If a man doesn’t have faith in the supreme father, he doesn’t have the knack of living. A faithless man is a clueless individual. People who take pride in their knowledge, ability and strengths, often times dismiss faith as an unrealistic dependence on some supernatural abstract force. Unfortunately, they do not realize that the source of their potency is the omnipotent God. The source of their knowledge is the omniscient God. Yes, for materialistic people, it often becomes difficult to repose faith in an abstract God or God of the skies. That’s why God Himself comes in every age in human form-in flesh and blood. It is then human beings get an opportunity to see Him, and perceive Him as the Living Ideal. Blessed are those who repose their faith in the Living Ideal and follow the path shown by Him with untottering adherence.

So what is FAITH? Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra defines faith as follows:- “The conception that cannot be affected or overwhelmed by contradictory conception is Faith.” So according to Him true faith is unshakable and indomitable.  Emphasizing the power of Faith, He further says: “ Deep faith can do anything. Believe! But beware that pride, impatience or irritations do not come in. You shall achieve what you want.” We must have deep faith in the Ideal which cannot be shaken or removed. He would definitely come to our rescue in our distress. There is not even an iota of doubt about that.

But the question is do we have that deep-rooted, unshakable faith in Him. If we have the slightest doubt in our mind about the Ideal, we cannot experience bliss in life. You can understand this better with the help of the following story. Once upon a time there was a milk-maid in a village who used to supply milk to a priest living on the other side of a river. Owing to the irregularities of the boat service, she could not supply him milk punctually every day. Once being rebuked by the priest for her coming late, the poor woman replied, “Sir, what can I do? I start early from my house, but have to wait for a long time at the river bank for the boatman and the passengers.” The priest said, “Woman, they cross the ocean of life uttering the name of God, and can’t you cross this little river?” The simple-hearted woman became very glad at heart on learning this easy means of crossing the river. From the next day the milk began to be supplied early in the morning. One day the priest said to the woman “How come you are not late these days?” The woman replied, “Sir, I cross the river by uttering the name of the Lord as you told me to do, and don’t sand now in need of a boatman.” The preacher could not believe this. He said, Can you show me how you cross the river?” The woman took him with her and began to walk over the water. Looking behind, the woman saw the priest in a sad plight and said, “How is it, Sir,that you are uttering the name of God in your mouth, but at the same time with your hands, you are trying to keep your cloth untouched by water? You don’t have complete faith in Him.”

Indomitable faith, an untotering adherence and extreme longing is the surest way to God-vision. Once should have faith like that of the innocent milk-maid. Faith is so powerful that through this impossible can become possible. Here is another story narrated by Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Himself:-

A guru and his chela (disciple) lived in a village. The guru was a fraud. He used to fool innocent people under the pretext that he is holy man. The chela was very innocent and did not know the reality about the guru. He had a great faith in his guru.and was sure that his guru was a saint of high order. So great was his belief that he used to worship him like God. Once the guru and the chela went to a village and stayed there for a few days.

News went around that a great saint has arrived there. People gathered in large numbers to pay their respect and most of them with valuable gifts. In the mean time it so happened that the only child of the land lord died. The mother came crying to the so called saint with the hope that his blessings might save the boy. But nothing happened as the man was really a fraud. People when knew this became furious and started beating the man. The chela was not there and when he did return he was astonished to find that his beloved guru was being beaten by the mob. He cried out loudly , " why are you beating my Gurudev? " ..

“He is a fraud.. We are cheated" answered the angry mob.

“Never never”.. with these words the disciple took the dust of his guru's feet and with great faith applied it to the forehead of the child. And lo and behold .the child woke up as if from a dream...

“So is the great power of Faith, my child" said Sri Ramakrishna concluding the story.

This story highlights the power of FAITH. Faith defies any logic. Regarding logic & reasoning Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra says:-

" Faith is above reason. If you have faith, all reasoning shall support you. As you believe, so will reasoning and arguments support you. The less the faith, the more undeveloped and blunt the intellect.

Defining the role of a follower Sri Sri Thakur says:

“A selfish spirit often induces one to blame the Ideal, to doubt and to lose faith. Don’t look for faults in the Ideal from a selfish spirit and don’t doubt and don’t lose faith. If you do, there’ll be no self-elevation. But if being free of selfish spirit you find faults in a person, that person is no Ideal. Don’t follow him. If you do, there’ll be no self-elevation. He in whom infatuated pride, selfish thoughts, a lack of love exist is no Ideal. And he in whom doubt, faithlessness, and a selfish spirit exist is no follower.”

So how do we know who is the true Living Ideal or God of men. Sri Sri Thakur has also answered that question for us:-

“He within whom all the resources of the world – knowledge love and activity are spontaneous, and by the inclination towards whom the scattered lives of men and all the diversities of the world find a final solution, is the God of men!”

We are very fortunate that Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra has descended on this earth as the prophet of the age. God, Himself has come in flesh and flood as the saviour to innumerable fallen, down-trodden and helpless men and women in this earth. To his devotees, he remains an ocean of love who came to fulfill and to uphold all life and existence. Let the zeal to surge upward, onward and forward remain ever kindling and let our FAITH on Sri Sri Thakur deepen even further.