Faith is the product of Shanti, not of haste and hurry. For acquisition of the Grace of the Lord and the resulting Awareness of Reality and the quality of Shanti is the prime need. (P.Vah, p. 14)
Have faith; faith will grant you all that you need. How can you build your faith on a mound of sand? The deeper you dig in sandy soil, the greater the risk of the sides slipping down and burying your faith in doubt and denial. Listen to the call from within; believe that it is call from Mathura. (SSS Vol.2, p. 105)
Have faith and then you will get proof enough. Take up the discipline of the recital of the Name. (SSS Vol.2, p. 106)
Have faith in the doctor and the drug, then the medicine will cure; do not wait till the medicine cures the illness to develop faith in the drug and the doctor. (SSS Vol.2, pp. 108-109)
Your faith is greater than my shakti. Faith can work wonders, it can compel the Lord to manifest Himself and give you what you belie He will give. (SSS Vol.2, p. 227)
It is faith that matters; the form and the name on which it is fixed do not matter. For all names are His; all forms are His. Faith can grow on the soil of Dharma, with the fertile sub-soil of Veda. (SSS Vol.2, p. 248)
In spiritual matters, faith is the very essence. Doubt shakes the foundations of Sadhana and is, therefore, to be avoided. Have faith in the wisdom of the ancients; do not pitch your tiny little brain against the intuitions of the saints and their discoveries. (SSS Vol.5, p. 15)
Faith in God is the best reinforcement for spiritual victory. (SSS Vol.5, p. 176)
Faith is a cardinal virtue and faith in God, is a prop on life. Though God dwells in everybody, unless one has faith in God, he cannot become divine. (SSB 1979, p. 142)
Man is just not this gross body; in it there is a subtle component called mind; inside it, as its prompter and spring, there is an even more subtle principle called the Jivatma (individualised Soul); this Jivatma has neither beginning nor end, it knows no death, it has no birth - This is the basis of the Bharatiya faith. This is an unique feature of Bharatiya mental equipment.
Until the individualised soul gets liberated from the individualisation and merges in the Universal, thus attaining moksha or liberation, it has to encase itself in one body after another, and go through the process called living. This idea is held by no other people. This is the Samsara idea, which the ancient texts or Shastras of India reveal and propagate. Samsara means ‘the movement into one form after another’.
The people of the Eastern regions seek in the inner regions of their selves the realisation of this gloriously beneficent consummation. While worshipping, we close the eyes and endeavour to visualise God inside ourselves. People of the West lift up their faces and visualise God in outer space, in the beyond. They believe that their scriptures have been recorded by persons under the direction of God. Bharatiyas believe that the Vedas, their sacred scriptures were the very breath of God conveying meanings to the sages who had installed Him in their hearts. (BPV, pp. 35-37)
Faith is the very breath of Seva; doubt is death. (SSS Vol.9, p. 13)
Faith in one-self and in the Divinity of one-self are absolutely essential. (SSS Vol.9, p. 9)
Faith in God and in His Omnipresence has to be unshakable so that man can win. (SSS Vol.5, p. 11)
If the Bhakta has dedicated his all, body, mind and existence, to the Lord, He will himself look after everything, for He will always be with Him. Under such conditions, there is no need for prayer. If complete faith is placed on the Lord at all times, why should He deny you His Grace? Why should He desist from helping you? Men do not rely fully and unswervingly on the Lord. (P.Vah, p. 16)
Faith can grow only by long cultivation and careful attention. (SSS Vol.2, p. 17)
The Lord will never disown, for He is your very core, your basic Reality. You derive from (DD on 24-07-2002 , 24-07-2002) Him the fruit of your labour, of your Dhyanam, Japam and Puja; faith will grow into tyaga; you will feel that you are instruments with no individuality save as prompted by Him. (SSS Vol.2, p. 84)
There is infinite power inherent in the human heart. But despite such power, man does not have faith in himself. What is the reason for this? The reason is that he feels separated, and he believes that he is different from the divinity, which in truth, is always inside him as his very core. This same divinity pervades the entire universe. When you deepen a firm faith in God, you will have no fear whatsoever, you will recognise that God you worship is One who is present everywhere in everyone and in everything, and so also in yourself. The belief will remove all vestige of fear from your heart. But; if you don’t have that faith then you will be ridden with fear. Every moment, every step you will be frightened. When you have an examination you will be afraid. While going in an aeroplane, you will be afraid. When a truck comes in the opposite direction on the road, you will be afraid. Right from the very moment when you get up from the bed you will be afraid. And even in the bed you will be afraid that thieves might break into the house and steal your belongings. You will be experiencing your entire time in fear. But this is not right. You should become fearless.
Your faith in the Omnipresent is the key to developing fearlessness. Only when you lose faith will you develop fear. Only when you forget your true Self will fear arise. You have forgotten your true nature, you have forgotten the Atma. You are considering yourself to be this little five-foot body, but the truth is that you’re infinite in form and that your power is unlimited. When you make an effort to move the delusions and get a vision of the Atma, you become merged in Nirvana, then you can call yourself a real human being; if you do not make any effort along this path you are not a man but a ‘name’ a man in name only. (DBG, pp. 200-201)
Faith is the basis of love. mp3
God alone is the source and basis of bliss. Truth is the basis of God. Righteousness is the basis of truth. Love is the basis of righteousness. Faith is the basis of love. But man today has no faith. A person without vishwasa (faith) is verily without shvasa (breath). A faithless man is virtually a living corpse. Our ancient sages and seers therefore emphasised the need for faith. But man today has become virtually blind having lost his faith. What are the two eyes of man? The two eyes of man are shastra (scriptures) and dharma (righteousness). But today even the Brahmins who are supposed to study the scriptures are neglecting them. All sections of society, whichever caste or community they may belong to, should perform their duty with devotion and dedication. Instead of discharging his duty, man is wasting his life in mean pursuits. Consequently, he is unable to enjoy even a fraction of the unlimited peace and happiness he is endowed with.
Man should have total faith that he is not just a human being but there is God within. Only then will the animal nature in him be subdued. As man has forgotten his true nature, he has become bestial. You may belong to any country, religion, race, caste or sex, but you should firmly hold on to humanness. Do not waste your time keeping selfish goals in your mind. (SSS Vol.35)
Let the different faiths exist, let them flourish; let the glory of God be sung in all languages in a verity of times. That should be the ideal. Respect the difference between the faiths and recognise them as valid so far as they do not extinguish the flame of unity. (S&M, p. 239)
Seeing a glass half filled with water, the optimist is glad that it is half full, while the pessimist is sad that it is half empty. Though both statements are correct, the optimist hopes to fill the other half too, while the pessimist gives up in despair. The one has faith; the other has no faith to sustain him. So, we must develop faith by steady effort.
Faith must lead to effort. Faith is essential for human progress in every field. Knowledge, and through knowledge, wisdom can be earned only by means of faith and effort. Equipped with these, man can venture into the heights and emerge victoriously. Of course, one has to be warned against cultivating too much faith in things that are merely material. One has to develop it deep in the eternally valid truth, God. Faith is power. Without faith, living is impossible. We have faith in tomorrow following today. That is what makes us take up activities and projects that extend beyond this day. People with no faith cannot plan; they court misery by their want of faith.
Faith is power. Without faith, living is impossible. We have faith in tomorrow following today. That is what makes us take up activities and projects that extend beyond this day. People with no faith cannot plan; they court misery by their want of faith. (SSS Vol.11, p. 107)
Detachment, Faith and Love- these are the pillars on which Peace rests. Of these, Faith is crucial. For, without it, Sadhana (spiritual practice) is an empty rite. Detachment alone can make Sadhana effective and Love leads quickly to God. Faith feeds the agony of separation from God; detachment canalises it along the path of God, Love lights the way.
God will grant you what you need and deserve: there is no need to ask, no reason to grumble.
Be content; be grateful whatever happens; whenever it happens. Nothing can happen against His will. (MBI, p. 31)
One of the main principles of Hindu Faith is that each one is responsible for his own uplift or downfall, that he must reap what he sows, that he must himself win the grace of God to save himself from the suffering caused by Ignorance. Then, the Hindu believes in the possibility and the authenticity of Divine Incarnations of Avatars, God assuming Human Form, in order to uphold Truth and suppress Falsehood. The Hindu also believes that God can be realised, visualised, here and now, through mental purification. When the mind is cleansed out of existence, One is all Illumination, The Splendour of the God, that is His Inner Reality. (TLL, p. 77)
Do not give ear to what others say; believe your experience. Whatever gives you peace and joy, believe in that. That is the real basis of faith. (LIC, p. 112)
Faith in God is the secure foundation on which hope is to be built. The faith has to be stable and strong. The feeling that God will come to our rescue has to be vivid and vital, motivating and activating all that we do, speak, or think. (LD, p. 22)
‘Really, if only you have faith in the Name, you need not struggle to secure the chance to detail to Me your desires and wants. I will fulfil them even without your telling Me.’ (ACTS, p. 373)
The primary motto for man should be Shraddha (faith or trust). The ancients declared, ‘Believe and Live.’ Without Faith you cannot live happily. Only when you have the belief that one is your mother you develop love for her. Likewise, a woman loves a baby only when she feels he is her child. In the same manner, the recognition of the Divine arises from faith.
Where there is Faith, there is Love.
Where there is Love, there is Peace.
Where there is Peace, there is Truth.
Where there is Truth, there is Bliss.
Where there is Bliss, there is God.
Thus it is Faith that reminds us of God.
(SSS Vol.25, p. 33)
All faiths are interrelated. Welcome all faiths as kith and kin; all faiths are but attempts to train men along the Path; all aspire to win the same Illumination through the cleansing of the mind by means of Good Works. All have Love as the Fundamental Discipline of the mind, in order to chasten it and merge man with the Divine. (TSF, p. 158)
The Gopikas had unwavering faith in Lord Krishna and thus could redeem their lives. Faith is the magnetic power that attracts Divinity. Though the mothers-in-law abused and the husbands were angry with them, the Gopikas never rebutted. They were neither angry nor were they afraid. The Sweet form of Krishna was imprinted on their hearts just like a picture printed on paper. Can the picture and paper be separated from each other? No. Likewise, Krishna was firmly installed in the hearts of Gopikas. Such firm faith and devotion is the result of merits accrues over many births. In order to attain God, one should have love and compassion. The taste of love is beyond description. It is highly sacred and makes one forget oneself in ecstasy. (SSS Vol.35, p. 72)
At the first interview with Arnold Schulman, Baba told him to ‘write the book’ because I wanted you. Understand? You. Not a book. The book is publicity. I don’t need publicity. I want you. I want your faith. I want your love. Everybody who comes here to see Me thinks they have arranged it. But I arranged it. When the time is ready, I call all those who need Me, come to Me, when they are ready. No one can get here to Me otherwise. I want your soul, because it is time now for you to stop vacillating. (Lov God, p. 73)
Man can have vision of God only when he breaks the shackles of body attachment. Today man is immersed in ignorance in spite of his learning. You can make God appear before you when you have unwavering faith and devotion coupled with a study and pure heart. Here is an example. You can curdle the milk and extract butter out of it, and then heat it to get the ghee. If there is water content in the butter, it will emit some foul smell as you heat it. The smell will gradually diminish as you continue to heat it. So long as there is water in the butter you cannot escape from the foul smell. The water has to completely evaporate. Butter represents the individual nature. The evil tendencies in you can be compared to foul smell. When make efforts to melt ‘butter’ completely, the ‘foul smell’ will gradually subside. When man performs Sadhana the foul smell of evil propensities emanate from him during the process. He should continue with his Sadhana and overcome those evil tendencies, AS he performs the Sadhana more and more, all the evil tendencies in him will evaporate like water, Ultimately, his Sadhana will yield the desired result just like pure ghee is obtained on heating butter. So long as there worldly desires in the mind, one cannot escape from the foul smell. This was the fate of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.
Firstly, you should enquire into the reason for the foul smell that is emanating from you. Your mind should remain steady and unwavering through the vicissitudes of life. You should have strong faith. Only then you have a peaceful life. Prahlada was subjected to various kinds of punishments but his faith remained steady as a rock. His love for God never diminished a bit. He considered Love of God as his very life-breath. But the devotees today stand stark contrast to Prahlada; their faith is so shaky that their mind is disturbed by slightest trouble. They start entertaining doubts and lose their faith altogether. Losing Vishvas (faith) amounts to losing Shvasa (life-breath) itself. Come what may, one should continue his Sadhana with unflinching faith. This is the sign of devotion. Devotion does not constitute merely singing of Bhajans, performing rituals and chanting the Divine Name. You should firmly install divinity in your heart. You should take care that worldly desires find no place in your mind. Burn to ashes all desires completely in the fire of wisdom. Even if a trace of worldliness is left in you, it will multiply manifold and lead you astray. In order to free yourself from bad deeds and bad habits, make sure that you do not have even a shred of desire in you. But due to the impact of Kali Age, even devotees are filling their hearts with desires. Desires can be compared to foul-smelling pigs. One cannot stand the stink of a pig even when it is at a distance. Such being the case, how is it that man is giving room to so many ‘pigs’ in his heart? (DD on 22.07.2002 , pp. 4-6)
Understand the many lessons that life around us teaches; e.g., soon after it delivers a calf, the cow licks off the placental matter, to enable the new-born calf to rise on its legs. When the over-powering Prema of the animal (Pashu) makes it do this so lovingly and thoroughly , can the Lord (Pashupati) refrain from cleansing His children, to help them rise and progress? When the cow is so eager to save the child and help it to frisk about in joy, how can Gopala allow you to remain dirty and handicapped? Be firm in this Faith in God. Education must feed the roots of faith. Vishwas (faith) is Shvasa (life-breath). Faith lives and thrives on love. (NNSG Vol.3, p. 98)
Today in the world, we see many people who say that they have no faith in God. But, in fact, it is not possible to live even for a moment without faith in God. We should not be under the impression that God exists somewhere, having a special form, vested with special powers and so on. What is contained in your own heart as a clean thought and as supreme consciousness is itself God. He is God and you do not have to look for Him elsewhere. This sacred part of one’s heart is necessary for everyone. There is no one who does not have such a sacred heart. Because such a sacred heart is present in everyone, one can say that God is in everyone.
He who does not have faith in himself will have no faith in God. There is no one who does not love himself, has no belief in himself and has no ambition to rise higher and higher. Even a man who does not have faith in God does have faith in himself and desires to have the strength by which to cultivate faith in himself. This is something which is quite natural and which comes surging from the depths of one’s heart. (SSB 1973, pp.37-38)
In order to develop firm faith in the eternal truth, we have to cultivate noble qualities. This is our foremost duty. By doing so, our faith in God also increases. Unfortunately today we are setting aside our faith in God and believing in what others say. We are there by entering the wrong path. We have to develop self-confidence first. Only then we can develop faith in every aspect of God’s creation.
What is utmost importance today is to develop faith in god. Man develops ego, believing that he knows everything in this world. This ego is in fact, a sign of ignorance. Without having the faith in god if one says he believes everything in this world, then such kind of faith is not based on the solid foundation. Man today believes everything in this world, even that which he has not seen. But he is not prepared to believe that which is right in front of his eyes, the manifestation of divinity in ever so many ways. There is fire latent in the branches of a tree, which becomes patent when one branch rubs against the other and friction is generated. Can anyone deny the existence of fire in the branches of a tree? But why is man unable to recognize this truth (Divinity)? It is because of his ego. Just as the fire born out of the branches of the tree destroys the tree itself, so also the ego born out of the human being destroys the very human being. Hence the man has to develop the firm faith in the existence of the God. Without this faith man degenerates himself into this demon.
When you are seated here you listen to the discourse in rapt attention. But, once you leave this place, you forget everything. You will lose faith in what you have heard here. This is not expected of Human being. You should have total faith in the spiritual teachings, put them into practice and experience bliss.
Faith is the first and foremost quality that man inherits by birth. He develops faith in his mother in the first instance. His mother may scold or beat him, yet his faith in his mother remains firm. That is the greatness of the love of the mother. Man should develop as much faith in god as he has for his mother. But unfortunately, he lacks such firm faith in God. Everyone wants to have the direct vision of the God. Who is God? Where is he? It can be said that the sun is the direct manifestation of the God as he gives us light and sustains our life. The sun-god bestows his love on all in the form of the light. If you do not have faith in the light of love, your life will be filled with darkness.
When you have faith in yourself, you will not experience difficulties and sorrows. Therefore you should at least have faith in the teachings of elders and follow them implicitly. The sun-god is only one, but he appears separately in different parts of the world. When sun rises in America it is time for sunset in India. The Indians will say that the sun is setting and at the same time Americans will say that the sun is rising. There is no question of argument here. Time may vary, but both are correct from their own points of view. (DD on 17.10.04 , pp. 3-5)
Have confidence in Me, I shall look after everything for you. Faith in God means faith that He (Baba) is God, that He is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Confidence means trust in the word, will and Work of god. If I say something, there is a reason; if I do something, it is with reason. You should have this implicit trust – that there is always a reason for what I say, will and do. You should have confidence in every word ad act of Mine. Whatever I say is the truth, whatever I do is the truth, whatever I will is the truth – this is the confidence you should have, even though things may appear to be otherwise.
When you have bad karmas, you have to suffer. However, your faith in God will mitigate your suffering. I give you a shot of Grace, which acts as a drug or a pain-killer. In short, when you have one hundred percent faith, God, in His compassion reduces your suffering but He cannot reduce your karmas. Your karmas act as brakes and are binding on you. All that the Lord does is to hand out Grace according to your karmas, according to what you deserve. In this way, you are bound and the Lord is entirely free!
But when you show one hundred percent confidence in God, He is totally bound to take care of you! No karmas of yours, whether good or bad, can stand in the way and act as brakes. When you show such implicit confidence in God and unshakeable belief that He will take care of everything for you, why should you worry? For He can never let you down. He has to look after you and take care of everything for you, come what may, and whatever the circumstances of your karmas.
One hundred percent faith means that God will not let you suffer. One hundred percent confidence means that God will not let you down. One hundred percent faith and hundred percent confidence make up for one hundred percent devotion or Bhakti. It is the highest form of Bhakti where the Lord is in a state of bondage, and the devotee is in a state of supreme serenity and smiling freedom! This is what every devotee has to aspire for!
Your faith gives you total confidence in Me. You should have implicit confidence that I will look after you. You should have the confidence that My Grace is always with you and that I am always watching over you and protecting you. You should have confidence that I will never let you down, that I am always beside you, comforting you and carrying you through troubles and hardships. Just as you lean against the wall knowing that it will not collapse, lean on Me and depend upon Me entirely. I will then look after you. If you depend upon Me with complete faith and confidence, I shall provide for your welfare and look after all your needs in this world and in the next.
It is the height of foolishness to lose faith in God when someone you cared for dies. The sentence that this person had earned is over and he/she is released! No one is born and allowed to live for the sake of another. Each one has his/her own burden of karma to carry and lay down. Do not therefore allow any circumstances to affect your faith in God who is your strength and solace.
Therefore faith is of great importance! God should be installed in every thought, word and deed. Without faith in God we cannot perform any action; it is Divinity whih pervades everywhere and works nonstop. (ss. p.39/40)
Complete faith is most essential if you want to experience Divinity. There should not be even an iota of doubt. One living without faith in the Divine is like a lifeless corpse. When you have full faith, God will surely help you and make you fearless. People who have faith in God will never be let down. But those who have no faith suffer. You need not search for God. It is God who is searching for a real devotee. (SSS Vol.27)
With good feelings, man enjoys happiness;
With evil feelings he himself becomes evil. (Telugu Poem)
(SSB 2002, p. 105)
You should be prepared to face the vicissitudes of life with firm faith in God. It is during times of difficulties that God is remembered. To confront difficulties with faith is itself a spiritual discipline. Although Rama was the son of the Emperor Dasharatha and son-in-law of King Janaka, he had to face many ordeals in life for the sake of upholding Dharma. The Pandavas went through many difficulties for the sake of adhering to righteousness and hence their name and fame remain forever. You should pray to the Lord to give you the strength to bear all troubles and face all difficulties. If you have even an atom of Grace of the Lord, a mountain of troubles can be overcome. Chaitanya declared: ‘If a fraction of the time that is spent in worrying about wealth, provisions, wife, children, friends and business is devoted to contemplation on the feet of the Divine, one can face the messengers of death without fear and cross the ‘Ocean of Samsara!’
It is not necessary to devote many hours to prayer. It is enough if one thinks of God with all his heart and offers himself even for a few moments. A single match stick when it is struck can dispel the darkness in a room that has remained closed for years. Mountains of cotton can be burnt down by a single spark. Likewise, wholehearted chanting of the name of Rama even once can destroy mountains of sins. But the chanting should not be done mechanically like playing a gramophone record. It should emanate from the depths of the heart. Having been born in this sacred land of Bharat, having before you the ideal example of Rama avatar, you must seek to redeem your lives, by living up to Rama s ideals and proclaiming them to the world. Remember the name of Rama with love. God can be realised only through love and by no other means. (SSS Vol.22)
Faith is the basis of every act. You do not run away from the barber because he is armed with a sharp razor. You place faith in him and allow him to cut your hair, quietly submitting to his idiosyncrasies. You give away costly clothes to the dhobi (laundry man) since you have the faith that he will return them washed and ironed. You have faith in the driver of your car, in the engineer who built your house. So too, believe in the Inner Motivator, the Atman within, the Voice of God. (SSS Vol.14)
Even if you have no steady faith in God or in any particular Name or Form of that Immanent Power, start by controlling the vagaries of the mind, the pulls of the ego, the attractions of sense attachment. Be helpful to others; then, your conscience itself will appreciate you and keep you happy and content, though others may not thank you. Life is a steady march towards a goal, it is not a meaningless term of imprisonment or a stupid kind of picnic. Be patient, humble; don t rush to conclusions about others and their motives.
Faith is essential for every activity in life
The first among the six qualities is Vishvasam (faith). In our daily experience, faith is evident from the simple act of posting a letter. No one will send a letter by post if he did not have faith in the postal department. The address and the postage stamp on the letter are unaffected by distance. Likewise, God makes no distinction-between those near to Him or remote from Him. One s faith should be properly addressed. The faith should be unwavering, total and free from doubts of any kind. The letter of Faith has also to carry the stamp of Prema (love). It should be selfless love. Selfish love will be useless. When firm faith is associated with unselfish love, the prayers addressed to Bhagavan are bound to reach Him. (SSS Vol.30)
Steady faith wins true wisdom
Truth will always triumph; do not doubt that in the least. There are two eight-lettered axioms in the Geetha, which support the Vedic dictum:
सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः।
येनाक्रमन्त्यृषयो ह्याप्तकामा यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परमं निधानम् ॥
satyameva jayate nānṛtaṁ satyena panthā vitato devayānaḥ |
yenākramantyṛṣayo hyāptakāmā yatra tat satyasya paramaṁ nidhānam ||
Satyam eva jayate nanrtam (Truth only wins, not falsehood):
They are:
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति |
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मन: || 40||
ajñaśh chāśhraddadhānaśh cha sanśhayātmā vinaśhyati
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro na sukhaṁ sanśhayātmanaḥ
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं तत्पर: संयतेन्द्रिय: |
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति || 39||
śhraddhāvānllabhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ sanyatendriyaḥ
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śhāntim achireṇādhigachchhati
"Samshayatma vinashyati" (He who doubts is destroyed), and "Shraddaavaan labhathe jnaanam" (Steady faith wins true wisdom). If people are slaves of doubt, how can they save themselves?
Believe that the Name is the Boat, which will take you over the sea of worldly life. The Name is more efficacious than the contemplation of the Form. Draupadi did not send a chariot to bring Krishna to her rescue; she uttered the Name in her agony and Krishna responded, and saved her from imminent dishonour. In the Threthaa yuga, when the Ramayana story was gone through, Nala and his monkeys were building a bridge over the sea to Lanka; the boulders on which they inscribed the sacred name Rama, floated on the waters, but, they found that the boulders floated away due to wind and wave. They did not form a continuous bridge for the army to pass over.
Some ingenious person gave a suggestion to write RAA on one boulder and MA on another and they found that the two stuck hard together. The name will serve as a float for you too; it will keep you attached to God and bring on you His Grace. (SSS Vol.5)