Beg, if You Must, Only of Rama
Every action in life, even our very living, should be for Rama. Rama should, in fact, be for us like the mother to a child, like the father to a grown up, like the loving husband to a woman, a considerate employer to a servant, a trusted confidant to a friend. Come one, come all, to Gondavale and learn to feel it. Saguna bhakti alone can teach the common man and woman to realize the omnipresence of God, and how to live constantly in Him. We should try and see His hand, His will, in everything that happens in the world. In fact, having done our duty according to the best of our lights, whatever ensues should be welcomed as His will. One who has this conviction, this faith, will be unperturbed, undaunted by pleasant and unpleasant happenings in life. Realizing that Rama is the real doer of everything, ascribe all doership to Him and completely annul your ego. What can Rama lack? He is the Lord of everything; what can you ask for and He be unable to give? So beg, if you must, only of Him; He may or may not grant it, as He deems fit. Whatever He chooses to give in His wisdom, accept without demur and with a contented heart. Never ask anybody else anything, for, thereby we belittle our ideal, our God, our devotion. Of course, if somebody voluntarily offers anything, we should not refuse to accept it. Throughout my life I adopted no sadhana other than nama. Nama is what my own sadguru gave me, and I give nama to anybody who comes to me. And I assure you that you will not fail to attain God if you dedicate your tongue to nama. Employ your tongue in continually, saying 'Rama,' 'Rama'. I can vouch from personal experience that the soul's salvation rests in nama; so let every man and woman keep uttering it. Back every effort with the foundation support of devotion to the Almighty. Chant nama ceaselessly to keep you ever mindful that whatever you do has God for its goal. These times are really degenerate when the majority in society, even the respectable ones, give themselves up to sensuous, even lewd pleasures, and throw all scruples to the wind to obtain them. However, those who live in nama can rest assured of survival. So cease running after social applause and so-called respectability and live in love of the Lord. Ascribe all doership to Him and live in quiet and peace. * * * * *
