Kathamrita Volume II - Swami Vivekananda

they derive more bliss from spiritual life, theysimply cannot perform their worldly duties.They seek that divine bliss alone. What areworldly pleasures and sexual joy compared tothe bliss of God? Having once tasted the blissof God, one runs after it madly – whether onecan preserve one’s worldly life or not.“The chatak bird is dying of thirst. The sevenoceans and all the rivers and reservoirs are fullof water, but it does not drink from them. Itsparched throat is almost cracking from thirst,yet it does not drink! It sits with its mouth wideopen waiting just for the rainwater of theSvati [29] constellation of stars. All waters aredry except the water of the Svati constellation.”Two annas of wine and saving both sides“He says, ‘I shall hold to both God and theworld.’ Taking a small quantity of wine, a manmay be pleasantly intoxicated and alsoconscious of the world. But can he be both aftergetting well drunk?“One likes nothing else after experiencing thebliss of God. Any matter relating to ‘lust andgreed’ then falls like a stone on the chest.(Thakur chants to the tune of the kirtan) ‘It isdifferent with others, but I like nothing else.’When one becomes mad with love for God, heis not attracted by money and the rest.”