A devotee: Bhagavan, how can a man live in the world and experience any of these kinds of madness?

Sri Ramakrishna: These states are not for those who are living in the world and performing the duties of the world, but for those who have absolutely renounced internally and externally. External renunciation is not for those who live in the world. They should practise internal renunciation or mental non-attachment.

(To a disciple) A man brought a bottle of wine; I went to touch it but could not.

Disciple: Why, Bhagavan?

[Divine intoxication.] Ramakrishna: When Divine bliss is attained, one becomes intoxicated with it, he does not need to drink wine. When I see the feet of my Divine Mother, I feel as intoxicated as if I had drunk five bottles of wine. In this state one cannot eat anything and everything.

Disciple: As regards eating, one should eat what one gets.

[Food for a Bhakta.] Ramakrishna: That depends upon the spiritual state. In the path of Jnana that produces no harm; when a Jnani eats, he pours the food as an offering in the fire of Kundalini. But for a Bhakta it is different. A Bhakta should eat only pure food, such food as he can freely offer to his Beloved Lord. Animal food is not for a Bhakta. But at the same time, I must say, if a man loves God after eating the flesh of a pig, he is blessed, and wretched is the man who lives on milk and rice, but whose mind is absorbed in lust and gold. Once I took as mantram the name of Allah from a Mohammedan teacher and repeated the name for several days and ate their food.

ii

The Bhagavan then came back into the hall followed by His disciples and seated Himself. A pillow was placed for Him to recline upon. Before touching it, He said, "Om tat sat" (Brahman is the only Reality). The pillow was, of course, one which had been used by the unholy men of the world, and the Bhagavan was purity itself. It was getting late, but no dinner was

being served and the Bhagavan became a little impatient like a child. Surendra, the host, was a beloved disciple of the Lord. The Bhagavan said: Surendra's disposition has grown admirable. He is very generous; those who go to him for help never come away disappointed. Then he is very outspoken. He is bold enough to speak the truth.

[Truthfulness.] In this age truthfulness is the best of all ascetic practices. He who is firm in truthfulness attains to God. Lack of truthfulness destroys all virtue. For this reason, when I say anything even inadvertently, such as, "I shall go there. I shall do that," I must go, because I have said it. I may lose my firmness in truthfulness if I do not keep my word to the very letter. Openness as opposed to dissimulation is the fruit of the practice of many religious austerities in one's previous incarnations. In a well-known song by Tulsi Das [**] it is said: "Give up dissimulation and