothes and joyfully roam about naked. Once Sambhu said to me: ‘It is very comfortable to walk about naked. That is why you do it. Once I did it myself.’ "
On returning from the office, as I put away my coat and trousers, I say to the Divine Mother, ‘O Mother, how tightly You have bound me to the world!’
There are 8 fetters with which binds man:
- Shame
- Hatred
- Fear
- Pride of caste
- Hesitation
- The desire to conceal
- and so forth
Sri Ramakrishna sang:
Mother, this is the grief that sorely grieves my heart, That even with Thee for Mother, and though I am wide awake, There should be robbery in my house. . . .
He continued:
In the world’s busy market-place, O Syama, Thou art flying kites; High up they soar on the wind of hope, held fast by māyā’s string. Their frames are human skeletons, their sails of the three gunas made; But all their curious workmanship is merely for ornament. Upon the kite-strings Thou hast rubbed the manja-paste of worldliness, So as to make each straining strand all the more sharp and strong. Out of 100,000 kites, at best but one or two break free; Thou dost laugh and clap Thy hands, O Mother, watching them! On favouring winds, says Ramprasad, the kites set loose will speedily Be borne away to the Infinite, across the sea of the world.
‘Māyā’s string’ means wife and children. Upon the kite-strings Thou hast rubbed the manja-paste of worldliness.
‘Worldliness’ means ‘woman and gold’.
The Three Gunas
The three gunas are sattva, rajas, and tamas. These have men under their control.
They are like 3 brothers: As long as sattva exists, it calls on rajas for help. Rajas can get help from tamas.
The 3 gunas are like robbers.
Tamas kills and rajas binds. Sattva releases man from his bondage by showing him the way to God. But it cannot take him to God.
‘Woman and gold’ is the cause of bondage. ‘Woman and gold’ alone constitutes samsara, the world. It is ‘woman and gold’ that keeps one from seeing God.
(Holding the towel in front of his face) Do you see my face any more? Of course not. The towel hides it. No sooner is the covering of ‘woman and gold’ removed than one attains Chidananca, Consciousness and Bliss.
Corrupting influence of lust
He who has renounced the pleasure of a wife has verily renounced the pleasure of the world. God is very near to such a person.
You people have such imposing moustaches, and yet you too are involved in ‘woman and gold’. Tell me if it isn’t true. Search your heart and answer me.
Yes, it is true.
Kedār remained silent.
I see that all are under the control of woman. One day I went to Captain’s house. From there I was to go to Ram’s house. So I said to Captain, ‘Please give me my carriage hire.’ He asked his wife about it. She too held back and said: ‘What’s the matter?
What’s the matter?’ At last Captain said, ‘Ram will take care of it.’ You see, the Gitā, the Bhagavata, and the Vedānta all bow before a woman!
(All laugh.)
A man leaves his money, his property, and everything in the hands of his wife. But he says with affected simplicity, ‘I have such a nature that I cannot keep even two rupees with me.’
“A man went to an office in search of a job. There were many vacancies, but the manager did not grant his request. A friend said to the applicant, ‘Appeal to Golapi, and you will get the job.’ Golapi was the manager’s mistress.
Men do not realize how far they are dragged down by women. Once I went to the Fort in a carriage, feeling all the while that I was going along a level road. At last I found that I had gone four storeys down. It was a sloping road.
A man possessed by a ghost does not know he is under the ghost’s control. He thinks he is quite normal.”
(smiling): “But he can be cured by an exorcist if he finds one.”
In answer to Vijay Sri Ramakrishna only said, “That depends on the will of God.” Then he went on with his talk about women.
Everyone I talk to says, ‘Yes, sir, my wife is good.’ Nobody says that his wife is bad.
(All laugh.)
Those who constantly live with ‘woman and gold’ are so infatuated with it that they don’t see things properly.
Chess-players often cannot see the right move for their pieces on the board. But those who watch the game from a distance can understand the moves more accurately.
Woman is the embodiment of māyā.
In his hymn to Rāma, Nārada said: ‘O Rāma, all men are parts of Thee. All women are parts of Sita, the personification of Thy māyā.
Please deign to grant that I may have pure love for Thy Lotus Feet and that I may not be deluded by Thy world bewitching māyā. I do not want any other favour than that.’
