GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
being served and the Bhagavan became a little impatient like a child. Surendra, the host, was a beloved disciple of the Lord. The Bhagavan said: Surendra's disposition has grown admirable. He is very generous; those who go to him for help never come away dis- appointed. Then he is very outspoken. He is bold enough to speak the truth. In this age truthfulness is the best of all ascetic practices. He who is firm in truthful- ness attains to God. Lack of truth-Truthfulness. fulness destroys all virtue, For this reason, when I say anything even inadvertently, such as, "I shall go there. I shall do that," I must go, because I have said it. I may lose my firmness in truthfulness if I do not keep my word to the very letter. Openness as opposed to dissimulation is the fruit of the practice of many religious austerities in one's previous incarnations. In a well-known song by Tulsi Das[1] it is said: "Give up dissimulation and
- ↑ Tulsi Das was a great Hindu poet who lived between 1544 and 1624 A.D. He was a devoted worshipper of Rama. His Hindi poem, "Ramayana," or history of Rama, as well as Proverbs and other verses, are to this day household words in every town and rural district where the Hindi lan-
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