A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

,loveBHAKTI OR DEVOTION. 351give you this, and give you that ? The first test of love isthat it knows no bargaining ;it always gives. Love takes upon ftself the stand of a giver, and never that of a taker.Saysthe child of God : "If God wants, I give Him even mythreadbare coat, but I do not want anything of Him, I wantnothing in this universe. I love Him because I want toHim, and I ask no favour in return. Who careswhether G?d is almighty or not, because I do not want anypower from Him, nor any manifestation of His power.Sufficient for me that He is the God of love. I ask nomore questions."The second test is that love knows no fear. How canyou frighten love ? Does the lamb love the lion ? Themouse the cat ? The slave the master ? Slaves sometimessimulate love, but is it love ? Where do you ever see love*in fear? It is always sham. So long as man thinks ofGod, as sitting above the clouds, with a reward in one handand punishment in the other, there can be no love. Withlove never comes the idea of fear, or of anything thatmakes us afraid. Think of a young mother in the streetand a dog barking at her ;she flies into the next house.Suppose the next day she is in the street with her childand a lion isupon the child where will be;her position ?Just in the mouth of the lion, protecting her child. Loveconqueredall fear. So also in love to God. Who careswhether God is a rewarder or a.punisher ? That is not thethought of a lover. Think of a judge when he comeshome, what does his wife see in him ? Not a judge, or arewarder ,for a punisher, but her husband, her love.<io theWhatchildren see in him ? Their loving father ;not thepunisher, or a rewarder. So the children of God neversee in Him a punisher or a rewarder. It is all outsidepeople, who have never tasted love, thatbegin to fear, and