GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
name. Well, I said to Narendra: "God is like a sea of immortal syrup. Would you not dive deep into this sea? Suppose, my boy, there is a basin containing the syrup of sugar and that you are a fly anxious to drink of the sweet liquid. Where would you sit and drink?" Narendra said in reply: "Why! from the edge of the basin! If I go far from the edge I may be drowned and lose my life." Thereupon I said to him: "My boy, in the sea of Divinity God, the sea of immortality. there is no fear of that kind. Do you not know that it is the sea of Immortality? Whosoever dives into this sea does not die but obtains everlasting life." He who is mad after God can never become unbalanced or insane. (To the Bhaktas) Work without devotion (Bhakti) to God has in this age no ground to stand upon. First Work without devotion. cultivate devotion (Bhakti); all other things — schools, dispensaries, and charitable works shall, if you wish, be added unto you. First devotion, then work. Work, apart from devotion or love of God, is helpless and cannot stand. Mozoomdar made inquiries about the disci- ples. He asked whether those who came to the Bhagavan were getting better in the spirit
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