Sri RamaKrishna about reading many books

Girish (to the Bhagavan RamaKrishna): I never paid attention to my studies in my boyhood.How is it, Revered Sir,that people insist on calling me learned?

Ramakrishna: Do you know what I think about learning and the reading of the Scriptures? Books and Sacred Scriptures all point the way to God. Once you know the way, what's the use of books? Now the time comes for devotional practices in solitude.

A person had received a letter in which he was asked to send certain articles to his kinsmen. He was about to order the purchase of those things, when, looking for the letter, he found it was missing. He searched for a long time. His people also joined him in his search. At last the letter was found and his joy knew no bounds. With great eagerness he took it up and went through its contents. But after knowing what things were wanted, he threw the letter aside and set forth to collect the desired articles.

How long does one care for such a letter? So long as one does not know its contents. The next step is to put forth one's effort to procure the things. Similarly the Sacred Books only tell us the means for the realization of God. Having once known them, you should struggle hard to acquire them and reach the goal.

What is the use of mere book-learning? A pandit may know many sacred texts and sciences, but if his mind is attached to the world, if he enjoys the pleasures of the senses, he has not realized the spirit of the Scriptures; he has studied them in vain.

Source: The Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/gork/gork15.htm

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