Aspirant. the young monkey, and the kitten :

It is no doubt necessary to practise spiritual discipline; but there are two kinds of aspirants.

The nature of the one kind is like that of the young monkey, and the nature of the other kind is like that of the kitten.

The young monkey, with great exertion, somehow clings to its mother.

Likewise, there are some aspirants who think that in order to realize God they must repeat His name a certain number of times, meditate on Him for a certain period, and practise a certain amount of austerity.

An aspirant of this kind makes his own efforts to catch hold of God.

But the kitten, of itself, cannot cling to its mother. It lies on the ground and cries, 'Mew, mew!' It leaves everything to its mother.

The mother cat sometimes puts it on a bed, sometimes on the roof behind a pile of wood.

She carries the kitten in her mouth hither and thither.

The kitten doesn't know how to cling to the mother.

Likewise, there are some aspirants who cannot practise spiritual discipline by calculating about japa or the period of meditation.

All that they do is cry to God with yearning hearts.

God hears their cry and cannot keep Himself away.

He reveals Himself to them.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna