GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
The sweeper, if the dead man be not his rela- tion, will exclaim unconcernedly: "Is that so? Is he dead? He was a good man. I am sorry"; but he goes on sweeping. If, however he hears of the death of a dear relative, he is so stunned that the broom drops from his hand and he sinks to the ground crying out, "God help me!" At this time his breath stops, his mind is fixed upon his grief and he cannot think of anything else. Again, have you not seen among women how, when one of them is struck with wonder either by seeing or hearing something unexpectedly, her breath will stop, her mind become fixed and the body remain so motionless that the other women will exclaim: "What is the matter? Have you lost your senses?" At the time of true meditation the body and senses become absolutely still like a piece of wood. When I first saw Keshab Sen Meditation. in the Adi (original) Brahmo-Samaj, I saw him sitting in meditation with other mem- bers; his mind was entirely withdrawn from the external world and his body was perfectly motionless like a wooden stump; then I said to Mathura Babu: "This man has hooked the fish." Meditation is possible even with eyes wide open,
276
