The Master was standing on the western verandah of his room, looking at the Ganga. As I walked up to him, he said: "What? You ran away from your office? That is not good. Live in this world like a crocodile. It lives under water, but sometimes it raises its snout above water, takes a deep breath, and again dives below the surface. People are submerged in their worldly life and they come here only when they are suffocating at home. Does anybody tread the path of religion without first undergoing sorrows and sufferings? Misery has a great value. It helps a person find the path to God."
The Master continued: "I know you are married. Do you have a mother?"
'Yes, my mother is still alive," I replied. He was silent for some time, and then he said: "All right, now stay at home. A little misery is good. It helps one to make progress in spiritual life. If there were no misery, would anyone chant the Lord's name?"
From the book 'Ramakrishna as we saw him' By Swami Chetanananda, Advaita Ashrama)
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