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Thursday, December 1, 2016

How to get faith?

How to get faith?


True faith is found in the company of the faithful. If faith is a valuable way of knowing, indeed the most valuable of epistemologies, then it is important to see how to get faith.  Śrīdhara Mahārāja explains the nature of give and take in the association of saints:





"So, awaken your consciousness. Find the real person within – the soul. Search him out and try to help him. That is possible only with help from the sadhu.The day in which we do not find any saint or have any discussion about the real purpose of life – the inner life, the inner substance – that day we are the loser. Be conscious of that. In all respects, in any way possible, mind your own lesson – mind your own interest.






"Find your own self-interest. Be unmindful towards the external world and circumstances dive deep into reality, the inner world. Find your inner self, the inner world where you really live where your inner self is living. Try to find your Home, go back to God, back to Home. Your energy must be utilized for going Home not for wandering in this land of death.

"Try to avoid the land of death at any cost. Always try to find the eternal soil, that soil to which you belong. Try to understand what is your home, why it is your home. Home comfort – what does it mean? It means our birthplace, the place where you are born. In Srimad Bhagavatam we find this verse:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karana-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-varmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati
(Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25)

“Krishna says, ‘In the association of pure devotees, discussions about Me are very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. Such talks, which are full of spiritual potency, are a source of sweetness, and by such cultivation, the path of liberation from worldly life quickly opens. Then gradually one attains firm faith which, in due course, develops into taste and then real love for Me.’




“In the progress of our contact with faith, when we come to take benefit from devotees and have faith in them, we are more safe and our progress is also tangible - it comes to reality. From a vague, abstract position, faith becomes 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 to 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 take 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 maha-bhagavata 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.

“The association of devotees is of ultimate importance: When we enter into war, in the beginning we have much hope. We feel confident. But the real test is when the fighting begins. And when we finally conquer, we again become very satisfied. But the middle - when the war is being conducted - that is the difficult period. At that time, our co-workers, our comrades who fight along-side us, are very, very important to us. "I am not alone, but there are many others battling alongside me in that middle fighting period of war.“ Those companions are important. Some 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.

“There may be so many stalwarts, like Bhisma and Drona, who fall flat in the battlefield, but still we must go on (karmany evadhikaras te, ma phalesu kadacana, Bg. 2.47). We are out to fight to the end. We must achieve our end of life, and we can imbibe such firmness from the character of the devotees. The sastra will also offer helpful advice, but the association of the devotees is nonetheless of ultimate importance.

The Success of Faith


“Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, sakala chadiya bhai sraddhadevi guna gai yanra krpa bhakti dite pare[i] "Giving up everything, let us sing in praise of Sraddha-devi - faith - whose grace can take us to Krsna."  Śraddha, faith, is the most subtle thing, and it is also the most tangible. It is not imaginary. We must realize that it is 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.

“Through radio we can establish communication over a long distance. The science is very subtle, and not known to everyone, yet, we cannot deny its existence; it has its tangible position. But faith is much more subtle than radio waves, and through it one can establish both higher contact and reciprocation. This subtle faith is not approachable by everyone; 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 not necessarily any proof of its presence in us. Despite great pomp and show, all we personify may be falsehood. We should be very cautious to maintain our contact with genuine faith.


“Of course, sincerity is the main requirement for faith's connection. No price, however valuable in this world, can purchase it. The qualification is laulyam - our sincere and earnest desire for the thing. No one can purchase the Absolute, and no price can purchase Him. The absolute necessity is our sincere desire and earnestness. With insincerity, we cannot make trade with Him; He is not so foolish as to become an object of trade for anybody! 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 draws so much sacrificing spirit for Him; it draws everything towards Him. "Die to live." Faith is such.




“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 devotees of similar nature to ours, that will be most conducive. Even our Guru Maharaja, in a speech he delivered on Vyāsa- pūja, his Holy Appearance Day, addressed his disciples, "Vipada uddharana bandhu-gana[ii]:  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 Vaikuntha."




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[i] সকল ছদিয ভৈ স্রদ্ধদেৱি গুন গৈ যন্র ক্র্প ভক্তি দিতে পরে sakala chadiya bhai sraddhadevi guna gai yanra krpa bhakti dite pare, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Śaraṇāgati

[ii] ৱিপদ উদ্ধরন বন্ধু-গন  vipada uddharana bandhu-gana: Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura, Vyāsa-Pūja address

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