Ramakrishna Ashrama Penang

To love only members of the BrAmho SamAj or of one's own family is mAyA; to love one's own countrymen is mAyA. But to love the people of all countries, to love the members of all religions, is dayA. Such love comes from love of God, from dayA."

"MAyA is nothing but 'woman and gold'. A man living in its midst gradually loses his spiritualalertness. He thinks all is well with him. The scavenger carries a tub of night-soil on his head,and in course of time loses his repulsion to it. One gradually acquires love of God through the practice of chanting God's name and glories."

"Remember that dayA, compassion, and mAyA, attachment, are two different things. Attachment means the feeling of 'my-ness' towards one's relatives. Compassion is the love one feels for all beings of the world. It is an attitude of equality. MAyA also comes from God. Through mAyA, God makes one serve one's relatives. But one thing should be remembered: mAyA keeps us in ignorance and entangles us in the world, whereas dayA makes our hearts pure and gradually unties our bonds."

"How is it ever possible for one man to liberate another from the bondage of the world? God alone,the Creator of this world-bewitching mAyA, can save men from mAyA. There is no other refuge but that great teacher, SatchidAnanda [existance-knowledge-bliss]. How is it ever possible for men who have not realized God or received His command, and who are not strengthened with divine strength,to save others from the prison-house of the world?"