The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Nuggets of Wisdom from the Master, a Maverick of a Mystic
gssxGospel
Once, explaining his wide-ranging interests, the Master said:
"I don't like to be monotonous. I would like to make a bouquet with five kinds of flowers.
I would like to play a flute with seven holes in it. I would like to taste various kinds of food. I don't want to be a dry monk."
~Ajata
I spent my childhood off Ramakrishna Beach in Vizag. Now there's a Kali Temple on it
The first major painting of my life was of the Master. Sri Nemani Krishnamurthy గారు helped me paint it
The Master entered my life through The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, which i bought at the Mylapore Math the evening of March 14, 1992. Thought that the date/time was fitting: 3.14 (.1992.6:54), the most famous irrational number
In the Gospel, i found that there was no limit to the love of the Master. His cheerfulness, His humor, and His harmony (any day better than tolerance) drew Him to me in no uncertain manner. After 20+ years, the Gospel is as fresh as ever; try to read to it at least once a year
It's not at all surprising that the Gospel is listed in 100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century
I have referred to the Gospel in many blog posts and then some. The following grid summarizes those posts wrt the Chapters from the Gospel. All the links in the grid below open in a new window/tab
Each chapter links to the corresponding one on this excellent online reference. For convenience, the starting and ending page numbers of each chapter are provided below the chapter link
This grid was created on the eve of the Master's tithi birthday in 2015 (20.FEB, very close to His Western birthday of 18.FEB)
Along with the Gospel, have listed other books by Swami Chetanananda on the Master that have inspired me.
Flickr Album: Holy Mother, Sri Ramakrishna, and Swami Vivekananda
Chapters 1-13
"Give them a good word or give them none",
...
77~92
(2. In the Company of Devotees)
93~98
Talaash - The Answer Lies Within,
...
...
99~110
111~131
...
132~144
...
(6. The Master with the Brahmo Devotees-I)
145~162
...
(7. The Master and Vijay Goswami)
163~180
...
(8. The Master's Birthday Celebration at Dakshineswar)
181~197
...
198~214
...
(10. The Master with the Brahmo Devotees-II)
215~229
...
(11. With the Devotees at Dakshineswar-I)
230~252
Was the Master an Incarnation?,
...
(12. The Festival at Panihati)
253~273
Package Tour/Trip to Tirupati-Tirumala,
...
274~293
Chapters 14-26
...
(14. Instruction to Vaishnavas and Brahmos)
294~317
...
318~329
...
(16. With the Devotees at Dakshineswar-II)
330~347
...
348~364
...
365~382
Is Dark Matter the Formless Brahman?,
...
(19. The Master and His Injured Arm)
383~399
...
(20. Rules for Householders and Monks)
400~414
415~426
...
427~443
It's the Journey that Matters,
...
(23. Festival at Surendra's House)
444~461
...
462~472
...
(25. Advice to Pundit Shashadhar)
473~498
...
(26. Festival at Adhar's House)
499~511
Chapters 27-39
Will Sri Ramakrishna Baul us over?,
...
512~531
...
532~557
...
558~577
Spiritual Chimps and Other Animals
(30. The Master in Various Moods)
578~601
...
602~622
...
(32. Visit to the Sinthi Brahmo Samaj)
623~642
The Master ensures that He gets full weight,
...
643~665
It's the Journey that Matters,
...
666~676
...
677~690
"Uncle Moon is everybody's uncle",
...
691~706
...
707~723
...
(38. With the Devotees in Calcutta)
724~742
...
(39. The Master's Reminiscences)
743~760
Chapters 40-52
...
(40. At the Houses of Balaram and Girish)
761~777
...
778~795
(42. Car festival at Balaram's House)
796~814
...
(43. Visit to Nanda Bose's House)
815~826
Is the Universe a Dream of God?,
...
(44. The Master on Himself and His Experiences)
827~847
...
(45. Sri Ramakrishna at Syampukur)
848~867
...
(46. The Master and Dr. Sarkar)
868~885
(47. The Master's Training of His Disciples)
886~906
...
(48. In the Company of Devotees at Syampukur)
907~930
...
931~946
...
947~961
...
(51. The Master's Love for His Devotees)
962~974
975~1008
...
(Appendix A. With Keshab at Dakshineswar)
1009~1020
...
(A Chronology of Sri Ramakrishna's Life)
1028~1029