Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

What is the way?

Let me start by asking a question: Sri Ramakrishna has said so many things in the Gospel pertaining
to spiritual life. If we ask, what is the one spiritual practice that he has emphasized again and again for all
of us, what would be your answer?

Let us take a look at the Gospel to get the answer. By far the most common question asked of Sri
Ramakrishna was Sir, what is the way? I give below a sample list of Sri Ramakrishnas answer to this
question. Let us look at the following 12 instances recorded in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and analyze
the answers that Sri Ramakrishna gave to different people who asked him this momentous question:

1. A Devotee: "Then what is the way, sir?"

Master : "Prayer and the company of holy men.1

2. A Marwari Devotee: "Sir, what is the way?"

Master: "There are two ways. One is the path of discrimination; the other is that of love.
Discrimination means to know the distinction between the Real and the unreal. God alone is the
real and permanent Substance; all else is illusory and impermanent. The magician alone is real;
his magic is illusory. This is discrimination.
Marwari Devotee: "Revered sir, you just mentioned two paths. What is the other path?"
Master: "The path of bhakti, or zealous love of God. Weep for God in solitude, with a restless
soul, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Cry to your Mother Syama with a real cry, O mind!
And how can She hold Herself from you? "2

3. A Vaishnava goswami was seated in the room. The Master said to him: "Well, what do you say?
What is the way?"
Goswami: "Sir, the chanting of God's name is enough. The scriptures emphasize the sanctity of
God's name for the Kaliyuga."
Master: "Yes, there is no doubt about the sanctity of God's name. But can a mere name achieve
anything, without the yearning love of the devotee behind it? One should feel great
restlessness of soul for the vision of God. Suppose a man repeats the name of God mechanically,
while his mind is absorbed in 'woman and gold'. Can he achieve anything? Mere muttering of
magic words doesn't cure one of the pain of a spider or scorpion sting. One must also apply the
smoke of burning cow-dung."3

4. A Brahmo Devotee: "Sir, what is the way?"

Master: "Attachment to God, or, in other words, love for Him. And secondly, prayer."
Brahmo Devotee: "Which one is the way love or prayer?"
Master: "First love, and then prayer."4

1
Cf: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Tr. Swami Nikhilananda: 2002: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras: Pg.: 96
2
Ibid: Pg.: 179
3
Ibid: Pg.: 190
4
Ibid: Pg.: 215
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

5. Devotee: "Now, sir, what is the way?"

Master: "It is extremely difficult to practise spiritual discipline and at the same time lead a
householder's life. There are many handicaps: disease, grief, poverty, misunderstanding with
one's wife, and disobedient, stupid, and stubborn children. I don't have to give you a list of them.
But still there is a way out. One should pray to God, going now and then into solitude, and make
efforts to realize Him." 5

6. A Devotee: "Then what is the way for those who have not seen God? Must they give up all the
duties of the world?"
Master: "The best path for this age is bhaktiyoga, the path of bhakti prescribed by Narada : to sing
the name and glories of God and pray to Him with a longing heart, 'O God, give me knowledge,
give me devotion, and reveal Thyself to me!' The path of karma is extremely difficult. Therefore
one should pray: 'O God, make my duties fewer and fewer; and may I, through Thy grace, do the
few duties that Thou givest me without any attachment to their results! May I have no desire to be
involved in many activities!' It is not possible to give up work altogether. Even to think or to
meditate is a kind of work. As you develop love for God, your worldly activities become fewer
and fewer of themselves. And you lose all interest in them. Can one who has tasted a drink made
of sugar candy enjoy a drink made of ordinary molasses?"6

7. A Devotee: "Sir, what is the way?"

Master: "Discrimination between the Real and the unreal. One should always discriminate to the
effect that God alone is real and the world unreal. And one should pray with sincere longing"7

8. Mahendra: "Then what is the way?"

Master: "No salvation is possible for a man as long as he has desire, as long as he hankers for
worldly things. Therefore fulfil all your desires regarding food, clothes, and sex. (Smiling) What
do you say about the last one? Legitimate or illegitimate? (M. and Mahendra laugh.)
Prior to this conversation, Sri Ramakrishna had answered Mahendras question, Why
does one slip from the path of Yoga? as follows: While thinking of God the aspirant may feel a
craving for material enjoyment. It is this craving that makes him slip from the path8
While Sri Ramakrishna goes on to tell Mahendra and M that the smaller, harmless desires
for enjoyment can be fulfilled by the devotee, elsewhere, in other conversations, he instructs that
the bigger ones, the really fundamental desires should be eliminated by prayer to God. For
instance: Say to God with a guileless heart, O God, reveal thyself to me. And weep. Pray to
God, O God, keep my mind away from woman and gold. And dive deep.9 The obstacle to
Yoga is woman and gold. Yoga is possible when the mind becomes purewhat are the
spiritual disciplines that give the mind its upward direction? One learns all this by constantly
living in holy companyIn order to renounce, one must pray to God for the will-power to do
so.10

5
Ibid: Pg.: 326
6
Ibid: Pg.: 452-53
7
Ibid: Pg.: 385
8
Ibid: Pg.: 534
9
Ibid: Pg.: 291-292
10
Ibid: Pg.: 401
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

9. Trailokya: "What is the way to dry up the craving for worldly pleasure?"
Master: "Pray to the Divine Mother with a longing heart. Her vision dries up all craving for
the world and completely destroys all attachment to 'woman and gold'. It happens instantly if you
think of Her as your own mother. She is by no means a godmother. She is your own mother. With
a yearning heart persist in your demands on Her. The child holds to the skirt of its mother and
begs a penny of her to buy a kite. Perhaps the mother is gossiping with her friends. At first she
refuses to give the penny and says to the child: 'No, you can't have it. Your daddy has asked me
not to give you money. When he comes home I'll ask him about it. You will get into trouble if
you play with a kite now.' The child begins to cry and will not give up his demand. Then the
mother says to her friends: 'Excuse me a moment. Let me pacify this child.' Immediately she
unlocks the cash-box with a click and throws the child a penny. "You too must force your
demand on the Divine Mother. She will come to you without fail.11

10. Host: "Revered sir, what is the way for us?"

Master: "Chanting the name and glories of God, living in the company of holy men, and
earnestly praying to God."12

11. Musician: "Sir, what is the way to realize God?"

Master: " Bhakti is the one essential thingIt is enough to have yearning for God. It is enough to
love Him and feel attracted to Him: Don't you know that God is the Inner Guide? He sees the
longing of our heart and the yearning of our soul. Suppose a man has several sons. The older boys
address him distinctly as 'Baba' or 'Papa', but the babies can at best call him 'Ba' or 'Pa'. Now,
will the father be angry with those who address him in this indistinct way? The father knows that
they too are calling him, only they cannot pronounce his name well. All children are the same to
the father. Likewise, the devotees call on God alone, though by different names. They call on
one Person only. God is one, but His names are many."13

12. Girish: "What is the way for people like us?"

Master: Bhakti is the only essential thing. Bhakti has different aspects: the sattvic, the rajasic,
and the tamasic. One who has sattvic bhakti is very modest and humble. But a man with tamasic
bhakti is like a highwayman in his attitude toward God. He says: 'O God, I am chanting. Your
name; how can I be a sinner? O God, You are my own Mother; You must reveal your-self to
me.'"14

Notice how, in each case, Sri Ramakrishna adds that prayer is essential for us to achieve our
spiritual goal.

There is a very interesting conversation recorded on 15th June 1884. There was a major
celebration in Surendras house and many devotees had gathered. Sri Ramakrishna stayed there for the
whole day. Around 2pm, Pratap Chandra Mazumdar, a co-worker of Keshab Chandra Sen in the Brahmo

11
Ibid: Pg.: 629
12
Ibid: Pg.: 640
13
Ibid: Pg.: 111
14
Ibid: Pg.: 702
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Samaj arrived and joined the celebrations. He asks Sri Ramakrishna a most interesting question: Revered
Sir, are those living with you making progress in spiritual life? Sri Ramakrishna gives a wonderful reply,
words which form the credo of all devotees of Ramakrishna Mission, so to say. He says, I tell people that
there is nothing wrong in the life of the world. But they must live in the world as a maidservant lives in
her master's house. Referring to her master's house, she says, That is our house. But her real home is
perhaps in a far-away village. Pointing out her master's house to others, she says, no doubt, This is our
house, but in her heart she knows very well that it doesn't belong to her and that her own house is in a
faraway village. She brings up her master's son and says, My Hari has grown very naughty, or My Hari
doesn't like sweets. Though she repeats, My Hari with her lips, yet she knows in her heart that Hari
doesn't belong to her, that he is her master's son. Thus I say to those who visit me: Why don't you live in
the world? There is no harm in that. But always keep your mind on God. Know for certain that house,
family and property are not yours. They are God's. Your real home is in God. Also I ask them to pray
always with a longing heart for love of God's Lotus Feet." 15

We must refer to the authoritative book by Swami Saradananda, Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine
Play to understand the value of this most interesting conversation. Swami Saradananda writes:16

After he had attained perfection in various Sadhanas, the Master had many unique intuitive
perceptions. Some of them were related to himself and others to spirituality in general:

1. He is an incarnation of God.
2. There is no liberation for him.
3. He knew the time of his death.
4. All religions are true: as many faiths, so many paths.
5. Human beings adopt dualism, qualified non-dualism and non-dualism according to their
temperaments.
6. Ordinary people will progress through karma yoga
7. A religious organization based on this catholic attitude should be founded.

Regarding the 6th perception, Swami Saradananda elaborates: The Master indicated the limits of
action when he said, The action of a sattvic person drops off automatically. He cannot work even if he
tries to; the Lord does not allow him to work. It is just as when a young wife advances in pregnancy. She
is given less and less work to do; and when the child is born, she gives up household work altogether and
is busied exclusively with the infant. But an ordinary person must try to do his duties with detachment,
depending on the Lord, like the maidservant who does everything for her master, knowing in her heart
that her home is elsewhere. This is known as karma yoga. As far as possible one should take the name of
the Lord and meditate on Him while discharging ones everyday duties in an unattached way.17

Prayer is thus an integral part of karma yoga, the path for the present age, as revealed by the
Divine Mother of the Universe to Sri Ramakrishna. Prayer is therefore an integral part of Sri
Ramakrishnas Mission on earth. Everyone works in this world. What distinguishes work from karma
yoga is prayer.

15
Ibid: Pg.: 456-57
16
Cf: Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play; Swami Saradananda; 2003; Vedanta Society of St. Louis: Pg.:361
17
Ibid: Pg.: 362
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Further, there are instances in the Gospel where Sri Ramakrishna most emphatically states that
prayer alone is enough for achieving ones spiritual goal. He also very forcefully states that prayer done
under certain conditions will certainly be heard by God. For instance: Let me assure you that a man can
realize his Inner Self through sincere prayer.18 One should pray to God with a longing heart. God
certainly listens to prayer if it is sincere. There is no doubt about it.19 You will attain God if you sing
His name and glories and pray to Him with a longing heart. There is not the least doubt about it.20

Is this prescription of prayer only for married people? For, all the instances mentioned above
seem to pertain only to householders. Well, look at what Sri Ramakrishna himself said while speaking
with Pandit Shashadhar Tarkachudamani, A devotee who can call on God while living a householder's
life is a hero indeed. God thinks: He who has renounced the world for My sake will surely pray to Me.
He must serve Me. Is there anything very remarkable about it? People will cry shame on him if he fails to
do so. But he is blessed indeed who prays to Me in the midst of his worldly duties. He is trying to find
Me, overcoming a great obstacle pushing away, as it were, a huge block of stone weighing a ton. Such a
man is a real hero.21 Again while speaking with Nanda Bose, Sri Ramakrishna said, Though you are a
householder, still you have kept your mind on God. Is that a small thing? The man who has renounced the
world will pray to Him as a matter of course. Is there any credit in that? But blessed indeed is he who,
while leading a householder's life, prays to God. He is like a man who finds an object after removing a
stone weighing twenty maunds.22 So, prayer is meant for all spiritual aspirants, monastic or married.

In fact, the tremendous feeling Sri Ramakrishna had for the married devotees is simply amazing!
Just look at this particular prayer he once offered to the Divine Mother on behalf of the married devotees.
It is unparalleled in all religious history! I quote from the Gospel entry for 5th Jan 1884:

The Master was weeping and praying to the Mother in a voice choked with emotion. He prayed to
Her with tearful eyes for the welfare of the devotees: Mother, may those who come to You have all their
desires fulfilled! But please don't make them give up everything at once, Mother. Well, You may do
whatever You like in the end. If You keep them in the world, Mother, then please reveal Yourself to them
now and then. Otherwise, how will they live? How will they be encouraged if they don't see You once in
a while? But You may do whatever You like in the end.23

It seems logical to conclude that prayer is indeed the universal spiritual practice that Sri
Ramakrishna prescribed for all of us. Of course, he also prescribes many other spiritual practices
meditation, discrimination, chanting the names of God, Japa, singing His glories, holy company,
austerity, even purascharana, etc. But the common feature in all his prescriptions is Prayer. Sri
Ramakrishna seems to hold that prayer is alone necessary and sufficient means for achieving ones goal in
spiritual life. Of course, conditions apply! But let us first of all convince ourselves of the fact that prayer
has been given utmost importance by Sri Ramakrishna as a spiritual practice.

18
Cf: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Tr. Swami Nikhilananda: 2002: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras: Pg.: 256
19
Ibid: Pg.: 257
20
Ibid: Pg.: 171
21
Ibid: Pg.: 471
22
Ibid: Pg.: 821
23
Ibid: Pg.: 381
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

He says, It is enough to know that everything depends on the grace of God. But one must pray
to God; it will not do to remain inactive. The lawyer gives all the arguments and finishes his pleading by
saying to the judge: I have said all I have to say. Now the decision rests with Your Honor.24

We need not complicate this simple advice of Sri Ramakrishna by analyzing further what prayer
is and how to perform it. That is what scholars and philosophers do.25 They take a simple statement or
idea and complicate it so badly that people lose interest in it. Everyone knows how to pray. Everyone
knows what prayer is. Sri Ramakrishna however describes some of his own prayers, which are unique in
their content.26 It is surprising to learn that he prayed for all sorts of things. We find him praying for
bodily strength even! Every now and then, he would discover some habit of thought or behavior in
himself, which he wanted to get rid of. What would he do? Pray to the Divine Mother! That was his
method. Again, he would develop a fancy for a particular spiritual state. His method would be to pray to
the Divine Mother. For anything and everything, we find Sri Ramakrishna praying to the Divine Mother. I
point this out because, in most places in the Gospel, we find Sri Ramakrishna exhorting that we must pray
for knowledge, devotion and Love. But he himself had prayed for anything that he wanted, not just for
knowledge, devotion and Love. So, basically, prayer is the default state of mind of a spiritual aspirant;
that is what we learn from Sri Ramakrishna.

How to pray?

Everyone prays. In fact, anyone who has passed through the modern education system will
automatically learn how to pray! But prayer is an art that can be developed to great heights. It is a skill in
which we can become better and better. Sri Ramakrishna shows the way how this can be done. He lists
out a whole set of qualities of mind and heart that embellish prayer. With each of these qualities, the
efficacy of our prayer increases.

1. Spontaneous, earnest and sincere: Prayer has to be from the heart, spontaneous. Prayer
cannot be tutored. You cannot copy prayer. It has to be earnest. Earnest prayer is real prayer.
Sri Ramakrishna says, "There is another way: earnestly praying to God. God is our very own.
We should say to Him: 'O God, what is Thy nature? Reveal Thyself to me. Thou must show
Thyself to me; for why else hast Thou created me?'27 One must pray earnestly. It is said that
one can realize God by directing to Him the combined intensity of three attractions, namely,
the childs attraction for the mother, the husbands attraction for the chaste wife, and the
attraction of worldly possessions for the worldly man.28 (The way is) chanting the names &
glories of God, living in the company of holy men, and earnestly praying to GodPray to
Rama. Meditate on Him. He will certainly provide you with everything.29 He who is a real
devotee of God seeks nothing but God. If he finds himself entangled in too much work, he

24
Ibid: Pg.: 599
25
Sri Ramakrishna tells M: You have no need of many opinions and discussions. You have come to the orchard to eat mangoes.
Enjoy them to your hearts content. You dont need to count the branches and leaves on the trees. Ibid: Pg.: 506
26
There are innumerable instances in the Gospel where Sri Ramakrishna mentions how he used to pray. These prayers are unique
in their content. A separate article dealing with them will be published shortly on www.scribd.com
27
Ibid: Pg.: 96
28
Ibid: Pg.: 244
29
Ibid: Pg.: 640
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

earnestly prays, Lord, be gracious and reduce my work; my mind, which should think of
Thee day and night, has been wasting its power; it thinks of worldly things alone.30
Prayer has to be sincere. There has to be longing in the heart that prays. That is when
prayer becomes efficacious. Sri Ramakrishna says, A man may call on God by any name; if
he is sincere in his prayer he will certainly reach Him. He will succeed if he has longing.31
Let me assure you that a man can realize his Inner Self through sincere prayer.32 One
should pray to God with a longing heart. God certainly listens to prayer if it is sincere. There
is no doubt about it.33 A man can realize God by following his own path if his prayer is
sincere.34 One should pray to God with sincere longing. God cannot but listen to prayer if it
is sincere.35 What will you gain by merely repeating Siddhi36? You will not be intoxicated
even by gargling with a solution of siddhi. It must go into your stomach; not until then will
you be intoxicated. One cannot comprehend what I am saying unless one prays to God in
solitude, all by oneself, with a longing heart.37 You will attain God if you sing His name
and glories and pray to Him with a longing heart. There is not the least doubt about it.38
(The way is) one should pray with sincere longing.39 The best path for this age is bhakti
yoga, the path of Bhakti prescribed by Narada. To sing the name and glories of God and pray
to Him with a longing heart, O God, give me knowledge, give me devotion, and reveal
Thyself to me!40 with love and longing in your heart pray to God, O God, grant me
devotion at Thy lotus feet and reduce my worldly duties. Please grant me the boon that the
few duties I must do may be done in a detached spirit.41
One must pray to God without any selfish desire. But selfish worship, if practiced with
perseverance, is gradually turned into selfless worship. Dhruva practiced tapasya to obtain his
kingdom, but at last he realized God. He said, Why should a man give up gold if he gets it
while searching for glass beads?42 You are no doubt in the world. What if you are? You
must surrender the fruit of your action to God. You must not seek any result for yourself. But
mark one thing. The desire for bhakti cannot be called a desire. You may desire bhakti and
pray for it.43 Pray to Him with a yearning heart, and weep. That will purify your
heartPray to Brahman with attributes, who listens to your prayers, and He Himself will
give you full Knowledge of Brahman; for that which is Brahman with attributes is verily
Brahman without attributes, that which is Brahman is verily Sakti. One realizes this non-
duality after the attainment of Perfect Knowledge. The Divine Mother gives Her devotee
Brahmajnana tooGod is our Inner Controller. Pray to Him with a pure and guileless heart.
He will explain everything to you. Give up egotism and take refuge in Him. You will realize

30
Ibid: Pg.: 671
31
Ibid: Pg.: 306
32
Ibid: Pg.: 256
33
Ibid: Pg.: 257
34
Ibid: Pg.: 596
35
Ibid: Pg.: 703
36
Siddhi: It is the colloquial name for Marijuana or Hemp, an intoxicant used liberally by Tantric spiritual aspirants.
37
Ibid: Pg.:844
38
Ibid: Pg.:171
39
Ibid: Pg.:385
40
Ibid: Pg.:452
41
Ibid: Pg.:454
42
Ibid: Pg.:379
43
Ibid: Pg.:612
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

everything.44 Whatever path you may follow, you must pray to God with a restless heart.
He is the Ruler of the soul within. He will surely listen to your prayer if it is sincere. Whether
you follow the ideal of the Personal God or that of the Impersonal Truth, you will realize God
alone, provided you are restless for Him. A cake with icing tastes sweet whether you eat it
straight or sidewise.45 Why shouldn't one realize God while living in the world? Butone
must live in holy company, pray to God, weeping for His grace, and now and then go into
solitude. Unless the plants on a foot-path are protected at first by fences, they are destroyed
by cattle.46 Can one know God through reasoning? Be His servant, surrender yourself to
Him, and then pray to Him.47
Once when Sri Ramakrishna had visited the house of a devotee called Devendra, the
following conversation occurred: Sri Ramakrishna said, The mother of a certain Mallick,
who belonged to a very noble family, asked me if prostitutes would ever be saved. She
herself had led that kind of life; that is why she asked the question. I said: Yes, they too will
be saved, if only they cry to God with a yearning heart and promise not to repeat their sins.
What will the mere chanting of Hari's name accomplish? One must weep sincerely.48
Notice three things in the series of quotations made here: first, how emphatically Sri
Ramakrishna insists that God does listen to prayer, if it is sincere, direct from the heart.
Second, repeatedly Sri Ramakrishna points out that God can be realized while leading a
married life; well, he goes much further and includes even the morally depraved! Third, he
hints at a certain order regarding prayer first of all become the Lords servant, then
surrender to Him, and only then pray to Him. This gradation in the practice of prayer is
important to note. This takes us to the next set of instructions that Sri Ramakrishna gave on
prayer.

2. A definite relationship with God: Sri Ramakrishna reveals a great secret regarding prayer.
We need to develop a definite relationship with God for our prayers to become efficacious.
There is a wonderful conversation between Pandit Shashadhar Tarkachudamani and Sri
Ramakrishna recorded in the Gospel, from which I quote:
Pandit: Does God listen to our prayers?
Master: God is the Kalpataru, the Wish-fulfilling Tree. You will certainly get whatever you
ask of Him. But you must pray standing near the Kalpataru. Only then will your prayer be
fulfilled. (The conversation continues and then again, Sri Ramakrishna reiterates) God is the
Kalpataru. One should pray standing near It. Then one will get whatever one desires.49
Again, during his meeting with the aristocrat of Baghbazar Nanda Bose, Sri Ramakrishna
made the same statement:
Nanda: Is there no after-life? What about punishment for our sins?
Master: Why not enjoy your mangoes? What need have you to calculate about the after-life
and what happens then, and things like that? Eat your mangoes. You need mangoes. You
need devotion to God.

44
Ibid: Pg.:636
45
Ibid: Pg.:867
46
Ibid: Pg.:98
47
Ibid: Pg.:106: This was Sri Ramakrishnas advice to Vidyasagar.
48
Ibid: Pg.:740
49
Ibid: Pg.:481
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Nanda: But where is the mango-tree? Where do I get mangoes?

Master: Tree? God is the eternal and infinite Brahman. He does exist; there is no doubt about
it. He is eternal. But you must remember this, that He is the Kalpataru. Come, let us go for a
walk, O mind, to Kali, the Wish-fulfilling Tree, and there beneath It gather the four fruits of
life. You must go to the Kalpataru and pray. Only then will you obtain the fruits. Only then
will the fruits fall from the tree. Only then will you be able to gather them.50

Look at this condition that Sri Ramakrishna puts for efficacy of our prayers; we need
to stand near the Kalpataru; which means we need to place ourselves near God and then pray.
What does this standing near mean? Elsewhere, Sri Ramakrishna explains to M:

One should assume a particular attitude toward God while praying to Him the attitude
of friend or servant or son or hero. I assume the attitude of a child. To me every woman is my
mother. The divine Maya, seeing this attitude in an aspirant, moves away from his path out of
sheer shame. The attitude of hero is extremely difficult. The Saktas and the Bauls among the
Vaishnavas follow it, but it is very hard to keep one's spiritual life pure in that attitude. One
can assume other attitudes toward God as well the attitude in which the devotee serenely
contemplates God as the Creator, the attitude of service to Him, the attitude of friendship, the
attitude of motherly affection, or the attitude of conjugal love. The conjugal relationship, the
attitude of a woman to her husband or sweetheart, contains all the rest serenity, service,
friendship, and motherly affection. (Then he asks M) Which one of these appeals to your
mind?51

This assuming a particular attitude towards God is what is meant by standing near
the Kalpataru.

3. Unceasing, and in secret: Sri Ramakrishna now ups the ante regarding prayer and goes one
step further and exhorts that prayer ought to become continuous. Sporadic praying is but the
beginning52. Gradually, the prayerful attitude ought to become constant in us. He uses words
such as always and unceasing with regard to prayer. I quoted a conversation between a
Brahmo devotee and Sri Ramakrishna in the beginning of this article. Let us look at that
particular conversation in detail now.
A Brahmo Devotee: Sir, what is the way?
Master: Attachment to God, or, in other words, love for Him. And secondly, prayer.
Brahmo Devotee: Which one is the way love or prayer?
Master: First love, and then prayer.
The Master sang: Cry to your Mother Syama with a real cry, O mind! And how can She hold
Herself from you? How can Syama stay away?...
Continuing, the Master said: And one must always chant the name and glories of God and
pray to Him. An old metal pot must be scrubbed every day. What is the use of cleaning it

50
Ibid: Pg.:820
51
Ibid: Pg.:377
52
Cf for instance Sri Ramakrishnas advice: At dusk put aside all duties and pray to God. One is reminded of Him by darkness.
At the approach of darkness one thinks: I could see everything a moment ago. Who has brought about this change? The
Mussalmans put aside all activities and say their prayers at the appointed times. Ibid: Pg.:588
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

only once? Further, one must practice discrimination and renunciation; one must be conscious
of the unreality of the world.
Brahmo: Is it good to renounce the world?
Master: Not for all. Those who have not yet come to the end of their enjoyments should not
renounce the world. Can one get drunk on two annas' worth of wine?
Brahmo: Then should they lead a worldly life?
Master: Yes, they should try to perform their duties in a detached way. Before you break the
jack-fruit open, rub your hands with oil, so that the sticky milk will not smear them. The
maidservant in a rich man's house performs all her duties, but her mind dwells on her home in
the country. This is an example of doing duty in a detached way. You should renounce the
world only in mind. But a Sanyasi should renounce the world both inwardly and outwardly.53
When Sri Ramakrishna was returning to Dakshineswar after what was to be his last visit
to Keshab Sen, he stopped at Jaygopal Sens house. Many people had gathered there. There
was one neighbor of Jaygopal Sen who had an interesting conversation with Sri Ramakrishna,
from which I quote:
Neighbor: You ask us, sir, to live in the world after knowing God. Can God really be known?
Master: God cannot be known by the sense-organs or by this mind, but He can be known by
the pure mind, the mind that is free from worldly desires.
Neighbor: Who can know God?
Master: Right. Who can really know Him? But as for us, it is enough to know as much of
Him as we need. What need have I of a whole well of water? One jar is more than enough for
me. An ant went to a sugar hill. Did it need the entire hill? A grain or two of sugar was more
than enough.
Neighbor: Sir, we are like typhoid patients. How can we be satisfied with one jar of water?
We feel like knowing, the whole of God.
Master: That's true. But there is also medicine for typhoid.
Neighbor: What is that medicine, sir?
Master: The company of holy men, repeating the name of God and singing His glories, and
unceasing prayer. I prayed to the Divine Mother: Mother, I don't seek knowledge. Here,
take Thy knowledge, take Thy ignorance. Give me only pure love for Thy Lotus Feet. I
didn't ask for anything else. As is the disease, so must the remedy be. The Lord says in the
Gita: O Arjuna, take refuge in Me. I shall deliver you from all sins. Take shelter at His feet:
He will give you right understanding. He will take entire responsibility for you. Then you will
get rid of the typhoid. Can one ever know God with such a mind as this? Can one pour four
seers of milk into a one-seer pot? Can we ever know God unless He lets us know Him?
Therefore I say, take shelter in God. Let Him do whatever He likes. He is self-willed. What
power is there in a man?54
There is a marvelous conversation between some Marwari devotees and Sri Ramakrishna
from which I quote:
You are merchants. You know how to improve your business gradually. Some of you
start with a castor-oil factory. After making some money at that, you open a cloth shop. In the
same way, one makes progress toward God. It may be that you go into solitude, now and

53
Ibid: Pg.:215
54
Ibid: Pg.:328-29
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

then, and devote more time to prayerOne should always chant His name. Even while one
is performing one's duties, the mind should be left with God. Suppose I have a carbuncle on
my back. I perform my duties, but the mind is drawn to the carbuncle.55

A closely related, but equally interesting quality Sri Ramakrishna specifies regarding
prayer is secrecy! He says, Pray to God in secret and with yearning, that you may have that
passionate attachment and devotion to Him. Shed tears for Him. A man sheds a jugful of tears
because his wife is sick or because he is losing money or because he is worrying about
getting a job. But tell me, whoever weeps for God?'56

Notice how Sri Ramakrishna advices going into solitude every now and then, so that we could
devote more time to prayer. This is apart from developing the habit of continuous, unceasing prayer even
in the midst of our daily activities.

The reason Sri Ramakrishna exhorts us for praying unceasingly is this: If a man practices spiritual
discipline before his death and if he gives up his body praying to God and meditating on Him, when will
sin touch him? It is no doubt the elephant's nature to smear his body with dust and mud, even after his
bath. But he cannot do so if the mahout takes him into the stable immediately after his bath.57 Death can
catch up on us at any time. We need to face death with the Lords name on the top of our conscious mind.
That is possible only if we have made a habit of praying ceaselessly.

What to pray for:

Again, we all know what to pray for; this knowledge is inherent in us. Or is it? There is no end to
our desires. For all kinds of things, we pray. When we study the Gospel, we find that Sri Ramakrishna
also has prayed for all kinds of things. But what is noteworthy is how Sri Ramakrishna emphasized that
prayer is a powerful tool that should not be wasted on obtaining sundry things for ourselves. It is like
using a powerful computer for only typing letters! The computer can do so much more. It can, in fact,
manage the working of the entire company; while we end up only typing letters on it!

The question that comes up is this: Often we feel helpless and completely pressurized by the turn
of events in our life. For instance, we have an illness, or one of our loved ones has a serious illness. We
feel like praying for a cure. Or, we need a job; or need to pass an exam. Under such situations we
automatically feel like praying. It might come as a surprise to you that Sri Ramakrishna endorses each of
these cases!

When Sri Ramakrishna had visited Keshab Sen during his illness, Keshabs mother had asked Sri
Ramakrishna to pray for Keshabs improvement of health. Sri Ramakrishnas answer was quite
uncharacteristic of his usual replies to such requests. He had said to Keshabs mother, Please pray to the
Divine Mother, who is the Bestower of all bliss. She will take away your troubles.58 It is noteworthy that
he asked Keshabs mother to pray to God for such a mundane thing as her sons health. There is a lesson
in this for all of us. Quite often, the pressures of existence press down upon us and we feel lost. In such
circumstances, it is perfectly alright to pray to God for even mundane things. Once during a conversation
55
Ibid: Pg.:162
56
Ibid: Pg.:627-28
57
Ibid: Pg.:912
58
Ibid: Pg.:323
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

with Dr Mahendralal Sarkar, Sri Ramakrishna made the following observation: Ah, what a splendid
thing you said the other day! We lie in the lap of God. To whom shall we speak about our illness if not to
Him? If I must pray, I shall certainly pray to Him. The Gospel mentions that as Sri Ramakrishna said
these words, his eyes filled with tears.59 We do not find Sri Ramakrishna castigating Dr Sarkar for making
such a statement as To whom shall we speak about our illness if not to Him? In fact, Sri Ramakrishna
himself supports Dr Sarkars sentiment by adding If I must pray (about curing my illness), I shall
certainly pray to Him.

A few days before shifting to Shyampukur, Dr Rakhal had come to treat Sri Ramakrishna. A
conversation started in Sri Ramakrishnas Dakshineswar room and M makes the following entry in the
Gospel:

A Devotee: You will soon be cured if only you say to the Divine Mother, Mother, please make
me well.

Master: I cannot ask God to cure my disease. The attitude of the servant-master relationship is
nowadays less strong in me. Once in a while, I say, O Mother, please mend the sheath of the
sword a little. But such prayers are also becoming less frequent. Nowadays I do not find my I; I
see that it is God alone who resides in this sheath.60

Most of us pray for personal things such as a job. What is Sri Ramakrishnas instruction
regarding such prayers? Although, in general, Sri Ramakrishna discouraged us from praying for jobs and
such things, it is not that he was totally against such prayers. If the prayer were sincere, even if it was for
such a mundane thing as a job, Sri Ramakrishna approved of it! Yes, this may sound a little off-color, but
there is a reference to exactly such a thing in the Gospel.

One day, Sri Ramakrishna asks Adhar Sen, Didn't you get the job? Adhar held the post of
deputy magistrate, a government post that carried with it great prestige. He earned three hundred
rupees a month. He had applied for the office of Vice-Chairman of the Calcutta Municipality. The
salary attached to this office was one thousand rupees. In order to secure it, Adhar had
interviewed many influential people in Calcutta.

Master (to M. and Niranjan ): Hazra said to me, Please pray to the Divine Mother for Adhar, that
he may secure the job. Adhar made the same request to me. I said to the Mother: O Mother,
Adhar has been visiting You. May he get the job if it pleases You. But at the same time I said to
Her, How small-minded he is! He is praying to You for things like that and not for Knowledge
and Devotion. 61

What a wonderful incident this is! Just observe the details and try to read between the lines here.
How sympathetic to human weakness, Sri Ramakrishna is! Sri Ramakrishna says Hazra asked me to pray
to the Divine Mother for Adhars promotion; later on, Adhar Sen himself asked for Sri Ramakrishnas
intervention; in both these cases, Sri Ramakrishna didnt scold them away. He did pray to the Divine
Mother for Adhars job! What an amazing thing! And then, an even more wonderful thing is Sri

59
Ibid: Pg.:923
60
Ibid: Pg.:846
61
Ibid: Pg.:518
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Ramakrishna asks Adhar, Didnt you get the job? You see, Sri Ramakrishna had prayed to the Mother
for Adhars job; that prayer is certain to bear fruit; that is why he is inquiring!

But, the power of prayer would be wasted if these were all we prayed for. It is common
knowledge that this world doesnt change. We may pray for these things good health, end of our present
troubles but soon, something new will crop up. It is an endless cycle. Hence, Sri Ramakrishna
repeatedly exhorted us to pray for more lasting things. Thus we find Sri Ramakrishna generally
discouraging us from praying for cure of illnesses, for a job, or for money.

So, we come back to our main question: What should we pray for? Sri Ramakrishna held prayer
to be a powerful tool meant to assist us in our spiritual journey. Rest everything was important only
insofar as they helped in this main objective. Look at this conversation from the Gospel:

Mahimacharan: By what kind of work can one realize God?

Master: It is not that God can be realized by this work and not by that. The vision of God depends
on His grace. Still a man must work a little with longing for God in his heart. If he has longing he
will receive the grace of God. To attain God a man must have certain favorable conditions: the
company of holy men, discrimination, and the blessings of a real teacher. Perhaps his elder
brother takes the responsibility for the family; perhaps his wife has spiritual qualities and is very
virtuous; perhaps he is not married at all or entangled in worldly life. He succeeds when
conditions like these are fulfilled.62

A study of the statements made by Sri Ramakrishna as recorded in the Gospel show us that there
are two categories of things for which we should pray to God. One set of things is what we need removed
from our personality. Gods intervention is needed there. The other set of things is what we need to
develop in our personality. Again, Gods intervention is needed there. Both these negative and positive
achievements lead to establishing the favorable conditions that Sri Ramakrishna mentions.63 Let us look
at these two categories for which we need to pray.

Pratap Chandra Hazra is a strange character in the Gospel. He and Sri Ramakrishna had many
differences of opinion. There is an interesting record in the Gospel in this regard, which clarifies our
question, as to what is the aim of prayer:

Hazra entered the room and sat with the devotees on the floor. Hazra repeated now and then,
Soham! Soham! (I am He! I am He!) To Latu and other devotees he often said, What does one
gain by worshipping God with offerings? That is merely giving Him things that are His already.
He had said this once to Narendra. The Master spoke to him about this.

Master: I explained to Latu, who the object of the devotee's worship is.

Hazra: The devotee really prays to his own Self.

62
Ibid: Pg.:646
63
In this connection, please see the article A Devotees Contract on www.scribd.com, which is a translation of a Saturday evening
Kannada lecture (sometime in the 1980s) at Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore by Rev Swami Purushottamanandaji Maharaj, titled
Yenagu Aane, ninagu aane on a wonderful song by Purandara Dasa.
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Master: What you say is a very lofty thought. The aim of spiritual discipline, of chanting God's
name and glories, is to realize just that. A man attains everything when he discovers his true Self
in himself. The object of Sadhana is to realize that. That also is the purpose of assuming a human
body. One needs the clay mould as long as the gold image has not been cast; but when the image
is made, the mould is thrown away. The body may be given up after the realization of God. God
is not only inside us; He is both inside and outside. The Divine Mother showed me in the Kali
temple that everything is Chinmaya, the Embodiment of Spirit; that it is She who has become all
this the image, myself, the utensils of worship, the door-sill, the marble floor. Everything is
indeed Chinmaya. The aim of prayer, of spiritual discipline, of chanting the name and glories of
God, is to realize just that.64

Thus, the one aim of prayer is to realize the divine inside and outside us.

While the overarching aim of prayer is realization of Self, Sri Ramakrishna instructs us to pray
for getting rid of animal feelings and worldly attachments, for not being born again in this world, and for
reducing our duties in our life so that our prayers become really efficacious.

Addressing Bankim Chandra, Sri Ramakrishna said, Like the swan are those who think of
God, who pray day and night to get rid of their attachment to worldly things and their love for 'woman
and gold', who do not enjoy anything except the nectar of the Lotus Feet of the Lord, and to whom
worldly pleasures taste bitterAfter the birth of one or two children, husband and wife should live as
brother and sister and talk only of God. Then both their minds will be drawn to God, and the wife will be
a help to the husband on the path of spirituality. None can taste divine bliss without giving up his animal
feeling. A devotee should pray to God to help him get rid of this feeling.65 Elsewhere, Sri Ramakrishna
says, Do you know the significance of the Siva emblem? It is the worship of the symbols of fatherhood
and motherhood. The devotee worshipping the image prays, O Lord, please grant that I may not be born
into this world again; that I may not have to pass again through a mother's womb.66 Another unique
theme Sri Ramakrishna introduced is prayer for reducing our duties. For instance, Now you should pray
to God that your worldly duties may be reduced.67

Now, this sense of duty is a bugbear with all of us; we cant live with it, nor can we live without
it. For most of us, a sense of duty is indispensable for our personal growth. Society prescribes two kinds
of duty for all of us: duty that arises from our innate tendencies, and duty that entails upon us from our
social obligations. Both of these have to be reduced so that more and more time can be devoted to
spiritual practices prescribed by the Guru. To Shambhu Charan Mallik, Sri Ramakrishna famously said,
When you realize God, will you pray to Him, O God, please grant that I may dig reservoirs, build roads,
and found hospitals and dispensaries? Then mustn't one perform acts of compassion, such as charity to
the poor? I do not forbid it. If a man has money, he should give it to remove the sorrows and sufferings
that come to his notice. In such an event the wise man says, Give the poor something. But inwardly he
feels, What can I do? God alone is the Doer. I am nothing. 68

64
Ibid: Pg.:521
65
Ibid: Pg.:670
66
Ibid: Pg.:603
67
Ibid: Pg.:506
68
Ibid: Pg.:379
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Just observe the nuance here! The attitude we entertain towards the social obligations we have is
most important. This prayer for reducing our worldly duties is meant to awaken this attitude in us.

Closely associated with this sense of worldly duties is the bond of marriage. Sri Ramakrishnas
advice in this regard is extremely valuable, and it is something that the present society stands direly in
need of. Listen to Sri Ramakrishnas words addressed to Dr Mahendralal Sarkar:

Master (To the doctor): The renunciation of 'woman and gold' is meant for the Sannyasin. He
must not look even at the picture of a woman. Do you know what a woman is to a man? She is like spiced
pickle. The very thought of pickle brings water to the tongue; it doesn't have to be brought near the
tongue. But this renunciation is not meant for householders like you. It is meant only for Sannyasins. You
may live among women, as far as possible in a spirit of detachment. Now and then you must retire into
solitude and think of God. Women must not be allowed there. You can lead an unattached life to a great
extent if you have faith in God and love for Him. After the birth of one or two children a married couple
should live as brother and sister. They should then constantly pray to God that their minds may not run
after sense pleasures anymore and that they may not have any more children.69

Simultaneously with praying for removing these negatives traits from our personality, we ought
to pray for bhakti, devotion, faith, pure love and discrimination. The references in the Gospel for such
prayers or instructions for such prayers are really numerous.70 In fact, the main strain of Sri
Ramakrishnas instructions on prayer is to obtain these things Bhakti, devotion, faith, pure love and
Discrimination.

Whom to pray to?

The last portion of our discussion concerns whom we have to address our prayers to. The obvious
answer is God. But, we who are devotees of the Ramakrishna Mission have a much more specific
mandate. We can pray to Sri Ramakrishna. When Swami Vivekananda dictated the Math Rules to
Swami Shuddhananda, he included the following observation there: The Lord has not yet given up the
Ramakrishna formthis Form will last until He comes again in another gross Body. Though He
is not visible to all that He is in this Sangha and is guiding it is a fact of everybodys
experience. Otherwise such a world-wide movement could never have been set on foot in so short
a time by this handful of insignificant, helpless and persecuted boys. This truth forms the basis of
our assertion that as devotees of Ramakrishna Sangha, we can pray to Sri Ramakrishna.
Furthermore, there are recorded instances in Sri Ramakrishnas life which lend credence to this
assertion of ours. Let us look at the following three instances to understand this:

1st incident: I quote from the Gospel:

Evening worship was over in the templesIt was now late in the evening and time for
M.'s departure; but he felt reluctant to go and instead went in search of Sri Ramakrishna. He had
been fascinated by the Master's singing and wanted to hear more. At last he found the Master
pacing alone in the natmandir in front of the Kali temple. A lamp was burning in the temple on

69
Ibid: Pg.: 866
70
Ibid: Pp: 612; 186; 542; 670; 190; 453; 454; 902; 299; 682; 138; 308; 324; 329; 371; 614; 547; 87; & 748
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

either side of the image of the Divine Mother. The single lamp in the spacious natmandir blended
light and darkness into a kind of mystic twilight, in which the figure of the Master could be dimly
seen. M. had been enchanted by the Master's sweet music. With some hesitation he asked him
whether there would be any more singing that evening. "No, not tonight", said Sri Ramakrishna
after a little reflection. Then, as if remembering something, he added: "But I'm going soon to
Balaram Bose's house in Calcutta. Come there and you'll hear me sing." M. agreed to go.

Master: Do you know Balaram Bose?

M: No, sir. I don't.

Master : He lives in Bosepara.

M: Well, sir, I shall find him.

As Sri Ramakrishna walked up and down the hall with M., he said to him: "Let me ask you
something. What do you think of me?" M. remained silent. Again Sri Ramakrishna asked: "What
do you think of me? How many annas of knowledge of God have I?" M: "I don't understand
what you mean by 'annas'. But of this I am sure: I have never before seen such knowledge,
ecstatic love, faith in God, renunciation, and catholicity anywhere." The Master laughed. M.
bowed low before him and took his leave. He had gone as far as the main gate of the temple
garden when he suddenly remembered something and came back to Sri Ramakrishna, who was
still in the natmandir. In the dim light the Master, all alone, was pacing the hall, rejoicing in the
Self as the lion lives and roams alone in the forest. In silent wonder M. surveyed that great
soul.

Master (to M.): What makes you come back?

M: Perhaps the house you asked me to go to belongs to a rich man. They may not let me in. I
think I had better not go. I would rather meet you here.

Master : Oh, no! Why should you think that? Just mention my name. Say that you want to see
me; then someone will take you to me.71

Although this is a simple statement made by Sri Ramakrishna to M, in the context of a

very particular situation, we can indeed read a whole lot of meaning into it. In fact, Swami
Chetanananda makes the following observation in this regard:

Just mention my name then someone will take you to me, is a significant, hopeful
statement. He is telling not only M, but all lost and confused people of the world how to reach
him. Doors will open in all directions for anyone who repeats his name whether it is a wealthy
mans mansion, or a poor mans cottage, or the labyrinth of the world. As a prince has free access
to any room in the palace and the gatekeepers open the door for him with a salute, so Mahamaya

71
Ibid: Pg.: 92
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

opens the door of liberation for the disciples and devotees of an Avatar. The Avatar is the ruler of
Maya.72

2nd incident:

On 1st January 1886 Sri Ramakrishna became the Kalpataru and blessed his devotees
saying Be illumined. Navagopal Ghosh was not there at that time. When he came to Cossipore
later on that day, Ram Chandra Dutta told him, Hello, Sir, what are you doing? The Master has
become a Kalpataru today. Please go to him right now. If you have anything to ask for, this is the
right time. Navagopal rushed to the Master and, bowing down to him, asked, Master, what will
happen to me?

After a little pause, the Master asked, Will you be able to practice a little Japa and Meditation?

Navagopal replied, I am a family man with several children. Moreover, I am very busy with my
various household duties and taking care of my family members. Where is the time to practice
spiritual disciplines?

The Master kept quiet for a while and then said, Cant you even repeat the Lords name a few
times regularly?

I dont have time, Master.

All right! Will you be able to repeat my name a few times?

Yes, that I can do.

Then the Master said, That will do. You will not have to do anything else.73

3rd incident:

In the life of Mathurnath Biswas, we find yet another totally unexpected aspect regarding prayer
and Sri Ramakrishna. I quote from Swami Chetananandas book They lived with God:

Whenever Mathur was in trouble, he would go straight to Sri Ramakrishna in

Dakshineswar for help. Once he ordered his guards to take part in a brutal gang fight with the
guards of a rival landlord. When the news reached him that a man had been killed, Mathur came
to his senses and realized that he would be prosecuted. He pleaded with the Master to save him.
Sri Ramakrishna rebuked him, saying, Rascal, you will create a row every day and come and
cry, Save me! What can I do? Go and suffer the consequences. But at last, seeing Mathurs
deep anguish, the Master said, Well, it will be as Mother wills. Mathur escaped arrest.74

This is an amazing incident, indeed! Sri Ramakrishna is almost telling us, as it were, Why dont
you inform me? Why dont you just drop in a word? I can set things right for you!

72
How to live with God; Swami Chetanananda; 2008; Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata: Pg.: 110
73
They lived with God; Swami Chetanananda; 2006; Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata: Pg.: 245-46
74
Ibid: Pg.: 44; Also Cf: Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play; Swami Saradananda; 2003; Vedanta Society of St. Louis: Pg.:
518
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

In this connection, we find the following observation of Swami Saradananda in Sri Ramakrishna
and his Divine Play: (Mathur) also noticed that when faced with the Masters keen insight, insincerity
could not remain hidden behind its faade. If a person, after committing any sinful act even murder
frankly and sincerely took refuge in the Master, he lovingly accepted that person and forgave all
misdeeds. He endowed that person with the power to recognize and realize the higher ideal. The
impossible became possible by virtue of the mysterious power that worked though the Master.75

We see a vivid example of this observation by Swami Saradananda in the following extract from
the Gospel:

Gradually he came down to the consciousness of the outer world. Still in a spiritual
mood, he began to talk, sometimes addressing the devotees, sometimes the Divine Mother.

Master: Mother, please attract him to Thee. I can't worry about him anymore.

(To M) My mind is inclined a little to your brother-in-law.

(To Girish) You utter many abusive and vulgar words; but that doesn't matter. It is better for these
things to come out. There are some people who fall ill on account of blood-poisoning; the more
the poisoned blood finds an outlet, the better it is for them. At the time when the upadhi of a man
is being destroyed, it makes a loud noise, as it were. Wood crackles when it burns; there is no
more noise when the burning is over. You will be purer day by day. You will improve very much
day by day. People will marvel at you. I may not come many more times; but that doesn't matter.
You will succeed by yourself.

The Master's spiritual mood became very intense. Again he talked to the Divine Mother.

Master: Mother, what credit is there in making a man good who is already good? O Mother, what
wilt Thou accomplish by killing one who is already dead? Only if Thou canst kill a person who is
still standing erect wilt Thou show Thy glory.76

Just look at these words of Sri Ramakrishna! This is the power that he has unleashed amongst us
by his unique life. He has unleashed the infinite power of God to work wonders in our lives! Let us have
faith in this fact. Swami Vivekananda asks us pointedly to have faith in this unique achievement of Sri
Ramakrishna. In an undated letter to his brother disciples written from USA in 1894, he writes: It won't
do merely to call Shri Ramakrishna an Incarnation, you must manifest power. This is also what Swami
Shivanandaji meant when he said that Sri Ramakrishna had awakened the Brahma-Kundalini by his
Sadhana.

Although Sri Ramakrishna has indeed unleashed this unprecedented power, there is one little
thing we ought to do. And that is pray. I end this discussion by quoting a poignant extract from the
Gospel, which reveals the innermost feelings of Sri Ramakrishna in this regard:

Master: That is why I say that work is necessary. It will not do to say that God exists and then idle
away your time. You must reach God somehow or other. Call on Him in solitude and pray to

75
Cf: Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play; Swami Saradananda; 2003; Vedanta Society of St. Louis: Pg.: 508
76
Cf: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Tr. Swami Nikhilananda: 2002: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras: Pg.: 741
 Sri Ramakrishna and Prayer

Him, O Lord! reveal Thyself to me. Weep for Him with a longing heart. You roam about in
search of woman and gold like a madman; now be a little mad for God. Let people say, This
man has lost his head for God. Why not renounce everything for a few days and call on God in
solitude? What will you achieve by simply saying that God exists and doing nothing about it?
There are big fish in the Haldarpukur; but can you catch them by merely sitting idly on the bank?
Prepare some spiced bait and throw it into the lake. Then the fish will come from the deep water
and you will see ripples. That will make you happy. Perhaps a fish will jump with a splash and
you will get a glimpse of it. Then you will be so glad! Milk must be turned to curd and the curd
must be churned. Only then will you get butter. (To Mahima) What a nuisance! Someone must
show God to a man, while he himself sits idly by all the while! Someone must extract the butter
and hold it in front of his mouth! (All laugh.) What a bother! Someone else must catch the fish
and give it to him! A man wanted to see the king. The king lived in the inner court of the palace,
beyond seven gates. No sooner did the man pass the first gate than he exclaimed, Oh, where is
the king? But there were seven gates, and he must pass them one after another before he could
see the king.77

***************

77
Ibid: Pg.: 646