[Power of desire.] Sri Ramakrishna: I must say you are right. But the probability is, you must have desired these things in your previous incarnations. This reminds me of the story narrated in one of the Sacred Books. It is said that Sri Krishna had made his abode in the heart of Radha: so long there was no Lila (the life of sport that he lived in Vrindavan). But he felt the desire to take the form of a human being; the consequence of this desire was that he came to Vrindavan. Such is the power of desire. Your duty now is to pray without ceasing for love of God, so that the bondage of work shall gradually fall off.

Disciple: Is it, Bhagavan, the duty of the householder to save against a rainy day?

[Cast all care On God.] Bhagavan: Try to follow the precept of Jadrichchalabha, that is, availing oneself of things that come naturally in one's way without one's having to put

forth any efforts for the attainment of those things. Do not take so much thought for things of that kind, such as saving against a rainy day. Cast your cares on God. What do you think takes place at the time of my Samadhi?

Disciple: Thy spirit is then in the sixth plane mentioned in the Vedanta. Then Thou comest down to the fifth plane when Thou beginnest to talk.

Bhagavan: I am only a humble instrument in His hands. He is doing all these things. I do not know anything.

Disciple: Because of this wonderful self-abnegation all people are drawn to Thee. Thou didst say that Maya is attachment to one's own relatives and friends, but Daya is love extending to all mankind--even to all God's creatures. I do not understand the difference. Is not Daya a feeling which makes a man cling to the world?

Bhagavan: Daya is not a bad feeling. On the contrary it is elevating and leads one God-ward. Do you believe in God with form or without form?

Disciple: I go so far as the attributes. God has attributes. So far I see clearly enough. But

is it not a fact that it is impossible to think of the "Formless" without the help of a form? In any case, we have to go through forms and symbols.

Bhagavan (smiling): You see that I lay stress upon the worship of God with form as eminently favorable for the cultivation of devotion.

Disciple: Is Pandit Sasadhar [**] making any progress in this direction,--in the culture of Bhakti or devotion?

Bhagavan: Yes; but his tendency is in the direction of the path of knowledge. These men belong to a class of their own. They do not see that this way is exceedingly difficult. [Renunciation.] It is sufficient if one can give up the world in the mind. Outward renunciation is not absolutely necessary.

Disciple: What Thou sayest is, as it seems to me, intended for the weak. For men of the highest class is meant renunciation in the strict sense of the word. They must give up the world not only in their mind but also outwardly.