The notes below are designed to give prospective readers an idea of what to expect from the book, and to aid in making a decision on whether to buy it.
Selections from the Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna
Editor Andrew Harvey
Introduction
Interesting quick read with some good antidotes.
General Notes
Written by M Gupta, one of his students.
Sri lived from 1836 to 1996 in a Kali temple on the bank of the Ganges River. He did not read books as he was a bhakti yogi.
Find God by singing his name.
Do all your duties but keep your focus on god, as the mother turtle keeps her focus on her eggs.
God is the only eternal.
One can show anger to prevent harm but not inflect violence. Hiss but don’t bite.
Knowledge of Braham is like an ocean, too vast for words.
A lotus is purity, detachment, and balance and untouched by the earth or water but its roots blossom from the mud.
Paramahamsa is a great swan, reaching unity with the divine.
Bhagavad Gita encourages readers to turn inward and to abandon the fruits of action, while remaining active just as Arjuna learns from Krishna.
Don’t reason too much. Drink for the clear part of the water, don’t dig too deep into the mud of the water.
Constantly remember death.
Money is not bad but should be used for God.
Don’t think of God too much—it confuses one.
Paramatman is the universal, transcendent self. Jivatman is the self.
Colors at a distance become totally different up close
The mind will become the color you die it. “I am a sinner” and you become a sinner. “I love God” and you will.
Gunas: goal is to overcome them all but if must have one Sattva is best. Sattva is humble, devoted, dirty, quiet worship, tranquility, consciousness, and balance. Rajas is boastful with photos of the queen, wearing a tilak mark on your forehead, etc. Tamas is sleep, luster, anger, and killing.
A child is detached, and this is best. The child is above the three gunas.
Teachers: poor ones give only instructions. Mediocre ones assimilates where you are at. Best teachers use unyielding force.
After Samadhi there is no need for worship or a guru—the disciple and guru become the same level and guidance is not required.
Must yearn strongly to achieve God.
Realize that you are not the doer and you will have liberation or jivanmukta.
Bhakti yoga is his way, I is the server. Kali yuga is Bhakti. True love only for god, but never merge as an equal with God unlike Jana yoga but still Samadhi.
All religions realize God. Not 1 way. Dogmatic thinkers believe their path is the right one alone. God walks many paths.
Mind = manas, intelligence is buddhi, impressions of actions in the mind are chitta.
5 elements are linked with 5 senses (earth and smell; water and taste; air and touch; fire and sight; ether and hearing).
True guru is the self.
Upanishads are the basis for Vedanta.
Squeezing an almanac will not give one even a drop of water.
Three kinds of joy: worldly; worship (chant God’s name); and Brahman (God’s vision).
Must give up worldly desires.
8 occult powers give too much a feeling of self-importance.
Gauri would say ‘this’ in place of ‘I.’
Kundalini awakens by being restless for God.
An Elephant going into a small pool makes waves, but an elephant going into a large lake is almost unnoticed.
Body only has a momentary existence.