Tales From Ramakrishna

WHEN SRI RAMAKRISHNA was teaching people he often used to tell them stories to help them grasp his point. He loved telling these stories and at that time his room would be filled with joy and laughter, for the people around him naturally enjoyed the stories as much as he did.

Here in this book we offer you some of the stories that Sri Ramakrishna told on those occasions. You will enjoy them. These tales are rather like lozenges because they are enjoyed equally by grand-pa and by children. Grown-ups enjoy them as good stories, and they also enjoy the inner teaching. Children enjoy them as good stories, teaching or no teaching. But children grow older, and as they grow the stories grow with them. And then one day, like a jack-in-the-box, out comes suddenly the hidden teaching What a delightful surprise! So these tales never lose their charm.

When Irene Ray and Mallika Clare Gupta were retelling these tales they simply forgot all about the grown-ups; but they did not forget for a moment the bubbling children peeping over their shoulders. That is why the tales in this book taste so good.

Every book of tales must have pictures. In this book the artist Biswaranjan Chakravarty painted all the pictures and the attractive cover and then added the decorative friezes. All these together give the book life and beauty. You will see, for example, how Jatila's big brother Madhusudan just comes out of the page to meet you. He touches your heart so deeply that you will never forget him.

The publisher's thanks So, then, to the writers and to the artist. But that is not the .end of the story for him. He is eagerly looking forward to the sight of bright young faces lit up with joy when the book is in their hands. But what about grand-pa's lozenge ? Oh yes, grand-pa and all grown-ups are also going to enjoy this delightful book.