Devotees would often seek Sri Ramakrishna’s advice as to how to live in the world. They would also want to know the reasons for their worldly attachments and the sufferings. Sri Ramakrishna would advise them using a beautiful example. Once, a very worldly-minded person was going through a street. He noticed that a theatrical performance was going on and wanted to see it. But, being so attached to money, he didn’t want to pay for it.
He looked inside and noticed that a collection was being made. He knew that if he enters inside he would also have to pay. So he quickly slipped away. Later he saw a lot of people crowded into a building for another performance and enquired if any collection was being undertaken there. When told that there was none, he pushed himself through the crowd, found a good seat in the mid of the hall, sat down twirling his moustache and enjoyed the show. Such is the power of the attachment of worldly-minded for money. Sri Ramakrishna would say that only this terrible attachment for money and enjoyment is causing all the problems to the people leading the life of a householder.
He would advise them that it is not wrong to earn money, but such earnings should be through rightful means and also it is not proper to hoard such wealth. The money so earned should not only be spent for oneself and one’s family, but part of it should also go for charities.
He would say that a boat may stay in water and it would be able to float. But, if water enters into the boat, it would be drowned.
Similarly, we can live in the samsara or the world, but if samsara or worldliness enters into a person, he is bound to be drowned in misery and unhappiness. One should learn to live in the world like the drops of water on a lotus leaf.