“Karma alone is responsible for our misery and happiness. The result of karma is inevitable. But by repeating the name of God, you can lessen its intensity. If you were destined to have a wound as wide as a ploughshare, you will get a pinprick at least. The effect of Karma can be counteracted to a great extent by Japa and austerities.
(p.133, The Gospel of the Holy Mother, from Holy Mother’s conversation on 7 July1912)
“Pray to Sri Guru Maharaj wherever you be; only through his grace you can gain peace; you need not travel here and there. Do not give up work; try to combine it with prayer and meditation. Idleness in the name of meditation and Japam, I do not like. For your salvation, cannot you depend on Him? How can you become Him unless you surrender yourself entirely to Him. What work you do is equally efficacious as the Japam and meditation.”
(p.174, Mahapurush Maharaj As We Saw Him, Swami Shivananda’s letter to Swami Ranganathananda dt. 7th July 1930)