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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA

result of hard study. Well, did you not at that time express regret that you had sat up reading until very late at night? Does that prove that reading until the late hours of the night is bad? The Bhagavan may be sorry from the point of view of the patient; He is by no means sorry from the point of view of a Teacher from God anxious for the welfare of humanity. Doctor (somewhat disconcerted): I confess I am beaten. Now give me the dust of your feet. (To Vivekananda) This matter apart, I must admit the acuteness of Girish's intel- lectual powers. Vivekananda (to the Doctor): You may view the question in another way. You sometimes devote your life to the task of making a scien- tific discovery, and then you do not look to your body, your health or anything. Now, the knowledge of God is the grandest of all sciences ; is it not natural that the Bhagavan has risked His health for this end, and, it may be, sacri- ficed it? We offer to Him worship equal to Divine worship. The doctor then saluted the Bhagavan and took his leave. At that moment Bijoy entered

and prostrated himself at the feet of Sri Rama-

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