Aspects of God
[Pictured:The Three-in-one and one-in-three representation of Brahma (creation), Vishnu (preservation)
and Shiva (destruction) aspects of the One God
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
DAILY READINGS
Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.
Day 889
God is one, but He does [everything] out of His grace, out of His free will. He is not bound by anything. He becomes the Creator [ in Hinduism, Brahma], the Preserver [in Hinduism, Vishnu] and the Destroyer [in Hinduism, Shiva]. We take this [free] will [given by God] and are bound again. We start creating, preserving and destroying. We are bound again because we do not know the Seer [the Self] of creation, preservation and destruction. When you do know, the lila [divine play] is over. God created this lila, this maya [divine power of delusion, illusion]. Avidya [ignorance] and maya hide the divine from man.
Some say there are only three: Creator, Preserver, Destroyer. But Shiva is known as five: Creator, Preserver, Destroyer, Veiler [concealer], Revealer. Therefore one uses five letters in the mantra [sacred word or sound syllable or one of the many names attributed to God]: na ma shi vaa ya.
Avidya hides the soul from you but vidya [divine knowledge, insight, wisdom] reveals it to you.
Sri Ramakrishna said, 'Who cares to be sugar? We all say, "We want to taste sugar. I do not want to be God, I want to taste God." So you become a bhakta [devotee]. If you want to become God, you are a jnani [one with divine knowledge through direct experience]'.
Shiva is the complete revealer. These five aspects function through the elements, the earth, as the visible forms of Lord Shiva.
Worship him in any of the functions. Then he is Dakshinamurti; the Guru [Spiritual Preceptor, Teacher, Master] of gurus; he silently reveals himself. Other gurus instruct you but Dakshinamurti does not speak, he sits like a mirror that reflects your real Self. That which you think is poison, in reality, is nectar. If you take the nectar of Shiva bhakti, then you will be full of knowledge and you can impart that knowledge. It is Dakshinamurti that imparts knowledge.
May the knowledge that came to the gods and goddesses – when Shiva drank the poison – be your knowledge; so that that which is poison may become nectar. And may you be immortalised.
Go with the love of God, the love of the Ishta Devata [Chosen Ideal or Personal Deity].
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.
2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order.
Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham