Talks Excerpt 206. Swamiji speaks on picture [image] power.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

We can all concentrate – but on many things. We must learn to concentrate on one thing.

Do not look at someone and form an opinion of him or her. Do not expect to say something and everyone will believe you, they will not.

At one time Sri Ramakrishna said to Holy Mother, ‘These are the signs that I will soon be departing. They are: when I go to live in Calcutta; when people begin to worship me as the Deity; when more and more people come to me.’

When he was ill he went to live at Cossipore in Calcutta. People went to Dakshineshwar to see him but he was not there.

Sri Ramakrishna had worshipped his own picture and said, ‘People all over will worship this form.’ People worshipped Sri Ramakrishna’s picture and offered prasad.

If you leave these three: Brahmacharya, meditation, and reading the scriptures, it is not sannyasa [monasticism].

The traditional rule is that you must not worship the picture of a living saint.

All sadhana [spiritual practise] is a flower offered to God; but satsang [group religious service] is the ever-ready fruit.

I know only one person who practices the precepts of Gurudev [Swami Nischalananda Puri – Swamiji’s revered Guru] – Prishani [a child]. One day her uncle came, bringing gifts for the family. He offered her money. She said, ‘No.’ Later they asked her why and she replied, ‘Because Gurudev said you must not accept gifts.’ We must give, give, give but not accept gifts ourselves.

The free-to-read or download, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.