Bhagavan: You go to see the Governor-General, who according to your Shastras [**] is a Mleccha (unclean), and for money, too; and may I not go to see Keshab Sen? It does not become you to speak in this way. You often say: "It is God who has manifested Himself as the human soul and the world itself." What you say you must mean; what you mean you must say!

After this Ramakrishna abruptly left the room and went to the northeastern veranda. Visvanatha and other devotees remained waiting for Him in the room. Narendra was found talking with Hazra on the veranda. Sri Ramakrishna knew that Hazra was an out-and-out non-dualist and a dry logician. He upheld that all the universe was a mere dream; that all

kinds of worship and offerings were mental delusions; that God was the one changeless Entity; and that a man should only meditate upon his Atman (Self), and do nothing else.

Bhagavan (laughing): What are you talking about?

Narendra: We are discussing themes all too big for ordinary mortals.

[Pure Bhakti and pure Jnana one.] Bhagavan. (laughing): But however you may talk, know that pure selfless devotion (Bhakti) and pure selfless knowledge (Jnana) are both one; their goal is the same Smooth and easy is the path of devotion leading to God.

Narendra: There is no use in reasoning like a philosopher; make me, O Mother, mad with Thy love. I have been reading Hamilton's Philosophy, and he writes: "A learned ignorance is the end of philosophy and the beginning of religion."

Bhagavan: What does that mean?

Narendra explained it in Bengali. Sri Ramakrishna laughed and thanked him in English, saying, "Thank you!" Everyone laughed at this, for the Bhagavan's knowledge of English was confined to a few such expressions.

iii

Soon twilight began to fall. The devotees one after another took leave of the Bhagavan, and so did Narendra.

[Evening at the Temple.] The day was drawing to a close. The Temple-servant was arranging the lights. The priests were busy saying their prayers as they stood waist-deep in the sacred waters of the Ganges, purifying themselves body and soul. They were shortly to go to their respective temples to perform the Arati, the evening ceremony. The young men of Dakshineswara had come with their friends to take a walk in the garden. They were strolling about the rampart, enjoying the sweet evening breeze made fragrant by the flowers and watching the slightly undulating breast of the swiftly-flowing Ganges. Some of them, perhaps the more thoughtful, could be found going about by themselves in the solitude of the sacred trees called the Panchavati.

Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna also looked at the Ganges for some time from the western veranda.

It was evening. The lamp-lighter had lighted all the lamps of the big temple. The old maid-servant