Swami Shivapadananda on enacting just one thing
SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA
DAILY READINGS
Taken from Mother Radha's notes, written at Swamiji's feet.
Day 435
The more japa [repetition of God's names] you do every day, the better for you. Some do not worship the guru's feet but only the padukas [wooden sandals with knob gripped betwen the big and next toe] of the guru. There is so much power in the sandals, how much more in the whole?
Every Thursday pray: You are the giver of Vidya [divine knowledge]. I worship you again and again.
Pay attention to the words, and this leads to understanding the meaning. We read tons of books, but practice is lacking. It is better to put one iota into practice.
Just follow one of Christ's commandments and live up to it. Eat it, drink it, sleep it. Do not try to follow all. Take for example: 'Do not speak untruth.' This will transform your life. Gurudev [Swamiji's Guru, Swami Nischalananda Puri] said, 'Yes, you speak so much of truth, but do you know how much of lies you speak?'
We quote that the holy ones did this or that – but we do not do it ourselves.
Ramakrishna said: If a dog barks at you do not run, talk to it, quieten it.
Husband is your best friend – better the devil you know than one you do not know.
God bless, God speed.
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.
Reference websites: Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Sri Ramakrishna Dham