How do we know that Bhagavan's grace is there or not? Do we get any signs? If all our effort will become useless since Bhagavan's grace is missing, what is the use in putting in the effort?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
In order to achieve worldly comforts as well as to attain God, both His Grace and your efforts are required. A farmer who puts in his best efforts by ploughing the field, sowing seeds and manuring, will still not able to do a good harvest, if it does not rain at the right time. Thorough inundation by means of rains on an unploughed arid land will do no good either. A combination of proper efforts (by means of ploughing, sowing and manuring) and grace (by means of rains at the appropriate rime), makes one successful.
Now how do we know that we get the Lord's grace?
When we say that we need God's grace irrespective of the efforts we put in to attain the Lord, this is what is meant:
As long as you feel that you are putting in efforts and you are responsible for your Sadhanas, you will not be able to attain Him. The moment, you start to feel that everything is happening by the Lord's grace; it is He who instigates and empowers you to perform Sadhanas, then you can be pretty sure that your efforts are not in vain.
That feeling is verily the indication that you are a recipient of the Lord's grace.
The easiest way to attain the Grace of Bhagavan is to chant his Nãma
Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
