Swami Shivapadananda on the power of devotion

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

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

Day 325

 

To become sattvic [harmonious, balanced, above pairs of opposites] you
must practise meditation and concentration, keep the company of the holy and eat
sattvic food. Be humbler than a blade of grass. See God in him, in me, in all.

Kill jealousy with God’s name. All tests are to prove the guru’s grace.
When the guru wants to attract you, he will. And when he wants to distract you,
he will. We need a guru to teach us humility. Pride leads to suffering and
pride is why we are suffering now, today, tomorrow and every day.

God-realisation is a struggle because the ego shuts us in. ‘I do this’
is the barrier. Rather pray: ‘Not I Lord, but Thou, Thou, Thou.’ Think it, feel
it, live it. When men revile you, they do you good and hurt themselves only. To
him who has nothing, God comes and cuts the bonds of worldly affection.

Go beyond laziness. Never look back. Give all to God, think only of Him.

Learn to feel yourself in others. Give the burden of all deeds to God.
When man has tried his hardest and failed, God takes over. Use only God’s
strength. Give up desires.

Two mountains will never meet, but one day I will meet you. Ask the
question: Who am I? Do not answer. Stop and watch. You will see the ego vanish.

Bhakti [devotion] gives us a human relationship with God. It directs our
whole being to God. First worship the guru with utter devotion, and then see
the guru in everyone. We have to have purity, sincerity and divine devotion,
coming from the heart, mind and senses. Krishna
says, ‘At all times think only of Me and fight. Without doubt thou shalt [you
will] come to Me.’

 Be hurt by others, but never hurt others yourself.

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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.