By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to narrate a parable to explain how strong our yearning for God needs to be. He spoke of a disciple who used to repeatedly ask his teacher, "Sir, please tell me how I can see God." After a few days of being repeatedly pestered by the disciple, the Guru told him, "Come with me,and I shall show you." He took, the disciple to a Lake, and both of them got into the water. Suddenly the teacher pressed the disciple's head under the water. After a few moments he released him and the disciple raised his head and stood up. The Guru asked him, "How did you feel?" The disciple said, “Oh! I thought I would die; I was panting for breath and all that I could think of was to find air to breathe and live”. The teacher said, "When you feel like that for God, then you will know him/her.”
