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Sri Ramakrishna on Sincere Devotee
Sri Ramakrishna - "When the devotee develops raga-bhakti,
passionate love of God, he realizes Him. But one loses vaidhi-bhakti, formal
devotion, as easily as one gains it. This is formal devotion: so much japa,
so much meditation, so much sacrifice and homa, so many articles of worship,
and the recitation of so many mantras before the Deity. Such devotion comes
in a moment and goes in a moment.
Many people say: 'Well, friend, we have lived on havishya for so many days!
How many times we have worshipped the Deity at our home! And what have we
achieved?' But there is no falling away from raga-bhakti. And who gets this
passionate love for God? Those who have performed many meritorious deeds in
their past births, or those who are eternally perfect. Think of a
dilapidated house, for instance: while clearing away the undergrowth and
rubbish one suddenly discovers a fountain fitted with a pipe. It has been
covered with earth and bricks, but as soon as they are removed the water
shoots up.
"Those who have passionate love for God do not say any such thing as: 'O
brother, how strict I have been about food! But what have I achieved?' New
farmers give up cultivating if their fields do not yield any crops. But
hereditary farmers will continue to cultivate their fields whether they get
a crop or not. Their fathers and grandfathers were farmers; they know that
they too must accept farming as their means of livelihood.
"Only those who have developed raga-bhakti for God may be called His sincere
devotees. God becomes responsible for them. If you enter your name in a
hospital register, the doctor will not discharge you until you are cured.
Those who are held by God have nothing to fear. The son who holds to his
father, while walking along the narrow ridge of a paddy-field, may slip if
he absent-mindedly lets go his father's hand; but if the father holds the
son by the hand, there is no such danger.
"Is there anything that is impossible for faith? And a true devotee has
faith in everything: the formless Reality, God with form, Rama, Krishna, and
the Divine Mother.
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