Ardent Yearning for God Is Essential
A man is pleased if we do what he likes. God wants nothing but love. To beget love for God, we should cultivate attachment for Him. We should resolve not to rest until we attain Him, no matter what others say. Where there is a will there is a way. Earnest longing does discover the way. Saints are eager to guide us, provided we surrender our ego.
I shall cease seeing faults in others only when I myself become free of all faults. The root cause of all faults is that I forget God. To forget Him is indeed the prime sin. When we commit a sin we take care to see that we are unobserved; the remedy is to remember that the Supreme Being is everywhere and sees everything.
Any deed performed with expectation of a return becomes harmful. That act alone is good which brings God closer. What is the use of observing religious rituals if we resort to malpractices in life? Keep faith in God, and expect nothing from whatever you do. Dedicate your mind itself to God instead of engaging it elsewhere. If the mind so dedicated subsequently takes pleasure in sense-objects, it is no dedication at all. Pray to God with all sincerity, saying, "Lord, let my worldly life be as it may, but grant that I may never be unmindful of Thee." In doing anything, recall the thought that you belong to Him. One who holds fast to God even in adverse circumstances is daunted by nothing.
What calamities befell the Pandavas despite the Lord Himself being with them! One may well ask why the Lord did not avert the calamities rather than letting them come and, then helping the Pandavas out; the simple answer is that if the calamities had been warded off beforehand, one may feel they were not of much consequence at all. Calamities are merely the fruition of our own past deeds. Consciousness of God enables us to face calamities more equably and keeps us contented. Even those who are favourably placed do not enjoy contentment. So those less favourably situated need not be sorry, because contentedness is not a function of circumstances at all. Discontent is, in fact, an ill common to all, and the remedy, too, is common for all – remembering God.
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