Satsang 11 February 2021
Channel: Anandashram Kanhangad
Date: 11/02/2021

With preference to comfort zone, our effort to move towards God becomes an uphill task. 

Rama Leela By Vanamali-----

Valmiki could scale the heights because of his NOT HOLDING ON TO THE COMFORT ZONE, because of steadfastness. When Narada asked him to cease to sit and start an active life, Valmiki asked for the existence of a person who had the following qualities.
INTEGRITY 
BRAVERY
RIGHTEOUSNESS
TRUTHFULNESS
CONCERN FOR ALL LIVING BEINGS 
COURAGE
 GRATITUDE
 DEDICATION TO PRINCIPLES
LEARNING
SKILL
BEAUTY
CONTROL OVER ANGER
LACK OF JEALOUSY
UNDAUNTED HEROISM

Narada said all these qualities existed in rama...

INITIALLY VALMIKI CONCENTRATED ONLY ON THE IMPERSONAL AND WAS BLESSED WITH THE HIGHEST EXPERIENCE. ONLY WHEN NARADA WANTED HIM TO START AN ACTIVE LIFE HE ASKED FOR THE EXISTENCE OF A PERSON WHO EMBODIED ALL THESE QUALITIES. HE STARTED FROM THE IMPERSONAL AND CAME TO THE PERSONAL...

RESTLESSNESS PAVES THE WAY TO KNOW MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE INDWELLING REALITY AS IN THE CASE OF VALMIKI...

VASISTHA---THAT INTELLIGENCE IN WHICH THE UNIVERSE OF NAME AND FORM CEASES IS GOD. HE IS THE EMPTYNESS IN WHICH THE UNIVERSE EXISTS. 

Comfort zone stops all my inward journey. Valimiki showed that hugging to anything comfortable will keep us away from God. We are having all comforts and want to have 3.30 to 4.30 session. That will not do. 

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How to decide which God to pray to ----

Initially we pray to God with form, since we have a name and form, we cannot conceive of a God who is beyond name and form. Slowly we think of the universal and all-pervasive nature of God. Then we realize, God has to be nameless and formless who takes name and form to lead us in the beginning of our journey. Papa too started with Lord Krishna’s form but it was transcended retaining the reverence for that form. There are many who have attained the highest through the form . How is it? It is because they saw that form in ALL. THEY DID NOT PREACH. THEY WERE DWELLING ON THAT BLISSFUL REMEMBRANCE. THEY WERE NOT AFTER THE ACKHOWLEDGEMENT OF OTHERS. 

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How does the Name lead us----

Papa initially asks us to chant the Name as much as possible since the Name is God . To those who can take it up fully, this is enough. But those who are exposed to so many other facets of spirituality, will have doubts. We are not able to sustain the joy of chanting after the session. How can this feeling be sustained. 

We must question ourselves, “am I having joy because of the absence of routine thoughts or is it the feeling of communion with God that  is yielding me joy..”

Absence of routine thoughts---is there when we watch a movie or go for a program.

We must make sure ramnam session is not a diversion like the entertainment we have now and then. After a movie or music program , we are very thrilled but we are the same, without any change in our views. ..

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LOVE IS ABSENSE OF OTHERNESS...