They Lived with God: Life Stories of Some Devotees of Sri Ramakrishna

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How did Ramakrishna’s aptitude for mystic experience translate into the lives of the ordinary man and women he inspired? The 31+ devotees in They Lived with God had to face addiction, abusive husbands, disobedient children, indifferent or hostile relatives, bereavements, and spiritual doubts and misgivings. Particular attention is paid to the way they faced death. Their failures and triumphs are entertaining, practical examples for anyone seeking to work and live with an awareness of God’s abiding presence. The revised second edition has been enlarged to include three new biographies; Bhavanath Chattopadhyay, Narendra Nath Mitra, and Tejchandra Mitra.REVIEWS In an age so secular that many talk of God’s death, it is important to have these detailed accounts of individuals who not only experienced God as alive, but who came to new life through that experience. Huston Smith, author of The World’s Religions What would it be like to live with one of the greatest saints of all time? Would you be completely transformed? Or would you fight it tooth and nail? This incredibly fascinating and important book reveals how ordinary men and women, people like you and me, responded to the challenge posed by a holy man who transparently embodied pure spirit. Linda Johnsen, author of Daughters of the Goddess:The Women Saints of India . . . never before has the immensely vivid background to Ramakrishna’s life been so apparent as in this beautiful book, which describes in rich detail for the first time, the stories of his lay devotees.. . . It is salutary to discover how thoroughly the lives of ordinary Indian people were – and to a considerable extent still are – permeated by the profound spirituality of Hinduism, which gave their existence dignity and a sense of real meaning. One can clearly see from the courageous examples set by these householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna that it is essential for us to continue to live in the world as they did – but with a fresh spirit of dedication to God. Science of Thought Review