Page:Ramakrishna - His Life and Sayings.djvu/170

152 like. So a man must be heated several times in the furnace of tribulations, and hammered with the persecutions of the world, before he becomes pure and humble.

247. Remain always strong and steadfast in thy own faith, but eschew all bigotry and intolerance.

248. Be not like the frog in the welL The frog in the well knows nothing bigger and grander than its welL So are all bigots : they do not see anything better than their own creeds.

249. There was a man who worshipped Siva, but hated all other Deities. One day Siva appeared to him and said, ( I shall never be pleased with thee, so long as thou hatest the other gods.' But the man was inexorable. After a few days Siva again appeared to him. This time he appeared as Hari-Hara, that is, one side of his body was that of Siva, and the other side that of Vishmi. At this the man was half pleased and half displeased He laid his offerings on the side representing Siva, and did not offer anything to the side representing Vishnu, and when he offered the burning incense to his beloved God (Siva) he was careful as well as audacious enough to press the nostril of Vishmi, the other half of Hari-Hara, lest the fragrance should be pleasing to Vislwra. Seeing him altogether inexorable, the God Siva was sorely displeased with him, and at once vanished from his sight But the man was as undaunted as ever. How- ever, the children of the village began to tease him by utter- ing the name of Vishnu in his hearing. Displeased with this, the man hung two bells to his ears, which he used to