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THE LAMB, THE HERO, AND THE MAN-GOD his Śakti, pronounced in the inner chamber of their divinely blissful abode, on the summit of the sacred mountain Kailāsa.
Neither the saintly nor the gentlemanly Hindu of today, however, favors the boldness of this heroic view. Instead, the attitude formerly assigned to the pašu is recommended for all, that namely of worshiping the life force (sakti) not as the Bride but as the Mother, and thus submitting, like a child, to a sort of sacramental castration. "The attitude of a hero,'” said Rāmakrishna to one of the most worldly of his devotees, Girish Chandra Ghosh, a successful dramatist and the director of the Calcutta "Star Theatre": "The attitude of a 'hero' is not good. Some people cherish it. They regard themselves as Puruşa and woman as Prakrti; they want to propitiate woman tlırough their intercourse with her. But this method often causes disaster."
Girish: "At one time I too cherished that idea.” Śli Ramakrishna gazed at Girish pensively, in silence.
GIRISH: "I still have that twist in my mind. Tell me what I should do."
RĀMAKRISHNA (following a moment of silent consideration): “Give God your power of attorney. Let Him do whatever He likes.”
Abruptly, the conversation was then turned to a discussion of Rāmakrishna's younger devotees.
RĀMAKRISHNA (to Girish and the rest): “In meditation 1 sce the inner traits of these youngsters. They have no thought of acquiring house and property. They do not crave sex pleasure. Those of the youngsters who are married do not sleep with their wives. The truth is that unless a man has got rid of rajas and has acquired sattva, he cannot steadily dwell in God; he cannot love God and realize Him."
GIRISH: "You have blessed me."
RĀMAKRISHNA: “How is that? I said that you would succeed if you were sincere." Before Girish could respond, Sri Ramakrishna cried, with a
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