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Ramakrishna Paramhansa Deva was incarnated on Wednesday, 18th February, 1836. 

Swami Vivekananda and other disciples believed that Sri Ramakrishna Thakur was the embodiment of Rama and Krishna. Thakur had spoken from experiences, inner wisdom, intuition and realisation. Paramhansha said that his Divine Mother spoke through him. Thakur had inspired ignited minds, hearts and souls of the young and all with faith, love for Ishwara (God/Allah), service and love to humanity. He said to Vivekananda, “Go, serve humanity while having faith in God – Jib Seva Shiva Seva”.

How to fix the mind on God, Sri Ramakrishna prescribed, “Repeat God’s Name” i.e. Japa (count on beads) and Ajapa, (chant in mind and heart). Visit God’s devotees, holy men and also meditate in solitude. A young tree requires fencing all around to be saved from cattle and others. 

Live in the world like a maid-servant. She does all the work of a mistress, but her mind is fixed on her children and family. While doing the duties with joy and honesty for self, family, society and nation, fix your mind on God. Remember always Mother Kali, Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and so on. The tortoise moves in the water, but its thoughts are on its eggs lying on the bank.

After having the oil of divine love, set on the duties of world with joy. Go into solitude to attain divine love.  Milk is kept in secluded spot to get curd and butter. Pure milk gets mixed with water and becomes one. Turn the milk into curd and churn curd into butter. Place the butter in water. It remains floating. So, divine soul after having acquired spiritual discipline will not be overwhelmed with the world.

Cry to the Lord with an intensely yearning heart. You will see Him certainly. Shed a jug of tears for God, as one does for wife or children and money. God will come invisible and visible.

Love God like a mother loves her child, wife her husband and miser his wealth. God dwells in all beings. But keep away from the evil-minded. Showing of anger and strength is essential to protect oneself from evil-minded people. Be righteous. Do not bite but hiss. A snake had a miserable life from wicked boys when it stopped biting and hissing. He again started hissing, not hurting. So, must hiss at wicked people.

Through the power of Mother’s sweet name, my wretched soul may still aspire even to Brahman’s realm. 

Narendra, Swami Vivekananda sang –

Mediate, O my mind, on the Lord Hari

The stainless One, pure spirit

Through and through,

How peerless is the Light that

Shines in him.

How soul- bewitching is His wondrous form!

How dear is He to all His devotees!

Ever more beauteous in fresh-blossoming love

That shames the splendour of a million moons.

Like lighting gleams the glory of His form

Raising erect the hair for very joy

Worship His feet in the lotus of your heart;

With mind serene and eyes made radiant with

Heavenly love, behold that math less sight

Caught in the spell of His Love’s ecstasy

Immerse yourself for evermore, O Mind

In Him who is Pure Knowledge and Pure Bliss

Immerse yourself for evermore, O Mind.

In Him who is pure knowledge and pure Bliss.

One of Thakur’s devotees, Girish, was a drunkard. Like Parash, (a gem stone) which turns all iron, whether a knife in the hand of a butcher or a knife in a satvika (divine) kitchen, into gold.

So, Master blessed Girish and asked him to continue with his display of drama (play) as it would distribute knowledge and expel ignorance.

Thakur believed in duality though he was given gurumantra (teaching with experience and realisation) of non-duality by Saint Swami Telenga, Brahmini, Totapuri. He said that he would like to live in duality so as to enjoy play and love with his Divine Mother Kali. He wanted to enjoy the bliss of duality as one liked to enjoy the sweetness of sweets.

To quote poet Ramprasad’s song –

It is in love’s elixir

Only that We delight, O Mind.

When love awakes, the Lord,

Like a magnet draws to Him the soul.

Ramakrishna Paramhansa visited Pundit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who was known for his generosity. His compassion was not limited to human beings. He stopped drinking milk for years so to make milk available for calves.

Thakur said – Path of knowledge and path of love lead to the truth. Path of knowledge help us control our ego. Path of love is easier without ego. ‘I’ and ‘mine’, these constitute ignorance.

By these philanthropic activities, you are doing really good to yourself provided it is done in a selfless spirit and renouncing egotism, giving up the idea that you are a doer. Then mind becomes pure, develops love for God.

As your love for God increases, your inclination to perform action decreases. Man cannot really help the world, God alone does that. 

Through selfless work, love of God grows in the heart. By his grace, one realises Him in course of time. God can be seen. One can talk to Him. Do your duties to the family till they do not grow up to take responsibilities. The blossom drops off when fruit appears. As one advances nearer and nearer to God, one’s activities reduce little by little.