Divine Messages - 126 : The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by 'M'ahendranath Gupta - Seeing God in Everything

Extracts from the book “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna” by ‘M’ahendranath Gupta (conversations between Sri Ramakrishna, the Master, and his disciples / devotees)

Seeing God in Everything

"There was a monastery in a certain place. The monks residing there went out daily to beg their food. One day a monk, while out for his alms, saw a landlord beating a man mercilessly. The compassionate monk stepped in and asked the landlord to stop.  But the landlord was filled with anger and turned his wrath against the innocent monk. He beat the monk till he fell unconscious on the ground.  Someone reported the matter to the monastery.  The monks ran to the spot and found their brother lying there. Four or five of them carried him back and laid him on a bed. He was still unconscious. The other monks sat around him sad at heart; some were fanning him. Finally someone suggested that he should be given a little milk to drink. When it was poured into his mouth he regained consciousness.  He opened his eyes and looked around. One of the monks said, 'Let us see whether he is fully conscious and can recognize us.' Shouting into his ear, he said, 'Revered sir, who is giving you milk?' 'Brother,' replied the holy man in a low voice, 'He who beat me is now giving me milk.'"

Parable of the two friends

"'As is a man's feeling of love, so is his gain.' Once two friends were going along the street, when they saw some people listening to a reading of the Bhagavata.  'Come, friend', said the one to the other. 'Let us hear the sacred book.' So saying he went in and sat down.  The second man peeped in and went away. He entered a house of ill fame. But very soon he felt disgusted with the place. 'Shame on me!' he said to himself. 'My friend has been listening to the sacred word of Hari; and see where I am!' But the friend who had been listening to the Bhagavata also became disgusted. 'What a fool I am!' he said. 'I have been listening to this fellow's blah-blah, and my friend is having a grand time.' In course of time they both died. The messenger of Death came for the soul of the one who had listened to the Bhagavata and dragged it off to hell. The messenger of God came for the soul of the one who had been to the house of prostitution and led it up to heaven."

"Verily, the Lord looks into a man's heart and does not judge him by what he does or where he lives.  'Krishna accepts a devotee's inner feeling of love.'"

"In the Kartabhaja sect, the teacher, while giving initiation, says to the disciple, 'Now everything depends on your mind.' According to this sect, 'He who has the right mind find the right way and also achieves the right end.' It was through the power of his mind that Hanuman leapt over the sea.  'I am the servant of Rāma; I have repeated the holy name of Rāma.  Is there anything impossible for me?'-that was Hanuman's faith."

"Ignorance lasts as long as one has ego.  There can be no liberation so long as the ego remains.  'O God, Thou art the Doer and not I'-that is knowledge."

"By being lowly one can rise high.  The chatak bird makes its nest on low ground, but it soars very high in the sky.  Cultivation is not possible on high land; in low land water accumulates and makes cultivation possible."

"One must take the trouble to seek the company of holy persons.  In his own home a man hears only worldly talk; the disease of worldliness has become chronic with him.  The caged parrot sitting on its perch repeats, 'Rāma! Rāma!' But let it fly to the forest and it will squawk in its usual way."

"Mere possession of money doesn't make a nobleman.  One sign of the mansion of a nobleman is that all the rooms are lighted.  The poor cannot afford much oil, and consequently cannot have so many lights.  This shrine of the body should not be left dark; one should illumine it with the lamp of Wisdom.  Lighting the lamp of knowledge in the chamber of your heart, Behold the face of the Mother, Brahman's Embodiment."

"Everyone can attain Knowledge.  There are two entities: Jivatma, the individual soul, and Paramatma, the Supreme Soul.  Through prayer all individual souls can be united to the Supreme Soul.  Every house has a connection for gas, and gas can be obtained from the main storage-tank of the Gas Company.  Apply to the Company, and it will arrange for your supply of gas.  Then your house will be lighted."

"In some people spiritual consciousness has already been awakened; but they have special marks.  They do not enjoy hearing or talking about anything but God. They are like the chatak, which prays for rain-water though the seven oceans, the Ganges, the Jamuna, and the rivers near it are all filled with water.  It won't drink anything but rain-water, even though its throat is burning with thirst."

Sri Ramakrishna Web Site – belurmath.org

Divine Messages - 125 : The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by 'M'ahendranath Gupta - Renunciation

Extracts from the book “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna” by ‘M’ahendranath Gupta (conversations between Sri Ramakrishna, the Master, and his disciples / devotees)

Bondage removed by strong renunciation

VIJAY: "What must the bound soul's condition of mind be in order to achieve liberation?"

MASTER: "He can free himself from attachment to 'woman and gold' if, by the grace of God, he cultivates a spirit of strong renunciation.  What is this strong renunciation? One who has only a mild spirit of renunciation says, 'Well, all will happen in the course of time; let me now simply repeat the name of God.' But a man possessed of a strong spirit of renunciation feels restless for God, as the mother feels for her own child.  A man of strong renunciation seeks nothing but God.  He regards the world as a deep well and feels as if he were going to be drowned in it.  He looks on his relatives as venomous snakes; he wants to fly away from them.  And he does go away.  He never thinks, 'Let me first make some arrangement for my family and then I shall think of God.' He has great inward resolution."

Parable of the two farmers

"Let me tell you a story about strong renunciation.  At one time there was a drought in a certain part of the country.  The farmers began to cut long channels to bring water to their fields.  One farmer was stubbornly determined.  He took a vow that he would not stop digging until the channel connected his field with the river.  He set to work.  The time came for his bath, and his wife sent their daughter to him with oil.  'Father,' said the girl, 'it is already late.  Rub your body with oil and take your bath.' 'Go away!' thundered the farmer.  'I have too much to do now.' It was past midday, and the farmer was still at work in his field.  He didn't even think of his bath.  Then his wife came and said: 'Why haven't you taken your bath? The food is getting cold.  You overdo everything.  You can finish the rest tomorrow or even today after dinner.' The farmer scolded her furiously and ran at her, spade in hand, crying: 'What? Have you no sense? There's no rain.  The crops are dying.  What will the children eat? You'll all starve to death.  I have taken a vow not to think of bath and food today before I bring water to my field.' The wife saw his state of mind and ran away in fear.  Through a whole day's back-breaking labour the farmer managed by evening to connect his field with the river.  Then he sat down and watched the water flowing into his field with a murmuring sound.  His mind was filled with peace and joy.  He went home, called his wife, and said to her, 'Now give me some oil and prepare me a smoke.' With serene mind he finished his bath and meal, and retired to bed, where he snored to his heart's content.  The determination he showed is an example of strong renunciation."

"Now, there was another farmer who was also digging a channel to bring water to his field.  His wife, too, came to the field and said to him: 'It's very late.  Come home.  It isn't necessary to overdo things.' The farmer didn't protest much, but put aside his spade and said to his wife, 'Well, I'll go home since you ask me to.' (All laugh) That man never succeeded in irrigating his field.  This is a case of mild renunciation."

"As without strong determination the farmer cannot bring water to his field, so also without intense yearning a man cannot realize God."

Sri Ramakrishna Web Site – belurmath.org

Divine Messages - 124 : The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by 'M'ahendranath Gupta - Master Consoles A Bereaved Father

Extracts from the book “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna” by ‘M’ahendranath Gupta (conversations between Sri Ramakrishna, the Master, and his disciples / devotees)

Master consoles a bereaved father

Then he said: "What can you do? Be ready for Death.  Death has entered the house. You must fight him with the weapon of God's holy name. God alone is the Doer. I say: 'O Lord, I do as Thou doest through me. I speak as Thou speakest through me. I am the machine and Thou art the Operator. I am the house and Thou art the Indweller. I am the engine and Thou art the Engineer.' Give your power of attorney to God. One doesn't come to grief through letting a good man assume one's responsibilities. Let His will be done."

"But isn't your grief for your son only natural? The son is one's own self reborn. Lakshmana ran to Ravana when the latter fell dead on the battlefield. Looking at Ravana's body, he found that everyone of his bones was full of holes.  Thereupon he said to Rāma: 'O Rāma, glory be to Your arrows! There is no spot in Ravana's body that they have not pierced.' 'Brother,' replied Rāma, 'the holes you see in his bones are not from My arrows. Grief for his sons has pierced them through and through. These holes are the marks of his grief. It has penetrated his very bones.'"

"But house, wife, and children are all transitory; they have only a momentary existence. The palm-tree alone is real. One or two fruits have dropped off. Why lament?"

"God is engaged in three kinds of activity: creation, preservation, and destruction. Death is inevitable. All will be destroyed at the time of dissolution. Nothing will remain. At that time the Divine Mother will gather up the seeds for the future creation, even as the elderly mistress of the house keeps in her hotchpotch-pot little bags of cucumber seeds, 'sea-foam', blue pills, and other miscellaneous things. The Divine Mother will take Her seeds out again at the time of the new creation."

Sri Ramakrishna began to talk with Adhar on the verandah north of his room.

MASTER (to Adhar): "You are a deputy magistrate. Remember that you have obtained your position through the grace of God. Do not forget Him, but remember that all men must one day walk down the same path. We stay in the world only a couple of days."

"This world is our field of activity. We are born here to perform certain duties. People have their homes in the country but come to Calcutta to work."

"It is necessary to do a certain amount of work. This is a kind of discipline. But one must finish it speedily. While melting gold, the goldsmith uses everything-the bellows, the fan, and the pipe-so that he may have the hot fire he needs to melt the metal. After the melting is over, he relaxes and asks his attendant to prepare a smoke for him. All this time his face has been hot and perspiring; but now he can smoke."

"One must have stern determination; then alone is spiritual practice possible. One must make a firm resolve."

"There is great power in the seed of God's name. It destroys ignorance. A seed is tender, and the sprout soft; still it pierces the hard ground. The ground breaks and makes way for the sprout."

"The mind becomes very much distracted if one lives long in the midst of 'woman and gold'. Therefore one must be very careful. But monks do not have much to fear. The real sannyasi lives away from 'woman and gold'. Therefore through the practice of spiritual discipline he can always fix his mind on God."

"True sannyasis, those who are able to devote their minds constantly to God, are like bees, which light only on flowers and sip their honey. Those who live in the world, in the midst of 'woman and gold', may direct their attention to God; but sometimes their minds dwell also on 'woman and gold'. They are like common flies, which light on a piece of candy, then on a sore or filth."

"Always keep your mind fixed on God.  In the beginning you must struggle a little; later on you will enjoy your pension."

Sri Ramakrishna Web Site – belurmath.org

Divine Messages - 123 : Words of Wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani

Some words of wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani.

• There is a feast richer than any that a king can offer. It is the feast of love! Spread it wherever you go.
• When you are in love, you forget your own happiness: you only wish to make the loved one happy!
• Time is the richest treasure. So take care of every single moment. Spend it wisely and well.
• If we take care of minutes, the years will take care of themselves.
• Everything is passing. Thy Love, O Lord, is everlasting!
• The greatest loss is the loss of faith. Blessed is the man who, happen what may, lifts up his heart to God and declares: "I trust in Thee"!
• Do not lose heart, nor be awed by circumstances. You are not alone! The Lord is with you!
• Thou knowest everything, Beloved! Let Thy Will always be done! In joy and sorrow, my Beloved! Let Thy Will always be done
• Guide me, Lord, one day at a time. Thou alone knowest what is good for me. In Thy Wisdom and Love, I rest!
• The pathway to success is paved with failures.
• Every breath is valuable. Let us spend it on worthwhile pursuits.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission Web Site - sadhuvaswani.org

Divine Messages - 122 : Learn To Forgive Yourself

Learn To Forgive Yourself ! – Dada J P Vaswani - Appeared in Speaking Tree post on May 09, 2011

Many of us carry on our hearts, heavy loads of guilt which rob us of our peace of mind. No man is perfect. Everyone of us has done some wrongs in the past, near or remote. We must repent and, if possible, make amends. We must pray for wisdom and strength not to repeat the wrong and then forget about it.

A husband told me that he and his wife had lived very happily for over fifteen years. Suddenly, something – he knew not what – happened and the wife – became aloof, sad and depressed. At times, he would find her sitting in a silent corner, shedding tears. This, he said, had spoilt the atmosphere of the house. He had talked to his wife, but there was no response.

I met the wife privately and understood that she carried a guilt feeling on her mind. I told her that God is a great forgiver. He forgives: we must learn to accept his forgiveness and feel that we are forgiven. We must forgive ourselves!

She was a devotee of Sri Krishna. I said to her, “When you find that you are alone in the house, go and sit at the Lotus feet of Lord Krishna and actually describe to Him all that had happened. It will not do merely to tell Him, “Lord, You are the all – knowing One and already know whatever happened”. 

Actually recount, in detail, the things which you feel you should have done, then ask for forgiveness – and then, what is very important, forget all about it.”

“Will Sri Krishna forgive me all that I have done?” she asked

I said to her, “Krishna forgives sins: by His power, sins are taken away and we can be free!”

That is the promise of Sri Krishna. Does He not say in the Bhagavad Gita, “Come unto Me for single refuge, and I shall liberate you from all bondage to sin and suffering. Of this have no doubt!” She did as she was told. After some days, the couple met me again, and I rejoiced to find a radiant smile on the face of the wife. She said to me, “It is gone! It is gone!”

Many of us find it easy to forgive others but find it impossible to forgive ourselves. The Roman philosopher Cato, admits this when he says, “I can pardon everybody’s mistakes except my own.”

Yet learning to forgive oneself is one of the basic steps of cultivating the spirit of forgiveness for all. After all, if you cannot forgive yourself, how will you forgive others?

Forgiving ourself is essential for self – acceptance. This does not mean that we give up our moral or ethical standards and justify all our actions, both right and wrong. It only means that we learn to accept ourselves as we are, with our many shortcomings and a few merits. 

Sadhu Vaswani Mission Web Site - sadhuvaswani.org

Divine Messages - 121 : Words of Wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani

Some words of wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani.

• Let forgiveness be the law of your life
• Forgive even before forgiveness is asked
• This life we have received to serve others.
• Life is an adventure in friendship. Every person we meet let us make him a friend. There are no strangers: there are only friends-in-the-making.
• Love teaches us to speak little, to gaze much – gaze at the Beauty that is God!
• Surrender yourself to the Lord - and you will not have to worry about anything.
• Do not carry excess baggage. Forget unpleasant things that may have happened in the past
• You are the builder of your future, the creator of your destiny. Therefore, do not swerve from the path of truth!
• Thy sea is vast, my boat is frail, I trust in Thee and all is well!
• Rehem wara Rehem kar Rehem mein Nihaar - "O Merciful One, have mercy on me, keep me in Thy mercy."
• 'Krishna, tum ho toh kaahe mein chinta karoon' - Why need I worry when You are there, O Krishna...
• Be true to yourself! Therefore, speak your own language, not the language borrowed from others.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission Web Site - sadhuvaswani.org

Divine Messages - 120 : Words of Wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani

Some words of wisdom by Dada J P Vaswani.

·         Do your duty with compassion.

·         Love does not need to dominate; it only seeks to surrender.

·         Pray to God in any way that you like and in any language. He understands all languages, above all, the silent language of the heart.

·         Happiness has no permanent address; it dwells with those who live for others.

·         Expect the best; Be prepared for the worst and you will never be disappointed.

·         You first, I last - let this be the rule of the life of every satsangi brother and sister.

·         We realize the value of the moment only when the last moment arrives.

·         You may get the whole world, but if you lose your soul, you have gained nothing, you have lost everything.

·         Would you be perfect? Then spend everyday of your life as though it were your last.

·         The journey is long and arduous. But everyone has to take it until, sinking deeper and deeper within himself, he finds love and lives in it.

·         What is it that pushes us forward - it is our pride

Sadhu Vaswani Mission Web Site - sadhuvaswani.org