Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Sri Ramakrishna on Suicide

A devotee: "I am frightened to hear of the suicide."

Sri Ramakrishna: "Suicide is a heinous sin, undoubtedly. A man who kills himself must return again and again to this world and suffer its agony.

"But I don't call it suicide if a person leaves his body after having the vision of God. There is no harm in giving up one's body that way. After attaining Knowledge some people give up their bodies. After the gold image has been cast in the clay mould, you may either preserve the mould or break it.

"Many years ago a young man of about twenty used to come to the temple garden from Baranagore: his name was Gopal Sen. In my presence he used to experience such intense ecstasy that Hridav had to support him for fear he might fall to the ground and break his limbs. That young man touched my feet one day and said: 'Sir. I shall not be able to see you any more. Let me bid you good-bye.' A few days later I learnt that he had given up his body.

Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

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