Swami B.R. Sridhara – The success of faith
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote:
sakala chadiya bhai sraddhadevira guna gai
yanra krpa bhakti dite pare
“Giving up everything, let us sing in praise of Sraddhadevi - faith -, whose grace can take us to Krsna.”
Sraddha, faith, is the subtlest thing, and it is also the most tangible. It is not imaginary. We must realize that it is a reality; it is concrete, and not merely an abstract sentiment of mere individual consciousness. Faith is universal as the most fundamental element that can connect us with the finest objective.
Power and grandeur are not proofs of faith.
Through electricity or radio we can establish communication over long distances. This science is very subtle, and not known to anyone and everyone, yet, we cannot deny its existence; it has its tangible position. But faith is much more subtle, and through it one can establish both higher contact and reciprocation. Subtle faith is not easily approachable for everyone; nevertheless it has its tangible existence and it may function in any circumstance if we have its peculiar contact. We cannot give false statements that we possess it; our power and grandeur are in no way proof of its presence in us. Despite great pomp and show, all we personify may be falsehood. We should be very careful to maintain our contact with genuine faith. Sincerity is the main requirement for faith’s connection. No price, no matter how high in this world, can purchase it. The qualification is laulyam -our sincere and earnest desire for the accomplishment. No one can purchase the Absolute, and no price can purchase Him. The absolute necessity is our sincere desire and earnestness. We cannot try to trade with Him, with insincerity. Sincere desire for Him is required, and that will awaken the conception to serve Him. We want Him, sincerely through affection. We love Him, so we desire Him. And to love means to sacrifice for the object of our love.
Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu has given a beautiful definition of the word ‘Bhagavan’:
bhajaniya sarva-sad-guna-visista –
“The Supreme Lord, Bhagavan, is of such a nature that everyone who comes in contact with Him will want to serve Him and to sacrifice themselves for His satisfaction.”
This is the result of faith in its developed form. He is so noble; we shall think that if we die to satisfy Him, our life’s objective will be fulfilled. His noble quality is such that it attracts so much sacrificing spirit to Him; it draws everything towards Him. “Die to live.” Faith is such.
The agents of faith:
We are in the ocean of faith, and the devotees are the essential agents. Each helps the other. We are much relieved from the fatigue and trials of a long journey if we have a companion or the association of a group. Similarly, in this ocean, if we obtain the help of like-minded souls of similar nature to ours, that will be the most conducive. Even my spiritual master, in a speech he delivered on his Holy Appearance Day, addressed his disciples,
“Oh my friends, who can give me relief from danger.”
To me, you are my deliverers from danger! In the ocean of faith, it is very difficult to journey onward alone, so you have come to help me in my dangerous, ambitious journey in the infinite. You have come, and you are engaging me in talking about only Him, and so, you have given me some engagement. Otherwise, to live and move alone in the infinite is very difficult, troublesome and dangerous. You have all come to hear something, and in this exchange of talks
about Him the situation has been made very safe and easy to journey so far toward the spiritual world.” (see CD30)
Faith is the only capital
Faith in the real devotees brings us to a tangible thing. We must be conscious of our real position when we are searching for God. It is not easy, and also, it is very easy - both simultaneously. Faith is the only capital by which we can make our journey towards the Infinite. Love, devotion, has no beginning and no end (ahaituky apratihata).
There is no beginning - it is there already. Before we came to know about it, it was there. It was there, it is there, it will be there. No one can resist it - the Divine love, this faith, is irresistible. It is part of the eternal substance. Its very nature is eternity - none can oppose it. We only have to make contact and associate with it, and the wave will carry us towards our goal. And if we can have the company of sincere devotees, the journey becomes very easy and pleasant, whereas to go alone is very difficult. In the progress of our contact with faith, when we come to take benefit from devotees and have faith in them, we are safer and our progress is also made tangible - it becomes to reality. From a vague, abstract position, faith grows deeper within us. We can then recognize many others with the same objective in life, and the journey becomes easier. It becomes conceivable. It comes into measurement. When we have faith in the real devotees, we can come into contact with such a tangible thing. Thus, the position of the devotees is very important in our journey, especially in the middle stage.
In the primary stage, not much importance is given to the devotees. With only a vague conception from the scriptures and with the help of previous accumulated merits (sukrti), the journey is begun. But gradually, the beginners find that the journey onwards in the infinite is not an easy thing: “We thought that with a little progress we could attain the desired end, but now we find that it is not so.”
When we come to consider the real position of devotion, of what is God - He is universal, He is the ultimate goal – we may gradually become disappointed. But if along the way we gain help from the devotees of similar objective, we shall feel much relief by their company, even though the destination may be far away. The difficulties of the journey are more prominent in the second stage. In the primary stage, we are not very exclusive in our objective, and so, we do not experience much difficulty. Real difficulties begin when we enter into the journey exclusively, with no other objective than to engage our whole energy towards that high and elevated path. And if we actually achieve a touch of the highest stage, the journey again becomes easier. But the middle portion is difficult, and at that stage the devotees are very important to save us. This is the period of both tangible acquisition and difficulty; our failings on the path to realization are to be rectified in this middle stage.
Some companions may disappear from the field but there will be others to encourage me.
Similarly, on this journey, we may see that many stalwarts are falling.
It may discourage us to see such respected persons -going away - falling in the middle path. Nonetheless, in the midst of those unfavorable circumstances there are others who are bravely making progress with unflinching faith, and they will help us. To stick it out to the end is difficult -but important and valuable. The test comes and shows how much faith we have. Nothing comes in vain, and we must take everything that happens in that way. We are out to fight illusion to the end. We must achieve our end of life, and we can imbibe such firmness from the character of the devotees. The scriptures will also offer helpful advice, but the association of the devotees is nonetheless of ultimate importance.
How to persevere on this journey?
We need lasting faith, not flickering faith:
“Oh, I attempted for some time, but I did not find any tangible fruit from my spiritual endeavor, so I left”; or, “To me, it seemed very, very vague. When I began, I thought this was something tangible that I would quickly attain, but it is not so. It is uncertain. I am giving so much energy for the cause, but still the desired result has not been achieved.”
Previous tendencies also draw from the negative side, and so we find that many stalwarts are falling. Still, we have to persevere in this journey, and we shall have to take courage from those who are standing and who are deeply engaged. Though it is said numberless times that the Absolute is infinite, in the beginning we still tend to gravitate toward the conception of the finite. We are accustomed to thinking of anything and everything in terms of finite. So, although we hear that it is infinite, it is Vaikuntha, it has no limit – we nonetheless cannot grasp the proper meaning. But when we make practical progress, many new conceptions must become a part of our knowledge.
Now, when our spiritual master addressed his disciples as: “My dear friends who have come to deliver me from danger,” we should, of course, recognize such a God statement from both the relative and absolute standpoints. Students are a necessary part of a professor - when a professor has students, he or she feels that the practical utility of their life has been successful. Thus, from the relative point of view, disciples can help the spiritual master. But from the absolute stand-point, will is everything, and the eternally perfect great souls who inwardly know the Lord’s intentions cannot be disturbed by any danger in any respect, but outwardly such an appearance may be manifest in their dealings.
By mutual understanding and discussion, a nectar arises to nourish the devotees:
In the Bhagavad Gita 10.9 it is said:
“Their attention is in Me”;
“Their energy is also spent for My cause”;
“They mutually assist one another.”
This reminds us of the ‘Napoleonic chair.’ Once, when stranded in a marsh, Napoleon arranged that each man sit on the lap of another, in a circular formation; each automatically protected the other from the otherwise fatal cold and they could all remain awake to pass the whole night in the intolerable cold. Otherwise his army would have perished. So, for mutual help, one devotee is asking questions, another is answering, and they are both getting engagement. The questioner is giving some energy and the answerer is also energizing.
Those of equal standing exchange their thoughts about Krsna, and thereby their blissfulness is generated. By mutual understanding and discussion, a kind of nectar arises that nourishes the devotees. “One is asking something about Me and another is answering, and thereby that discussion creates a flow of nectar that nourishes both parties.”
Satisfaction is generated from that mutual understanding, and it develops up to the quality of the absolute reciprocation, the ‘wholesale transaction.’ It rises up to that standard, and again I give them a further installment, an illumination of new light.
Commentary to Srila Sridhara Maharaja by Swami Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti
The moment we feel hope and see light in our heart we may trace this hope to its origin:
Where is the person who has brought this ray of light and warmth into my dry heart? Let me see if there is more love to be found. Is that hope sustained by a pure character and example?
If we see that the light and warmth increases and we are given a desire to serve in the realm of selfless dedication, the sign is clear. Our spiritual relief has arrived. If our doubts are being cleared in the association of the devotees, we feel protected and a natural desire to share this hope with others arises. Faith is tangible. Faith can be felt. Faith can guide us. Faith can move mountains.
All souls are hoping to find love. Unlimited different attempts are made to fulfill the craving for love. And when the hope for fulfillment in love on the mundane platform disappears the soul opens the heart towards the possibilities of spiritual love.
Search and prayer will open our awareness to the invitations brought to us by the faith of other souls.
This is the ray of faith, which can penetrate deep inside of our heart, coming from the loving servant of the truth.
That is the OIDA moment -- when we have the conviction that a new dimension of reality is being discovered. You feel it. You are convinced. You know it. You believe it. It becomes your faith, your shining light on the path to get out of the darkness of selfishness -- the path towards healing. To heal ourselves means to give up the inclinations to be irresponsible in any way and to misuse our own body or to give trouble to other living beings.
OIDA becomes the awareness of proper conduct; the path towards righteousness. It is the entry into the secret world of the pure soul and pure love for the creator and all his created beings.
OIDA is the guiding principle for our dignified path which enters into our heart by the grace of God and His loving agents. This particular description of faith is according to the OIDA-Veda, in understanding of the OIDA-therapy.