Jai Ramakrishna
(Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother)
SELF-EFFORT AND DIVINE GRACE
Disciple: “Mother, I have practised austerities and Japa so much, but I have not achieved anything.
Mother: “God is not like fish or vegetables that you can buy Him for a price.
“There is no such rule that the grace of God will fall on one simply because one is practising austerities. In olden days the rishis practised austerities for thousands of years with their feet up and head down and a lighted fire burning under them. Even then, only some received the grace of God.
“Do you know, my child, what it is like? It is just like a candy in the hand of a child. Some people beg the child to part with it. But he does not care to give it to them. Still he easily hands it over to another whom he likes. A man performs severe austerity and spiritual practices throughout his life to realize God, but he does not succeed, whereas another man gets his realization practically without any effort. It depends upon the grace of God. He bestows His grace upon anyone He likes. Grace is the important thing.
Mother: “God is like a child, you know. He denies some who seek and of Himself gives to some who do not. Perhaps such people had highly evolved souls from their previous lives. That is why they receive His grace.
Disciple: “Then distinctions are made even in the matter of grace?”
Mother: “Certainly, it is all according to one’s Karma. Once the bonds of Karma are sundered, one realizes God.”
