Ascertaining what is right and what is wrong is a great dilemma in human life. Sometimes people try to hide their mistakes by keeping quiet, concealing the truth, philosophizing and excusing improper conduct, or arguing to defend their actions. This is the nature of weak people. That person is truly great who does not hesitate to confess a mistake and tries to correct it immediately. Sometimes students do not see their own mistakes, so a real teacher always comes forward to correct them.
Kali was serving his guru, Sri Ramakrishna, during his last illness at the Cossipore garden house. There were two ponds in the compound, stocked with plenty of fish. Kali was a good angler. One day he caught some fish, and news of this reached the Master. In the evening when Kali was serving him, the Master asked, “Is it true that you have been catching many fish with a fishing rod?” “Yes, sir.” The Master said, “It is a sin to catch fish with a fishing rod, for thereby living beings are killed.”
In defense Kali quoted from the Gita: “He who thinks that the Self is the slayer as well as he who thinks that the Self is slain is ignorant, for the Self neither slays nor is slain” (2.19). He further added, “So why should it be a sin to catch fish?”
Ramakrishna smiled and tried to make Kali understand through various arguments. He said, “When a person attains true knowledge, he does not take a false step.” Suddenly the Master began coughing and there was a trace of blood in his sputum. Frightened by this, Kali told him: “Sir, talking will aggravate your cancer. Please do not talk anymore.” But the Master said: “I consider you to be one of the most intelligent of the boys. You will understand if you meditate on what I have said.”
According to Ramakrishna’s instructions, Kali meditated for three days and realized the meaning behind his statement. He went to the Master and said: “Sir, I have now realized why it is wrong to catch fish. I shall not do it again. Please forgive me.” The Master was very pleased to hear this. He said: “It is deceitful to catch fish in this way. Hiding a hook inside bait and hiding poison in food offered to an invited guest are sins of the same kind.” Kali humbly accepted what the Master said and felt his infinite compassion. Ramakrishna continued: “It is true that the Atman does not die nor is It killed. But he who has realized this truth is the Atman himself, so why should he have the tendency to kill others? As long as the tendency to kill remains, he is not identified with the Atman nor does he have any Self-knowledge. That is why I say that when one attains true knowledge one does not take any false step. You should realize that the Atman is beyond the body, the sense organs, the mind, and the intellect, and that It is the witness of phenomena.” The Master’s words penetrated Kali’s heart and he realized the truth. (Source: God Lived with Them)