[Stages of spiritual practice.] The first stage of spiritual practice is association with spiritual people, the company of holy men. The second stage is faith in things relating to the Spirit. The third stage is single-minded devotion to one's Ideal. The Ideal may be one's Guru, the spiritual teacher, the Impersonal Brahman, the Personal God or any of His manifestations. The fourth stage is the state of being struck speechless at the thought of God. The fifth stage, when the feeling of devotion to God reaches the

highest point; it is called Mahabhava. The devotee sometimes laughs, sometimes weeps like a madman. He loses all control over his body. This state is not attained by ordinary human beings who are not capable of conquering the flesh. It is reached by Incarnations of God who appear in this world for the salvation of mankind. The sixth stage, Prema or ecstatic love, goes hand in hand with Mahabhava. It is the most intense love of God and is strictly the highest state of spirituality. The two marks of this stage are the forgetfulness of this world and the forgetfulness of self, which includes one's own body.

After delivering this sermon, the Bhagavan said to His audience that He would be glad to answer any question. But none was asked, so the Bhagavan continued:

[Attainment of knowledge gradual.] Knowledge (Jnana) cannot be communicated all at once. Its attainment must be gradual Suppose a fever is of a severe type. The doctor would not give quinine under such circumstances. He knows that such a remedy would do no good. The fever must first leave the patient, which requires time, and then the quinine will take effect. Sometimes the fever will go off without

the help of quinine or any other medicine. Precisely the same is the case with the man who seeks for knowledge. To him religious precepts often prove useless so long as he is immersed in worldliness. Allow him a certain time for enjoyment of the things of the world, then his attachment to the world will gradually wear off This is exactly the moment for the success of any religious instructions that may be given to him. Till then all such instructions will be entirely thrown away like pearls before swine. Many come to me and I have observed how some of them are anxious to listen to my words. But others of the company appear to be restless and impatient in my presence. They say to their friends in whispers: "Let us go, let us go. Well, if you wish to stay, we will go to the boat and wait for you there." Spiritual awakening is very much a question of time. The teacher is a mere help.

The meeting then broke up.

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[Karma (past actions).] Sri Ramakrishna (to a disciple): The fact is, all this desire for knowledge or for freedom depends upon one's Karma in one's previous incarnations.