[Ideal of a wet-nurse.] day by day. The Bhagavan said: I place before them the ideal of a wet-nurse as teaching them how to live in this world. The maid-servant referring to her master's house says, "This is our house." All the while she knows that her home is far away in a distant village, to which her thoughts are all sent forth. Again, referring to the master's child in her arms, she will say: "My Hari has grown very wicked," or "My Hari likes to eat this or that," and so on. But all the while she knows that Han is not her own. I tell those who come to me to live a life unattached like this maid-servant. I tell them to live unattached to this world, to be in the world but not of the world, and at the same time to have their mind directed to God, the heavenly home from whence all come. I tell them to pray for love of God (Bhakti), which will help them so to live.

[Agnosticism in Europe and America.] After a short time the conversation turned on the agnosticism of Europe and America, and Mozoomdar said: Whatever people in the West may profess to be, none of them, as it seems to me, is an atheist at heart. The European thinkers all admit an unknown Power behind the universe.

Bhagavan: How can they be atheists when they believe in Sakti, the Eternal Energy?

Mozoomdar: They also admit the moral government of the universe.

As Mozoomdar rose to take leave, the Bhagavan said to him: What shall I say? It is better that you cease to have anything to do with all those things--schisms, controversies, etc. All quarrels and disputes spring from egotism and attachment to the world. These keep men away from God. Therefore abandon all earthly attachment and fix your mind on the Almighty.

v

Mozoomdar then saluted the Bhagavan and withdrew. After he had gone, a devotee asked: Revered Sir, Thou didst go to see Vidyasagara, what dost Thou think of him?

Ramakrishna: Vidyasagara is a very learned scholar. He is kind and charitable, but he has no spiritual consciousness. There is gold inside; if he had been aware of it, he could not have devoted so much of his time to external work. Eventually his work would have been finished. If he knew that God was dwelling within his heart, his mind would have been fixed in

thinking and meditating on Him. Some people have to perform work without attachment for a long time before true dispassion for the world comes; then the mind runs towards God and becomes absorbed in Him. Whatever work Vidyasagara has done for others has been very good and helpful. [Compassion and attachment.] To be kind and compassionate is also good; but there is a difference between compassion and attachment. Compassion is good, but attachment is not. Attachment is love for wife, children, brother, sister, father, mother and other relatives, while true compassion is equal love for all living creatures.

Mahendra: Is compassion also a bondage?