Remembering the name of the Lord. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

 

Smarana is the best antidote for all ills. Never be ashamed to sing the name of God or to do Bhajana. Be proud that you get the chance, be glad that your tongue is put to the best use.

 

 

When the artist sees a stone, he sees immediately the form of beauty hidden in that stone imprisoned in it; and he will not get peace of mind until he releases that form from the clutches of the stone. Do not see the stone as stone, see the God in it, the basic reality underlying it.

 

Vemana did not visit any temple for years; for years he was laughing at those who considered that the image was a symbol of Divinity. But when his daughter died, he was one day holding her picture in his hand weeping over the loss. Then the idea suddenly struck him that if the picture could cause sorrow in him and bring tears, the image too can evoke joy and bring tears to those who know the beauty and the glory of the Lord. The image was just a reminder of the Presence of the Lord everywhere and in everything.

 

The Lord is the Sun and when His rays fall upon your heart, unimpeded by the clouds of egoism, the lotus bud blooms and the petals unfold. Remember, only the buds that are ready will bloom; the rest have to wait, patiently. Meanwhile, carry on with the companionship of the Name of the Lord; Smarana (remembering) is the best antidote for all ills. (SSS Vol.1)

 

It is the inner purity that matters, not the outer movement of lips. Smarana being an inner activity helps that inner transformation. (SSS Vol.3, p. 206)

 

Smarana is the surest means of mastering the viles of the mind.  (SSS Vol.9, p. 45)

 

Smarana, memory, is superior to Akasha; without it all experience is meaningless, all knowledge is waste, all effort is purposeless. It can be said that memory created the Akasha and other objects. (UV, p. 59)

 

The Smarana (continual remembrance) of the Self or Atma is the spring of joy; the Smarana of the Not-self or Anatma is the source of sorrow. Welcome the test, because thereafter you are awarded the certificate. It is to measure your progress that tests are imposed, so do not flinch in the face of grief. The Lord bestows a favour when He decides to test you, for He is impressed by your achievement and wants to put upon it the seal of His approval. Rise up to the demands of the test; that is the way to please the Lord. (LA, p. 17)