[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
Today, 7th March 2010 is the 72nd birth anniversary of our beloved Swamiji's 'birth'
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
752
Discussion continued from post 751
Swami Vivekananda was telling the same story. When he was going to sleep he would see a light. Later on he realised, 'How it is that everyone doesn't see the light.' Then the trouble started. Then he had to see the light.
The story is the same with all the sadhakas [spiritual aspirants or practitioners]. All people travelling the same path will see the same things. But certain people observe certain things and certain people observe other things. One will tell you, 'Going to 'Maritzburg [Pietermaritzburg, a city in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa] I have to pass a bridge.' Somebody else will say, 'Going to 'Maritzburg on the right hand side there is a shop.' One will stress on the shop and one will stress on the bridge. That's all it is. It is nothing else. All sadhakas will experience the same things but they will only observe certain things. Other things are not observed. So they actually stress those things that they observed. That's all. The other things that they didn't observe, they didn't observe, so they are not stressing it. It doesn't mean they are not there.
My mother called me Inder [Swamiji's pre-monastic name] from young, but it never made an impression. But when my guru [His Holiness Swami Nischalananda Puri] called me Inder it left an impression.
Actually when anyone called me Inder I would see my guru's lips moving; I'd see how he was calling me, 'Inder, Inder.' And though all the other's had called me by that name I didn't feel anything - it was just a name. But now, with that name, flashed back the guru's form. It's strange because it should be my own form coming back, but it's my guru's form coming. Beautiful. Even that name had become a blessing to me. See how guru's grace comes? That's guru's grace. Blessed is he who can catch it. Even in the minute things his grace is coming.
If someone called you Inder you could think of a beautiful girl and have love for her. If someone called you Inder you could think of a demon and have hatred for it. But see how beautiful it is if we start with the guru's grace? Lovely. I see the loving spark in his eyes calling me. So even when you call others by their name it should remind them of a higher thing.
Sometimes I call a person by some other name. I know their name but I call them something opposite [different] to that. The idea is the same. The idea of the guru will go in their mind.
Supposing a man's name is Shiv. I don't call him Shiv, I call him something else. Later, you'll remember: 'Hey, his name is Shiv but Swamiji used to call him by this other name.' This way your mind goes to high thoughts.
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
