Talks Excerpt 563. Swamiji says: Anything that is worthless, God can make worthy.
From Mother Radha’s recordings of Swamiji.
[Swamiji’s advice at the end of a Yoga Camp/Spiritual Retreat].
You must cry to God: ‘Lord, Lord, why have you misled me with the toys of this world? Am I such a sinner? You have brought many sinners, ones who committed heinous sins, to the throne of your kingdom. I am not even as bad a person as Valmiki who, from a thief and a highwayman, became a bhakta (devotee) by your grace.’
That is what God can do with you too. Anything that is worthless, He can make worthy. That is the miracle of the whole thing. From sand He can make gold. Call upon Him with every breath you breathe. Know that you are breathing God’s name.
It will suffice if you go from here with some inspiration to seek Him out in your daily duties. Where else can you find an easier method?
Swami Brahmananda [Puri – ‘aka Maharaj‘ a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna] said, ‘The easiest way to get God is japa, japa, japa.’
You may have seen the fruit of japa but you do not know the miracle of it yet. The fruit of japa was seen in Hanumanji, Prahlada and others. But we neglect the greatest jewel: japa.
When you do japa the qualities of the Lord automatically transmit themselves to your mind and therefore to your heart. When your heart is coloured by the qualities of the Lord you become so transparent that mankind can see God through you.
‘I shall go on the pilgrimage of this life, by Thy grace and Thy glory alone.’ These are not mere words. These words were recorded in the Vedas, they were sung by great bhaktas after realising God.
Do not criticise anybody’s method of worship, because it is not your business. It is the business of the Lord and his bhaktas. Do not think of anyone’s religion as low in any way; but encourage him on his path and encourage yourself similarly. For all paths must lead to the pathless path, and then to God.
NEW! For our Gurubhai Atmaprakash Kramer’s beautiful pictorial ‘memoir’ of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Avoca Ashram, please click HERE.
The free-to-read or download, 396-page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE. If you’d prefer the PDF version, please click 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.