Determination - Gurudev 32nd Birthday Video - "Loving God"

Swami Vishwananda: If you shut the mind and be in your heart through love, you will see the kingdom of God inside of you. If you receive love with an open heart, it will grow always. If you receive love with an open mind, it will have it’s limitation. [This takes determination to control one’s mind, open the heart and experience the Divine Love within.] . . . You are here to love, just love, nothing else. –Swami Vishwananda

Paramahansa Yogananda: He who is persistent [determined] will realize God. So try your best to make meditation a regular experience in your life. . . The things you need in life are those that will help you to fulfill your dominant purpose. Things you may want but not need may lead you aside from that purpose. It is only by making everything serve your main objective that success is attained [determination]. -Paramahansa Yogananda

A short story of Determination (sent by email this morning by Achla, Atma Kriya Teacher): As for determination, one may choose to follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean.

A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So, the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and Garuda, the gigantic Eagle bird carrier of Lord Vishnu heard about the sparrow and her determination. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see her. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened by this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda.

SWAMI VISHWANANDA: LOVING GOD
Bhakti Marga 108: Short extract from a satsang given by Sri Swami Vishwananda with a photo slideshow and accompanying music. Dharmananda arranged the clip and composed the music for it. It was first shown publicly on Swami's 32nd birthday on June 13 2010 in Springen, and was received with so much enthusiasm, that we were asked to share it on Youtube. We hope you like it as much as we do :).