Gold

Totapuri was a monk who was able to achieve oneness with God after forty years of rigorous penance. He took Gadadhar as his disciple and named him Ramakrishna Paramhans. He placed a piece of glass on his forehead and asked him to concentrate on it. Ramakrishna attained success in three days.

One day Ramakrishna told Totapuri that there was no need for routine rituals and meditation, once self-realization was achieved. Totapuri pointing to a brass jug explained, “This jug remains lusterous because I clean and polish it every day. By study and meditation one must keep one’s mind lusterous.

Ramakrishna observed, “What you say has to be believed; But if the jug is of gold why do you need to polish it?” Totapuri smiled and said, “Yes, I agree, but in this world there is only one jug of gold and that is you.”