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Swami Gautamananda Teachings

Swami Gautamananda is a monk of Sri Ramakrishna Math. This is a collection of quotes and teachings of Swami Gautamananda.

Desires propel the activities of an individual. In the attempt to fulfill them, God's help is sought since the task ahead may not be easily achieved.



In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna states that He is the indwelling being in all aspects of creation and that people seek Him specifically for four different reasons — wealth, relief from sorrow, knowledge and devotion to Him. The last category stands high in the spiritual ladder indicating that a true seeker would eventually leave aside materialistic and other desires to aim for the highest goal of life, salvation.

We have to keep away the desires that can ruin our spiritual efforts. These desires arise in our mind. We should know when to reject and renounce them. Anger, desire, greed, delusion, haughtiness and pride obstruct our effort to concentrate on God. We should learn to tackle them with dispassion (Vairagya) and discrimination (Viveka). When we feel our ego rising, we should think of Ravana or Hiranyakasipu and the fate they met because of their self esteem and pride.

The name of the Lord has the power to purify us of our sins. Hence the advice to utter the name of the Lord with sincerity and faith.

It is easier for a dweller in a rented house to vacate it, since he remains detached to it; but it is not so with an owner of a house who would struggle with the sentimental hold or sense of possessiveness towards it in a similar situation. When all thoughts are with God then there remains only love for God. Raga is attachment to the world. We get rid of this attachment for worldly objects (Vairagya) when the love for God increases.

Swami Gautamananda on Attachment

The name of the Lord has the power to purify us of our sins. Hence the advice to utter the name of the Lord with sincerity and faith.

It is easier for a dweller in a rented house to vacate it, since he remains detached to it; but it is not so with an owner of a house who would struggle with the sentimental hold or sense of possessiveness towards it in a similar situation. When all thoughts are with God then there remains only love for God. Raga is attachment to the world. We get rid of this attachment for worldly objects (Vairagya) when the love for God increases.