Page:The Gospel of Râmakrishna.djvu/252

 being served and the Bhagavan became a little impatient like a child. Surendra, the host, was a beloved disciple of the Lord. The Bhagavan said: Surendra's disposition has grown admirable. He is very generous; those who go to him for help never come away dis- appointed. Then he is very outspoken. He is bold enough to speak the truth. In this age truthfulness is the best of all ascetic practices. He who is firm in truthful- ness attains to God. Lack of truth- fulness destroys all virtue, For this reason, when I say anything even inadvertently, such as, "I shall go there. I shall do that," I must go, because I have said it. I may lose my firmness in truthfulness if I do not keep my word to the very letter. Openness as opposed to dissimulation is the fruit of the practice of many religious austerities in one's previous incarnations. In a well-known song by Tulsi Das it is said: "Give up dissimulation and