Swami Shivapadananda

Struggle or surrender?

 

 

  
 

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

783

 

Devotee: Swamiji, can you just link up for me, you've established because of the river and the [water] falls [see post 780 for the explanation] that we are all God – that God permeates everything. Can you link up for me how that relates to [our] struggle towards God now?

Swamiji: You don't know. Ignorance - ignorance. [meaning we don't yet know]

Devotee: Even ignorance is God, surely?

Swamiji: No. The ignorance is as if looking at it from the wrong side.

Devotee: But surely if God is everywhere, it shouldn't be a struggle?

Swamiji: No, there is no struggle. This is what I am saying. 'Be still' does not mean you must struggle, does it? ['Be still and know that I am God': Psalm 46:10 of the Christian Bible]

Devotee: But even what I'm doing now, in this exact state now, though I don't know anything, God is still here.

Swamiji: Yes, but the trouble is you're thinking that God is separate from you my son. Why do you make it subjective when this 'I' is God. You see when you're making it separate, then it becomes a struggle. In deep sleep do you struggle?

Devotee: But why struggle, Swamiji?

Swamiji: You can't ask the question. You're doing it. But then if you know it, then why don't you stop it?

Devotee: I know I'm struggling.

Swamiji: Then stop it! It may be [sound] very bad what I'm saying, but truly, you are the key to it. Stop it. Why are you struggling? I can't see why you're struggling? You are the all-mighty Himself. So what are you struggling for? Trouble is that we don't go inside to realise this. You know, Christ said one thing: He feeds the sparrows, he looks after all things, even after you. But you haven't got the faith that he'll look after you. Then, go and struggle and work [devotees are chuckling]. Go ahead – provide your own shelter then, who cares? We don't really believe that's possible, not so? That's what makes us struggle. If we really believe that is possible.... we won't struggle.

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.

For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:

Sri Ramakrishna    Sri Sarada Devi     Swami Vivekananda  

Swami Nischalananda  Swami Shivapadananda 

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

Finally surrendering

 

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

712

   

We seek for this thing in the world but find it not. We seek for this thing in different religions and find it not. But when we seek Him in the religion of our hearts then we find Him everywhere.

Swami Brahmananda the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna, said to the sadhakas [spiritual aspirants or practitioners]  who were restless and who had not taken life very seriously: 'This is your period to become tired, the period of tiring the mind.' He told this story as an example: 'There was a bird, and the bird was sitting on the mast of a ship. One day when it opened its eyes it saw the glorious sun and found water, water everywhere. It found itself in mid-ocean and thought to itself, I am hungry. It flew to the east and did not find land. It came back and rested on the mast of the boat. The next day it flew to the north and finding no land returned to the ship. It flew to the south and the west but it found no land. Then giving up - as if in self-surrender - giving up everything in sheer desperation, the bird sat on the mast and gave itself to the ship. And one morning when it opened its eyes it saw land, for the ship had sailed to a harbour and there it anchored.'

This is the 'tiring period'. Fly to the east my friends. Fly to the west. Fly to the south and fly to the north. Seek pleasure in everything which is perishable but ultimately you will find that the answer is not that. The answer is in self-surrender, surrender to God. And you do not have to move an inch. You only have to unfurl your sails and the wind of grace will do its work.

We do not know if next year we will be here or not. Whilst the going is good let us get together and glorify Him in thought, word and deed.

God bless. God speed. May your stay here be a happy and inspiring one.

Hari Om Tat Sat

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  Swami Shivapadananda 

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

Accepting God’s will entirely

 

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji

686

   

Renounce your mind. The mind, the ego, has to be renounced. If you become ego-less you are a renunciate. A person may have the garb and be telling everybody, 'I am a great swami,' but then he is not a renunciate - he still has the 'I'. The garb [gerrua robes of the monk - see colour of Swami Vivekananda's cloth above] does not make a person a renunciate. Ravana [the demon king] wore the garb, and yet he was a bhogi [worldly man].

If you have faith in God, God will take care of it. Mirabai was exploited by people but nevertheless she enjoyed the bliss of God. When you have deep trust in God, God protects you, you will not even think about it. Self-surrender means you have no concern; God will take care. 'O God, if you kick me through others, good; if you exploit me through others, good; if you give me bliss and make me sit down on a throne, it's good.'

Gurudev [Sri Swami Nischalananda Puri – Swamiji's beloved Guru] gave Vishnupriya [Swamiji's brother disciple or gurubhai] and myself our garb at the same time. He told us, 'When everything is over you must take this garb, place it in front of the Master, and then wear it. With this garb I am giving you, you are a renunciate.' He burned some camphor and did all the mantras; then he gave the garb to us.

After Gurudev's passing away I told Vishnupriya, 'Bobby [his pre-brahmachari name], now you have to put on the garb because that's what Gurudev wanted.' He said, 'What? You are a fool.' I thought: 'He is bigger than my guru now.' [laughter] Vishnupriya said, 'We must first work, save money, then go and renounce. If you do that then the people cannot tell you anything.' Inside I thought: 'But what kind of a renunciation is it if my strength is in the bank?' So I said, 'But that's wrong.' He disagreed and so he went away. As it turned out he put some money in the bank, he went to India, came back with cancer and died after one week. His money was still in the bank. Now you can see what kind of renunciation it was.

When you surrender to God, God can kick you, God will kick you sometimes. Who cares? He does what He feels like with you. You are like a dried leaf - sometimes He blows you into deep water, sometimes onto the shore. You just sing Ram Ram. Sri Ramakrishna had cancer: He said, 'Jai Sri Kali, Jai Sri Kali.' When Gandhi was shot he said, 'Ram Ram.' He did not say, 'Why did you shoot me?' He was a renunciate.

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  Swami Shivapadananda 

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