‘Influencing’ God
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
800
People think that God is such a fool that He'll favour you because you gave Him some ladu (an Indian sweetmeat – pictured above], some money, you lit the lamp [dia]. He is the light. He lights the whole universe with the sun, what does he care for your little light? He feeds the whole universe, what do you think He cares for your little prasad [sacramental food] offering? He clothes the whole universe, what do you think He cares about your little offering of cloth [a traditional item in ritual worship]? With the whole [river] Ganga [Ganges] and [river] Jamuna, He washes the whole universe – what do you think He cares about you [metaphorically] washing His feet? He cannot be influenced by your prayer or my prayer. This is the madness of unintelligent people.
You know, when people say they'll initiate somebody [into spiritual life] and they'll get God-realisation now [Swamiji chuckles], I laugh at this kind of God-realisation. How can you get God-realisation when the criterion [for it] is purity? By seeing Krishna standing [before you] you are not God-realised. Many people see Krishna standing [have visions of Him]. By hearing music in your ears, you're not God-realised. So much music can be heard. A man off his head [insane] will hear it. You go to 'Maritzburg [Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – where there's an asylum for the insane] – I don't know if you have one here [not sure where Swamiji was speaking] ….walk inside there, they will tell you how much music they hear. [They hear] Bells ringing. [They see] Nectar leaking from somewhere. But they are still in the madhouse [insane asylum]. What kind of 'God-realisation' are these things? I don't know. [They say] 'I saw the light, I saw Krishna standing there, Buddha came.' But in your daily action you're still a budhu [fool]. In your daily action you are still a donkey. You haven't yet transformed yourself into a horse.
What kind of prayer are you doing? I want you to think. What kind of prayer is this? You think this kind of prayer will take you to God? Those people who want wealth, those people who want health, they will pray that customers mustn't go into the neighbour's shop. They say, 'Bhagawan [God], I'll give you some ladu, bring the customers here [to my shop]. This is foolish [attempting to 'influence' God with things] – baby prayer this.
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