Daily Reading 131. Swamiji gives specific Householder [Grihastha] advice, and then general principles for spiritual life.

Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Speaking to householders [grihasthas – non-monastic devotees]: OM must be the goal in the householder’s life. First a couple must live in such a way as to please the Creator. Then, in the love from the Creator, you must give to neighbours and friends. We cannot fly with one wing, we must have two. Be like a fruit tree – it does not eat its own fruit, it gives it to others. This leads to love. Be happy on the same path. What makes one happy depends on the other. The sun gives light to others, not to itself. The river never drinks its own water, it gives it to others. A husband and wife must live like this. Nothing comes without sacrifice – there must be great sacrifice on both sides.

After Shivaratri [the all-night worship of Lord Shiva, the aspect of God that destroys ignorance]: You worshipped Shiva all night, and repeated his name with devotion and without devotion – it does not matter so long as you did your best.

Discrimination is the sword to cut down the tree of worldliness. Cut it down so that it will not re-grow. In your household life there is knowledge of God too. The Vedas also give you birth and death. And you go to heaven or hell.

God, out of His grace, has created this divine lila. That’s why Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘This is a mansion of mirth.’ But this can only be said if you regard life as a divine lila.

Do good and rise above worldliness.

There is a great difference between shallow breathing and deep breathing. Shallow breathing is not good because you are not taking in enough oxygen, and when you breathe out, you do not breathe out enough [exhale sufficiently]. We need fresh air for the cells.

Reading from Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda: Non-violence [ahimsa] requires the greatest strength and the greatest love. Anger is lust. The kingdom of God’s law is love and sacrifice. Lord Jesus Christ and others were full of love and they sacrificed their lives.

Swamiji: Spiritual aspirants [sadhakas] must be open to knowledge [jnana], not to ignorance. As Master [Sri Ramakrishna] said, ‘Hiss but do not bite.'[ For the story behind this instruction, please click HERE.] True ahimsa is the highest ideal, we must go step by step.

Reading: The Upanishads [Hindu philosophical treatises] say, ‘When a man sees himself in all and all in the Self, he hates none.‘ Be extremely careful with others in the beginning – do not be too soft and yielding.

Swamiji: Adopt the attitude of non-co-operation [with your mind].

Reading: Practise non-violence [ahimsa] within, first. Make the heart a cremation ground of all attachment. This burning [tapasya] is spiritual life. God is God only when He is God in all aspects – creator, preserver, destroyer.

Swamiji: You do not need the scriptures to be a devotee. But read the scriptures so that you may live the life and discover the Truth. Think of the Atman [soul] – that is what we want to do – and do japa [repetition of a mantra or one of the many names attributed to God] and meditation. But we are not doing it, we are immature. We must mature, then we will think of the Atman. The more you think of God, the more saintly you will become.

Underlined words are hypertext links to clarification, explanation or other sources. Just tap on them.

The free-to-read or download, 396-page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography, ‘A Life Lived For Others‘, is available by clicking HERE. If you’d prefer the PDF version, please click HERE.

For our gurubhai Atmaprakash Kramer’s beautiful pictorial ‘memoir’ booklet of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Avoca Ashram, please click HERE.

There’s also a Facebook site for Swamiji’s posts now. They feature newer readings published more recently. Click HERE to view.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to those with him at the time.