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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA

the Gopis of Vrindavan. They not only enjoyed communion with Krishna, the God Incarnate, but were willing to share their happiness with others. Communion with God may be compared to the process of involution. When one com- Divine com-munion. munes with the Supreme Being one's personality becomes absolutely united with the Divine Personality. This is the state of Samadhi. Then, again, when one returns to the human plane and comes back to the starting- point one sees that the world and the ego or self are evolved from the same Supreme Being; and that God, man and nature are interrelated, so that if you hold on to one of them you realize the others. Call with Bhakti (love) upon His Hallowed Name and the mountain of your sins shall dis- appear as a mountain of cotton-wool Fire of Bhakti destroys sins. will vanish in an instant if it catches one spark of fire. Worship through fear of hell-fire is intended for beginners.

Then turning to some of the company present who were singing, the Bhagavan said: "Will you sing songs which describe the enjoyment that is realized by the human soul after God- vision? Rakhal (Swami Brahmananda, one of

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