Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi

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"Holy Mother" painted by Swami Tadatmananda

Used courtesy of the Vedanta Society of Southern California

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Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi
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Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 263 15-October-2016

15-10-2016 Saturday
Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 263

Chapter 12 – Spiritual Ministry : 006

The knowledge of God which the teacher transmits is, according to the Upanidhads, dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, and dearer than all precious things of the world. It should be imparted only to a qualified son or a disciple. It cannot be bartered for any material consideration. Like the teacher, the student also must be qualified. According to Hinduism, besides acquiring a general knowledge of the scriptures he should perform daily obligatory activities and other duties prescribed for special occasions, and refrain from sinful actions. An advanced student should be able to distinguish between the permanent and the transitory and renounce the transitory. He should be endowed with control of body and mind, forbearance, non-attachment to the world, faith, and concentration. These disciplines create the inner purity through which one experiences spiritual truths. Patience is important in spiritual progress. The time factor is involved in the elimination of past worldly tendencies and the creation of spiritual ones. Anyone who has a sincere longing for the higher life and is ready to work for it can approach a teacher. According to the Bhagavad Gita, the student should have unbounded faith in his teacher. Full of humility, he should put intelligent questions to him. Religious instruction, according to one of the Upanishads, becomes fruitful only when it is obtained from a teacher.

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Holy Mother - Being the Life of Sri Sarada Devi Wife of Sri Ramakrishna And Helpmate in his Mission By Swami Nikhilananda p: 162 – 163

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