Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sri Ramakrishna explains different forms of Maa Kali - 2

Sri Ramakrishna continued: "Bondage and liberation are both of Her making. By Her maya worldly people become entangled in 'woman and gold', and again, through Her grace they attain their liberation. She is called the Saviour, and the Remover of the bondage that binds one to the world."
Then Sri Ramakrishna sang the following song* in his melodious voice:

In the world's busy market-place, O Syama, Thou art Hying kites;
High up they soar on the wind of hope, held fast by maya's string.
Their frames are human skeletons, their sails of the three gunas made;


But all their curious workmanship is merely for ornament.
Upon the kite-strings Thou hast rubbed the manja-paste
* of worldliness,


So as to make each straining strand all the more sharp and strong.


Out of a hundred thousand kites, at best but one or two break free;
And Thou dost laugh and clap Thy hands, O Mother, watching them!
On favouring winds, says Ramprasad, the kites set loose will speedily
Be borne away to the Infinite, across the sea of the world.

Sri Ramakrishna said: "The Divine Mother is always playful and sportive. This universe is Her play. She is self-willed and must always have Her own way. She is full of bliss. She gives freedom to one out of a hundred thousand."


A BRAHMO DEVOTEE: "But, sir, if She likes, She can give freedom to all. Why, then, has She kept us bound to the world?"


Sri Ramakrishna: "That is Her will. She wants to continue playing with Her created beings. In a game of hide-and-seek* the running about soon stops if in the beginning all the players touch the 'granny'. If all touch her, then how can the game go on? That displeases her. Her pleasure is in continuing the game. Therefore the poet said:

Out of a hundred thousand kites, at best nut one or two break free;
And Thou dost laugh and clap Thy hands, O Mother, watching them!

"It is as if the Divine Mother said to the human mind in confidence, with a sign from Her eye, 'Go and enjoy the world.' How can one blame the mind? The mind can disentangle itself from worldliness if, through Her grace, She makes it turn toward Herself. Only then does it become devoted to the Lotus Feet of the Divine Mother."

Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

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