Once When Sri Ramakrishna was lying ill at Cossipore, a few devotees brought some offerings for Mother Kali of Dakshineshwar Temple. On hearing that the Master was at Cossipore, they offered all the things they had brought before a picture of the Master, and then partook of the prasada. On hearing about this Sri Ramakrishna remarked, “All these things were brought for the great Mother of the universe. And they have offered them all here (meaning himself)!” The Master was referring to this incident again and again. Afterwards at a late hour in the night he said to me, “You will see how in course of time I will be worshipped in every house. You will see everyone accepting this (meaning himself). This is surely going to happen.”
(p.62, The Gospel of the Holy Mother, Mother’s words on 19 September 1918)
One should learn the essence of the scriptures from the guru and then practice sadhana. If one rightly follows spiritual discipline, then one directly sees God. The discipline is said to be rightly followed only when one plunges in. What will a man gain by merely reasoning about the words of the scriptures? They reason themselves into death over information about the path. They never take the plunge. What a pity!
(p.543, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, The Master’s advice to devotees on 19 September 1884)