[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
718
Shiva [the aspect of God who destroys ignorance] Puja [worship] is of two kinds. One is scriptural and the other is devotional - non-scriptural. The scriptural books of worship are called Agama. The devotional books are called Nigama.
When Lord Shiva explains how to worship himself it is called Agama. When Parvati [the consort of Lord Shiva] explains how to worship Lord Shiva, when she becomes the great questioner and learner, then it is known as Nigama. In one there are technical exercises, scriptural exercises. You read which side you must face, what kind of havan samagari you must use, what kind of a statue you must use, what kind of mantra you must say, and if you make a slight mistake what will happen to you. In this way, out of fear, you have great discipline.
The other way is discipline out of love.
An example of this is the hunter who brought dead rabbits and offered them to Lord Shiva. One day he saw Lord Shiva's eye was watering and bleeding so he took out one of his own eyes and put it in place of the watering eye. But he noticed the Lord's other eye was also watering and bleeding so he took out his other eye and offered it to the Lord. Then suddenly both eyes became whole and he had the divine vision of the Lord. Meaning if you offer your all then God becomes alive to you.
Neither method is wrong. The scriptural method needs a little extra caution, while with the non-scriptural method you worship like a little child. Sit on his head or sit on his toes, it does not matter, He knows we are little children. Even Christ said you have to become like little children. Not childish but childlike.
Similarly you can worship Christ with all the paraphernalia in the scriptural way, or you can worship him according to the purity of your heart and call upon him wherever you like, whatever you are doing, he is our very own. He will come. He has to come.
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.
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites - please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham
