The Flood of God's Grace
When sowing, only pure, unrotten seed is selected. Devotion with some ulterior, mundane object in view is like rotten seed. Pure seed has to be carefully developed, evolved. One may begin by sowing available rotten seed; similarly, one may start devotion with some mundane aim in view. As one proceeds, one may realize the importance of undertaking devotion for its own sake. God should be prayed for this purpose. After sowing, there should be opportune rain. This is not in our control, but God arranges for it. Now if the field is hollow, water may accumulate there, and must be drained, lest excess of it decay the roots. The excess water may be drained into the adjacent field, in all likelihood with advantage to it. To breach the bund and let the water to the needy corresponds, in the case of God's grace, to benefaction. With spiritual progress, the sadhaka often gets certain occult faculties; for instance, what he says comes true, he can make out what passes in another's mind, can go to another place unseen by others, and so on. At such times he must avoid the temptation to use such faculties for selfish purposes; he has to be specially alert in this regard. If used at all, they must be employed only to relieve others' distress, never for any selfish end.
It would obviously be wise not to base one's happiness on other persons or things or circumstances. This has to be learnt by practice. However, the mind cannot remain vacant; it must be provided with some occupation. God is that occupation. Because God is eternal, complete in Himself, and blissful, these qualities automatically percolate into the mind that keeps contemplating on Him. One can only imagine how sweet life must be to a mind so soaked in Him. Have an abiding consciousness that you and all that exists belong to Him; then life becomes such enjoyable fun!
The grace of God will be experienced if nama is chanted with a pure heart. A sadhaka should do his duty conscientiously, and live happily, leaving everything else to God, or to sadguru.
A thing comes or is lost as destined. Why should we then vainly feel miserable or joyful? When we know that everything belongs to God, we can leave everything to His care, and be carefree, joyful.
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