Know that the inside is God. Take God’s permission before you embark on any activity. When you visit a police station, you cannot go straight inside.
You have to fill up some forms, meet several officials, register your complaint, and only then will you be given access to meet the appropriate official. Similarly, you must secure God’s permission before you undertake any activity. Rama and Sita were parents to Hanuman. They saw Hanuman as their child.
That is why Hanuman is always at their divine feet. He is always portrayed as a child, involved in service to God. Such devotion brings us closer to God.
Arjuna always asked Lord Krishna’s permission before undertaking any activity. This is why no sin accrued to Arjuna.
When we take God’s permission, no sin accrues to us. If you kill a mosquito, you must utter the holy mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’! If not, you incur sin. God is our charioteer just as Lord Krishna was Arjuna’s charioteer. Surrender, faith and devotion are the keys.
There is no God without Guru; there is no Guru without God.
This is why the offering of dakshina (offering somebody something precious to us) to our ancestors, parents, God and Guru is essential before we undertake any action. When you go to Lord Shiva for example, go to him only after performing pitrapuja (prayers to ancestors).By doing this service, you are assured of his Grace.
There will always be shortcomings and deficiencies in worldly existence. There is no need to look at them. God is ever present in both the king and the beggar.
He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Both the king and the beggar face challenges. The beggar faces fewer challenges than the king.
The beggar is actually the real king. He has nothing to protect. It is faith and faith alone that saves us. We must have firm faith in ourselves. Always approach God with faith. Dharma is God. Where there is Adharma,
God will take birth to fulfill his will. When you buy a car, you may know driving or even have a driver; but know that it is the Guru alone, who can show you the way. Practice self-belief. That is genuine prayer, meditation and penance.
Substance of Discourse on 31 August 2009
“When you feed a person, do not consider his status. Instead, look at the intensity of hunger in a person and feed him in proportion to that intensity. Know that when you feed somebody, be it a cat, mouse, elephant or a fish swimming in the river or an animal in the jungle or a human being possessing an animalistic nature in this forest of worldly existence, it is one and the same because know that you are feeding Lord Shiva.
Your breath is God, while your body is the temple. Only if you enter the temple can you experience God. Real puja is performed inside which takes the form of selfless service outside.”
Swamiji was pointing to the importance of recognising the presence of divinity in every aspect of our lives. Sacrifice is the essential law upon which Nature conducts Her activity.
When our actions are in accord with that sacred principle, we gain and when we move away from that principle, we lose.