Discrimination
[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 822
Devotee: What happens to a sinner's karma [life script] if he turns to God?
Swamiji: When an adharmic [unrighteous] man, a sinner, suddenly, by God's grace, becomes a good man – and if he is sincere – then it says in the Bhagavad Gita: 'He who leaves everything and surrenders to Me, I take care of him.' Somehow the Lord will see that that man's bad karma is destroyed. But if your question is, 'Is this temporary?' I cannot answer that question. It depends on his sincerity, how much he has repented, how much he has taken to God. Or maybe he is like one of us – for two days we are nice and for three days we are bad.
Lots of people in this world use God's name for motivation to steal. That's why a man who is [seemingly] very holy – don't trust him all the time. You must still use your discrimination. Why trust him altogether? Dealing with God you must deal with God – and God Himself will make you surrender to Him. But with people you must always have discrimination between right and wrong.
A lot of people stay with Swamiji and bask in Swamiji's light. Don't think that all the people that are with Swamiji are good people. There are amongst them such rogues. God can't stop anyone from joining Him, can He? Did you see Lord Shiva taking the snake [around his neck – see image above] off and throwing it away? No, he has to leave it there. So use your own discrimination.
Devotee: Swamiji said that one's past karma can affect one's child. How can we overcome this?
Swamiji: This is one of the reasons why the mother and father, before conceiving the child, perform certain kinds of austerities [tapasya] – for the child and for themselves. That's why it is so essential that the father and mother should not plant the seed out of season – not knowing what they are planting – they should plant it with God's name – with love of God.
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