Chapter (অধ্যায়): I-XXIX (From the Diary of a Disciple) PAGE-113Page: 113 of 526
the saint sees the Self in all beings and in that consciousness devotes himself to service, so that any Karma that was yet left to be worked out through the body may exhaust itself. It is this state which has been described by the authors of the Shastras (scriptures) as Jivanmukti, "Freedom while living".
Disciple: So after all it comes about, sir, that unless this state of Jivanmukti is attained, work for the sake of others can never be pursued in the truest sense of the term.
Swamiji: Yes, that is what the Shastras say, but they also say that work or service for the good of others leads to this state of Jivanmukti. Otherwise there would be no need on the part of the Shastras to teach a separate path of religious practice, called the Karma-Yoga.
The disciple now understood the point and became silent, and Swamiji giving up the point commenced rendering in a voice of superhuman sweetness the song composed by Babu Girish Chandra Ghosh to commemorate Shri Ramakrishna's Nativity, and beginning:
"Who art Thou lying on the lap of the poor Brahmin matron."
II
[Place: The rented Math premises at Belur. Year: 1898.]
Today Swamiji is to perform a sacrifice and install Shri Ramakrishna on the site of the new Math. The disciple has been staying at the Math since the night before, with a view to witnessing the installation ceremony.
In the morning Swamiji had his bath in the Ganga and entered the worship-room. Then he made offerings to the sacred Padukas (slippers) of Shri Ramakrishna and fell to meditation.
Meditation and worship over, preparations were now