(Prashanthi Mandir)
Temples serve to provide the company of the good and the godly and should be used for cultivating such company and acquiring mental peace. It is not enough merely to go to temples as a mechanical ritual. You must cultivate good thoughts in tune with the sacred atmosphere of the temple. Even in uttering the names of the Lord, the words should come from the depths of the heart and not merely from the lips. Acquiring the name of the Lord is like getting a pearl from the deep ocean. Having got it you should not let it go out of your hands. Faith in the lord must be strengthened by the repetition of the name. Faith is the foundation of all activity. Spiritual Sadhana is needed to develop faith in God. Even curdling and churning are necessary to obtain butter from milk. The fire in the match-stick will be seen only when it is struck. Likewise, God can be realized only through spiritual effort.
- BABA
[From DIGEST Vol. 2, a collection of Swami's quotations]