Page:The Gospel of Râmakrishna.djvu/314

 vided into two classes. First, those who de- clare the Supreme Being to be the

Formless One. Trailanga Swami of Benares belonged to this class. Gener- ally speaking, holy men of this class are com- paratively selfish, because they care only for the liberation of their own souls. Those of the second class say that God is with form as well as formless, and that He manifests Himself to His devotees as a Being with form. Have you ever seen a canal running over into the water of the river with which it is connected? The canal has sometimes no trace left, being en- tirely one with the river-water. But very often there may be noticed a slight movement in the water which proves its separateness from the river. Pretty much the same is the case with the Paramahamsa belonging to the second class. His soul becomes one with the Universal Spirit.

Still the ego of knowledge (Vidya) or a slight trace of individuality is kept to mark his separate existence from the Deity. Again, such a holy man may be compared to a jar or pitcher of water. A pitcher filled with water to the brim gives sound, only when a por- tion of the water is poured out into another