Swami Sivananda Vani

[Guest guest]

CHEERING DROOPING HEARTS: The Master was once cheering the drooping hearts of

some of his disciples.

 

" Never mind whether Self-realisation comes or not. Put forth every effort at

attaining ethical improvement to render yourself perfect for the service of man.

See God in man. Look upon man as God. If your concept of God includes the idea

that He is all-pervading and omnipresent, then why can't you see Him in all

beings and creatures? What makes you hesitate in translating your belief into

action? You

will have to leave off all such notions that He is available only behind locked

doors and closed eyes. First feel His loving Presence in everyone, in everything

that you see and serve, then see whether or not He shines of His own accord in

the chambers of your heart. When the heart is not yet free of all impurities and

the lower nature rid of its dross, how can spiritual experience come to you?

Until you

have rendered your nature perfect, is it possible to realise the truth of a

Being who is the very essence of perfection?

 

" First root out your egoism, anger, hatred, greed and pride by means of sincere

selfless service. Even if you manage to do some little good to ten human beings,

if you succeed in destroying one evil trait and developing fully a single noble

virtue, feel certain that your life has not been lived in vain. That is more

than what ten people in a million ever achieve. What if you do not have Samadhi

and God-vision?

 

" Cheer up yourselves! Apply your heart and soul to this work. I guarantee that

you will feel blessed and happy. Feel not dissatisfied with your lot or be

downcast about your progress. Act up to my word. Have I no thought of your

spiritual welfare? Why, if you would only know, you will see that day and night,

every moment my heart is fluttering with concern for your well-being. "