The wise know that God is Love, but until we meet God we will never know the real meaning of the ecstatic experience. Many have told me that they love God and have faith in Him, but get angry with Him when they go through difficult times. When we haven’t met God that’s how we behave—we get very angry and destroy our own peace of mind like child who likes to pick a quarrel with his parents. It’s the nature of humans to be angry with God, especially when He doesn’t respond to us in times of need. But when we do meet Him, we will never be able to get angry with Him, because God is Love. But first we have to meet God. Is it possible? Yes, it is. Then how can we meet God? He cannot be met with rites and rituals, or with our power, status and wealth, but only with devotion, like Sudhama did. He cannot be met when we carry with us our wish-list of selfish prayers, but only with love, like Sudhama.
Look at the kind of love and devotion Sudhama had—he did not look at Lord Krishna’s richness. He looked at Krishna as an embodiment of Love, that’s all. When we also start looking at God without anger, lust, greed, attachment, pride and jealousy, He, in turn, will look at us only with love, because God is a reflection of our very own self. Then we will never ever get angry or desperate or feel a sense of frustration that is bothering us. The Lord says in the Bhagavad Gita, “Just offer me one leaf of Tulsi or one spoon of water and I am there for you. I am ready to receive anything you offer to Me with devotion and love—Amar Prem. That’s all I need.” One lotus flower for the Divine Mother or one leaf of Tulsi for Krishna and one leaf of Bilva for Lord Shiva: that’s all God asks from you. A heart filled with love and devotion is enough. No rites, no rituals, no religious vows, no doing this and no doing that. If we make this our spiritual discipline—Sadhana —we will automatically start meeting Him everyday.
But rites and rituals are very necessary at the beginning of Sadhana to eliminate laziness. Else, you will start thinking it is enough to offer one tulsi leaf. But, remember, unless devotion is inscribed in your heart, there is no use offering anything. If you had invoked God with love and devotion you would have already met and conversed with Him by now, like great souls such as Ramana Maharshi and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. These sages lived among us once as a bag of skin and bones—like a Pindand. But the extent of consciousness—Chaitanya—in them was supreme: like Brahmand. Ordinary beings express only a microscopic section of love towards others and even God, whereas the love of these sages was as huge as the Brahmand itself. The moment we become a Brahmand in our feelings, love, faith and trust, we also become like Ramana, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sudhama, and we will be able to meet God at last.
ashram-india@shrinimishamba.org
