Some one asked: Bhagavan, is it true that the man who has entered into Samadhi, or who has acquired Brahma Jnanam, does not speak?

[Brahman is silence.] Ramakrishna to Vidyasagara: Yes, he who has realized Brahman becomes silent. Discussions and argumentations exist so long as the realization of the Absolute does not come. If you melt butter in a pan over fire, how long does it make a noise?

[paragraph continues] So long as there is water in it. When the water is evaporated it ceases to make further noise. Again if you throw a piece of dough in that hot clarified butter (Ghee) there will be noise until the cake is thoroughly fried. The soul of a seeker after Brahman may be compared to fresh butter. It is mixed with the water of egoism and worldliness. Discussions and argumentations (Vichara) of a seeker are like the noise caused during the process of purification by the fire of knowledge. As the water of egoism and worldliness is evaporated and the soul becomes purer, all noise of debates and discussions ceases and absolute silence reigns in the state of Samadhi.

[Egoism of a saint.] Thus realizing the Absolute Brahman in silence, the soul comes down on the plane of relativity to help others and to teach mankind the highest wisdom of Brahman. Then he talks again and makes a noise again, as the hot Ghee does when in contact with a piece of dough. Such a soul retains the sense of "I" simply to help mankind. Sankaracharya and other spiritual teachers kept the purified sense of "I" without which all teaching is impossible.

The bee buzzes so long as it is outside the

[Sages teach for the good of others.] lotus and does not settle down in its heart to drink of the honey. As soon as it tastes of the honey all buzzing is at an end. Similarly all noise of discussion ceases when the soul of the neophyte begins to drink the nectar of Divine Love in the Lotus Feet of the Almighty. Sometimes, however, the bee after being intoxicated by the honey makes a sweet humming sound. So the God-intoxicated soul sometimes speaks for the good of others.

A pitcher makes a noise when it is being filled with water in a tank. But all noise stops as soon as the pitcher is full to the brim. The noise will be heard again if some water of the pitcher be poured into another pitcher. (Here water means the water of the Divine Wisdom, and the soul of a wise man is the pitcher.)

[Relation between Guru and disciples.] The question flow arises, how do we explain the relation between a perfect Guru and his disciples? The Guru must talk in order to drive away the ignorance of his disciples. This kind of discrimination, however, does no harm. The boiling butter after it is clarified ceases to make any noise; but if the raw cake made of flour is thrown into it, it will produce much noise because