Faith can see, faith can feel it (Srila Sridhar Maharaj)

 

Devotee: What is the element that makes us perceive something as real?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: The sastric name is sraddha, faith, and that is the developed state of sukriti [spiritual merit], as sadhu-sanga [association with agents of the spiritual world]. Those that are in the real plane, the nirguna plane, beyond the creative world, the world of creation, 'gunatita' nitya jagat; the agents of that upper world have come to establish some connection in our soul. The deepest element. What we think to be us, our soul. The connection with sadhu produces some thing which is faith and that faith can see. That is a world which is only approachable by faith. Just as we see color by eyes, sound by ear, so that world only faith can see, faith can feel it, and no other senses.

Faith, that is the real function of soul and that is awakened by the agent of Vaikuntha [the spiritual world], the sadhu. Sukrti, jnata-sukrti, sraddha. By sraddha, then sadhu sanga, the association with the sadhu increases. And the transaction of the culture of reality that takes place gradually makes us fully conscious that where we are living, this is all transient, this is of enemy type, and the real element, my home, is elsewhere, is located in the world of pure consciousness, pure place.''