Characteristics of Saints
One who is liked by many is a saintly person. Such a person becomes immortal. He lives unselfishly and keeps control over his mind. He can never have the wickedness to ruin others for his own selfish motive. He mixes and behaves with different persons as if he is of their age and nature. Such a person never praises or censures anyone. Even while deserving honour, he never expects it. He has full control over his passions, and he always endeavours to alleviate others' suffering. He remains in the original blissful state, that is he never gets conditioned by upadhi. Such persons should be considered as liberated souls or saints. All their actions are inspired by God and are for God alone. Therefore such actions result only in the welfare of the world. You will find in every act of the saints love, compassion, benevolence, unselfishness and profound faith in God.
Begin your search of inward state from your own self. Try to see where you have gone wrong. Your suffering indicates that you have missed the path. One who is not affected by pleasure or pain is really contented. We say, 'I daily chant nama, I have never missed my prayers' for four years.' But if you constantly remember, 'I do all this', then it is all futile. All the efforts put in by you are spoiled due to this pride. So long as one feels proud of remembering God, how can it be true remembrance? Remaining conscious of matters other than God, how can I say that I am single-mindedly devoted to Him? I sincerely tell you the truth; surrender your doership to Rama and act according to His will, your body-consciousness cannot but get destroyed. Follow the signs on the path of saints, and you will find the way. If you are earnestly yearning, you find the way; and if you are sincerely interested you develop love in it. It is foolish to expect God to remove the calamities in our life. It is not proper to forget God because of difficulties. The destruction of body-consciousness lies in the chanting of nama. If you keep on worrying about the lack of love in nama, you are likely to forget nama itself. Do not waste time in thinking.
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