Swami Shivapadananda on returning to our divine nature

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

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

Day 334

 

Judging others is God’s business. And remember, you only get what you
are worthy of.

Sattva [harmony, balance, mental equilibrium] is sacrifice, i.e. there
is no desire for reward. Crucify yourself by denying the thoughts of sense
pleasure.

If a man insults you, think: ‘O God, that hurts my ego, cut it out of
me.’ Then prostrate [mentally bow down] to Him. Thus you drive another nail into the ego. If you do
not, you are feeding the ego more. Deny yourself, cry, weep, learn, become
nothing. Then you will be everything. To be something you must be nothing
first.

In front of the Guru there must be humility. There must be service and
respect for the guru’s instructions. Empty your cup and the guru will fill it. The guru is ever-present, he never dies. In or out of the body he is
invisible only to our senses. The mind picks up the thoughts of the guru and
the heart picks up the feeling of God. Like this you are never lonely. He is
always there.

Enjoy the peace of the Ashram [monastery] . Spend three hours a day
here, then the mind stills. Study the scriptures and the slokas [verses,
mantras, prayers] and write down what you think and feel. This opens you up.
This is what I do. Later, compare them to the writings of the Master [Sri Ramakrishna]  and you
will find the same. You will say, ‘Ah yes, this is real.’Sometimes I sit in my
room and forget you all. When will you awake and remember what you have
forgotten?

The guru cannot give you realisation but he shows you, he teaches you,
he takes you there, but he cannot give it. You do that yourself; that is your
freedom.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ below to find out about CDs of Swamiji speaking.

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.