As quoted in an interview with Sudha Chandran, Gulf Today/Panorama, November 24, 2000
“A young plant should always be protected against goats and cows and the mischief of little urchins, by means of a fence. But when it becomes a big tree, a flock of goats or a herd of cows can freely find shelter under its spreading boughs and fill their stomachs with their leaves. So when your faith is yet in its infancy, you should protect it from the evil influences of bad company. But when you grow strong in faith, no worldliness or evil inclination will dare approach your holy presence; and many who are wicked will become godly through their holy contact with you.”
Source: Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna (1960), p. 387
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Ramakrishna 142
Indian mystic and religious preacher 1836–1886Related quotes
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Woodman, spare that Tree! (1830), reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).