the first step to get the grace of the Lord

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Note from the List Moderator:

We request Srimathy Gayatry to provide more information about the Swamiji and

context of this dialog. This will be helpful to the reader in understanding the

importance of 'Satsangh' in mind purification process. Swamiji correctly

identify that the first step is to join friendship with the devotees of the Lord

to get His Grace. Spiritual growth of a seeker needs nourishment that include

association or friendship with those who are spiritually inclined!

 

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Answer given by Swami.

 

Q.175) Let me know the first step, which I have to enter and by entering which

step I shall attain the salvation and the complete grace of the Lord?

 

Ans.) This is a very good question. You want to know the first step which if you

enter, it shall automatically lead to the goal. In fact all are failing to enter

the first step only. If you correctly select the first step and put your foot on

that first step, the other steps are connected automatically like in the case of

a ladder. It is not sufficient if you know the first step. You should be firm in

putting your foot on that first step and you should be firm also to climb the

ladder. Therefore, simply knowing the first step is not sufficient. Further

action should be associated with your firm determination. I will show you two

ladders. The first ladder leads to God and the second leads to temporary heaven

or hell. The wonder is that as soon as you put your foot on the first step, you

need not make any effort to reach the goal because the steps are moving as in

the case of an escalator. Therefore you are very lucky if you put your foot on

the first step of first escalator and you

are very unlucky if your step is on the second escalator.

 

Let me not raise your anxiety any more by not revealing the two escalators.

Listen! Be attentive! So far no one asked me such a question. You are very

intelligent. Yes! I am revealing the two escelators. Attention Please! The first

step of the first escalator is association with good devotees of "God". The

first step of the second escalator is association with good devotees of this

"World". Both are devoted towards their subsequent goals. The first one is going

to a good doctor, who injects medicine into your body, which heals your disease.

The second one is going to a bad doctor who injects poison into your body, which

intensifies your disease. If you pay hundred rupees to the doctor for the

injection of medicine, you must pay two hundred rupees to the doctor for the

injection of poison. Even if you don’t have strength and good health by the

first injection, you must avoid illness by the second injection. Association is

the first step that automatically leads to the goal. Sankara

said that the first step, which is the association will lead to the goal

automatically (Satsangatve). A devotee of God may be your enemy, but you should

develop freindship with him for his association. The medicine may be soar but it

should be taken for the health. You may like the sweet, but it causes illness.

Therefore, the devotee of the world, should be avoided at any cost. You must

avoid even the closest relative who goes on speaking worldly matters and you can

tell a lie that you are not feeling well and require rest, be it your wife or

son. But you cannot get rid of them. In such case stay very little time in the

house and avoid them. If they obstruct your association with devotees of God,

you abondon them permanently, and that is not a sin. Prahlada was praying the

Lord. He avoided his father and was praying alone. But his father interfered

frequently. Therefore, he abondoned his father. Even when Lord was killing his

father, Prahlada never prayed for the life of his

father. He prayed only for a better-devoted life for his father in the next

birth. Sankara left his mother because she was not encouraging his detachment.

She was fond of her son and was too much attached to her son. Sankara wanted to

bring detachment in her and therefore abondoned his mother. For the same reason,

Bhuddha left His wife and son. Therefore, if the family obstructs, you should

leave them permanently like Prahlada. If you are still a stronger spiritual

devotee, you can even leave the family, if the family is not congenial and

encouraging your spiritual effort. Very fortunate people get the opportunity to

have the whole family devoted to God. Markandeya became such a strong devotee

since his parents were also strong devotees. If you catch this first step the

other steps are automatic. When a newly married devotee told Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa, that his wife was obstructing his visit to Paramahamsa, Shri

Paramahamsa told him to divorce such wife immediately. One day Shri

Paramahamsa was killing the bed bugs. Devotees wondered at this cruel action.

Paramahamsa told that when he was sitting on the cot for the meditation, the

bugs were disturbing him. He told that He would not mind to do anything that

obstructs his path towards God. Veda says the same thing "Na Tat Samah", which

means that no body and nothing should be equal to God. Gita also says the same

"Eka Bhakthih". An illiterate cobbler became a great scholar in Vedas when

Shri. Narasimha Saraswati placed sacred ash on his forehead. The same fellow

became illiterate cobbler again by receiving the sacred ash from the hand of a

miser. Even the touch has so much influence. Then think of the association!

 

There are two fields. One is Pravrutti, which consists of justice and injustice.

If you are in the association of justified people, you will not do injustice and

do justice only. But for this the result is only temporary, which is the

attainment of Heaven. That is good in the beginning stage, because instead of

going to hell by associating with people of injustice, it is better to go

temporarily to the heaven. But when you associate with devotees of Nivrutti, who

are associated with the Lord in human form, you will go to Brahmaloka forever.

Therefore for such a permanent result you should associate with devotees of Lord

and not with the mere justified people. Leaving injustice and following justice

gives only temporary heaven. But leaving the world, which consists of both

justice and injustice and associate with devotees of Lord gives the permanent

result. Pandavas achieved the heaven, but not Brahmaloka. Kauravas attained the

hell due to association with Sakuni. But Gopikas left the

whole world consisting of both justice and injustice and were associated with

Lord Krishna only, which gave them permanent Goloka, which is higher than even

Brahmaloka. They did not mind to leave their families for the sake of the Lord

even though it is not justified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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