Daily Reading 86. Swamiji gives very specific advice to Grihastha [Householder] devotees.

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

Swamiji addressing householders [Grihasthas]: You can renounce [give up the world] while living in your house. Happiness is the most important thing. Be happy. Even when you die, if you can smile it will make everyone feel happy.

Think like this: In whatever place I am, I was put here by the Lord. It is His Grace. I am always in the right place. Do everything well. Do japa [repetition of a mantra or one of the many names attributed to God] and offer it at my [i.e. the Guru’s, or the Lord’s] feet. Every second you must think of God. Think: God or my Ishta Devata [chosen Ideal or Deity] has taken that form: whether tree, animal, men.

Strengthen the positive in you – and wilfully root out weakness in you. Make yourself more positive and the weakness will disappear by itself. We need japa, recollected-ness, meditation. This leads to one-pointedness. Then we will see the true Self.

If you have thoughts of lust or anger – just think of a holy man. ‘Hreem‘ [a sacred bija mantra syllable] attracts unity within and without. It is [Mother] Durga’s bija [seed syllable] mantra. Can we give up all desires? Yes, when we seek the Self.

For years I walked around as a sadhaka [spiritual aspirant/seeker], thinking: All this is unreal. I’d look at myself – unreal. Then the experience would come for a second – something would happen. Attach the mind to the Atman, God. See ‘It’ everywhere – know that It is Eternal.

When Hanumanji [the great devotee of Lord Rama] was asked to prostrate to Radha [the consort of Lord Krishna] he refused and said, ‘Not until Krishna has a bow and arrow [like Rama] and Radha has the form of Sita! Then I will prostrate.’

When Mirabai was asked to prostrate to Mother Durga [an aspect of the Divine Mother], she refused. She would only prostrate to Giridhari, to Gopala [the child Lord Krishna]. These words are not mine.

To show this need for sticking to one’s Ishta Devata [chosen Deity or Ideal] Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘If you want water, you must dig in one place till water comes out. But if you dig 10 feet here and 10 feet there, the water is never found, it disappears.’ Similarly in spiritual life, if you worship a little bit here and a little bit there, no spiritual wealth is gathered whatsoever.

Bhakti [devotion] is not dancing here and there. Ask yourself what you can give. A bhakta [one who walks the path of spiritual devotion] says, ‘I give my thought, word and deed to you, Lord.’

If you remember your birthday but not that [the Jayanti, appearance date] of the Deity, there is something wrong with your devotion. On the birthdays of the Holy Trio [Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, you do not even offer Prasad [sacramental food] on the shrine at home and say, ‘God bless you.’ If you have no love for the Deity, what love can you give others? It is high time to take this sadhana [spiritual practice] to heart.

Once someone asked a Rishi [sage-saint], ‘How can I get devotion to the lotus feet of my Deity?’ He said, ‘Go and read about your Deity.’ You are responsible for your character. Do not live a double life – at the ashram, at home, and in public. Realise it is wrong.

Take a diary and write first thing in the morning. [You have] So much time to waste, to play . . . .

You say you belong to Sri Ramakrishna. Then move about your area, go from house to house. Spread the message about Sri Ramakrishna and the ancient Deities.

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.