THE VISION, March 2025, Vol. 92, Issue 6:
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Beloved Readers,
In all matters the first guide is faith. Normally, along with proceeding with faith we also become alert. This reveals the lack of 100% faith. But when such a faith is linked to God, it gains additional power by giving us cent percent confidence. We also realise that faith is not blind belief but a deep trust in the Divine, guiding and sustaining one’s progress. Just as a seed grows into a tree with proper care, faith nurtures spiritual transformation, helping one refine thoughts, words and deeds by surrendering the sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ to a higher purpose.
Faith manifests in two ways: faith in God through the words of realized saints, which serves as an initial guide and faith born of direct experience, which deepens through personal realisation.
Faith acts as both the starting point and sustaining force—first as trust in the wisdom of realised beings, then as unshakable certainty through direct experience. This reminds us of how a lamp initially needs external light to be lit, but once it burns, it shines on its own.
This month’s issue of THE VISION highlights the role of faith as the foundation of the spiritual journey
— EDITOR
AS WE SCROLL DOWN...
- ‘FAITH AND SURRENDER’ — elucidates Swami Ramdas, are interlinked, as unquestioning surrender to God’s will is faith. Seeing all events as His doing removes fear, doubt and sorrow, leading to inner peace, freedom and bliss.
- ‘POWER OF FAITH ’ — states Pujya Mataji Krishnabai, is unparalleled. There is nothing that a rock-like faith cannot achieve.
- ‘WORDS OF SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA’ — reveal that true surrender means unwavering faith that the Divine is taking care of us; not as we want, but as He wants. With faith, practice and perseverance, we can overcome all obstacles by chanting His name with love and devotion.
- ‘EDITOR ANSWERS’ — faith must be nurtured with Shraddha until it solidifies into unwavering trust. True trust means surrendering our lives to Him, not just in words, but through action.
- ‘BHAGAVAD GITA — A TIMELESS GUIDE’ — is a mosaic of eternal wisdom; it offers practical guidance for life’s challenges. Its teachings refine the mind, transform perspectives, and lead to inner harmony through self-awareness and surrender.
- 'FAITH TRANSCENDS REASON' — says Mahatma Gandhiji. It shines brightest in life’s darkest moments. It is a powerful force that overcomes obstacles. Unwavering faith is enough to reach one’s highest spiritual potential.
- 'FAITH — THE ONE TRUE SUPPORT' — Dada JP Vaswani explains, is the sustaining force of life, offering light in darkness and strength in adversity. True wealth lies not in material riches, but in unwavering faith, which brings stability, equanimity and Divine support.
- 'FAITH BRINGS ABOUT SURRENDER' — Sri Chandra Swami Udasin illustrates that just as an artist transforms a piece of marble, surrender to God allows Him to shape us into instruments of His will. True self-surrender arises from unwavering faith, which grows progressively through spiritual practice and inner experiences.
- ‘INSPIRING LUMINARIES’ — awaken and inspire the lethargic soul, steeped in darkness and delusion, to the knowledge of Its true, Divine and Immortal Nature. Communion with them is a great help and their sayings teach us the right path.
- ‘EPISTLES OF SWAMI RAMDAS’ — emphasizes that perfect faith in God, which withstands all trials, is the greatest acquisition in life. Through faith, one connects with the Infinite, experiencing immortality, bliss and peace.
- ‘IN MEMORIAM’
- ‘ANANDASHRAM NEWS’
- ‘THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH’
- ‘DOWNLOAD THE VISION’ in PDF format and the Audio Book.
FAITH AND SURRENDER
By Swami Ramdas
Unquestioning surrender to God’s will is faith. Whatever happens is attributed to the workings of God. God is taken as great, good and kind. He is the sole dispenser of all things. Since all events, changes and movements proceed from a heart ever filled with goodness, love and mercy, there is nothing to grumble at, nothing to find fault with, nothing to grieve over, nothing to be anxious about, and nothing to be afraid of — all, all is His doing. He works always for harmony and joy. So in the heart of all things and happenings, it is He who exists and is at work. When this faith is ours, God becomes our never-failing companion, guide and friend, and we do all actions by His will, i.e., by His promptings. He is in us and everywhere about us. All doubts and fears now vanish away and we attain a state of freedom which is itself absolute Peace and Bliss.
POWER OF FAITH
Paraphrased Excerpt From ‘With The Divine Mother’
Pujya Mataji once narrated a story: A saint known for his love visits a town for Ram Navami at the invitation of an orthodox Swami. A devout prostitute, eager to serve him, arranges a feast and invites him before he enters the town. Moved by her devotion, he agrees. The orthodox Swami, enraged, abandons the saint, and many of his followers also desert him. After serving the saint with great love, the woman prostrates at his feet and gives up her body. Even the saint’s remaining followers flee the scene. He ensures her last rites are performed.
Meanwhile, during the celebrations, the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman turn black. Realising his mistake, the orthodox Swami repents and seeks the saint’s forgiveness. As the saint arrives at the event, the idols regain their radiance, proving that true devotion transcends social divisions.
There is nothing that faith cannot achieve. In this case, the prostitute had such a rock-like faith in the Guru. If we have such a faith in our Guru, we too can be recipients of His Grace and attain Mukti. What is needed is unshakable faith.
WORDS OF SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA
Surrender to the Divine means perfect faith that the Divine Mother is taking care of us and will do whatever is necessary for us, not as we want, but as He wants. The last portion of the sentence is very important.
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Be firm in your faith that God is the all-pervading and Absolute Reality. He Himself has manifested as the entire universe and He is seated in your heart. Whatever name you chant is His name and whatever prayer you make goes to Him.
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Faith and practice combined can enable an aspirant to overcome any and every difficulty that confronts him in his struggle for control of mind. What is needed is determination and perseverance. Just as Kripa or grace of saints is essential for one’s spiritual progress, one’s own effort is also a must.
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The way to commune with Him and to transfer all your responsibilities to Him is to constantly chant His holy and all-powerful Name — whatever Name you like — with all faith and love.
EDITOR ANSWERS
Question: What is the role of faith in Sadhana, and what is the difference between faith and trust?
Answer: Faith is the foundation of Sadhana—it is what allows us to embark on the spiritual journey. Faith in God, faith the words of Masters and faith in scriptures give us direction. However, faith must be nurtured with Shraddha—deep dedication—so that it strengthens our conviction and decisions, ultimately solidifying into unwavering trust.
Yet faith alone is not enough. We often speak of faith but hesitate when required to act upon it. This is where trust comes in. A renowned tightrope walker once performed daring feats between two tall buildings. The crowd cheered as he effortlessly crossed. “Do you believe I can do it again?” he asked. “Yes!” they roared. Then he asked, “Do you trust me enough to let me carry your child across?” The crowd was silenced. Though they believed in his ability, entrusting him with someone so precious was different. This is the distinction between faith and trust. Many believe in God, but true trust means surrender—placing our lives in His hands, not just in words, but in action, at every turn in life.
BHAGAVAD GITA — A TIMELESS GUIDE
Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas beautifully describes the Bhagavad Gita as “a veritable mosaic of eternal wisdom.” This sacred scripture offers insights into every aspect of human life, addressing both spiritual and physical dimensions with profound clarity. It answers questions about navigating life’s challenges and opportunities. The core message of this remarkable work is to cultivate Self-awareness, establish a meaningful connection with the indwelling Divine Power, and align harmoniously with our co-creations.
Bhagavad Gita And Our Life
The Kurukshetra battlefield symbolises our inner struggles. Lord Krishna, the Divine wisdom within, guides Arjuna, who represents our conflicted individuality. The Kauravas embody negativity, while the Pandavas symbolise virtues. Life’s battlefield is where these forces clash.
Bhagavad Gita’s Clarion Call
The Gita teaches that all problems arise from ‘me’ and ‘mine.’ It urges us to move from self-assertion to surrender, realising that we merely play roles in this Divine play. Beloved Papa reminds us: “Behold Divinity in every aspect of this world-Lila.”
Bhagavad Gita: Refining The Mind
Life’s crudity stems from self-centred thinking. Shifting us from ‘What can I gain?’ to ‘What can I give?’ It strengthens Buddhi, helping us regulate emotions, make wiser choices, and transform challenges into wisdom and balance.
True transformation begins when we recognise that the Gita is not just a scripture of knowledge but a practical refinery for the mind. Its teachings, when applied, act as a purification process, filtering out impurities in our thoughts, words and actions. As a result, what flows from us is clarity, harmony and inner peace.
With this perspective, an effort has been made to explore the Gita as a timeless catalyst for inner and outer harmony, rooted in an awareness of the Creator. This study began by drawing clues from each of the 700 Shlokas, leading to a structured chart of key points for all the 18 chapters. This was followed by deeper reflection on these points, identifying the factors that refine the mind and illustrating them with real-life examples. It is proposed to share a few clues from each chapter in the forthcoming issues.
FAITH TRANSCENDS REASON
By Mahatma Gandhiji
Intellect takes us along the battle of life to a certain extent, but at critical moments, it fails us. Faith transcends reason. It is when the horizon is the darkest, and human reason is beaten down to the ground, that faith shines the brightest and comes to our rescue.
Faith is not a delicate flower that withers under the slightest stormy weather. It moves mountains and jumps across the ocean. That faith is nothing but the wide-awake consciousness of God within. He who has achieved that faith wants nothing. Bodily diseased, he is spiritually healthy; physically poor, he rolls in spiritual riches.
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I hold that complete realization of God is impossible in this embodied life. Nor is it necessary. A living immovable faith is all that is required for reaching the full spiritual height attainable by a human being.
Source: Pathway to God
FAITH — THE ONE TRUE SUPPORT
By Dada JP Vaswani
Faith is the spirit that sustains life. Faith is the ray of sunshine that lights up the dark, deep caverns of the human heart. Faith is the elixir of the soul. Faith is the beautiful, fragrant flower that blooms even in the wilderness of despair and suffering.
Faith is the one true source of support on which we can always rely in the rough and tough journey called life upon this earth. Faith is the sustenance for all human endeavours. It is the greatest blessing that God can bestow upon us!
A man may be affluent and possess enough material wealth to leave to successive future generations of his family; he may be in the enjoyment of “the boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,” as the poet puts it. But, let me tell you, if he lacks faith, his wealth and power are as nothing; indeed, he is no better than a man afflicted with utter poverty—the poverty of the Spirit! On the other hand, a man may not possess much, he may be poor in the wealth of this world, but if he has faith in God, then he is indeed a fortunate soul, who lacks nothing. A man of faith, I know, lives in stability and equanimity.
Source: https://www.soulveda.com
FAITH BRINGS ABOUT SURRENDER
By Sri Chandra Swami Udasin
A piece of marble is placed in an artist's hands, and he makes it a useful and beautiful thing; we place ourselves in the hands of God, and He transforms us into a useful instrument of His will and purpose, and, as we receive His touch, we are set on the Divine path—the path which ultimately leads us to Him. Surrender requires of us perfect trust in and full reliance upon God. One should be so full of this faith that one may spontaneously say: “I will trust in Thee, O Lord, even if Thou slays me.” But such a degree of faith and confidence in the Lord is not easy to achieve. Self-surrender cannot be achieved all at once in a day or two. Self-surrender is a dynamic process. Slowly and steadily, as we advance in spiritual Sadhana, the virtue of surrender grows in us progressively. Our inner experience (which we have by going deep within), and the external happenings in which the Lord comes to our help, make our faith in Him more and more firm. Self-surrender is born of this very faith.
Source: The Practical Approach to Divinity
INSPIRING LUMINARIES
The work of sages and saints is to awaken and inspire the lethargic soul, steeped in darkness and delusion, to the knowledge of Its true, Divine and Immortal Nature. Communion with them is a great help and their sayings teach us the right path.
This month we pay our reverential homage to Sri Yukteswar Giri and Sri Puttur Ajja.
t Sri Yukteswar Giri:
EPISTLES OF SWAMI RAMDAS
Beloved Ram,
…There is no acquisition in this life greater than perfect faith in God that stands all tests and trials. God is ever good and kind. To remember Him is to realise our oneness with Him and to enjoy the supreme blessings of immortality, bliss and peace.
Life lived in the ordinary way flows sometimes through the dry sands of doubt, ultimately recovering itself, through faith, directly joins the ocean of Infinite and Universal Life. You have come by such faith, and you have reached the ocean. Be ever blissful, peaceful and free. In all the external circumstances of life, ever remain in the state of absolute surrender to His will…
IN MEMORIAM
“Death is common in the world. Everyone in it must one day or other doff the physical part of him. Our main concern should be to spend the allotted span of our life in a righteous manner dedicating it to God and his service. While the body perishes, the Spirit is immortal. We are here to realise that we are the Spirit. Body is only a vesture, a mask, or a vehicle, impermanent and transitory.” — Swami Ramdas- Sri Ranganath Gupta, an ardent devotee of the Ashram from Bangalore, on the 30th of January 2025.
- Sri Prashant Dalal (aged 58), another ardent devotee of the Ashram from Mumbai, on the 31st of January 2025.
- Sri AS Ramachandran (aged 94), another ardent devotee of the Ashram from Hyderabad, on the 6th of February 2025.
- Smt. Ananthalakshmi (aged 98), an old and ardent devotee of the Ashram from Mumbai, on the 7th of February 2025.
- Sri CS Hariharan (aged 75), also an ardent devotee from Bangalore, on the 18th of February 2025.
We pray for Beloved Papa’s blessings on the departed souls for eternal rest and peace at His lotus feet.
ANANDASHRAM NEWS
15500-CRORE NAMA JAPA YAGNA FOR WORLD PEACE:
The total Japa received in the fourth round of the 15500-Crore Nama Japa Yagna for World Peace in the month of January 2025 is 210 crores, chanted by 190604 devotees. The grand total of the Japa done so far in this round now stands at 4140 crores.
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SESSIONS WITH CHILDREN AT ANAND KUTIR IN ANANDASHRAM:
In the month of January 2025, 11 interactive sessions were held with children at Anand Kutir, in which 470 students participated. As the sessions are free from teaching and preaching, they help the children to bring out their own learnings:
- Anushree shared, “I used to overlook or misuse the beautiful moments in my life. That will never happen again.”
- Shreya Unni stated, “I gained clarity about my strengths and weaknesses.”
- One realisation was, “We should only see what truly matters and hear only what is essential.”
- Keertana observed, “I now understand that we have the power to change many things ourselves.”
- Mithun reflected, “I learnt what it truly means to be a responsible member of society.”
- Sajina acknowledged, “I discovered the value of many things we often take for granted.”
- Aswathy shared, “The final meditation session was truly profound.”
- Keertana K realised, “Many problems can be solved simply by applying our minds with focus.”
- Ananthu Vinod noted, “I now see how the same situation can be perceived differently by different people.”
- Sajitha understood, “I have realised the immense power of words and how carefully they must be used.”
- Aditya expressed, “This experience has inspired me to conduct a similar session for children.”
MOUNA SADHANA:
A day-long Mouna Sadhana is scheduled on the 9th of March 2025. Devotees interested in participating may kindly inform through WhatsApp (+91-9037466744) or by email (pms.anandashram@gmail.com).
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
“What an aspirant needs is an unshakable faith in Providence and a complete submission to His unerring will.”
— Swami Ramdas
DOWNLOAD THE VISION
Devotees can download the PDF version or the audio book this issue of THE VISION by clicking on the relevant links.
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