TEACHINGS OF SRI SARADA DEVI

Sri Sarada Devi

CHAPTER-IV; JAPA AND MEDITATION

11. Disciple: "Suppose I can't do Japa of the Mantra of my chosen Deity?"

Mother: "What do you mean? You won't do Japa of your Mantra? What a suggestion! If you don't do the Japa, you lose; that affects me not in the least!"

12. "The boys all come and solicit me earnestly for initiation. They get it and depart. But they don't make their Japa regularly — why regularly, some do nothing at all. ... They take the Mantra with so much sincerity; but why do they not practise at all? Not that it is very hard. If one but sticks to a little practice, how much joy comes to one! Ah! With what joy and for how long Jogen (Jogin-Ma) and myself used to make Japa at Vrindavan.

13. A disciple had written "I cannot calm my mind and concentrate" and so on. Mother became agitated at these words and said, "It can be done if one repeats the Name fifteen or twenty thousand times each day. I have seen it actually happen. Let him do that first and talk afterwards if it fails. One must put one's mind to it. But no, no one will do that. They only complain 'Why does nothing come of it?'".

14. "How can one do without Japa and meditation? These have got to be done."

15. "The conjunction of day and night is the most auspicious time for calling on God. ... The mind remains pure at this time

16. "True it is that there is no hard and fast rule about the time of Japa, yet morning and evening are the favourable periods. Whatever the time be, you must do Japa every day. It is not good to forgo it any day."

17. "One should practise Japa and meditation at regular times giving up idleness. While living at Dakshineswar I used to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning and practise Japa and meditation. One day I felt a little indisposed and left the bed rather late. The next day I woke up still late through laziness. Gradually I found that I did not feel inclined to get up early at all. Then I said to myself, 'Ah, at last I have fallen a victim to idleness.' Thereupon I began to force myself to get up early. Gradually I got back my former habit. In such matters one should keep up the practice with unyielding resolution."

18. Disciple: "I practise Japa, but I cannot concentrate my mind."

Mother: "Repeat the Name of God, whether your mind is concentrated or not. It will be good for you if you can repeat the Name of God for a fixed number of times daily."

19. Mother told X—: "What a lot of work I did when I was your age! And yet I could find time to repeat my Mantra a hundred thousand times every day.

20. Disciple: "Mother, shall I practise the repetition of the holy Name having in mind a fixed number of repetitions?"

Mother: "If you repeat with an eye to number, your mind may be concentrated on the number alone. Therefore I would advise you to repeat the Name of God without being particular about the number."

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