The Vedanta Kesari – November 2020 issue

Page 9

man in the world should practise discrimination and pray to God, ‘Give me faith and devotion.’ Once a person has faith he has achieved everything. There is nothing greater than faith.

One cannot realise God without the faith that knows no guile, the simple faith of a child.

Faith! Faith! Faith! Once a guru said to his pupil, ‘Rama alone has become everything.’ When a dog began to eat the pupil’s bread, he said to it: ‘O Rama, wait a little. I shall butter Your bread.’ Such was his faith in the words of his guru. Faith in the guru’s words. You should depend on his instruction. Do your duties in the world, holding fast to his words, like a person whirling round and holding fast to a pillar.

“One should have such burning faith in God that one can say: ‘What? I have repeated the name of God, and can sin still cling to me? How can I be a sinner any more? How can I be in bondage any more?’ You will certainly realise God if you have firm faith. You may believe in God with form or in God without form, but your faith must be sincere and whole-hearted.

Sri Ramakrishna (to a devotee): “Please tell us the story of the boy who posted the letter.” Devotee (with a smile): “A boy once heard that God is our Creator. So he wrote a letter to God, setting forth his prayers, and posted it. The address he put on the envelope was ‘Heaven’.” Sri Ramakrishna (with a smile): “Did you hear that story? One succeeds in spiritual life when one develops a faith like that boy’s.

You must have heard about the tremendous power of faith. … Rama, who was God Himself – the embodiment of Absolute Brahman – had to build a bridge to cross the sea to Ceylon. But Hanuman, trusting in Rama’s name, cleared the sea in one jump and reached the other side. He had no need of a bridge. Once a man was about to cross the sea. Bibhishana wrote Rama’s name on a leaf, tied it in a corner of the man’s wearing-cloth, and said to him: ‘Don’t be afraid. Have faith and walk on the water. But look here – the moment you lose faith you will be drowned.’ The man was walking easily on the water. Suddenly he had an intense desire to see what was tied in his cloth. He opened it and found only a leaf with the name of Rama written on it. ‘What is this?’ he thought. ‘Just the name of Rama!’ As soon as doubt entered his mind he sank under the water. —Sri Ramakrishna

November 2020

A

Faith

9 The Vedanta Kesari

PA G E S P O N S O R : I N M E M O R Y O F S W. A B H YA S A N A N D A , C A LC U T TA S T U D E N T S ’ H O M E , B E LG H A R I A

Yugavani


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