Swami Prabhavananda is associated with the Ramakrishna Mission. This is a collection of quotes and teachings of Swami Prabhavananda.
The desire to argue and quarrel is a sign of ego. If you want to find God, you must suppress the ego and humble yourself — not before your adversary, but before God within him.
The desire to argue and quarrel is a sign of ego. If you want to find God, you must suppress the ego and humble yourself — not before your adversary, but before God within him.
Never submit to a powerful adversary because you fear the consequences of disagreement; that would be cowardice. But discriminate between principles and opinions.
There is a Hindu saying: ‘Say “yea, yea” to everyone, but keep your own seat firm.’ Do not compromise on ideals and principles. But when it comes to opinions, appreciate views differing from yours, and accept them when they merit it.
We Must Not Let Our Resentments Stay with Us
Until we actually reach oneness with God, it is of course quite natural that we should have misunderstandings and quarrels with one another. But we must not let our resentments stay with us, or they will eat into our hearts like cancer.
Suppose someone has wronged you, and you feel irritated. When you begin to meditate, what happens? Prayer and meditation concentrate the mind and intensify the emotions. Consequently, the molehill of irritation becomes a mountain of anger. You start to imagine terrible things about the person who has wronged you. You find yourself unfit to pray and meditate, unable to come to God, until you are sincerely reconciled with your brother.
There is only one way to feel sincerely reconciled, and that is to try to see God in all beings, and to love Him in all. If you have been angry with your brother, pray for him as you pray for yourself—pray that both of you may grow in understanding and devotion to God. At once, you will gain spiritually. But if you keep your anger in your heart, you will hurt yourself as well as your brother.
There is only one way to feel sincerely reconciled, and that is to try to see God in all beings, and to love Him in all. If you have been angry with your brother, pray for him as you pray for yourself—pray that both of you may grow in understanding and devotion to God. At once, you will gain spiritually. But if you keep your anger in your heart, you will hurt yourself as well as your brother.