"When the steady chitta becomes void of matter and form, the Lord in it appears as formless, but it is not the last truth. Beyond the endless formless is experienced the pleasing form, it is not illusive, it is the eternal, living truth, which is seen very rarely by the very rare ones, who are the liberated

ones---stationed according to their status. The stage above this cannot be explained or understood.

Many imagine that the yogis in samadhi cannot experience anything, thus there is no anand in it, but the truth is that the spiritual anand which they receive cannot be compared to anything of this world.

Worship of the form is done in many ways. Many forms present themselves to the perfected sadhakas and later they get worshipped by the people, making the act of worship easier for them. We should know that these are not just imaginations, the yogis experience these forms during their meditation. Yet worshipping just for namesake, it all seems lifeless. This is not due to the fault in the image, but it depends on the sadhak's sentiment. By forgetful worship these lifeless staues are initated by pran or life and at times sadhaks can get gratified by devotion to them. Repetition of sacred words and mantras, meditating on the form of the statue, singing hymns and praises."

"One day, Ramakrishna went into one of the Shiva Temples and began to recite a hymn in praise of Shiva which is known as the Mahimna-stotra:

"With the blue mountain for Her ink,

With a branch of the heaven-tree for Her pen,

With all earth for Her writing -leaf,

Let the Goddess Sarada decsribe your greatness--

She could not--though She wrote forever."

Having reached the end of this stanza, Ramakrishna was overcome with emotion.

Tears poured down his cheeks and fell upon his clothing. "Oh Great Lord", he kept exclamining, "how can I express Your glory?". The temple-servants gathered around him, laughing and joking:"He's even crazier than usual, today. Another minute, and he'll be riding on Shiva's shoulders!"

Then Mathur appeared on the scene. One of the by standers respectfully suggested to him that Ramakrishna had better be removed before he misbehaved himself in some manner; he was standing dangerously close to the linga. "Touch him-----" said Mathur, with an exaggerated ferocity which was characteristic of him, "if you don't value your head!" Ramakrishna, needless to say, was left undisturbed.

After a little while, he regained outward consciousness. Seeing Mathur and the others standing around him he seemed afraid, and asked guiltily, "Did I do anything wrong?"

"Oh no" said Mathur, "You were just reciting a hymn. I came here to see that no one interrupted you."