Shankaracharya believes in Nirakar (God without form). Ramanujacharya believes in Sakar (God with form). Why is the difference when both had same sources i.e. Vedas? It is because Shankaracharya’s Guru believed in Nirakar form of God. Ramanujacharya’s Guru believed in the Sakar form of God.
Guru is the one who plants the seed of firm faith on God, like how father is the cause of a son. The quality of faith planted would completely depend on the quality of Guru’s faith on God.
All the scriptures boost the seed sowed by the Guru like how the baby is fed within the womb of the mother. Yet the root of Faith on God is done by Guru (Saint) and not done by scriptures.
Once we get the seed of faith from the Saint, then it is our responsibility to groom and grow it by strengthening it regularly. As it grows completely, the result would be complete realization of Maharaj.
So, the firm faith on God in you is rooted by God or Saint or Scriptures? It is only by the Guru (Saint).
Shruti Prakash Swami asked, “Swami, in one Vachanamrut, Maharaj mentioned that the firm faith is provided by God alone. In another Vachanamrut, Maharaj mentioned that it is by a Saint, and in yet another, Maharaj mentioned that faith is based completely on scriptures. How should we understand that?”
Definitely, faith is based completely on scriptures. But the scriptures don’t sow the seed of faith in you. Scriptures explains theory, qualities of God, faith, and the procedure of faith. But it doesn’t tell that, ‘This is Swaminarayan Bhagwan. Believe in Him. Attach to Him.” That is done by Saint. Only if the faith is based on scriptures, it is real faith. Otherwise it is not.
Then where does God come into picture? God acts on the faith from inside you. From outside he would not say “Have faith in me”. When Guru provides the seed of faith, God provides inner support to the faith.
The Saint rooted the seed of Maharaj in us. How should we behave now?
Let us say there is a pregnant woman, and there is a non-pregnant woman. Both of them got the same illness. If they go to a doctor, there would be different medicines for both these ladies. Why is that? They would make sure that the medicine should not affect her pregnancy.
The pregnant lady would be very careful on her actions. If all the ladies would dance, she would not dance with them. She restricts herself on food, and on her actions.
Why is that? Only because of her pregnancy.
Once we decided that we belong to Maharaj, did we decide on what things could break your faith on Maharaj?
Did we decide on whose talks we should listen, and whose orders we should obey? What actions I should do, and what actions I should not do? With whom I should do Satsang? With whom I should not?
Once we had firm faith on Swaminarayan Bhagwan, we should ever be careful to protect the faith. We should keep away from all the activities that could break the faith on God. That is completely depend on you, like how a pregnant woman cares for her pregnancy. If it is broken, we will not get the child in the form of love for Maharaj.
So, only Saint is the sower of the seed of God. Scriptures and God can only strengthen the faith.
References:
7th July 2017: Phoenix, AZ
Vachanamrut Gadhada Middle 10