Page:The Gospel of Râmakrishna.djvu/433

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Ramakrishna occupied the large room on the second floor of the beautiful house situated in the centre of the spacious garden. He was seated on His bed, which was spread on the floor, and was surrounded by His Sannyasin and householder disciples. Conversation arose concerning Sannyas (Renunciation) and a householder's life, and Girish asked: Bhagavan, which is right — to renounce the world with a view to avoid worldly cares and suffering or to worship God living with one's family? Bhagavan referred to the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita and said: He who lives with his family but is unattached to the re- lations and things of the world, who performs his duties without seeking the results of his works, attains to God in the same manner as one who has renounced the world after realizing that earthly relations and objects are transitory and unreal. Those who renounce the world merely to avoid worldly cares and suffering belong to the lowest class of Sannyasins. He who has attained to God living in the world is like the man who resides in a