Faith Is Very Important in Spirituality

Some people are given the fortune of coming in contact with such people who would help them develop faith

It may be your spouse, your friend, your neighbor

But don't ever undertake religious or spiritual practice if you don't have faith

I am not talking about 100% faith

Even when the most staunch devotees pray, they pray for achanchala bhakti

Give me achanchala bhakti because The faith is always open to all kinds of challenges from inside, from outside

So the first thing to pray for is when I'm faced with these challenges, stand by me

Give me strength to overcome these challenges

Undertake spiritual practice only if you have some faith

Not because your friend is doing

Not because he made money after doing it

Let me also try

Shraddha has another feature

Chetasah prasadaha

When you're doing something with Shraddha, you feel pleasant, you feel happy, you feel relaxed

You just don't want to finish and run away to other things

It is not a routine, it is not a habit

It is not something that you have to force yourself to do because you are obliged to do it

When you chant with Shraddha, you enjoy every moment of it

Not to worry

It may not happen on day one, it will develop

Shraddha poorvayime dharmaha

Shraddha madhyanta samsthitaha

Shraddha nitya pratishthashcha dharma shraddhaiva kirtitaha

When you talk about spirituality, religion, you will find Shraddha, faith at its beginning, middle, and end

This unrelenting faith itself is called Dharma

Shruti matra rasa sukshma pradhana purushaishwaraha shraddha matrena grihyante na karena na chakshusha

The principles, the philosophy like pradhana, purusha, ishwara, jeevatma, paramatma, deha, dehi, they cannot be grasped with your hands or eyes or even mind

for that matter

They're very subtle

They will sink into you only if you have faith

Kayakleshairna bahuvistadai vaarthasya raashibhihi dharma sampraapyate sookshma shraddhaahinai surairapi

Even if you work very hard, stand on a single leg for 32 years, starve for many many days, even if you spend all your money on religious acts, charity, dharma is not obtained

The subtle principles of Dharma are not understood if you don't have faith

This is applicable even for Devas

The life coaches, people who teach you how to win, how to achieve, say have confidence in yourself

Have faith in yourself

How can you have confidence in yourself? In the first place, you are going to these crash courses after you feel that you have not achieved in life

After you have had your own series of failures, and then they tell you to have faith in yourself

It is so superfluous

Have faith in the almighty who will never fail you

He will show you the way

Shraddha dharma paras sukshma

Shraddha jnanam hutham tapaha

Shraddha swargascha mokshascha

Shraddha sarvamidam jagat

Shraddha is righteousness

Shraddha is knowledge

Shraddha is tapas

Swarga, Moksha, all that is obtainable only through Shraddha

Sarvasvam jeevitam vapi dadyat ashraddhaya yadi napuniyat tat phalam kinchit shraddha danam tato bhavet

Give your entire life away, sacrifice your entire life towards something, any cause

No result will come unless it is done with faith

Evam shraddhanvaya sarve sarva dharma prakirtitaha

Keshava shraddhaya gamyo dheya poojyashcha sarvada

Srihari can be accessed can be obtained only through faith, not otherwise.

• Why is it considered a mistake to begin a spiritual practice simply because a friend is successful or wealthy?
  Spiritual practice should not be treated as a commercial transaction or a trend. If you undertake a practice solely to imitate someone else's material success, you lack the internal foundation of faith. Without that personal connection, the practice becomes a hollow routine rather than a transformative journey.
• What is the significance of praying for achanchala bhakti even if one is already a staunch devotee?
  Faith is never a static achievement; it is constantly challenged by internal doubts and external circumstances. Achanchala bhakti refers to unwavering, steady devotion. Praying for it acknowledges that humans are vulnerable to life's storms and need divine strength to remain anchored when their faith is tested.
• How does the concept of Chetasah prasadaha help distinguish between true Shraddha and a forced habit?
  Chetasah prasadaha is the pleasantness, happiness, and relaxation of the mind. When you perform an act with true Shraddha, you feel a deep sense of joy and do not wish to rush through it. If a practice feels like a burdensome obligation or a chore you want to finish quickly, it is a routine habit rather than an act of faith.
• In what way is Shraddha described as being the beginning, middle, and end of Dharma?
  The text explains that faith is not just a starting point; it sustains the practice throughout its duration and is the ultimate state reached at the conclusion. This unrelenting, continuous presence of faith is what defines the very essence of Dharma.
• Why can subtle principles like Purusha, Ishwara, and Paramatma not be grasped by the senses or the intellect alone?
  These spiritual truths are Shruti matra rasa, meaning they are exceptionally subtle and beyond the physical reach of the hands or the limited perception of the eyes. Because they are not material objects, the mind cannot capture them through logic alone; they can only be absorbed and realized through the vessel of faith.
• Can extreme physical penance or massive financial charity compensate for a lack of faith?
  The text emphasizes that even standing on one leg for decades or spending entire fortunes on religious acts will not lead to the understanding of Dharma if Shraddha is missing. External displays of effort or wealth are superficial compared to the internal requirement of sincere belief.
• What is the hidden flaw in modern life coaching advice that tells people to simply have confidence in themselves?
  For many, self-confidence is fragile because it is often based on a history of failures and personal limitations. Telling someone who feels defeated to have faith in themselves can feel superfluous. The deeper principle suggests placing faith in the Almighty, a power that does not fail, which then provides a more stable foundation for personal confidence.
• How does Shraddha relate to the ultimate goals of Swarga and Moksha?
  Shraddha is not just a tool for daily prayer; it is the fundamental requirement for the highest spiritual attainments. Both the experience of heavenly realms and the final liberation of the soul are described as being obtainable only through the medium of faith.
• What happens to a life's worth of sacrifice if it is performed without faith?
  According to the principle of ashraddhaya, even if you sacrifice your entire life or all your possessions for a cause, no spiritual fruit or lasting result will be obtained if the act is void of faith. The intent and the belief behind the sacrifice are what give it value, not just the magnitude of the loss.
• How is Srihari or the Divine ultimately accessed according to these principles?
  The Divine cannot be reached through cleverness, physical strength, or mere ritualistic repetition. Keshava is gamyo, meaning accessible, only through Shraddha. Faith is the unique bridge that connects the seeker to the Divine, making it the most essential element of the spiritual life.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi