the lack of formal education and scholarship, he “traversed the entire region of religious experience by his own tapas and confirmed by his own personal testimony the truths of the Hindu scriptures.” (D. S. Sarma, Hinduism through the Ages). His own life is an apt illustration of the liberating power of true religion. He demonstrated that social reform, though it is necessary, cannot completely remove social evils and prejudices. According to him, society can be cleansed and the people can be helped to reach spiritual heights only “by releasing a flood of enlightened religious feeling.”
The following are the main ideas of Sri Ramakrishna’s teaching that can constitute his message:

1. The realisation of God is the essence of religion and the end and aim of human existence.
2. To a man who has realised, all religions are paths that lead to the same goal. Sri Ramakrishna’s spiritual experiences convinced him that all religions were essentially teaching one common truth: perfection—perfection in the spiritual sense. Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna’s dearest disciple, said that he learnt from his Master that the religions of the world are not contradictory or antagonistic.
3. Though Jnana and Bhakti lead to the same goal, Bhakti is to be preferred. Jnana, the path of knowledge, is difficult, because one has to acquire a high degree of purity and self-control before one can tread the path, whereas Bhakti, the path of devotion, is easy because purity and self-control will come of their own accord when a man begins to love God.
4. Bhakti or Love of God should take precedence not only over knowledge, but also over good works. Social service is necessary and good, but it should be a part of the divine service.

Bhavan's Journal,May 15, 2022∎ 21