a Swami Sivananda message

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OM NAMAH SIVAYA

 

The Divine Life Society sends daily readings from Swami Sivananda

and the passage below is todays. someone from this group turned me

onto this Sivananda group orginally, i don't remember who it was but

thanks.

 

JAI MA

 

SIVANANDA DAILY READING FOR 16 MAY

THE FLOWER OF FLOWERS

 

Divine love (or prema) is the flower of flowers. It is the rarest of

all flowers and it is cultivated in the hearts of all devotees.

Prema or bhakti is intense love, or the highest form of devotion to

God. it is supreme attachment to the lotus feet of the Lord. It

springs from the bottom of the devotee's heart. In it there is no

effort, there is only genuine, natural, spontaneous longing to meet

God.

 

Just as a fish cannot live without water, just as the sunflower

cannot live without the sun, just as the chaste wife cannot live

without her husband, so also a true devotee cannot live without

God even for a moment.

 

Bhakti or prema is of the nature of nectar. It gives freedom to the

devotee and makes him perfectly and fully satisfied. It takes him to

the feet of the Lord.

 

There are three things which are indeed rare and are due to the

grace of the Lord. They are human birth, the longing for liberation

and the protecting care of a perfected sage.

 

The man who, having by virtuous actions in previous births, obtained

a human birth and a good intellect, is foolish indeed not to exert

for self realisation. He verily commits suicide, for he kills

himself by clinging to things unreal.

 

There is no hope of immortality by means of riches. Such indeed is

the emphatic declaration of the srutis (scriptures). The scriptures

declare: "Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amrtatva

masasuh" "neither by rituals, nor by progeny, nor by riches, but

by renunciation alone can one attain immortality."

 

Mere giving up of objects will not constitute real renunciation.

Dear friends, remember this point well. Real tyaga (renunciation)

consists in renouncing egoism, 'mine' ness, selfishness, anger,

pride, desires and cravings.

 

People despise this Kali Yuga. This is a mistake for in Kali Yuga

you can attain God realisation easily, you do not have to do hard

tapas (austerities). Merely singing the names of the Lord and by his

constant remembrance will you attain God realisation. Wherever there

are satsanga (holy company), kirtan (chanting), svadhyaya (study of

scriptures), bhaktas, swamis and yogis there is Satya Yuga (golden

age). In all ashrams and holy places Satya Yuga prevails. Kali

cannot enter here.

 

 

 

 

 

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