Faith : Bhagavad Gita

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Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

A couple of verses from Bhagavad Gita on the importance

of 'Shraddha':

 

'zraddhAvAM labhate jnAnaM

tatparaH saMyatendriyaH,

jnAnaM labdhvA parAM zAntim

acireNa adhi gacchati'

 

'The seeker WHO HAS FAITH, WHO IS DEVOTED, and

HAS CONTROL over his senses OBTAINS DIVINE KNOWLEDGE.

Having obtained the ENLIGHTENMENT,

one soon ATTAINS SUPREME PEACE.'

 

In the midst of the DEVOTION to the Preceptor, WHOLE-HEARTED SERVICE

to Him and searching inquiries into the nature of the REAL and

UNREAL, the desciple may NOT be making adequate PROGRESS, due to LACK

OF ADEQUATE ZEAL, the CRITERION for SPIRITUALITY.

 

To the extent 'Shraddha' or ZEAL beams in one, PROGRESS is made in

the path of Divine knowledge.

 

One is said to be DEVOTED when one's MIND is GIVEN WHOLLY to the

IDEAL.

 

Perfect mastery over the senses is a prerequisite to the DEVELOPMENT

of INTUITION.

 

Variance in the FULFILMENT of these CONDITIONS leads to QUICK or SLOW

GAIN of Transcendental Knowledge.

 

The TIME FACTOR for it varies from a TRICE to the duration of SEVERAL

births.

 

Along with the GAIN of BRAHMA-JNANA comes SUPREME PEACE that CANNOT

be DESCRIBED.

 

17.17

 

'zraddhayA parayA taptaM

tapas tat trividhaM naraiH,

aphal AkAGkSi bhir yuktaiH

sAttvikaM paricakSate'

 

"When THIS THREE fold Austerity (body, mind and speech) is undertaken

with SUPREME FAITH by self-controlled devotees who DO NOT HANKER

after the FRUITS (results) or REWARDS, they speak of IT

AS 'SATTVIKA'."

 

The austerity loses its sanctity to the extent, the fruit or REWARD

is SOUGHT for.

He is steadfast in the pursuit of the ideal, who REMAINS UNAFFECTED

by SUCCESS and FAILURE.

 

Relentlessly he engages himself in his spiritual endeavours.

All the THREE INSTRUMENTS- the BODY, the SPEECH and the MIND, are

benignly UTILZED for the SERVICE of the Lord.

 

That aspirant is FIXED in 'SATTVIKA Austerity' who EXPECTS NO REWARD

and DOES NOT SUSPEND his PRACTICE of Austerity for ANY REASON

WHATSOEVER.

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

 

-----------------

 

> Threefold is the faith of the embodied, which is inherent in their

> nature- the Satvic (pure), the Rajasic (passionate) and the Tamasic

> (dark).

> -Gita Ch. 17, verse 2

>

> The faith of each is in accordance with his nature, O Arjuna. The

> man consists of his faith. As a man's faith is, so is he.

> -Gita Ch. 17, verse 3

>

> The Satvic or the pure men worship the gods; the Rajasik or the

> passionate worship the Yakshas (demi-gods) and the Rakshasas; the

> others (the Tamasic or the deluded people) worship the ghosts and

> the hosts of nature-spirits.

> -Gita Ch. 17, verse 4

>

> Source:http://www.hinduism.co.za