Swami Shivapadananda 2

Swamiji on the ‘self-willed’ nature of Brahman

Why does Brahman project the form, the question is? Sri Ramakrishna [pictured]: 'You ask why? Brahman doesn't act in consultation with others. It is Brahman's pleasure. Brahman is self-willed. Why should we try to know the reason for Brahman's acting this way or that?'

Swamiji: But many people ask 'why did he project the world and all those sorts of silly things - why?'

Swamiji on 3 kinds of Bhakti [devotion]

Swamiji reading from Sri Ramakrishna's teachings:

By what kind of bhakti, does one realise God?

Sri Ramakrishna's words: Three kinds of bhakti [devotion] are found, according to the nature of the man. Sattvic bhakti, rajastic bhakti and tamasic bhakti. Sattvic bhakti is known to God alone. It makes no outward display. A man with such devotion loves privacy. Perhaps he meditates inside the mosquito net where nobody sees him. When this kind of devotion is awakened he hasn't long to wait for the vision of God. The appearance of the dawn in the East shows that the sun will rise before long.

Swamiji on how to keep your mind on God

Swamiji is reading from the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna:

You all have the yearning for liberation. If an aspirant [sadhaka] has yearning, that is enough for him to realise God. Don't eat any food of the Shraddha [funeral rites] ceremony. Live in the world like an unchaste woman. She performs her household duties with great attention but her mind dwells day and night on her paramour [lover].

Swamiji answers devotees’ questions

Questions

Question: Swamiji, what does "serving selflessly" mean?

Swamiji: Firstly, to see the "servant" power we must look at Hanumanji's example. He was the Eternal Servant of the Eternal Lord, humility personified. His humility was not a worm-like thing. Not like now when the sannyasis go and prostrate "full" to everybody, but on the quiet they say, "That fellow, I'll fix him up!" It wasn't like that with Hanumanji, he prostrated to Sri Rama [whom he saw] in everyone. Hanumanji never gave up his principle. So, "serving selflessly" means you are the servant of God Himself, you go into it deeper and willingly do it. That means the serving power, the servant power, is awakened in you.

Swamiji on Karma

Reading a Verse from the Bhagavad Gita

Though moving like fire among material objects, He remains unaffected by the evils therein. His divine form and name remain hidden at times but it becomes manifest before those who are adoring Him - desiring the Truth. He accepts their offerings of worship and in return, like the all-consuming fire, He takes away the impurities and the evil karmas of the past and of the future.

Question: You said, "fire consumes the karmas." Does it consume the future karmas as well?

Swamiji: It's like this. If I plant a seed, that's a karma, right? If it's going to grow and bear fruit, then that fruit is the future isn't it? So if I destroy the seed - burn it now - then it won't bear fruit in the future will it? It burns the present and therefore the future.

Swamiji on using a Mala

Symbols of God

Swamiji: In his talk on the japa mala [prayer beads or rosary with 108 beads] the speaker said that you mustn't cross-over the meru [larger bead with tassle] - the meru always stands for the guru and the guru should not be crossed-over. [i.e. you must turn the mala around and go back the other way]. That Supreme guru, Brahman, is present in everything and therefore you do not step across others. Remember that. Even a child sleeping. In the western world they don't understand that - they step across the child. Actually you must not do that because that is a living symbol of God.

Swamiji on self-defence

Question: How should an average person show courage and fearlessness and when should one keep quiet in adversity to one's principles or self-dignity?

Swamiji: Once Swami Vivekananda was on a ship and someone was speaking ill about Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Vivekananda said to him, "Look here, don't speak ill about Him, you don't know anything about Him." Again he spoke ill. So Swami Vivekananda and another brother disciple, Niranjan [later Swami Niranjanananda], held him and Swami Vivekananda said to the man, "I'll throw you into the sea!" The man got so afraid he said, "No, please, please." Later on Niranjan reported this to the Master [Sri Ramakrishna]. The Master said, "What? Why did you do that? You shouldn't have done that."

Seeing the living Deity

Question: If, in meditation, we wish to see the Deity's [Ishta Devata's] movement, for instance if we want to see Lord Shiva dancing rather than seated, what should we do?

Swamiji: Three things come to my mind - things that I have done. Firstly I gave [saw] the body of my guru as the form of Lord Shiva and I knew that Lord Shiva was dwelling in it as the soul. So when I see the movement of my guru (even when I close my eyes I see him moving by the plants, by the lake etc.) I feel Lord Shiva is moving.

Secondly there was a very funny thing which helped me in the beginning stages of sadhana. I would go and see films and in these films I would see Lord Shiva acting. I would always picture how he was walking and moving.

Swamiji on unconditional faith

Question: What must we do if our faith in God is shaken?

Swamiji: If you have practised spiritual disciplines and associated with holy people (holy people means people who believe in God without any doubt whatsoever) then your faith will not be shaken. But if you've been doing it superficially then naturally your faith will be shaken.

All of us, at some time or other, must have had certain experiences that show us that though we ourselves could not do certain things, something higher than us must have accomplished them for us. You must remember that faith. Remember that this has been done before and if, this time, it's not done, it only means that you don't have enough faith. There's something wrong with you - not with God. You should always look at it subjectively. Put the blame on yourself rather than putting the blame on God. Cling on to faith.

Swamiji on memory

Memory

Question: Swamiji, how can I improve my memory?

Swamiji: You can improve your memory by leaving out all the things that are not necessary and by thinking about things that are necessary in life. And of those necessary things, think mostly about that which is the best in life - and that is God.

Meditation will improve your memory. It has three steps. First you look at the form and you contemplate or think about it. Then take out a part of it and concentrate on that. When you continuously think about that, your memory has improved. Now, start by only thinking about that and nothing else.

The easy way to improve the memory is to leave out all the non-essential things and to take the essential things. Of those essential things know which is the most essential thing - that is God. So keep thinking about God and as you keep thinking about God - on and off of course in the beginning - then your memory must improve.