QUOTE(vijayalakshmi @ Oct 6 2005, 10:19 PM)
Before you engage in snorana seva, don't forget I also want to see the story of Baba which we discussed yesterday... the one about compassion... maybe also the one about the dog dancing in keerthan... hell the whole book... OK fine just that first one. 
A conversation between Baba Mahasaya and Pyari Babu:
Pyari:"Would you kindly tell what a fallen soul like me should do so that he can make steady progress in the path of God-realizarion?"
Baba: "For weak, imbecile, sinful and Maya-bound jivas like us the only remedy is Nama Sankirtan."
Pyari: "But there are many Names of the Lord, Like Rama, Krishna, Dvarkanath, Giridhari, etc. Which of these Names should one take?"
Baba: "There are so many Names because the Lord is infinite. He has infinite forms. Each form has a Name which is identical with the form. The Name is the Lord Himself in that form. There have to be infinite forms because there are devotees of different kinds, and their likings and dispositions are different. One has to choose a particular form according to his liking and fix his mind firmly on it."
Pyari: "How can one fix one's mind firmly on the Lord? The very nature of the mind is to remain unfixed."
Baba: "The only way of fixing the mind is through prema or love. If you love your Lord with all your heart and soul, then your mind will turn from other things and always remain fixed on the Lord."
Pyari: "How do you get prema?"
Baba: "Prema is eternally realized, it cannot be attained by any sadhana. It is a jewel that shines by it's own light. Neither sravana nor kirtana, nor other means can "generate" prema. All spritual disciplines aim primarily at the purity of the heart. When the heart is purified, prema which is already there becomes manifest."
Pyari: "But Baba, I would like to know one thing. If someone is so fallen and weak that he can neither practice Raga or Vaidhi bhakti, is there not a way for him to attain the lotus feet of the Lord?"
Baba: "Why not? Take the example of a similar situation in the mundane sphere. Suppose you are the owner of a big estate which needs to be managed, but you are mentally and physically incapable of taking care of it, then what would you do?"
Pyari: "I would give attorneyship to someone so that they can manage it for me."
Baba" "The same is true in the spiritual world. You should then give attorneyship to someone who is capable of doing everything for you. You should surrender sincerely and wholly depend upon him to deliver Krishna to you."
Pyari: "Does that mean that in that case one need not do any sadhana?"
Baba: "In that case one should try as far as possible to practice the sadhan prescribed by one's guru. But if he cannot practice it, then he should at least not do anything against the precepts of the guru or sastras. Guru is like a boatman, who promises to carry you across the ocean. He rows and asks you to row, so that the destination can be reached quicker. But if you cannot row as he wants, then you must not row haphazardly in different directions. You should remain sitting quietly with faith and confidence that he will get you across sooner or later."
Pyari Babu then fell at the feet of Baba Mahasaya with tears in his eyes and said with a voice choked with emotion, "Baba! I am a fallen creature, who is drowning in the ocean of Maya, and is fighting helplessly with the waves. I therefore surrender myself completely at your feet. Kindly accept me as your servant for ever and ever, and never leave me."
Baba: "For weak, imbecile, sinful and Maya-bound jivas like us the only remedy is Nama Sankirtan."
Pyari: "But there are many Names of the Lord, Like Rama, Krishna, Dvarkanath, Giridhari, etc. Which of these Names should one take?"
Baba: "There are so many Names because the Lord is infinite. He has infinite forms. Each form has a Name which is identical with the form. The Name is the Lord Himself in that form. There have to be infinite forms because there are devotees of different kinds, and their likings and dispositions are different. One has to choose a particular form according to his liking and fix his mind firmly on it."
Pyari: "How can one fix one's mind firmly on the Lord? The very nature of the mind is to remain unfixed."
Baba: "The only way of fixing the mind is through prema or love. If you love your Lord with all your heart and soul, then your mind will turn from other things and always remain fixed on the Lord."
Pyari: "How do you get prema?"
Baba: "Prema is eternally realized, it cannot be attained by any sadhana. It is a jewel that shines by it's own light. Neither sravana nor kirtana, nor other means can "generate" prema. All spritual disciplines aim primarily at the purity of the heart. When the heart is purified, prema which is already there becomes manifest."
Pyari: "But Baba, I would like to know one thing. If someone is so fallen and weak that he can neither practice Raga or Vaidhi bhakti, is there not a way for him to attain the lotus feet of the Lord?"
Baba: "Why not? Take the example of a similar situation in the mundane sphere. Suppose you are the owner of a big estate which needs to be managed, but you are mentally and physically incapable of taking care of it, then what would you do?"
Pyari: "I would give attorneyship to someone so that they can manage it for me."
Baba" "The same is true in the spiritual world. You should then give attorneyship to someone who is capable of doing everything for you. You should surrender sincerely and wholly depend upon him to deliver Krishna to you."
Pyari: "Does that mean that in that case one need not do any sadhana?"
Baba: "In that case one should try as far as possible to practice the sadhan prescribed by one's guru. But if he cannot practice it, then he should at least not do anything against the precepts of the guru or sastras. Guru is like a boatman, who promises to carry you across the ocean. He rows and asks you to row, so that the destination can be reached quicker. But if you cannot row as he wants, then you must not row haphazardly in different directions. You should remain sitting quietly with faith and confidence that he will get you across sooner or later."
Pyari Babu then fell at the feet of Baba Mahasaya with tears in his eyes and said with a voice choked with emotion, "Baba! I am a fallen creature, who is drowning in the ocean of Maya, and is fighting helplessly with the waves. I therefore surrender myself completely at your feet. Kindly accept me as your servant for ever and ever, and never leave me."
Baba Mahasaya said, "Do not worry. You are mine."