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108 Quotations on Faith in God
From
Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Divine Discourses
–
12 –
There
is only one God and He is Omnipresent. True, but to concentrate on
the Omnipresent, some fixed point or preliminary form is needed.
And to conceive of the Divine as present everywhere at all times,
the mind of man is to be clarified and purified by means of
certain psychological processes called saadhanas (spiritual
efforts). This is the reason why not only among the followers of
Hindhuism but also among Christians and Buddhists, regular rituals
are prescribed for the worship of idols of God. Cynics question
the validity of this type of adoration and say that will only
confirm faith in a superstition. "Can God be a stone or a piece of
paper?" they ask. This attitude is not correct. By adhering to the
traditionally laid down ritual worship, many aspirants have
attained the vision of the Omnipresent and stayed in that
Incommunicable Bliss.
In
fact, puuja (formal worship, at regular hours, with the
recitation of hymns and songs) is the very first step in the
spiritual pilgrimage. Many seekers have undoubtedly achieved an
awareness of God by years of asceticism among jungle caves. But,
starting early with puuja and continuing with scrupulous
care, the rites of archana, bhajana and aaradhana (offering
of flowers with repetition of God' s Name, singing His glory and
adoring Him as a living presence) are more fruitful and satisfying.
Meerabai, Sakkubai,
Suurdhaas, Kabeerdhaas, Shankaraachaarya and many other saints and
realised souls have proved in their lives that the time, attention
and energy spent, in these religious practices is well spent. By
aaradhana only were they able to visualise the Divine in the
specific form which they used as the instrument.
– Sri
Sathya Sai Baba
From: Sri Sathya Sai
Baba's Divine Discourse on 06.02.1979
Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume XIV, Chapter 19: Colour on canvas
Online:
http://sathyasai.org/search/volume14/sss14-19.pdf
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