@@spiritualseeker. Swami I think was mainly trying to counter the OVEREMPHASIS people put on vegetarian food; because just as people say "you can't be spiritual without eating only veg" they equally start saying "women cant go to temple on this day or that etc etc"; just to change their mindset. Practically I think sattvic food does translate to veg ..... but i dont know that much

June 2, 1915. There was a reading of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Turiyananda remarked: “He who places too much emphasis upon diet is a fanatic. As one grows spiritually, one overcomes this tendency. Is our Lord only the Lord of the Hindus? “God and mammon cannot be served at the same time. Those who try to compromise are still very much attached to the world. If you want to realize God, renounce all worldliness. “Why should you care about public opinion? Good people never criticize others. It is only the wicked who speak ill of their fellow men. Ignore them! The idea of doing good to other people! First help yourself! The illumined souls alone are the true benefactors of this world. They know what is good for mankind. Having attained knowledge, they work for others. “You must rub your hands with oil before you break open the jackfruit.” June 3, 1915. There was a reading of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Turiyananda observed: “The study of the scriptures is important. It engages the mind in holy thoughts. But in a higher state even study is a distraction. When you are established in contemplation, it is best to let the mind be absorbed in a single ideal. At one time, when I was staying in the Himalayas, I used to study the Upanishads for eighteen to nineteen hours a day and to meditate on their truth. Through the grace of the Upanishads I had revelations. “At the Baranagore Monastery we used to study scriptures and philosophy a lot. Swami Abhedananda particularly engaged himself in much study. Swamiji did too and also meditated many hours. We all practiced great austerities. Sri Ramakrishna made us do it. Then we attained the bliss of liberation while living through the Master’s grace. Free as the air we have lived-depending on none, feeling no lack, without cravings, fearless! Yes, we know the joy of liberation! We used to wander from place to place, depending entirely on the Lord. We would beg for alms when we were very hungry. Wherever it got dark we made our home. What freedom!” June 7, 1915. SWAMI TURIYANANDA: “A modern commentator on the Vedanta Sutras has made the remark that liberation cannot be attained by worshipping the personal aspect of God, that such worshipers after death only go to higher planes of existence. To realize one’s true nature is to attain liberation. Certainly this realization also comes to the devotees of the personal aspect of God whenever they wish to erase their sense of individuality. However, although they realize their union with the Chosen Ideal, they usually prefer to keep a sense of separation and live as servants of the Lord in order to taste his bliss. God reveals himself to his devotees both as personal and impersonal. Look at our Master. He attained everything by worshipping God as personal. He used to say, ‘He who has perfected himself by worshipping the Lord in one aspect knows all his aspects.’ “You must struggle to meditate and to become deeply absorbed in Him. Try to develop intense devotion to God throughout your life. “You have to admit this truth: As long as you have physical consciousness, the Lord is the master and you are his servant. When you think of yourself as an individual soul, you are a part of Him. And when you realize that you are the Atman, the Self, you are He. In that state there is no sense of ego.” There was a reading of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Shivananda remarked: “Ah, those days at Dakshineswar were like heaven itself!” He continued with a description of Sri Ramakrishna‘s daily life: “From morning till one in the afternoon everyone was busy picking flowers and making other preparations for worship until the poor were fed. In the meantime, Sri Ramakrishna would discuss spiritual subjects and the devotees listened to him with rapt attention. Even fun and jokes were related to God. There was no other topic. Everything culminated in his samadhi [transcendental state of consciousness]. After lunch, Sri Ramakrishna used to rest for a short while. Then again he spoke on spiritual matters. At vesper time he used to go to the temple of Mother Kali and fan her a little. He would become God-intoxicated and return to his room reeling in a state of ecstasy. He used to ask us, who were practicing spiritual disciplines under his guidance, ‘Tell me, do you feel divine inebriation when you mediate mornings and evenings?’ At night, Sri Ramakrishna slept very little. He used to get up and wake those who were sleeping in his room, saying, ‘Don’t sleep too much! Wake up and meditate!’ Again he would lie down a short while, then rise before dawn and chant the sweet name of the Lord. The others would sit and meditate in their own ways. “May your hearts be filled with devotion for our Lord."

Same concern