How To Love God

Friday, April 9, 2010, 13:56

A short story about Sri Ramanujacharya reveals the way to love God.

Saint Ramanuja is acclaimed for his great devotion and love for God.

Once a person approached Sri Ramanujacharya and said, “I want to love God. Please let me now how I can love God the way you do"

Sri Ramanuja said, “Have you loved anybody before?"

The man replied, “I have been very busy looking for God. So I kept away from love"

Sri Ramanuja urged, “Think properly, do you remember loving a friend, a woman, a pet animal or something?"

The man replied, “I deliberately kept away from loving anybody...I just want to love God. Please show me the way to do it"

Sri Ramanuja for the third time tried to prompt him, “Search your past. Try to recall if you ever have tasted love a little"

The man grew impatient, “ I have approached you to know the way to love God. Please show me a way. Why do you ask me such questions that are unrelated?"

Sri Ramanuja replied, “Then it is very difficult. Had you loved someone it would have been easy to grasp my words. Loving someone is to lose oneself in that love. It is to dissolve your ego, your individuality in the very love. Had you experienced love, I would have shown you the way to God. Since you have not loved, you will not understand what I say !"

God is the underlying, common essence in the whole creation. To love God is to have unconditional love for all beings. It is to love all.