These words spoken by Sri Ramakrishna on the nature of a true teacher, so fittingly describe the master himself. One of the greatest spiritual leaders of all times, Sri Ramakrishna stands unparalleled among the great men who came down to earth in the last two hundred years.

Sri Ramakrishna was born on 18th February, 1836 in a small village near Calcutta, in the eastern part of India. Born in an extremely devout Hindu family,Gadadhar, as he was called showed signs of the greatness even in his early days.

He was a very healthy boy and highly independent. He also mastered the Hindu epics at an early age and staged plays based on the epics. But what probably pointed to his spirituality was the fact that Gadadhar had a penchant for mixing with ascetics and was frequently seen talking with them on spiritual matters.

As a youth of seventeen years he was given the job of priest of a Kali temple in Calcutta. And during this period his longing for god became intense and almost unbearable. So great was his longing to see god, that unable to bear the agony of an existence without god, he almost tried to commit to suicide. And then suddenly he had the vision of God.

Between 1862 and 1872 Sri Ramakrishna plunged into intense spiritual practices. One after the other, he went through the spiritual disciplines of various sects of Hinduism, Islam and then Christianity. He had the vision of The Truth though each one of these paths. As the crowning glory of his spiritual practices, he worshipped his wife wife as the Divine mother.

He began teaching from 1872. Many people-young and old alike came to listen to him attracted by the 'spiritual fragrance ' of the master. Sri Ramakrishna was a true example of a man who practised what he preached. Humble to the core, simple in life, he was love personified. So simple was his language, so sweet his similes, that even the unlettered could grasp what he was saying easily. Many great men benefitted from Sri Ramakrishna. The most well known of his students was Swami Vivekananda.

Sri Ramakrishna left his human body on August 16, 1886.

Sri Ramakrishna taught that God or Reality is one. And that One is called by different names by different religions and different cultures. Man's basic aim in life should be to reach that reality. There are different paths - the path of knowledge , or the path of love. Despite whichever path you take, if you are sincere you will reach God.