Swami Shivapadananda on Guru’s grace

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

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

Day 394

We do not listen to the words of the guru. As the guru speaks a thought arises in me and I am watching that. That is why the scriptures say, 'Sravana, manana' – listen, absorb, meditate. We listen but we cannot understand so we make it into a concept and then we store that away. We shall understand the guru's teaching only when the mind is utterly quiet.

The birthday cake symbolises the body, cut it, sacrifice it, so that the light of the soul can shine.

As sadhakas [spiritual aspirants, devotees] you must have work and worship.

If you cannot get the guru's sandals, get a photo of them and worship them every day. Why? Because by contact with the body of a holy man even the sandals become holy [worship of the Guru's feet is a Hindu tradition]. Bharata became a great ruler because he took the guru's sandals and worshipped them. How did Hanuman become such a great bhakta [devotee]? Because he always worshipped the feet of the guru and got his strength from that. The guru's feet are softer than flower petals, they are like baby powder. Imagine it, feel it. That is why he wears sandals, to protect his feet.

You touch the guru's feet and he takes your sins, because he is the giver and he gives blessings – just as Sri Ramakrishna did when he was getting ready to leave the body. The great ones take on as much as they can at the end – at the time of death – to help suffering humanit.

Sri Ramakrishna said that we need the constant company of the holy.

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