Essence of Knowing God

Selecting A True Friend

Finding an ideal neighbor or a true friend is really difficult. Many a times you find that people become your friends only because of their vested interests or selfish motives. They don't help you when you need. A true friend is one who stands with you in the testing moments; who gives righteous guidance, whose company expands your good qualities. You should therefore choose a friend cautiously in view of his background, habits, interests and culture. One good friend is enough if he is wise, hardworking, truthful and helping in nature.

True friends are those who would warn against a wrong move and directly or indirectly help alleviate and wane our vices; whose company would increase our faith in human values and ideals. This can be expected only from those who have strength on character and will, who adopt certain values in their conduct, who endeavor self-refinement. Sugriva was indeed blessed when he had found the support of a divine friend like Lord Ram. We may not expect to be so lucky but could certainly look for the company of enlightened people. In any case, our friends should be pure and kind at heart, modest, honest and cooperating. Friendship with good people is no doubt a source of empowerment and ascent in several respects.

Essence of Knowing God

God does not exist in a visible form; neither does he need your worship or devotion. HE doesn't become happy with someone who offers HIM worships and prayers nor unhappy with those who do not. Every being is alike for HIM. Devotional practices, prayers, rituals of worship etc only serve as tools for spiritual exercise of conditioning our mind;  spiritual practices help enhancing our inner strength and Satoguna to purify our intellect, inner sight so that we could grasp the fact the God is omnipresent, supreme power. Anyone who knows that God is everywhere will naturally be scared to commit anything sinful or wrong. A true devotee will see the Light of God indwelling in every good thing, every noble deed and virtue.

One who knows that God is present in every soul will be good to all creatures. Cultivation of this attitude is the main purpose of the devotional practices. Prayers, chanting of Mantras, mediations, etc are excellent methods of psychological upliftment and refinement of intrinsic character and righteous orientation of mental tendencies. These gradually enable us to experience the inner self and inculcate virtuous tendencies.

Even a sinner could purify himself and transmute into a saint if he listens to the inner voice and follows it sincerely… The divine message of the holy Gita - "Take refuge in the holy feet of God, you will be free of all sins. …." - also guides us for total surrender before the soul for absolute liberation and ultimate realization of God.