Swami Shivapadananda

Morning power

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

656

   

The early morning is a period where creative vibrations are in operation. But if a man does not catch hold of this creative vibration then the whole day he feels as if he is pushing a car up a hill. He will be struggling and his mind will not be right. He may grow apparently healthy in body, but he will be very poor in mind.

In the scriptures Manu says that if a man gets up after Brahma muhurta (especially that is after six o'clock) then he has committed the [metaphoric] sin of killing Brahmins. This late rising destroys our spiritual life.

Those people who are very fond of getting up after six in the morning: look out, because God can question you; and He may say you have committed brahmahathya [the sin of killing a Brahmin]. Lord Brahma got up to do his work; he gave you the creative feeling, he gave you creative power, but you have lost it.

It is like when ration-giving time comes, hundreds of people are passing through the gate but one man is sitting down saying, 'When everyone is finished then I'll go and get mine.'

Brahma muhurta is a very important time in the life of a sadhaka - whether he is a householder or a brahmachari.

Those people who get up after six will be born as rakshasas [demons] in the next birth. If you want to be born as a rakshasa, who can stop you? God is a very loving God, He is very merciful, He gives you that which you love best - and only rakshasas can enjoy sleeping well.

So Brahma muhurta mangal arati is a very important thing. I know that ashramites [residents of the monastery] sometimes do not take advantage of mangal arati. They think, 'Oh, the other people are small people, they must do it.' It is not like that. The great Rishis [Sage-Seers-Saints] formulated this sadhana, they formulated it for themselves so that they would always be able to keep their minds high and on high ideals.

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. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

The categories of those who worship God

 

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

626

   

[Swamiji continues reading from the Bhagavad Gita]

Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me . . .

First you must have the quality of being virtuous. If you are robbing, stealing and killing others and yet praying, 'God make me better,' you are not virtuous yet. God will give you more sickness. If you are giving ten or fifteen people a bad time and yet praying to God, 'I'm a little sick, please cure me,' God will never cure you. You have to be virtuous first.

Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, they are the distressed . . .

Those people who are in all sorts of trouble go to the Lord to worship Him. The Lord does not mind that. He knows that sooner or later that person's mind will get purified and they will know: 'I am the Master of everything.'

. . . the seeker of knowledge . . .

He who wants knowledge, he who wants to know things, worships God.

. . . the seeker of wealth . . .

The lakshmi-narayan who wants wealth - and wealth must not be confined to money, wealth can also mean health and other things.

. . . and the wise . . .

Now you must watch that verse very carefully. It was translated very beautifully. One who is in distress wants his distress to be taken away; one who wants knowledge gets knowledge; one who wants wealth gets wealth. But the last one does not say, 'the seeker of wisdom,' it says 'the wise'. Now that part is very important. The wise man who knows that this world is temporary, not permanent, will realise the Self.

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. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

   

 

Doing everything for God

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

617

[Pictured: Mohandas 'Mahatma' Gandhi]

   

[Swamiji's commentary on a part of the Bhagavad Gita]

The Bhagavad Gita, without doubt, shows us that we sadhakas [spiritual aspirants] have many doubts on our path to God-realisation. Sri Krishna says it precisely in chapter seven: With a mind intent on Me, practising yoga and taking refuge in Me, you will know Me. There are two things here: He says you must practise and at the same time you must take refuge in him. We must discriminate.

Many people in welfare societies are doing very good work but this does not mean that they will get God-realisation. Their work is not adapted as a discipline for God-realisation. Whilst doing the same work, if you take refuge in God, if you surrender the fruits to God, or feel that it is God's grace that is making you do it, then only does it become sadhana; then only will you get God-realisation. This applies to whichever form of God you are praying to. God is One but He has different forms.

There are two separate things here in the text: Firstly, yoga means a certain discipline. Secondly, taking refuge means surrendering or completely knowing that it is His Grace that makes you do everything. It is very important for doctors to understand this. No matter how much good you do in the world, the people will clap their hands and say what a good man you are, but you will do nothing for your Self. In this life you are born as a donkey - carrying people up and down the mountains; and you will probably die as a donkey. And in your next birth you will still not get any realisation because while doing all this you are thinking of grass, you are not thinking of God. So you will become even more of a grass-eater in the next birth.

Printing will not take you anywhere - print it for God. Singing will not take you anywhere - sing it for God. Explaining to others will not take you anywhere - do it for God.

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. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on friendship attitude

 

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

612

   

Late one night at Dakshineswar, when the kitchen was closed, a group of Sri Ramakrishna's devotees arrived. Whilst others were running hither and thither saying, 'What to cook? What to cook?' Holy Mother [Sri Sarada Devi] said, 'Go to the kitchen. Pick up all the cabbage that I have cleaned today plus the leavings that I put there, and bring them to me.' They brought it all to her and she prepared such a delicious curry out of it that the disciples were completely contented. What a mother she was. How simple she was and how she provided for her children.

[Spoken at a Yoga Camp]

Do not make any friends in this Yoga Camp. Push aside your friends. They are all full of mayas [states of delusion/illusion]. Out with them. If you want friends go to social gatherings. If you want to gossip about the newspaper, go and sit in a park. If you want to smile and joke, you have enough time at home. But here at the Yoga Camp you have to be serious about getting mad about God.

I do not say: 'Don't make friends; create enemies.' I would never say that. I mean do not crave for that friendship now. Do not crave for company. Your only friend in a Camp, in spiritual sadhana [practice], is God and God alone. Look for Him.

Of course you may utter a kind word to your fellow sadhakas [spiritual aspirants]. Utter it not because you want him to do you a favour, not because you want him to like you, but utter it because that is the nature of God and you are trying to express the nature of God. And perchance if he likes you, do not think he likes you, rather think, 'He is liking God.' And when you are attracted to another person here and you say, 'I want to make friends with him,' rather say to your mind, 'No, not that man, but inside him is God with whom I want to make friends; and that God is not absent in me so why not find It in me first?'

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. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

 

Swami Shivapadananda on the validity of all the scriptures

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

598

[Continued from 597]

In the Vedas [very ancient Hindu scriptures] you will find it said that only those who practise religion as embodied in the Vedas will get immortality, will dwell in heaven or will be eternally free. Because of this you may say that we must stick to the religion of the Vedas. But let me ask you: If I was born now do you think my name would be mentioned in the books that were printed a hundred years ago? No. It is logical to say my name would not be found there. When the Vedas were written there was no Bible, so the Bible is not mentioned in the Vedas. There was no Qur'an at that time so it is not mentioned in the Vedas. There was no Dhammapada, so it is not mentioned in the Vedas.

That is why Sri Ramakrishna did not say, 'Practise religion only as laid out in the Vedas . . . ' He said, 'Practise religion as laid out in all the scriptures.' Sri Ramakrishna did not say, 'Follow the Bible', but by practising its teachings himself, he followed it. By becoming a Christian he followed it. By virtue of this fact he is telling us: 'There is truth in that.' By practising the Qur'an he is telling us, 'The truth is also in that.'

But we as Hindus must not be blind. We do not owe anybody anything. We are proud to be Hindus. And Sri Ramakrishna himself said that a Hindu should not become a Christian, he should become a better Hindu; a Christian should not become a Hindu, he must become a better Christian. Why is this? If there is a tap in your house and another tap in my house what is the need for you to leave your house and come to my house for drinking water? The water is already there, drink it.

The Ramakrishna Centre [of Southern Africa] in no form whatsoever preaches conversion. But a bad man can be converted into a good man by following his particular dharma [righteous path or 'way']. If he is born in that dharma it will be easier for him to understand it.

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. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nischalananda Puri, Swami Shivapadananda

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

 

Swami Shivapadananda on the most important duty of all

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

595

You may be treating many other duties as important; you may think that if you do not do those other duties it will bring disgrace to you or that you may be scolded. Perhaps you feel that if you do not do those other duties, you will not get a 'piece of bread' or shelter. But you must rather think about that duty which, if not done, leaves you a brute; and sadhana [spiritual practice] is that duty. Do sadhana to keep inspiration and divine revelation in you.

But we cannot realise God just by sitting here in a Yoga [retreat] Camp for four days. Of course it is possible for the rarest ones that may already be God-mad. But can we sincerely say that we are God-mad?

I like one thing about drunken people: If they want to go and face someone whom they fear, they say, 'Let me get some dutch courage first. Let me put some spirits down my throat.' First they must secure that bottle of spirit - they must secure that which makes them intoxicated, as if mad. Then the next step is to prepare it. And the third step is to take it in. The last step the madness itself will accomplish.

Similarly the first step in spiritual life is to look for satsang [spiritual or religious service or gathering]. And having found it you have to prepare yourself - be seated there in the satsang. And after preparing for it, you have to take it in. Taking it in means you seriously have to believe that that which is said to you in the scriptures, by the gurus, is true. Take it in and put it into practice, then the task is already done. You will become God-mad, and when you are mad It Itself will accomplish Its own task.

You will be like a mad Sri Ramakrishna who cried day and night for God and God alone. But we must remember that for many years Master had associated with sadhus. [holy men, monks, nuns, mendicants] He had learned everything through his ears. He had prepared himself. He had looked for the satsangis [those.devoted to holy company and divine service] And when he was mad nobody was there to encourage him further, the madness itself made him restless. And when he became restless, utterly mentally restless, he found that which was restful, nay, rest itself: God, [the Divine] Mother.

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.

2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda,

Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online...

Reference websites (please mouse-over the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2

   

 

Swami Shivapadananda on the benefit of a home shrine

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

Day 555

[Pictured: Devotees waiting for darshan of the Holy Mother's Sri Sarada Devi's picture in Udbodhan House, where the Holy Mother lived following the mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna. Note the grille in front of the deity is still closed.]

   

Have even a small shrine in your homes. Without it you will be like a person without a heart, without life-blood; you will have built your life on materialism. God gives all. (If you cannot think that He is the boss, think that He is a shareholder.) Have a small place which you keep clean and pure. When you are angry do not enter there. First calm yourself, have only pure and holy thoughts, then you may go in there.

Keep a vase of flowers near the shrine as a symbol of light, as a symbol of AUM. Have a photo of the deity you love; but do not make an art gallery of your shrine because then you will not know which deity to worship and the mind will jump from one to the other.

You must have a Chosen Ideal [Ishta Deva]. Therefore have your Ideal's picture, a light and some agarbatti [incense] on the shrine. The place must be beautiful, it must be clean, so that the mind becomes naturally calm and makes holy thoughts manifest. You can worship according to the scriptures or as you like, out of love.

Why do you give prasad [sacramental food offering]? To purify the mind, to raise it to higher Consciousness.

The guidance of the guru is absolutely necessary to learn the technique to realise Brahman. 'I am full, may you also be full' - like that.

It is not enough to read and talk of the spiritual teacher, you must directly perceive the light within. It is not enough to get instructions from the guru, you must struggle incessantly. Some gurus give initiation through words, but it is beyond words. Others sit, talk, touch, look. Though they feel nothing at the time, the power is given by the illuminated teacher.

Always remember: God is your protector and guide. Who will touch you? He is Almighty. Repeat His name and all fear goes.

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.

2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

 

Swami Shivapadananda on optimising spiritual development opportunities

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

Day 544

[Pictured: The street leading to the original Udbodhan House in Kolkata, where Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi lived following the mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna]

   

[At the beginning of the Easter Yoga Camp]

I feel happy to see that somehow the children of Master [Sri Ramakrishna] have learned to inspire themselves. This is a very good sign. When you come to these Yoga Camps you come to know how much you love spiritual life and how much discomfort you can go through.

When you leave this Camp you should notice if you have become any better or any worse than when you came here. Whatever the answer, whatever your experience, you should try your level best either to increase your love for God or to decrease your attachment to transient things.

I feel that children should be exposed to gatherings like this from a very early age so they naturally grow into their natural environment of spirituality. If they are not exposed to spiritual life it will become very difficult to make them feel that this is their heritage, this is the one way of life that gives a complete way of life. Other ways of life may give you one aspect, but spiritual life gives you a complete way of life.

It was wonderful that Jesus the Christ made the greatest sacrifice in life, to show that he had 'birthing' power and also 'deathing' power. You may be able to take life but will you be able to give life? The Lord can take your life and yet give you life; or take it away for good.

You must do japa [repetition of a sacred sound syllable, mantra or one of God's many names] till it comes out of every part of you. You must be saturated. But nobody here does that, you can tell by the eyes.

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.

2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

Swami Shivapadananda on self-examination

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

Day 532

[Pictured: The Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi in (bodily) old age.]

   

It is a great pity when I say things like: We do not want any thieves at the Ashram, or, nobody must speak ill about others, or, nobody must admire another man's wife, that everyone always thinks I am talking to their neighbour. They do not think that they are the ones doing it.

There are no previous scriptures which are as practical as the scriptures of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Sarada Devi. They came at this time to give us the teaching for this Age. Therefore the teachings have to be absolutely practical.

Every speck of ground should be full of God's name. Take that discipline that improves your life towards the Supreme Goal. The easiest way is japa [meditative, concentrated repetition of a mantra or one of God's many names].

Master [Sri Ramakrishna] has promised that whoever worships him will surely reach the goal. Have tremendous faith in Master's words. As you walk out from here, repeat his name. Keep the ground holy with Divine thoughts.

When you want to be alone it is the Self yearning to see Itself everywhere. Once in a while go into solitude and look at yourself. What are you made of? The best time to do it is at the time of meditation when you try to concentrate on That which is everything - then the most precious and the most horrible thoughts come up. People are afraid to see themselves in the mirror of their own minds. But it is the most important thing to see the things which are marring your perfect image, and to replace them with God. The most positive of all positive things is love - love of God.

A God-man slips into God when he loses consciousness. It looks as if he is sleeping, and he is sleeping, but he is 'sleeping' in God. The ordinary man when he sleeps slips away in a tamasic  [slothful state of inertia] state. He also is unconscious but he is like a log of wood.

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.

2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.

 

Swami Shivapadananda on seriousness about spirituality

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

Day 508

(Pictured: In the most remote part of the Dakshineswar complex Garden is the bel tree where Ramakrishna performed his tantric sadhana, now walled in as 'Pancha Mundi' shrine)

   

I would like everyone to give this serious thought: Why is spiritual seriousness not in you? Are you just bluffing? Do you really want to obtain some sort of love for God?

Swami Vivekananda said that two jiva-atmans [embodied souls] are never the same at any time - just as two fingerprints are never the same. Even if they are spirit, in that spirit there will be differences, mainly of degree.

When practice bears results we go further by reasoning. Therefore we believe in reason.

What rights do we have? We have no rights. We only go by those people who gave us the rights – [Adi] Sankaracharya for instance.

Swami Vivekananda says that absolute fearlessness is the goal of everything. As long as there is duality [dvaita - you are one thing, God is another] there is always fear. As long as there is fear you can never be blissful. The idea is to reach a stage where you have nothing to fear. Advaita [non-dual or monistic] philosophy says that you are God and that superimposition has taken place through ignorance. Do not ask where the ignorance came from. It is natural to human beings on the human plane.

Jaya and Vijaya [gatekeepers of the Lord] were in goloka [heaven] and the Lord scolded them. They held the Lord's feet and cried out, 'Don't curse us to go down to Earth.' So there was fear even in heaven. Even if you go to heaven you can be kicked down to Earth - so this is not complete bliss. Some people say it is eternal bliss but we find, through the same scripture, that it is not eternal. Reason therefore tells us that that cannot be the end.

There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.