Swami Shivapadananda explains the nature and ‘stages’ of love.
Admin overview and summary:
Love and its nature is something that has long puzzled us humans. One child may think we love it less than its sibling. Some people have greater love for their pets than they have for other humans. How do the 'grades' of love work, when we don't understand them ourselves?
In this audio clip, Swamiji explains all, step by step. He talks us through the kind of love we might have for a life partner. Then the love for a good mother. Then the love for a good father. We all know that (if they're good and loving parents – because some parents or caregivers will regretfully be abusive, drug-dependant, uncaring or absent, in our modern age) the love we have for each parent is different. But does that mean one is greater than the other?
Swamiji encapsulates it by saying this: Love is one but the love we express for individuals is unique. It's expressed differently.
Says Swamiji: The way we love God is higher than all the other loves. But even behind our love for God, there will usually be a motive.
Swamiji says that sometimes, this 'love' for God is based on fear.
[Admin: I know of someone who impressed me no end with the comprehensiveness and neatness of their home shrine and their dedication. Every morning, regardless of incredible time and responsibility pressures in their life (they sometimes worked night shift), on getting home, they would bathe, go pluck flowers from the abundant garden, rinse them, refresh the shrine, light agarbatti, sit in that shrine and do quite an extended worship. I was deeply impressed by this level of dedication.
One day I said to them, 'I'm in awe of the depth and regularity of your sadhana (spiritual practise) – no matter how exhausted you are – or the pressures you're facing at the time.' To their huge credit, they looked at me and said, 'I do it out of fear.' Startling though that admission was, it didn't in any way diminish my admiration for them. But it's an example of how motivation to do something, can differ.]
Swamiji once asked us to define the feeling of respect that we have for a holy person, or God. Many people suggested words – one of the more common ones being 'fear'. When everyone had contributed their thoughts, Swamiji said, it should ideally be a combination of reverence and awe. Not fear.
'Love, as it is expressed for humans, is not love in its purest form', says Swamiji.
The incredible commitment of our yuga-avatar, Paramahamsa Sri Ramakrishna, and his unstinting effort to 'realise God' comes into Swamiji's illustration. We may think it was all an act on Master's part (I once did). But the Great Ones deliberately take on some of the limitations of being in a human body, when they incarnate for our benefit. Master's struggles showed that the focused human being really can achieve God-realisation if truly committed to it. Hence his example.
Bhakti – the love we feel for God, should be unadulterated. Not based on material benefits, success, pain, happiness, or the absence of them. Swamiji frequently cautioned us against developing a 'shop-keeping' mentality with God. In other words, I do or don't do certain things, and as my ROI (return on investment), I'm expecting something back from God.' Swamiji says that this kind of 'profit and loss' relationship and mind-set is not bad. It's just a stage, but it must evolve.
Swamiji speaks of how dissatisfaction with the world will lead to dispassion (vairagya) – where we will see the world and what it offers, as a mere toy – whose time and usefulness has passed.
Swamiji wraps up the homily by telling a story about a little boy and his unwillingness to complete a painting of Lord Krishna for the most touching reason. There's a profound message about simplicity, love and faith in it.
Please find a quiet spot and gift yourself some quiet time to listen to this audio clip? It's a beautiful lesson in understanding what we think about love and our relationship with God.
Please click on the link below to listen and be blessed. Jai Sri Ramakrishna!
Duration 10:02
The original audio recordings of these posts were made by close Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa and Swami Shivapadananda devotee, Mother Radha. The audio editing and noise reduction of the original 1970s tapes has been lovingly crafted, over many years, by her son and our gurubhai, Brother Tim. May Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji bless them both.
Admin tip: If the picture accompanying each posting doesn't automatically open on your device, please click on the little link indicating the presence of the picture. Different devices will respond differently when opening the blog. Also, underlined words or words in colour, are links. If you click on them, they'll take you to an explanation of the particular word or term.
Dear reader, if you spot typos or or other errors, please feel free to email the site admin on info@imbizo.com with your suggested correction/s.
Links to broaden your knowledge: Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Sri Sarada Devi ashram, Durban
Picture on this post borrowed from designs by Boitumelo.