All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. One should not think, My religion alone is the right path and other religions are false. I had to practise each religion for a time Hinduism, Islam, Christianity. Infinite are the paths and infinite the opinions. Sri Ramakrishna In Thakur : A Life of Sri Ramakrishna Rajiv Mehrotra explores the challenge and the riddle presented by the great mystic who, more than a century after his death, continues to dominate secular Hindu consciousness. Sri Ramakrishna brought a new vitality not only to the practices, rituals and symbols of the Hindu heritage but also to the celebration of divinity in diverse forms, and reinforced the underlying possibility of a real harmony between all religions. It is this vision that makes him one of the great religious teachers of all time and so profoundly relevant today. Drawn by his cheerful and buoyant enthusiasm and his practical approach towards spirituality, disciples came from all levels of society and from all professions to this unlettered man of God. To those who became his disciples, Thakur, the Master, was a friend and teacher who broadened their spiritual horizons, kindling in them a deep yearning for God. He nurtured them through their personal spiritual journeys, building on their individual temperaments and abilities. Even though Sri Ramakrishna lived a transparent life, with his spiritual evolution, sadhanas and practices documented in detail, he has, in many ways, eluded understanding. He does not fit ordinary categories, and his ineffable charisma and the utter devotion that he commanded from his followers has remained somewhat of a mystery to the uninitiated. This illuminating and intimate biography reveals the boundless power and magnetism of Sri Ramakrishna, as well as the Order that was inspired by his spiritual quest.