GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
IV
One evening Sri Ramakrishna was attended by His faithful servants Sashi (Ramakrishna- Meaning of His illness. nanda) and Kali (Abhedananda), who were waiting upon Him. The Bha- gavan opened His mouth and inspired them by- saying: The illness of my body is caused by the sins of those who come and touch my feet. I purify the sinners by taking their sins upon myself and suffering for them. He who was Rama, who was Krishna, Buddha, Christ and Chaitanya has now become Ramakrishna. Blessed are those who know this truth. My Divine Mother has shown me that the photo- graph of this body will be kept upon altars and be worshipped in different houses as the pic- tures of other Avataras are worshipped. My Divine Mother has also shown me that I shall have to come back again and that my next incarnation will be in the West.
v
Narendra (Vivekananda) had extreme long- ing for the realization of Brahman the Abso- lute. One day Bhagavan Ramakrishna, ad- dressing Narendra in the presence of other
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