Kathamrita Volume II - Swami Vivekananda

doubtful person is ruined [20]Mani thinks to himself that this flame is not thereal flame.Thakur, who could read a man’s mind [21] ,says, “Nobody can become unconscious bymeditating on Consciousness.” Shivanath saidthat the head begins to reel if one meditates onthe Lord too much. I said to him, “Can onebecome unconscious by meditating onConsciousness?”Mani — Sir, I now understand that. It’s notmeditation on a transitory object. How can aman become unconscious by meditating on thereal Self of eternal Consciousness?Sri Ramakrishna (happily) — That’s His grace.Without His grace, one’s doubts do not vanish.“Without the vision of the Atman, doubts arenot dispelled.“There is no fear when His grace dawns. A sonholding his father’s hand can fall down. But ifthe father holds the son’s hand, there is no fear.All difficulties are resolved if, out of His grace,He dispels one’s doubts and grants His vision.And if one continues to call upon Him with aheart full of yearning, and continues to practicespiritual disciplines to attain Him, His gracedawns. When a mother sees her child runningaround restlessly [seeking her], she feelscompassion for it. She who was hiding herself,