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“Faith, in true sense, is a
lively link connecting the mortal with the
immortal”
(Basic Writings of Sri
Ramchandra, Reality at Dawn, Page 250)
Dr. K. Dakshina Murthy
Pranams to one and all
Today’s topic for the seminar
“Faith, in true sense, is a lively link
connecting the mortal with the immortal”, is
from the essay “Faith” from the Master’s
book “Reality at Dawn”. Infact he answers
the question what is faith by this very
sentence (Sparkles and Flashes, 2006, pp
140) and goes on to say that “It is no doubt
effected through the medium of the Master
who is himself connected with the immortal.”
Many of us start our sadhana
without a strong provoking factor , may be
due to the previous samskaras (purva janma
punyam) , being led to the path by
circumstances, while some crave for the
Reality and search for the right path.
Having come to the path we start doing the
abhyas ordained, slowly develop faith in the
system we follow, in the guide helping us in
the path, and get entrenched firmly in the
path to Realization. With the faith firming
up we develop devotion, followed by
surrender. Surrender makes us develop
fortitude and forbearance. Surrender remains
with us till the final point is reached.
Thus though in the beginning faith may not
be the real faith, still it helps us find
our bearings in the path to Realization. In
the early days we may give more importance
to mundane worldy things than to the
practices ordained. But as the sadhana
progresses, we get the imperiences, faith
and confidence increase, we see the goal
clearly and act accordingly to realize the
real thing. Our priorities change once for
all. This is the experience of many of the
serious sadhakas.
“Will, faith and confidence
are the elementary factors which contribute
to an easy success on the path of
realization. Strong will to achieve reality
means that we are inwardly awakened to the
thought of recognizing Self. We proceed on
with the idea and select a path. The very
first thing to be looked to seriously, is
that, the path we select is the right one,
leading directly to our goal. It is
therefore quite essential to have in our
mind a clear and definite conception of the
final goal”1
“we have thus to select the
right path leading directly to the final
goal for which we aspire” “When we are
(finally) convinced of the merits of the
thing we may stick to it with faith and
constancy”2.
“It is (consequently) very
essential for every one to fix his eyes on
Absolute Reality with faith and confidence
and to adopt ways, helpful and conducive to
Self realization”3. Master says
that “Really a disciple should formally be
initiated only when true faith exists in him
and Divine love takes firm root in his
heart. Initiation signifies that the
disciple’s link has been connected with the
Supreme Power. In that case the spiritual
force begins to flow to the disciple
automatically according to the absorbing
capacity he develops in himself.”4
“The
other important factor of a spiritual life
is faith in the master for (as I have
already said before) the help of a capable
master is indispensable for higher spiritual
attainments. He is the only medium through
whom the divine impulse comes to an
aspirant”5
“We must seek in him the real
thing we crave for. When we are thus
convinced, we naturally begin to feel an
inward attraction for him and think him to
be the very person who can shape our
destiny. The feeling gradually develops in
to faith and we begin to love him.”6
“Our faith, now, is greatly
helpful to us in our spiritual progress”7
Master declares that “Faith
is really the foundation of the entire
structure of spirituality. Faith in reality,
faith in the right course you have adopted
for realization, faith in the worthy Master
whom you have submitted to, this is the rock
upon which you must build your edifice of
spirituality if you really aim at success.”8
Master says that “the link
(faith) when once connected cannot be broken
under any condition and subsists all along
during the course of our march upto the
final point. At this stage, faith is real
and genuine and is so firmly established
that a man cannot even for a moment get
away from it.” “Before this stage, faith is
really artificial and is formed, lost or
regained many a time for a variety of
reasons” “A worthy master looks forward
patiently for the time when the disciple
comes up to the final stage of shraddha
(faith) as depicted in the four sadhanas of
yoga when the real faith begins to assume
the form of self surrender. True faith is
really an unspeakable virtue which is beyond
the scope of religion, it is the courage
which leads us on to success, it is that
ubiquitous force which makes our path
smooth, it is infact the only thing that
resolves our problem of life”9.
In his “Efficacy of Raja Yoga” Master
exhorts “come with faith and confidence in
the spiritual field and be prepared for the
practice, throwing off the self-conceited
ideas”10
Master says in his
commentary on commandment 4, for retracing
on journey back to the first place one
should strengthen his will and divert the
downward tendency upwards and by removing
perversion of thought by fixing it finally
in the right direction. “Now since this
diversion of thought is beyond the capacity
of a common man he should attach himself to
some great personality who is himself firmly
established in the highest plane beyond all
possibilities of fall”. “It is quite
essential for him to get himself attached to
one of his fellow beings with faith and
devotion so that his downward tendency may
be mended by his influences”11
In “Reality at Dawn” Master
assures us that “You can win laurels in the
spiritual field if only you turn your
attention towards God and proceed with will,
faith and confidence, no matter how
adversely you may be placed in, surrounded
by all the worries and miseries of a house
hold life”.12
“We should proceed with our
abhyas, with faith and devotion and the
thing desired will come to us by itself”.13
Master also confirms that
“The most important factor in realization is
self confidence in our own capacity and
power to achieve success. It is absurd to
think, even for a moment, that we are in any
way too weak or deficient to acquire the
highest state of perfection ever attained so
far even by the greatest sages of the past.
We must march on the path of realization
like a true soldier with full faith and
confidence, not minding the difficulties or
reverses. Dejections and disappointments
weaken our will and shatter our firmness. We
should meet reverses with a brave heart and
should never give way to the feeling of
despondency which is the worst drawback and
the deadliest poison to spiritual life “14
In “Role of Master”, Master
says that “The state begins from trusting
and believing in the sense that everything
coming from the master is agreeable and
acceptable as the very right thing. But so
far it is only a physical approach or, in
other words, only a set up for the
foundation of an edifice to appear
subsequently as faith. At a lower level it
appears in a crude form with the idea of
self elevation in the back ground. This too
is not after all bad since something may be
better than nothing. When this feeling
finally settles in, losing its conscious
knowledge, it is then the beginning of real
faith. Having built up faith in that manner
one is then moving actually in the foot
steps of the master imbibing all that the
master has within himself”.15
“By and by, when he begins to
feel more and more convinced and satisfied
by experience and association, his reliance
on the master grows stronger and his
submission increases. Faith thus begins to
develop in a way and he begins to assume an
unquestioning attitude.”16 That
is “Maha viswasa”.
When real faith and
confidence grow stronger self surrender
begins to develop “Self-surrender is nothing
but a state of complete resignation to the
will of the Master, with total disregard of
self. A permanent stay in this condition
leads to the beginning of the state of
negation. When we surrender ourselves to the
great Master we begin to attract a constant
flow of the highest Divine force from Him”.
17
Master stresses the
importance of faith in spiritual life. “My
experience of spiritual life is almost
mature. I had become quite dumb, having laid
myself down upon my masters feet; but
definitely from that time onwards all my
miseries were over. My worldly life was
altogether transformed and I began to view
an ocean of bliss all around me. That was
due to, the kind grace of the Master and to
my implicit faith in him”18
“Faith, devotion and
confidence alone can win the race”19.
“An abhyasi who does not develop faith can
never progress” 20.
“Being Godmatic with faith in
our Master and his method and moving towards
Infinity is the true Faith. Seeking God and
become one with Him because of the
imperience granted to us by the Master and
his exhortations in his messages is the real
shraddha or Faith.”21
“If we have the complete
faith in the Master that we would wash our
prayer carpet in wine without questions,
because Master said so then we will know
Him.”22
“At times it even seems as if
Faith is simply another name for God, it is
that in which we live, move and have our
being”.23
In conclusion we may say that
faith is the beginning, faith is the means
and faith is the end in realizing our Goal.
References
1.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 245)
2.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp246)
3.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 247)
4.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra,pp 217)
5.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra,pp 247)
6.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra,pp 248)
7.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 248)
8.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp248).
9.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp256)
10.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 102)
11.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 152)
12.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 206)
13.
(Silence Speaks,2007, pp137)
14.
(Silence Speaks, 2007, pp137)
15.
(Silence Speaks, 2007, pp166)
16.
(Silence Speaks, 2007, pp251)
17.
(Basic Writings of
SriRamchandra, pp 258)
18.
(Silence Speaks, 2007, pp271)
19.
(Silence Speaks,2007, pp272)
20.
(Silence Speaks, 2007, pp
298)
21.
(Bodhayanthi Parasparam,vol
V, pp291)
22.
(Bodhayanthi Parasparam,Vol
V,pp 180)
23.
(Bodhayanthi Parasparam, vol
V, pp287)
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