Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 13)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Mar_Apr/v1.AwakeningDivinity)

Why do we worship the divine?

* To condition and remind our minds of our divine origin.

* True worship of God means only one thing - the cultivation of nobility in thoughts, motives, speech and action.

If you think that by worshiping a particular God you will gain material success or fulfill a specific desire then it is a wrong delusion. Worshiping God with sincerity results in enhancement of virtues like generosity, compassion and warmth in your psyche. It brings about a positive change in the attitude of the devotee towards life. If you have not performed worship in its true sense, then you are likely to be lost in a maze of lifeless mechanical rituals. You should worship in such a way that you also get the gifts of grace bestowed on true devotees present and past. Your virtues, character, actions, behavior, thoughts and sentiments must improve as a result of worship. This is what shows the activation of divinity in life. If you attain this state, great opportunities will knock at your door.

Glance through the cultural history of India - all the great names in it are of those who served the noble cause for the good of all and not of those who earned scholastic laurels.

Have you heard of Mahamana Malviyaji? He was an ordinary person who became a great personage through sincere worship of divinity as he conceived it.

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 12)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity) 

Whosoever has gained immortal, glorious progress or notable success in any field in the world to date has accomplished it through his virtuous personality. A deity's blessing consists of supremacy of qualities, talents and thoughts. The life history of every great personality demonstrates it. Almost all of them were born in ordinary or underprivileged families and circumstances. But they reached greater and greater heights and accomplished brighter and brighter goals! Look at our former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's life, for example. He was blessed by God's grace. How? In the form of two qualities - responsibility and wisdom. These great virtues establish the linkage between God and the devotee and also strengthen it further. This is the only way to communicate with the Omniscient Presence and Power.

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 11)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)

I am admiring deities.

Where do they live?

They are present in the integrity of the human character and the inner self. They inspire the motivation and zeal that clears all illusions, and breaks and destroys the web of complications, infirmities, ignorance and worries. Divine inspiration compels one to follow the righteous path. This is the true blessing of a deity. Anything lesser or lower than this can't be a blessing of a divine power. The doors of eminence, success and achievements open up as soon as your qualities, deeds and nature are illuminated by the spark of divinity.

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 10)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)
 
What do the deities do?

Deities keep doing one thing. What do they keep doing? They keep showering flowers. Look at the scriptures. The holy Ramayana, for instance, describes at fifty odd places that deities showered sacred flowers from heaven. What are these flowers? They symbolize goodwill, co-operation, guidance, respect and caring. What attracts these virtues? Divinity, which is covertly present in the world. It alone had survived (in the past) and will alone survive (in the future); it can never be wiped out. If the demons (evils) do not die then why should God (the highest symbol of divinity) die? Like-minded people are attracted towards each other. A deity is attracted by deity-like humans and ideals are attracted by ideals; this results in the growth of benevolence, opportunities and co-operation from all directions. This is what has been happening, is happening and will continue to happen.

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 09)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)

If your personality is refined and has evolved in the righteous direction, then cooperation and harmonious association will be showered upon you from all directions according to your wishes. You won't have to ask for them. You will receive them effortlessly. When divinity is expressed in your personality, benevolence and respect begin to bless you. So many examples are available before you. Look at revered Baba Amte! He donated everything and dedicated his whole life for the service of the socially discarded leprosy patients. This is an act of greatness, a symbol of true humanity, a boon of divinity. Blessings of deities cannot be expected by sacrifices of any lesser magnitude than that of people like Baba Amte. And there is nothing greater to be blessed by. Begging has never brought anything worthwhile to anyone and will never be able to bring anything in future either.

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 08)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)

What do you want from the blessings of a deity or a great saint or from the power of a mantra? A job of few thousand rupees in lieu of the invaluable treasure of divinity? If any deity bestows divinity upon you, then it will raise the worth of your job so much that you will be grateful forever. Vivekananda had gone to Paramhans Ramkrishna to ask for a job but instead he got what a great soul like him indeed deserved - divinity, true devotion (bhakti), strength (shakti) and peace (shanti). What are these? These are divine virtues. When saints shower their kindness upon you, they inspire unique enthusiasm and optimism in your inner self, which propels you towards enlightened values of ethics and morality. When one is attracted by the soothing wave of ideals and is immersed in it, then his magnetism, his charm, his voice, his overall personality and his authenticity are so overpowering that everyone is impressed by him, attracted towards him and wants to cooperate with him. Vivekananda got abundant love, honour and support from all over the world. Who showered them? Goddess Kali. If gurus like Ramkrishna are alive somewhere or are reborn, they will always grant blessings that will develop virtuous personalities of their disciples. 

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 07)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)
 
Our folly!

Man is an intelligent being but at times displays his foolishness more than his intelligence. I don't know from where he has developed the notion that Gods fulfill all desires; they bestow the boons of wealth, son, job, victory and what not. Unfortunately, this misconception has entered in the field of spirituality too. This delusion has caused great harm as it has deprived the deluded devotees of enormous benefits and bright possibilities of genuine spirituality. Deities have given only one thing in the ancient times and will give only one thing in the future too. As long as deities survive, devotion (to God) is sustained, and if the regularity of worship is maintained, one thing will be granted - divine virtues. If you are endowed with the virtues of divinity, then you will acquire far more glorious success than what you dream of and desire now.