Faith is even greater than God.......Unshakable faith and patience are the two coins that one should offer to Guru as offering

Nama Article 4th October 2008

 

Question

 

Swamiji, Do you think that there is anything greater than God ?

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Yes,.. I believe that Faith is even greater than God.

 

Suppose God appears before us, but we are doubtful if it is God or not , what is the use?

 

But if you have faith,even a stone image can talk to you. So I believe that faith is the greatest of all. This faith should be firm and unshakable.

 

Question

 

I think I get what you are saying. Could you please illustrate this further, Swamiji...

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Let me tell you a small anecdote in Shirdi Sai Baba's life. Once a lady devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba was very adamant that she should receive some sort of Upadesam from him. But Baba refused to oblige. That lady went on a severe fasting. On seeing this, a few people informed Baba about this.

 

Baba called her and softly asked her , "Do you think my Guru gave me any initiation or upadesam ?"

 

She replied,"He must have Baba... , or how could you have become so exalted."

 

Baba smiled and said, "My Guru asked me to give two coins as Guru Dakshina (offerings to Guru). I didn't know where to get the coins from. Sensing my plight he said, 'My dear son, I asked you two coins of Nista (Shraddha and unshakable faith) and Saburi (patience and perseverance) in me. I had unshakable faith in him. So should you.

 

So.... now do you see that faith and patience are the greatest things.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

He who displays unflinching faith is the supreme among devotees..........All the accumulated sins of a man are destroyed the very instant he chants the Name of the Lord even once in a distressed state

Nama Article 3rd October 2008

 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

He who displays unflinching faith is the supreme among devotees, whom all the wealth of the world will not detract even for a moment from his firm grasp of the Holy Feet of the Lord.

 

How can passions survive in a heart, which has been cooled by the moonlight of peace emanating from the toe-nails of the Lord who is seated in that heart?

 

How can there be the heat of sun when moon has risen?

 

All the accumulated sins of a man are destroyed the very instant he chants the Name of the Lord even once in a distressed state.

 

This being the case, no wonder a devotee who has bound the Lord by the cords of love never misses Him from his heart.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

One is not sure if devotion to the Lord (Bhagavat Bhakti) would liberate a person but devotion to the Guru (Guru Bhakti) will never fail a man

 Nama Artcile 1st October 2008

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

One is not sure if devotion to the Lord (Bhagavat Bhakti) would liberate a person but devotion to the Guru (Guru Bhakti) will never fail a man.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

An offense committed against the sadhus who have become one with Lord Krishna and who look at all with an even eye, certainly recoils soon on the offender

 

Nama Article 29th September 2008

 

An offense committed against the sadhus who have become one with Lord Krishna and who look at all with an even eye, certainly recoils soon on the offender.

 

Source: Vaishnava Samhita

 

Some diabolical Kaapalikas were desrirous of slaying the acharya and hence they approached him to make him offer his body to Shri Rudra.

 

The Kaapalikas said:

 

Is it not true that you have no attachment to this perishable body? For, you know well that the Aatma (the soul) is immortal and the physical body is mortal.

 

Hence, Oh! Shankar! Please make this body an offering to Shri Rudra. We long to obtain magical powers by making a human sacrifice to Shri Rudra.

 

Shri Shankara replied:

 

Let it be so. When I knowing the Aatma, become oblivious of this physical body which is the home to all sorrows and get deeply rooted in the samadhi state then you can make an offering of my body to Lord Shiva.

 

What joy is there for me in this physical body? In reality I am existing as the Supreme Soul that is Immortal and All-Pervading.

 

Shri Sadguru Continued:

 

Having spoken thus, the Jagadguru (the universal preceptor) concentrated on the Truth, `I am the Supreme Soul'. Deeply immersed in meditation he reached the samadhi state and then the turiya state and became oblivious of the three worlds and totally unconscious of his physical existence.

 

At that time the wicked Kaapalikas approached Shri Shankara with their lips quivering in anger and with all excitement, holding the sword to kill him.

 

The very moment Bhagavan Shri Narasimha (Lord Vishnu in the human form with the head of a lion), the slayer of the wicked and the Protector of His devotees entered into the body of Shri Padmapada.

 

 

He had once tore to pieces the demon Hiranyakashipu impelled by His love for Prahlada. He killed the wicked now too, just as Garuda tears a snake into pieces.

 

Astunded all the disciples ran towards Shri Shankara. Shankara regained consciousness and prayed to Lord Purushottama.

 

Thus, an offense committed against the sadhus who have become one with Lord Krishna and who look at all with an even eye, certainly recoils soon on the offender.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Honour or dishonour, happiness or distress whatever befalls a Vaishnava he should remember Lord Hari and accept them all.

Nama Article 28th September 2008

 

Vaishnava Samhita: Vol. I, Book 2 Chp 24 Shloka 1

 

Avamaanepi Sammane Sukhe Duhkhepi Vaishnavah

Pashyatyeva Hareh Leelaam Gunadoshau Na Pashyati

 

Honour or dishonour, happiness or distress whatever befalls a Vaishnava he should remember Lord Hari and accept them all.

 

He should not think that other people are responsible for them and hence praise them or blame them.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Even while involved in service in this way we should keep doing japa without giving it up. It was in this manner that Hanuman worked tirelessly for Rama.

Nama Article 27th September 2008

 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

More than glorifying the Guru or live with the Guru serving him just as Lakshmana did living alongside Rama we should, just as Bharata who held Rama's words in great respect and ruled the Kingdom, take all effort to fulfill our Guru's 'lakshya' (aim) and desire. This is what I truly desire.

 

Even while involved in service in this way we should keep doing japa without giving it up. It was in this manner that Hanuman worked tirelessly for Rama. He also performed incessant Rama japa. We should also be like this.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

The Divine Name is pregnant with a great power to transform the world. It can create light where there is darkness, love where there is hate, order where there is chaos, and happiness where there is misery.

Nama Article 24th September 2008

 

As Ramdas had attained realization by taking to uninterrupted chanting of the divine name Ram, coupled with contemplation of the attributes of God, he always extolled the virtue of nama-japa in Sadhana. Based upon personal experience, Ramdas assured all seekers that nama-japa would lead them to the supreme heights of realization of one's oneness with the Almighty.

 

On the power of the Divine Name he has this to say: "The Divine Name is pregnant with a great power to transform the world. It can create light where there is darkness, love where there is hate, order where there is chaos, and happiness where there is misery.

 

The Name can change the entire atmosphere of the world from one of bitterness, ill will and that of mutual love, goodwill and trust. For the Name is God Himself. To bring nearer the day of human liberation from the sway of hatred and misery, the way is the recognition of the supremacy of God over all things and keeping the mind in tune with the Universal by the chanting of the Divine Name."

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan : 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare