20 March 2014

TEACHINGS OF SRI SARADA DEVI

CHAPTER-V:  SELF-EFFORT AND DIVINE GRACE; PART-IV
31. "My child, this world is like a deep marshy place. Once a man gets entangled there, it becomes very difficult for him to come out. ... Repeat the Name of God. If you do so, He will cut away your bondage some day. Can anyone get liberation, my child, unless He Himself removes the shackles? Have deep faith in God. Look upon the Master as your refuge, even as children regard their parents."

32. "You may say that you have done so much of Japa or so much of work; but nothing will avail. Nobody can achieve anything unless Mahamaya clears the way. Oh, my children, take refuge, just take refuge. Then alone she will clear the way out of her mercy. ... Once in summer at Kamarpukur, a heavy shower had filled up the fields, and water overflowed from the ponds. The Master was wading through water when proceeding by the side of the sweeper colony. As the cat-fish came out of the ponds, the people around began to beat and catch them. One of the fish kept swimming near about the Master's feet. So he said, 'Don't you kill this one. See how it seeks my protection and plays round. It will be so good if one of you carries it to the Haldar's pond.' Then he himself took it up and released it in the pond. Returning home he said, 'Ah, if anyone seeks protection in this way, one is saved.' "

33. "Repeat the Name of God in the innermost core of your heart, and in all sincerity take refuge in the Master. Do not bother to know how your mind is reacting to things around. And do not waste time in calculating and worrying whether or not you are progressing in the path of spirituality. It is Ahamkara to judge progress for oneself. Have faith in the grace of your Guru and Ishta."

34. Disciple: "There are devotees who surrender themselves to God but do not practise austerities. Will they attain to this state (of realization)?"

Mother: "That they surrender themselves to God, that they live placing implicit trust in Him, is their spiritual discipline. Naren said, 'Let me have millions of births, what do I fear?' It is true. Does a man of knowledge ever fear rebirth? He does not commit any sin. It is the ignorant person who is always seized with fear. He alone gets entangled. He becomes polluted by sin. For millions of births he suffers from endless miseries, he undergoes infinite pains, and at last he craves for God. ... The calf makes the sound of 'Ham Hai, Ham Hai' (I am, I am). He makes the same sound even after drums and other instruments are made from his hide and entrails. At last he goes into the hand of a carder and then he makes the sound 'Tum Hai, Tum Hai' (It is Thou, It is Thou)."

35. "People suffer endless miseries on account of their egoism and at last they say, 'Not I, not I; it is Thou, O God! It is Thou!' " 36. Devotee: "Man cannot do anything by his individual effort. God is doing everything through him."

Mother: "Yes, that is true. But is one conscious of this always? Blinded by egoism, people think themselves to be independent agents in regard to action. They do not depend on God. He protects one who relies on Him."

37. "As you pray and meditate you will find the Master actually speaking to you, fulfilling all your desires immediately, and your mind will be filled with such deep peace. … You will realize that He who is in me, is in you too and in the humblest of men—only then humility will be born in your mind."

38. "My child, if you can get perfect knowledge through my blessings, then I bless you with all my heart and soul. Is it ever possible for a man to free himself unaided from the clutches of Maya? It was for this that the Master performed spiritual austerities to the utmost extent and gave the results thereof for the redemption of mankind."

39. "The Master used to say, 'The way is extremely difficult, like the sharp edge of a razor.' But He has kept you in His arms. He is looking after you."


40. "Just surrender yourself to Him; you will then feel His grace."

SOURCEsaradadevi.info/GHM_book

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