God has revealed to me that only the Paramatman, whom the Vedas describe as the Pure Soul, is as immutable as Mount Sumeru, unattached, and beyond pain and pleasure. There is much confusion in this world of His maya. One can by no means say that 'this' will come after 'that' or 'this' will produce 'that'.
RamakrishnaA man is truly free, even here in this embodied state, if he knows that God is the true agent and he by himself is powerless to do anything.
RamakrishnaThe ego is like the root of a banyan tree, you think you have removed it all then one fine morning you see a sprout flourishing again.
RamakrishnaWhen one has love for God, one doesn't feel any physical attraction to wife, children, relatives and friends. One retains only compassion for them.
RamakrishnaThe physicians of one class feel the patients and go away, merely prescribing medicine. As they leave the room they simply ask the patient to take the medicine. They are the poorest class of physicians.
RamakrishnaThe rishis of old attained the Knowledge of Brahman. One cannot have this so long as there is the slightest trace of worldliness. How hard the rishis laboured ! Early in the morning they would go away from the hermitage, and would spend the whole day in solitude, meditating on Brahman. At night they would return to the hermitage and eat a little fruit or roots. They kept their mind aloof from the objects of sight, hearing, touch, and other things of a worldly nature. Only thus did they realize Brahman as their own inner conciousness.
Ramakrishna