Your particular Deity is the Almighty
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
672
Swamiji reads on from: A Primer of Hinduism by Prof. D.S. Sharma
Daughter: Is it not very confusing to have the powers and functions of the one God thus divided and subdivided and mystified?
Father: Well I don't know. Do you think it very confusing to call the ocean that surrounds our country by various names, such as the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian sea and the Indian Ocean not to speak of the Gulf of Cambay etc. You should remember that Hinduism was developed under very complex conditions. Even in a small homogeneous community it is difficult to find a uniform religious formula that would satisfy the needs of all minds. What satisfies the young may not satisfy the old. What satisfies the labourer may not satisfy the collar [office worker].
[Swamiji] God is called by many names but in reality He is One. Similarly a man may be called postman because he delivers post and sometimes he is called uncle because his sister's son meets him on the road. Sometimes the same man at home is called son and sometimes the children call him father. Under each name he does different work. There is only One, but we call It by different names.
But if I worship Hanuman I do not have to go to Mother Kali saying, 'Kali Ma, now I am worshipping you because I have to chop [kill] somebody.' No. Hanumanji [or any deity] can do all these things. Mother Kali, like Hanumanji, can also help me keep brahmacharya, keep pure and sattvic. I do not have to go to Hanumanji and say, 'You are a brahmachari so do the brahmacharya work for me.' Your deity is the Almighty. If you think like this, you are worshipping that deity by the right method. Otherwise you are worshipping by the wrong method; you are thinking the deity is not the Almighty; or it is separate from the Almighty.
The same thing has happened with mankind. When we think we are separate from Satchidananda [Existence, Knowledge, Bliss, Absolute], we become human beings. The day you realize that you are Satchidananda, everything, all power, comes in and everything is possible through you.
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