Offerings

[Guest guest]

Sookti Sangraha, (www.sadguruseva.org)

 

Sooktis 98, 23 and 24 and Swamiji´s (recent) talks

 

The Real Offering

Devotees/disciples offer fruits, garlands and money to their Guru. Does the

Guru need them? Guru is not a paatra (receiving vessel). He is the Daata

(giver).

 

A disciple/devotee should never think that by his offerings, howsoever big

they may be, he can please his Guru. The Guru gets pleased through your

devotion and your saadhana (effort-practice) to get rid of your ego.

 

The relationship between Guru and devotee/disciple is not a business deal.

Instead, it is essentially based on shradha (faith), bhakti (devotion) and

seva (service). If these qualities are there in a devotee, they constitute

the best offerings to the Guru.

 

 

 

- Sri Swamiji

Jai Guru Datta!

 

Rituals and Worship

Rituals and worship serve the same spiritual purpose as meditation,

self-enquiry and singing of the Name do. Pujas, homas, fasts, feasts etc. all

have an important role, helping man to gain peace and happiness.Those who say

that worship is not necessary, might say so, but it is only their point of

view. That does not mean, it is true for all. What is necessary for the

infant class pupil is not necessary for a graduate. But even the graduate has

to make use of the very alphabet which he learnt in the infant class. It is

only now, that he has known the proper use and meaning of the

alphabet.Different paths and modes of austerities are there only to suit

temperament and interest (svabhaava and ruchi) of different people. What

suits you, that is the way for you. Neither you, nor others, have any

business to compare, comment or judge.

 

- Sri Swamiji

Jai Guru Datta!

 

Idol Worship

Worship of the Formless in the form of an idol or a <I

style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">saligrama or a shiva linga has been an

inseparable path of our religious tradition. Worship of the Formless is not

only difficult but fraught with risk to the unintelligent worshipper. Our <I

style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">shastras have therefore, out of

compassion, prescribed the worship of an idol or image because devotion can

more easily be practiced towards God with form, rather, without form.Through

idol worship, the worshipper can pour out all types of feelings, emotions,

thoughts, wishes, etc. to the Deity, and in this process, get his mind

connected with the Lord. In all religious/spiritual practices, what matters

is to establish a connection between the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style:

normal">chitta (mind) and the Lord. Idol worship done with purity of thought

and devotion, achieves this goal.

 

- Sri Swamiji

Jai Guru Datta!

 

dattapeetham.com/talks:

 

"flowers are myriad, but puja is one" -

 

 

 

(very subtle meaning!)

 

JGD