Tales
and Parables
Of
Sri Ramakrishna
Once a man went to a certain place to see a theatrical performance, carrying a mat under his arm. Hearing that it would be some time before the performance began; he spread the mat on the floor and fell asleep. When he woke up all was over. Then he returned home with the mat under his arm!
- Sri Ramakrishna
* * *
- PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
- PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
- INTRODUCTION
- THE WORLD
- MEN OF THE WORLD
- WHEN THEY ARE ANNOYED
- WHEN ALL TEETH FELL
- THERE ARE SUCH MEN INDEED!
- THE JACKAL THAT WON'T LEAVE THE COMPANY OF A BULLOCK
- THE PLUNDERERS WHO GO ABOUT AS RELIGIOUS
- HOW THEY QUARREL!
- A WORLDLING IS A POOR EXPONENT OF THE SASTRAS
- ELDER, THE PUMPKIN CUTTER
- THERE IS NEED FOR EVERYTHING
- THERE ARE MEN AND MEN
- THE BANE OF WORLDLINESS
- THE ROOT OF ALL TROUBLES
- ALL FOR A SINGLE PIECE OF LOIN-CLOTH
- THE TIGER THAT LURKS BEHIND WORLDLY JOYS
- THAT OPPRESSING STENCH OF WORLDLINESS
- WORLDLY GOODS ARE NOT THINE FOR EVER
- THE JAR OF DESIRE CAN NEVER BE FILLED UP
- WHY YOGI SLIPS DOWN FROM HIS YOGA
- 'KAMA-KANCHANA' (Lust and Gold)
- COURT MARRIAGE AND YOU COURT SERVITUDE
- THE FALL OF THE TWELVE HUNDRED
- MASTER OF EVERYTHING, SLAVE OF SEX!
- BHAGAVATA IN THE EAR, BROTHEL IN THE MIND
- GREATER EVEN THAN THE GURU!
- MODERN JANAKAS!
- HOW'S A FALLEN SANNYASI
- IF YOU WOULD CONQUER LUST, LOOK ON WOMEN AS MOTHER
- MONEY IS ALSO A GREAT UPADHI
- SUCH IS THE PRIDE THAT MONEY BEGETS
- ENMESHED IN MAYA, BRAHMAN WEEPS!
- HOW IS MAYA
- SUCH INDEED IS MAYA!
- MAYA VANISHES THE MOMENT IT IS KNOWN
- THE PROLONGED DREAM THAT WE CALL LIFE
- "IT'S NOTHING, IT'S NOTHING!"
- IF ALL IS REALLY UNREAL!
- A SIDDHA STOPS THE STORM
- OCCULT POWERS ARE MORE A HINDRANCE THAN A HELP TO GOD-VISION
- THE PANDIT WHO COULD NOT SWIM
- FOR MAN PROPOSES AND GOD DISPOSES
- AS ONE THINKS, SO ONE RECEIVES
- 'SHE IS SO WELL OFF!'
- FEIGNING MADNESS TOO IS RISKY!
- WELCOME GOOD, AND EVIL WELCOMES YOU
- WHAT OCCULT POWERS ARE LIKE
- HORSES IN COWSHED!
- THOSE FASCINATING OBSTRUCTIONS
- EGOISM: VANITY
- FROM 'HAMBA' TO TUHU'
- EGOTISM IS RUINOUS
- SANKARACHARYA AND HIS FOOLISH DISCIPLE
- WHEN SIVA'S BULL BARED ITS TEETH
- HOW VANITY TURNS A PERSON'S HEAD
- PREVIOUS TENDENCIES
- POWERFUL ARE THE INBORN TENDENCIES
- A HINDU WHO WAS FORCED TO EMBRACE ISLAM
- NOTHING IS LOST IN THE ECONOMY OF GOD
- THE INEVITABLES
- THE WAY
- FAITH
- THIS FAITH OF A CHILD
- A BOY ACTUALLY FED GOD
- A DISCIPLE AND HER POT OF CURDS
- THE SIMPLE SECRET
- THE BASIC FAITH
- A TRUE DEVOTEE'S FAITH
- FAITH ABSOLUTE
- FAITH UNBOUNDED
- FAITH TREMENDOUS
- THE POWER OF FAITH
- HANUMAN SINGH AND THE WRESTLER FROM THE PUNJAB
- FAITH KNOWS NO MIRACLES
- BUT FAITH WORKS MIRACLES
- FAITH IS THE MOTHER OF MIRACLES
- POWER OF THE HOLY NAME
- THE DOUBTING SOUL PERISHES
- DEVOTION
- THE BEST OFFERING TO GOD IS LOVE
- THE LOVE THAT FREELY GIVETH IS THE HIGHEST
- WHO WINS THE PRIZE
- THAT GREAT DEVOTEE OF A CROW
- THREE FRIENDS AND THE TIGER
- SINGLE-MINDED DEVOTION TO ONE IDEAL
- IN WEAL AND WOE, GOD FOR EVERMORE
- RAVANA-THE GREAT DEVOTEE OF RAMA
- DEVOTION, THE DIVINE OPEN SESAME
- A DEVOTEE AVOIDS WHAT THE WORLD RUNS AFTER
- GLORY UNTO KRISHNA!
- THAT PURE LOVE FOR GOD
- BACK TO THE DIVINE MOTHER
- CONCEIT IS TO DEVOTION WHAT CANKER IS TO BUDS
- GOD ALONE IS THE GIVER
- NO BEGGAR, I, FOR COMMON FRUIT
- THORNS DENIED PRICK NO LESS KEENLY
- SINGLE-MINDEDNESS IS ANOTHER NAME FOR DEVOTION
- YEARNING
- TO HAVE GENUINE YEARNING FOR GOD IS TO ATTAIN HIM
- THAT DIVINE YEARNING
- IF YOU ARE EARNEST
- HOW A GURU TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLE TO SEE GOD
- SELF-HELP & SELF-SURRENDER
- SELF-HELP AND SELF-SURRENDER
- LORD NARAYANA AND HIS SELF-DEFENDING DEVOTEE
- SELF-SURRENDER KNOWS NO COMPLAINT
- HUMILITY
- TYAGA AND VAIRAGYA (Renunciation and Diapassion)
- THE HOMA BIRD
- HE WENT AWAY, TOWEL ON HIS SHOULDER
- DISPASSION COMES LIKE A FLOOD AND NEVER BY DROPS
- NOT UNTIL THE ILLUSION BREAKS
- NONE WILL FOLLOW THEE AFTER DEATH
- TODAY'S IMITATION IS TOMORROWS INSPIRATION
- SIMULATION OF HOLINESS MAY BECOME A STIMULATION FOR IT
- EQUAL VISION IS THE FIRST AND LAST SIGN OF RENUNCIATION
- HARD ARE THE RULES FOR A SANNYASI
- A BAHURUPI IMPERSONATING SIVA
- HOLD HARD YOUR SPADE
- AS YOU GO FROM NEAR TO NEARER
- THE KING AND THE PANDIT
- EVEN IF YOU WISH TO RENOUNCE THE WORLD
- WHEN RENUNCIATION BECOMES THE LIFE-BREATH
- A GHOST SOUGHT A COMPANION
- A SALT DOLL WENT TO FATHOM THE OCEAN
- BRAHMAN
- FOUR FRIENDS LOOKED BEYOND
- WHERE SILENCE IS ELOQUENT AND SPEECH DOTH FALTER
- NEITHER 'YES' NOR 'NO'!
- THE KING AND THE MAGICIAN
- WHEN FACE TO FACE
- 'BEHOLD, O KING! BEHOLD'
- AN ANT WENT TO A SUGAR HILL
- HE EATS, YET EATS NOT
- ALL PURE SPIRIT
- ASPECTS OF THE DIVINE
- THE CHAMELEON
- MAN WITH A TUB OF DYE
- WHAT THE DIVINE MOTHER REVEALED TO ME
- HOW A MONK KNEW THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD
- GOD ALONE HAS BECOME ALL THINGS
- STRIP NAME AND FORM AND LOOK BEYOND
- FEW, VERY FEW ARE THEY
- SHE CAME AND WENT AWAY
- THUS SAW ARJUNA
- NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM
- TO HIM THESE ARE MERE DUST AND STRAW
- NATURE OF GOD
- GOD IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF HIS DEVOTEES
- ALL ELSE IS UNREAL
- THE LURE OF DIVINE LILA
- A PEACOCK THAT TASTED OPIUM
- KA! KA! KA!
- INSCRUTABLE ARE THE WAYS OF GOD
- AN INTERESTING INCIDENT!
- WHY NOT THROUGH A MAN?
- WHEN GOD LAUGHS
- HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
- WHO CAN TELL?
- MAN IN DIVINE STATE
- THE WINE OF HEAVENLY BLISS
- THEY WANDER IN MANY DISGUISES
- VISHNU EVERYWHERE
- WHERE IS THE MISERY FOR HIM WHO SEES THE ONE?
- BOTH FRIEND AND FOE THE SAINTS ADORE
- ILLUSORY ALIKE!
- CHILDLIKE SHOULD BE THE MAN OF HIGHEST WISDOM
- SHE BEHAVED IN A QUEER WAY
- ON COMPANY OF THE HOLY
- IN THAT DIVINE STATE
- THE NATURE OF A PARAMAHAMSA
- SRI SANKARA AND THE BUTCHER
- GURU (Teacher of Men)
- THE PHYSICIAN WITH HIS JARS OF MOLASSES
- THAT INSIGNIA OF AUTHORITY
- ONE CANNOT TEACH OTHERS WITHOUT RECEIVING COMMISSION FROM GOD
- THE AVADHUTA AND HIS UPA-GURUS
- THE GRASS-EATING TIGER
- HOW SRI CHAITANYA ATTRACTED THE WORLDLY
- LIKE TEACHER, LIKE DISCIPLE
- WHEN ALL CONCEPTIONS OF DIFFERENCE VANISH
- IMPERATIVES
- GO FORWARD!
- COUNT NOT LEAVES, EAT MANGOES
- BE DROWNED!
- STICK TO YOUR OWN RELIGION
- HAVE BOTH YOUR HANDS FREE
- LET NOT THE BELL OF BIGOTRY DEADEN YOUR HEARING
- SEE ADVAITA EVERYWHERE OR SEE IT NOWHERE
- GO BEYOND KNOWLEDGE AND IGNORANCE
- BEWARE OF THE TOUCH OF THE WORLDLINGS
- DON'T MEASURE SPIRITUAL VALUES BY SECULAR STANDARDS
- BE WATCHFUL
- GIVE THE DOG A GOOD BEATING AT TIMES
- SINK NOW AND THEN
- KEEP A PART OF THE RIDGE OPEN
- COUNT NOT ON THE UNKNOWN FUTURE
- DISCRIMINATE EVEN IN GIVING IN CHARITY
- HISS YOU MAY, BUT BITE YOU SHALL NOT
- IF YOU MUST SERVE, SERVE BUT ONE MASTER
- FIRST CLEANSE THEE PURE, THEN PREACH AND CURE
- EITHER 'I' AD-INFINITUM OR NONE OF IT
- COUNSELS
- IF YOU WOULD ENJOY THE FUN!
- WHAT TO PRAY FOR?
- HOW TO ESCAPE PRARABDHA
- THEN, WHAT'S THE WAY?
- ONE WHO SEES 'ELEPHANT GOD' SHOULD HEED THE WORDS OF 'MAHUT GOD'
- DAMN-DAMN-DAMN-DA-DAMN-DAMN
- BROOD OVER OTHER'S SINS, AND YOU SIN YOURSELF
- NOT 'THERE' BUT 'HERE'
- WHAT YOU ARE AFTER, IS WITHIN YOURSELF
- HOW ONE CAN ENTER THE MANSION OF GOD
- THEN COMES THE TIME FOR ACTION
- PARTIAL KNOWLEDGE BREEDS NARROWNESS
- FANATICISM IS ANOTHER NAME FOR IGNORANCE
- NO SCRIPTURIST EVER VAUNTS OF HIS LEARNING
- UNFORTUNATE IT IS TO BE SEIZED BY A WATER-SNAKE