Swamiji advises on preparing to die. Talk Excerpts 195.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

[After hearing of the passing away of a devotee] Swamiji said: Time is short. We must make a five year spiritual plan. Old people should mentally and spiritually prepare to leave the body gracefully.

Kali Yuga is the greatest challenge because it is so hard to live a righteous life. In *Satya Yuga people live a righteous life anyway.

*[Site admin note: Swamiji reminded us that Swami Vivekananda said that with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna, it heralded the beginning of the Satya Yuga. These yugas have long transition times, they don’t switch immediately from one to the other. But the shift has begun.]

Devotee: In the Ramayana it tells how Lord Rama shot Bali [or Vali – king of the Vanaras – a race of forest-dwellers often depicted as monkeys] in the back . . .

Swamiji: Yes, so that his karma could be fulfilled.

Sri Sarada Devi did not often go to Sri Ramakrishna’s room, perhaps once in 2 months.

Christmas is a family birthday – that means all relatives [should] meet in love. But Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Christ have a different category of love. Their light is not limited by human concept. The light of God lights the path – it spreads love and light all around. Thus man becomes aware of the light.

When man turns away from this light, towards darkness he must control his mind, heart and soul. But man’s heart is limited.

The free-to-read, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE.

These recordings were made from the 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.

The visual in today’s post is borrowed with gratitude from HERE.