13 Nov 2022
[Ms. Thrylokya asked: Padamaskaram Swami, You taught us that knowledge, devotion and practical service with sacrifice are the three consequent steps to attain God (Human incarnation or Sadguru). Should we wait until we attain the complete knowledge before we start practical service and sacrifice to our Sadguru? How do I know that I attained knowledge and I can enter into practical service to my Sadguru? At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Thrylokya]
Swami replied:- Knowledge, theoretical devotion and practical devotion go side by side. As the knowledge develops more and more, the other two will develop in the same proportions. This progress appearing simultaneously in all the three lines is called spiritual effort or saadhana. By the time your knowledge comes to an end, your life also may come to an end. Where is the time for practical devotion? Progress is like the simultaneous development of all limbs of the body as the age advances. Will you say that your body below your head shall not progress till your head reaches its full size? The progress shall be simultaneous and also shall be step by step in the advancing lifetime. Intensive turning to spiritual line leaving the excessive worldly line also must progress step by step in the case of ordinary human beings. A long jump is possible in the case of divine incarnations like Adi Shankara. If we take such a long jump, the result is that we fall down in such a way that the place of our fall is behind the starting jumping point itself!!
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