Choose the right suffering
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
754
But how nice to suffer in His name. Suffering is inevitable. How sweet to suffer. Then suffer in the name of God, suffer for God. It was a very beautiful revelation in my heart. Everyone is suffering, everyone is enjoying, but enjoyment passes so quickly. Suffering is the thing we need to keep in company with.
When there is a death at someone's house haven't you seen how they must burn the fire and read the Ramayana in the evenings? You know why? Only to take the mind away from the suffering, the depression, so that the night can pass. So why not suffer in God's name?
You are foolish if you suffer for any other thing because that is not the most Beloved thing. Don't think if you take God's name the people will come running around you and thousands will follow you. Great incarnations only had one or two people. Then what are you looking for? He who wants the people to follow him is stupid, silly, because he is not the All-attractor, Hari. Only Hari is going to attract you, nobody else.
[Mohandas, known as 'mahatma' (meaning great soul)] Gandhiji [pictured above] was giving a lecture on one occasion. All the maharajas [kings] and the masses were present. He looked from the stage and saw thousands of people. He started lecturing, giving his ideas of non-injury [ahimsa] in thought, word and deed – ahimsa. Slowly, slowly, all the people crept away. He looked up suddenly and saw this and said, 'Ah, how nice. Only three are left here: God, the chairman and I.' And he went on lecturing. Suddenly he noticed that the chairman had also gone. He said, 'O God, how strange he must have found it in our company.' [laughter]
So, only you and God will be left. Others will feel strange in your company because you don't speak their language. It goes against their grain because you are talking about God. Suffer for God and nobody else. And ultimately only you and God will be left because the others will find it very strange in your company.
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.
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