Message from the Gospel – 30. How Long Should One Perform Spiritual Disciplines?

When love of God fills the heart, there is no more any need for reading the holy texts and scriptures. No need to perform austerities. No need of performing Sandhya Vandan or reciting of the Gayathri mantra. All these can be stopped when our eyes shed tears spontaneously on hearing the name of God or anything related to God, such as His kindness, love for His devotees, etc. Sri Ramakrishna describes this very beautifully with various examples.

 

"There are four stages of life: brahmacharya, garhasthya, Vanaprastha, and sannyas.  During the first three stages a man has to perform his worldly duties.  The sannyasi carries only his staff, water-pot, and begging-bowl.  He too may perform certain nityakarma, but his mind is not attached to it; he is not conscious of doing such work.  Some sannyasis perform nityakarma to set an example to the world.  If a householder or a man belonging to the other stages of life performs action without attachment, then he is united with God through such action.”

"In the case of a paramahamsa, like Sukadeva, all karmas – all puja, japa, tarpan, sandhya, and so forth – drop away.  In this state, a man communes with God through the mind alone.  Sometimes he may be pleased to perform outward activities for the welfare of mankind.  But his recollection and contemplation of God remain uninterrupted."

"It is by no means necessary for a man always to be engaged in his duties.  Actions drop away when one realizes, God, as the flower drops of itself when the fruit appears.” 

  

"He who has realized God no longer performs religious duties such as the sandhya.  In his case the sandhya merges in the Gayatri.  When that happens, it is enough for a person to repeat just the Gayatri mantra.  Then the Gayatri merges in Om.  After that one no longer chants even the Gayatri; it is enough then to chant simply Om.  How long should a man practise such devotions as the sandhya? As long as he does not feel a thrill in his body and shed tears of joy while repeating the name of Rāma or of Hari.  People worship God to win money or a lawsuit.  That is not good."

Sri Ramakrishna said: "When, hearing the name of Hari or Rāma once, you shed tears and your hair stands on end, then you may know for certain that you do not have to perform such devotions as the sandhya anymore.  Then only will you have a right to renounce rituals; or rather, rituals will drop away of themselves.  Then it will be enough if you repeat only the name of Rāma or Hari, or even simply Om." Continuing, he said, "The sandhya merges in the Gayatri, and the Gayatri merges in Om."

"Without having realized God one cannot give up rituals altogether. How long should one practise the sandhya and other forms of ritualistic worship? As long as one does not shed tears of joy at the name of God and feel a thrill in one's body. You will know that your ritualistic worship has come to an end when your eyes become filled with tears as you repeat 'Om Rāma'. Then you do not have to continue your sandhya or other rituals.”

"When the fruit appears, the blossom drops off. Love of God is the fruit, and rituals are the blossom. When the daughter-in-law of the house becomes pregnant, she cannot do much work. Her mother-in-law gradually lessens her duties in the house. When her time arrives she does practically nothing. And after the child is born her only work is to play with it. She doesn't do any household duties at all. The sandhya merges in the Gayatri, the Gayatri in Om, and, Om in samādhi. It is like the sound of a bell: t-a-m. The yogi, by following in the trail of the sound Om, gradually merges himself in the Supreme Brahman. His sandhya and other ritualistic duties disappear in samādhi. Thus the duties of the Jnāni come to an end."

As the Master talked of samādhi, he himself went into that state. His face radiated a heavenly light. Bereft of outer consciousness, he could not utter another word. His gaze was indrawn and transfixed in communion with the Self. After a long time the Master began to recognize the world around him.

A BRAHMO: "Sir, have you read the Panchadasi?"

MASTER: "At first one should hear books like that and indulge in reasoning.  But later on-

Cherish my precious Mother Syama
Tenderly within, O mind;
May you and I alone behold Her,
Letting no one else intrude.

"One should hear the scriptures during the early stages of spiritual discipline.  After attaining God there is no lack of knowledge.  Then the Divine Mother supplies it without fail.

"A child spells out every word as he writes, but later on he writes fluently. 

"The goldsmith is up and doing while melting gold.  As long as the gold hasn't melted, he works the bellows with one hand, moves the fan with the other, and blows through a pipe with his mouth.  But the moment the gold melts and is poured into the mould, he is relieved of all anxiety.

"Mere reading of the scriptures is not enough.  A person cannot understand the true significance of the scriptures if he is attached to the world. Though with intense delight I learnt many poems and dramas, I have forgotten them all, entrapped in Krishna's love.

A devotee described the Convocation of Calcutta University, saying that the meeting looked like a forest of human heads.

MASTER: "The feeling of the Divine is awakened in me when I see a great crowd of people.  Had I seen that meeting, I should have been overwhelmed with spiritual fervour."