Collected Sayings from Swami Shantananda Puri from
“Droplets of Wisdom Sublime”
compiled by Swami Sadasivananda Giri
“Since our tendencies from previous births compel us to live in an externalized manner, we must adopt an equally habitual practice for counteracting and reversing the direction of our thought.
This is the purpose of Sadhana!”
{32}
While spiritual growth is at the sapling stage, it is imperative to hedge it about and protect it from all that would impede or even destroy its life.
{33}
If one is following a path that begins to bring about spiritual awakening, some degree of bliss and joy can be experienced from the very early stages of sadhana.
{34}
One must be careful that this feeling of inner contentment does not put one off guard and complacent as to the dangers of the outer world. Many of the greatest saints have continued inner spiritual practice, even after the attainment of the highest degrees of life in the Spirit.
{35}
There is a school of Hindu thought, which advocates that the world must be considered as crow droppings. For they say that the moment you consider the world is real, it becomes impossible to overcome.
{36}
It is said that unless the mind understands the world to be nothing but a dream, and is thoroughly convinced of it, then only can one come out or awaken from it.
{37}
Sri Ramana Maharshi, in his '40 Versus on Reality', teaches an alternate approach. In truth, no one knows whether the world is real or unreal, though there are an infinite number of opinions on the subject. The Maharshi therefore says, "Why do you worry whether the world is real or unreal, whether the world is conscious or unconscious? The entire question is absolutely unnecessary; one should concentrate on to whom this appearance or illusion is manifested".
{38}
When one yearns for the Mother to come, that yearning itself brings the dawn of the advent of Her light. The perception of that light creates a yearning for more light. One then begins to understand that that light is most clearly perceived in the depths of meditation. Thus, the yearning invokes more depth of experience in spiritual life.
