PRACTICE OF YOGA BY SWAMI SIVANANDA (MESSAGE 3)
Seclusion for Three Years
Ekanath lived in the world with wife and children, practised devotional Yoga and attained Sayujya. Raja Janaka ruled over Mithila and attained Jnana amidst royal activities. Swami Vidyaranya, the author of the reputed Panchadasi, was the Divan of Vijayanagaram. He worked as Minister of the State, practised meditation, and realised God by remaining in the world. The central teaching of the Gita is to realise in and through the world.
The obstacles to Yoga do not come from outside, but from within. If you have succeeded in perfect Pratyahara, you can remain wherever you like. This is all doubtless true. But just hear the other part of the story. Do not be one-sided. Look to the other side of the shield.
This is plausible, sounds all right, but not feasible in the vast majority. It is easier said than done. Sri Aurobindo preached realisation amidst activity, but he shut himself in a closed room for years. How many Janakas, Ekanaths and Vidyaranyas you have had! These people were really Yoga-Bhrashtas. That is the reason why they were able to practise meditation in the world. It is absolutely impossible for the vast majority. To serve God and mammon at the same time is extremely difficult. Mind can take up only one thing. Lord Jesus was missing for eighteen years. Lord Buddha went to seclusion for eight years in Uruvala forest, the modern Buddha Gaya. Swami Rama Tirtha was a recluse in Brahmapuri for two years. Many had taken up to seclusion during Sadhana period. Gautama Rishi writes in his Nyaya Sutras that a cave in mountain, sandy bed near river-side and mountainside are all very favourable for meditation. You can make a beginning in the world but when you have advanced, you must shift to suitable places with mountain sceneries, seaside, places along the banks of beautiful rivers like Narmada or Ganga. They induce a benign, elevating influence. In the world, the environments are quite unfavourable. They excite, ignite and kindle the nerves, Samskaras, desires and the senses. Hear the words of Svetasvatara Upanishad: "At a level place, free from pebbles, fire and gravel, pleasant to the mind by its sounds, water and bowers, not painful to the eye and repairing to a cave, protected from the wind, let a person apply his mind to God." Retiring into a forest is like entering a University for execution of higher college studies. Realise, and distribute knowledge to the world. This is real Jnana Yajna. This is the best of all helps. If you can remove Avidya, the root cause of human sufferings, if you can change the psychology of fifty persons, that is the real service you can render to the country. Building hospitals, running Kshetras are all social scavengering. You cannot eradicate the evil. You shift it from one corner to another just as you shift the pain and swelling in gout from ankle to knee.
Sadhana Chatushtaya
FOUR MEANS OF SALVATION
An aspirant should have these four qualifications, viz., Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sampatti and Mumukshutva.
The discriminating power between Atman (Self) and Anatman (not-self), Sat (real) and Asat (unreal), Nitya (eternal) and Anitya (non-eternal), changing and unchanging, and Drik (subject) and Drishya (object), is termed Viveka. Viveka is a result of purity of heart (Chitta-Suddhi) through Nishkama Karma, disinterested works.
Vairagya is indifference to the enjoyments of objects both in this world and the higher. What is wanted is Viveka-Purvaka-Vairagya (Vairagya as the resultant product of Viveka) which is:
"Brahma satyam jagat mithya, Jivo brahma eva na aparah. "
"Brahman is real, the world is phenomenal, the Jiva is identical with Brahman and not different." This kind of Vairagya alone will really help a Sadhaka.
"Vairagyasya phalam boclham Boclhtisxa uparatih phalam."
"The fruit of this real Vairagya is Brahma-Jnana; and the fruit of this knowledge is extreme satisfaction, a state of remaining full (Paripurna)." There is entire destruction of sense desires. There is no remembrance of past sensual indulgence.
There are four kinds of Vairagya: 1. Mridu (mild), 2. Madhyama (medium), 3. Adhimatra (intense) and 4. Para (highest).
Para-Vairagya is that dispassion which comes after Brahma-Jnana.
All the following six virtues (Shat-Sampat) are taken collectively as one qualification:
(a) Santa—quiescence, calmness of mind. This refers to control of mind.
(b) Dama—self-restraint. This refers to control of senses.
(c) Uparati—satiety.
(d) Titiksha—power of endurance, constant balance of mind during pleasure, pain, heat and cold, etc.
(e) Sraddha—faith in the scriptures and in Guru's words.
(f) Samadhana—balanced state of mind, self-settledness and power of concentration.
The fourth qualification, Mumukshutva, is the intense longing which one develops for liberation.
CHAPTER THREE – ETHICAL CULTURE
Lead a Moral Life
The Atman is the basis for everything. There is an intimate relation between Atman and will. Will is only Atman or God in motion or manifestation. No spiritual or will culture is possible without ethical culture. Ethical culture will result in ethical perfection. An ethical man is more powerful than an intellectual man. Ethical culture brings in various sorts of Siddhis. If you study the Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali Maharshi, you will find a clear description of the powers which manifest by the observance of Yama or the practice of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. Yama is the first step in Raja Yoga. This is the very foundation of Yoga.
A philosopher need not necessarily be a moral or ethical man; but a spiritual man must necessarily be moral. Morality goes hand in hand with spirituality. Morality coexists with spirituality. The three kinds of Tapas (austerity) viz., physical, verbal and mental that are prescribed in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita, the practice of Yama in Raja Yoga, the noble eightfold path of the Buddhists—are all best calculated to develop the moral side of man. Sadachara or right conduct aims at making a man moral, so that he may be a Uttama Adhikari for the reception of Atma-Jnana, the supreme Tattva, or Self-realisation.
You should always try your level best to speak truth at all costs. You may lose your income in the beginning. But in the long run you will become victorious. You will realise the truth of the Upanishads: "Satyameva Jayate na anritam—Truth alone triumphs, but not falsehood." Even a lawyer who speaks truth in courts, who does not coach up false witnesses, may lose his practice in the beginning, but later on he will be honoured by the judges and the clients. Thousands of cases will flock to him. He will have to make some sacrifice in the beginning. Lawyers generally complain: "What can we do? Our profession is such. We must tell lies. Otherwise we will lose our cases." These are all false excuses. There was an advocate in the Uttar Pradesh. He was a mental Sannyasin, practising law. He was a friend and benefactor of Sannyasins and the public. He never coached false witnesses. He never took up criminal cases and yet he was the leader of the bar and was much revered by the judges, clients and his colleagues. He was a rich man, too. O my friends, barristers and advocates! Will you follow the noble example of the advocate referred to above? Be truthful. You will attain peace, wealth and everything. Do not kill your soul (Atmahatya) in earning money by unlawful means in order to have a comfortable living and to please your wife. Life in this world is evanescent, like a bubble. Aspire to become divine. Satya is the most important item if you want to be moral.
The various formulae: "Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah—Non-injuring is the highest of all virtues; Satyam vada—Speak the truth; Dharmam chara—Do virtuous actions; Love thy neighbour as thyself;"—all these are best calculated to develop the moral aspect of a human being. Morality is the basis for the realisation of Atmic unity or oneness of life or Advaitic feeling of sameness everywhere. Ethical culture prepares a man for Vedantic realisation of: "Sarvam khalvidam Brahma—All indeed is Brahman."
Aspirants make mistakes nowadays in jumping to Dhyana and Samadhi all at once, as soon as they leave their houses, without having any ethical purification. The mind remains in the same condition although they have practised meditation for 15 years. They have the same hatred, desire, jealousy, idea of superiority, Dambha, egoism, etc. No meditation or Samadhi is possible without ethical culture. Samadhi will come by itself when one has ethical perfection. There are many occultists in foreign lands. They do not have any spiritual improvements, as they do not have moral or ethical culture.
Dharma and Adharma
Dharma and Adharma (right and wrong) are relative terms. It is very difficult to define them precisely. Sometimes even sages are bewildered in finding out what is right and what is wrong in some special circumstances. Rishi Kanada, author of the Vaiseshika Sutras, says: "That which brings Nisreyasa and Abhyudaya (supreme bliss and exaltation) is Dharma. That which elevates you and brings you nearer to God is right. That which brings you down and takes you away from God is wrong. That which is done in strict accordance with the injunctions of the Sastras is right and that which is done against the injunctions of Sastras is wrong. This is one way of defining these terms. To work in accordance with the divine will is right; to work in opposition to the divine will is wrong.
It is very difficult to find out by the common run of mankind what exactly the divine will is in certain actions. That is the reason why wise sages declare that people should resort to Sastras, learned Pundits and realised persons for consultation. A pure man who has done Nishkama Karma Yoga for several years and who is doing worship of God for a long time can readily find out the divine will when he wants to do certain actions. He can hear the inner, shrill, small voice. Ordinary people cannot properly hear this divine voice from within. They may make mistake in taking the voice of the impure mind for the divine voice. The lower instinctive mind will delude them.
That work which gives elevation, joy and peace to the mind is right; that which brings depression, pain and restlessness to the mind is wrong. This is an easy way to find out right and wrong. Selfishness clouds understanding. Therefore, if a man has got even a tinge of selfishness, he cannot detect what is right and wrong. A pure, subtle, sharp intellect is needed for this purpose. You will find in the Gita: "That which knoweth energy and abstinence, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, that reason is pure (Sattvic). That by which one wrongly understandeth right and wrong and also what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, that reason is passionate (Rajasic). That which, enwrapped in darkness, thinketh the wrong to be the right and seeth all things subverted, that reason is of darkness (Tamasic)."
Various other definitions are given by wise men to help the students in the path of righteousness. In the Bible we are asked to do unto others in the same way as we wish others do unto us. This is a very good maxim. The gist of Sadachara is here. If one practises this very carefully, he will not commit any wrong act. If one is well-established in Ahimsa, in thought, word and deed, he can never do any wrong. That is the reason why Patanjali Maharshi has given a great prominence to Ahimsa. Ahimsa comes first in the practice of Yama. To give pleasure to others is right. To spread misery and pain to others is wrong. One can follow this in his daily conduct towards others and can evolve in his spiritual path. Do not perform any act that brings to you shame and fear. You will be quite safe if you follow this rule. Stick to any rule that appeals to your reason and conscience and follow it with faith and attention. You will evolve and reach the abode of eternal happiness.
Now I shall tell you another important point. I have already pointed out that right and wrong are relative terms. They vary according to time, special circumstances, Varna (caste) and Ashrama (stage). Morality is a changing, relative term. That passionate man who molests his legally married wife frequently to gratify his passion is more immoral than a man who visits the house of a woman of ill-fame once in a year. That man who dwells constantly on immoral thoughts is the most immoral man. Do you clearly see the subtle difference now? To kill an enemy is right for a Kshatriya king. A Brahmin or a Sannyasin should practise strict forbearance and forgiveness. To speak an untruth, for saving the life of a Mahatma or one's Guru who has been unjustly charged by the officer of a state is right. Untruth has become a truth in this particular case. To speak a truth which brings harm to many is untruth only. To kill a dacoit who is committing murder on the wayfarers daily is only Ahimsa. Himsa becomes Ahimsa under certain circumstances. You must think over and discriminate on every point. Discriminate between right and wrong and then do the right thing only. This will help you in the achievement of ethical perfection.
Build Your Character
A man may die, but his character remains. His thoughts remain. It is the character that gives real force and power to man. Character is power. Without character the attainment of knowledge is impossible. That man who has no character is practically a dead man in this world. He is ignored and despised by the community. If you want success in life, if you want to influence others, if you want to get progress in the spiritual path, if you want to have God-realisation, you must possess an unblemished, spotless character. The quintessence of a man is his character. The character of a man survives or outlives him. Sri Sankara, Buddha, Jesus are remembered even now, because they had wonderful character. They influenced people and converted others through their force of character.
Money is nothing before character. Character is a mighty soul-force. It is like a sweet flower that wafts its fragrance far and wide. A man of noble traits and good character possesses a tremendous, magnetic personality. Personality is character only. A man may be a skilful artist. He may be a clever songster. He may be a great poet. He may be a great scientist. If he has no character, he has no real position in society. People will spit at him.
Character is a broad term. In a restricted sense it means moral character. When we say that Mr. Ram Narayan is a man of character, we mean that he is strictly a moral man. In a broad sense, a man of character is expected to be kind, merciful, truthful, generous, forgiving and tolerant. He is expected to possess all the Sattvic qualities. He may be strictly moral. This is one of the great qualifications. But if he speaks deliberate lies, if he is selfish and greedy, if he hurts the feelings of others, then also he is called a man of bad character. A man who wants to develop his character must be an all-round man. He should possess all the qualities which are mentioned in the thirteenth and sixteenth chapters of the Gita. Then he is a perfect man. Then he is a man of perfect character. A man of perfect character should possess the following virtues: humility, harmlessness, forgiveness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control, indifference to the objects of senses, absence of egoism, insight into the pain and evil of birth, death, old age and sickness, fearlessness, cleanliness of life, alms-giving, study of scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, renunciation, peacefulness, compassion to living beings, uncovetousness, mildness, modesty, vigour, fortitude and absence of envy, pride, crookedness and wrath.
You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. The impressions of thoughts, feelings and actions are impressed in the subconscious mind, Chitta. Whatever you think and act are indelibly impressed there. You may die, but the impressions are there. It is these impressions that bring you back to this universe.
A rogue is not an eternal rogue. A prostitute is not an eternal prostitute. Put these people in the company of saints. They will be newly moulded and will be transmuted into saints with virtuous qualities. Dacoit Ratnakar was changed into sage Valmiki. Jagai and Madai who pelted stones at Nityananda, became his sincere devotees. Their mental images, ideals and thoughts were changed. Their habits were changed completely. It is in the power of every man to change his bad character and thoughts. If good thoughts and good ideals are supplanted in the place of vicious thoughts and wrong feelings, the man will grow in the path of virtues. A liar will become a truthful man. A scoundrel will become a saintly man.
The method of Pratipaksha Bhavana or thinking of the opposite quality can change the habits, qualities and character of the man. By a steady practice, one can get success. It will take some time. Think of courage and truth. You will become a courageous and truthful man. Fear and the habit of telling lies will vanish gradually. Think of contentment and Brahmacharya. Greed and lust will vanish completely. This method is quite scientific. Generally ignorant people, who have no knowledge of the subconscious mind and Yogic method of changing the habits and character, think that they will have their old evil traits throughout their whole lives. This is a sad mistake. The character is the outcome of your thoughts, ideals and mental pictures. If you change your thoughts and mental pictures, your character also will be changed. Have a firm conviction and faith in this statement.
Here I shall give you a practice. Suppose you want to develop courage. I have already told you that the subconscious mind is your willing servant and you must know how to extract work from it. It will establish new character, new ideals, new mental pictures and new habits in the mind. Now the first thing is that you must have a strong desire to possess this virtue—courage. Then only the attainment is easy. The supply can come only if there is the demand. This is the law. If there is no desire in you for developing this quality, first try to create a desire. This desire you can create by thinking again and again the immense advantages that you can get by the possession of this noble quality. Side by side you will have to imagine the disadvantages of the quality, fear. When the intense desire has manifested, you will get help from will. Will follows the desire, just as the dog follows the master. Feel that you actually possess this virtue. Mentally repeat the words "OM COURAGE" several times. Feel that you are in actual possession of it. Imagine that you have got this virtue and try to express it in the daily actions and trying conditions. Have a clear-cut mental image of this virtue. Slowly this virtue will develop. Wait coolly. Do not be discouraged if you do not get success in the practice of a few days. The force of old wrong Samskara of timidity and fear is there. Eventually the new Samskara of courage will win the day. Always positive overcomes the negative. This is a law of nature. Have strong faith and confident expectation that you will possess courage soon. Develop your attention in this direction. You are bound to succeed in a short time. Likewise you can develop any good virtue or character.
Building up of character is building up of habits. The changing of character is changing of habits. It can be changed at any moment through will, interest, attention and faith. New, healthy, strong, virtuous habits will replace old, morbid, abnormal, vicious habits. Yoga aims at changing the old habits. Habits of worldly nature can be changed into divine virtuous habits through selfless service with the spirit of renunciation, devotion, prayer and Vichara. Development of other virtues such as friendship, mercy and the practice of the three Tapas (austerity) mentioned in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita will pave a long way for the moulding of character.
Here is another effective method for building up your character. Remain in the company of sages and saints. You will be changed through their strong spiritual currents. Never complain: "I cannot get good Mahatmas in these days." This is your mistake only. Follow me with faith and interest. I will show you thousands of good Mahatmas. Give up your audacity and obstinacy. Be humble and sincere. Build up your character properly. This will give you success in life. Character is the mark of saintliness. Remove the old evil habits. Establish virtuous, healthy habits. Character will help you to attain the goal of life. Character is your very being.
Control Evil Habits
This is Kali Yuga. This is the age of scientific discoveries. This is the age of new fashion and style. There is modern civilisation. This is the age of aeroplanes, cinemas and radios. Dharma has become a decrepit. People are acting according to their whims and fancies. There is no check. Every man is a Guru. He does not want any religious instructions. Passion is swaying over everybody. Discrimination, right thinking and Vichara have taken to their heels. Eating, drinking and procreation are the goal of life. Moksha has become a non-entity and a visionary dream. Evil habits of all sorts have cropped up in all.
A friend greets another friend not with the names of God: "Jai Sri Krishna or Jai Ramji," but with a cigarette or a peg of brandy. He says: "Come along Mr. Naidu! Have a smoke. Have a drink of gin squash." Alcohol is such a devil that if it once enters the system of a man, it never leaves him and he becomes a confirmed drunkard. Even our Hindu ladies of big families have taken to liquor and smoke. They take small doses to excite their passion in the beginning and develop the habit soon. Alcohol is a deadly poison that destroys the brain-cells and nerves. Many nervous diseases crop up in a short time. It becomes very difficult to correct and bring round a drunkard. The habit becomes very strong. No amount of hypnotic suggestion can do any good. A drunkard is a wreck and a menace to society. The Temperance Association has not done much good to the country. One should be very careful in the beginning. He should avoid the company of drunkards.
Then comes another evil habit, smoking. Smokers bring a little bit of philosophy and medical opinion in support of their evil habit. They say: "Smoking keeps bowels free. I get a good motion in the morning. It is very exhilarating. It is good for the lungs, brain and heart. When I sit for meditation after a smoke I can meditate nicely."
Nice philosophy! They bring ingenious arguments to support their evil habit. They cannot leave this inveterate habit. They are heavy smokers who will finish a tin of cigarettes within a few minutes. This habit starts from early boyhood. A little boy gets a curiosity for smoking. He stealthily removes a cigarette from the pocket of his uncle and tries a first smoke. He gets little tickling of nerves and continues the theft daily. After some time he cannot manage with a few cigarettes. He begins to steal money to get a big tin for smoking independently. His father and brothers are heavy smokers. They are the Gurus for these little boys for learning the art of smoking. What a nasty state of affairs! Horrible! These parents are entirely responsible for the bad conduct of their children. Any intoxicant brings in a bad habit soon, and the man finds it difficult to give up the habit. He becomes a slave to smoking. Maya havocs through habits. This is the secret of her working. You will not get an iota of benefit from smoking. Give up this wrong and foolish imagination. Smoking brings an irritable heart, 'tobacco heart,' amblyopia and other diseases of the eyes and nicotine poisoning of the system. Various nervous diseases and impotence develop gradually.
Now comes in another evil habit—betel-chewing. Votaries of this evil habit bring in their philosophy also like the smokers. They say: "Betel is a good stimulant of the stomach. It digests food and gives good appetite." Look at their beautiful red teeth and ways of talking with betel in their mouths! Their tongues become thick. They cannot pronounce the words properly. They want a vessel by their side to throw the spit. This is a dirty habit. They always keep the places very dirty. Money is simply wasted. It can be well utilised in the purchase of Upanishads and other philosophical books. People become slaves of betel. They cannot remain even for a few minutes without chewing. They take tobacco along with betels. This is another evil habit. Some Bengalis take cocaine along with betels. This is a still worse habit. It is very difficult to leave cocaine habit. Some use snuffs of scented kinds to tickle their olfactory nerves. This is also a nasty habit. They have to carry a stinking latrine in their pockets. Their whole body and dresses stink abominably. You cannot approach them. They lose their self-respect when their stock of snuff is finished. They will stretch their hands to anybody in the street to get a pinch of snuff. They become dull. They cannot work without snuff. How weak a man becomes through this evil habit! Pitiable indeed! Ganja (Cannabis lndica), opium, Charas are other intoxicants. Some Sadhus take them in abundance. People eat opium also to keep up their spirits and get excitement before copulation. Sadhus claim that Ganja makes the mind one-pointed. This is simple foolishness. He who is under intoxication cannot watch the movements of the mind. It is not one-pointedness. They get some exhilaration of spirit as in alcohol. This is also an evil habit of the worst kind. All these intoxicants poison the system and make a man unfit for spiritual practices. They have become slaves of these intoxicants. They have developed evil habits. They waste the money in wrong channels.
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Seclusion for Three Years
Ekanath lived in the world with wife and children, practised devotional Yoga and attained Sayujya. Raja Janaka ruled over Mithila and attained Jnana amidst royal activities. Swami Vidyaranya, the author of the reputed Panchadasi, was the Divan of Vijayanagaram. He worked as Minister of the State, practised meditation, and realised God by remaining in the world. The central teaching of the Gita is to realise in and through the world.
The obstacles to Yoga do not come from outside, but from within. If you have succeeded in perfect Pratyahara, you can remain wherever you like. This is all doubtless true. But just hear the other part of the story. Do not be one-sided. Look to the other side of the shield.
This is plausible, sounds all right, but not feasible in the vast majority. It is easier said than done. Sri Aurobindo preached realisation amidst activity, but he shut himself in a closed room for years. How many Janakas, Ekanaths and Vidyaranyas you have had! These people were really Yoga-Bhrashtas. That is the reason why they were able to practise meditation in the world. It is absolutely impossible for the vast majority. To serve God and mammon at the same time is extremely difficult. Mind can take up only one thing. Lord Jesus was missing for eighteen years. Lord Buddha went to seclusion for eight years in Uruvala forest, the modern Buddha Gaya. Swami Rama Tirtha was a recluse in Brahmapuri for two years. Many had taken up to seclusion during Sadhana period. Gautama Rishi writes in his Nyaya Sutras that a cave in mountain, sandy bed near river-side and mountainside are all very favourable for meditation. You can make a beginning in the world but when you have advanced, you must shift to suitable places with mountain sceneries, seaside, places along the banks of beautiful rivers like Narmada or Ganga. They induce a benign, elevating influence. In the world, the environments are quite unfavourable. They excite, ignite and kindle the nerves, Samskaras, desires and the senses. Hear the words of Svetasvatara Upanishad: "At a level place, free from pebbles, fire and gravel, pleasant to the mind by its sounds, water and bowers, not painful to the eye and repairing to a cave, protected from the wind, let a person apply his mind to God." Retiring into a forest is like entering a University for execution of higher college studies. Realise, and distribute knowledge to the world. This is real Jnana Yajna. This is the best of all helps. If you can remove Avidya, the root cause of human sufferings, if you can change the psychology of fifty persons, that is the real service you can render to the country. Building hospitals, running Kshetras are all social scavengering. You cannot eradicate the evil. You shift it from one corner to another just as you shift the pain and swelling in gout from ankle to knee.
Sadhana Chatushtaya
FOUR MEANS OF SALVATION
An aspirant should have these four qualifications, viz., Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sampatti and Mumukshutva.
The discriminating power between Atman (Self) and Anatman (not-self), Sat (real) and Asat (unreal), Nitya (eternal) and Anitya (non-eternal), changing and unchanging, and Drik (subject) and Drishya (object), is termed Viveka. Viveka is a result of purity of heart (Chitta-Suddhi) through Nishkama Karma, disinterested works.
Vairagya is indifference to the enjoyments of objects both in this world and the higher. What is wanted is Viveka-Purvaka-Vairagya (Vairagya as the resultant product of Viveka) which is:
"Brahma satyam jagat mithya, Jivo brahma eva na aparah. "
"Brahman is real, the world is phenomenal, the Jiva is identical with Brahman and not different." This kind of Vairagya alone will really help a Sadhaka.
"Vairagyasya phalam boclham Boclhtisxa uparatih phalam."
"The fruit of this real Vairagya is Brahma-Jnana; and the fruit of this knowledge is extreme satisfaction, a state of remaining full (Paripurna)." There is entire destruction of sense desires. There is no remembrance of past sensual indulgence.
There are four kinds of Vairagya: 1. Mridu (mild), 2. Madhyama (medium), 3. Adhimatra (intense) and 4. Para (highest).
Para-Vairagya is that dispassion which comes after Brahma-Jnana.
All the following six virtues (Shat-Sampat) are taken collectively as one qualification:
(a) Santa—quiescence, calmness of mind. This refers to control of mind.
(b) Dama—self-restraint. This refers to control of senses.
(c) Uparati—satiety.
(d) Titiksha—power of endurance, constant balance of mind during pleasure, pain, heat and cold, etc.
(e) Sraddha—faith in the scriptures and in Guru's words.
(f) Samadhana—balanced state of mind, self-settledness and power of concentration.
The fourth qualification, Mumukshutva, is the intense longing which one develops for liberation.
CHAPTER THREE – ETHICAL CULTURE
Lead a Moral Life
The Atman is the basis for everything. There is an intimate relation between Atman and will. Will is only Atman or God in motion or manifestation. No spiritual or will culture is possible without ethical culture. Ethical culture will result in ethical perfection. An ethical man is more powerful than an intellectual man. Ethical culture brings in various sorts of Siddhis. If you study the Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali Maharshi, you will find a clear description of the powers which manifest by the observance of Yama or the practice of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. Yama is the first step in Raja Yoga. This is the very foundation of Yoga.
A philosopher need not necessarily be a moral or ethical man; but a spiritual man must necessarily be moral. Morality goes hand in hand with spirituality. Morality coexists with spirituality. The three kinds of Tapas (austerity) viz., physical, verbal and mental that are prescribed in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita, the practice of Yama in Raja Yoga, the noble eightfold path of the Buddhists—are all best calculated to develop the moral side of man. Sadachara or right conduct aims at making a man moral, so that he may be a Uttama Adhikari for the reception of Atma-Jnana, the supreme Tattva, or Self-realisation.
You should always try your level best to speak truth at all costs. You may lose your income in the beginning. But in the long run you will become victorious. You will realise the truth of the Upanishads: "Satyameva Jayate na anritam—Truth alone triumphs, but not falsehood." Even a lawyer who speaks truth in courts, who does not coach up false witnesses, may lose his practice in the beginning, but later on he will be honoured by the judges and the clients. Thousands of cases will flock to him. He will have to make some sacrifice in the beginning. Lawyers generally complain: "What can we do? Our profession is such. We must tell lies. Otherwise we will lose our cases." These are all false excuses. There was an advocate in the Uttar Pradesh. He was a mental Sannyasin, practising law. He was a friend and benefactor of Sannyasins and the public. He never coached false witnesses. He never took up criminal cases and yet he was the leader of the bar and was much revered by the judges, clients and his colleagues. He was a rich man, too. O my friends, barristers and advocates! Will you follow the noble example of the advocate referred to above? Be truthful. You will attain peace, wealth and everything. Do not kill your soul (Atmahatya) in earning money by unlawful means in order to have a comfortable living and to please your wife. Life in this world is evanescent, like a bubble. Aspire to become divine. Satya is the most important item if you want to be moral.
The various formulae: "Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah—Non-injuring is the highest of all virtues; Satyam vada—Speak the truth; Dharmam chara—Do virtuous actions; Love thy neighbour as thyself;"—all these are best calculated to develop the moral aspect of a human being. Morality is the basis for the realisation of Atmic unity or oneness of life or Advaitic feeling of sameness everywhere. Ethical culture prepares a man for Vedantic realisation of: "Sarvam khalvidam Brahma—All indeed is Brahman."
Aspirants make mistakes nowadays in jumping to Dhyana and Samadhi all at once, as soon as they leave their houses, without having any ethical purification. The mind remains in the same condition although they have practised meditation for 15 years. They have the same hatred, desire, jealousy, idea of superiority, Dambha, egoism, etc. No meditation or Samadhi is possible without ethical culture. Samadhi will come by itself when one has ethical perfection. There are many occultists in foreign lands. They do not have any spiritual improvements, as they do not have moral or ethical culture.
Dharma and Adharma
Dharma and Adharma (right and wrong) are relative terms. It is very difficult to define them precisely. Sometimes even sages are bewildered in finding out what is right and what is wrong in some special circumstances. Rishi Kanada, author of the Vaiseshika Sutras, says: "That which brings Nisreyasa and Abhyudaya (supreme bliss and exaltation) is Dharma. That which elevates you and brings you nearer to God is right. That which brings you down and takes you away from God is wrong. That which is done in strict accordance with the injunctions of the Sastras is right and that which is done against the injunctions of Sastras is wrong. This is one way of defining these terms. To work in accordance with the divine will is right; to work in opposition to the divine will is wrong.
It is very difficult to find out by the common run of mankind what exactly the divine will is in certain actions. That is the reason why wise sages declare that people should resort to Sastras, learned Pundits and realised persons for consultation. A pure man who has done Nishkama Karma Yoga for several years and who is doing worship of God for a long time can readily find out the divine will when he wants to do certain actions. He can hear the inner, shrill, small voice. Ordinary people cannot properly hear this divine voice from within. They may make mistake in taking the voice of the impure mind for the divine voice. The lower instinctive mind will delude them.
That work which gives elevation, joy and peace to the mind is right; that which brings depression, pain and restlessness to the mind is wrong. This is an easy way to find out right and wrong. Selfishness clouds understanding. Therefore, if a man has got even a tinge of selfishness, he cannot detect what is right and wrong. A pure, subtle, sharp intellect is needed for this purpose. You will find in the Gita: "That which knoweth energy and abstinence, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, that reason is pure (Sattvic). That by which one wrongly understandeth right and wrong and also what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, that reason is passionate (Rajasic). That which, enwrapped in darkness, thinketh the wrong to be the right and seeth all things subverted, that reason is of darkness (Tamasic)."
Various other definitions are given by wise men to help the students in the path of righteousness. In the Bible we are asked to do unto others in the same way as we wish others do unto us. This is a very good maxim. The gist of Sadachara is here. If one practises this very carefully, he will not commit any wrong act. If one is well-established in Ahimsa, in thought, word and deed, he can never do any wrong. That is the reason why Patanjali Maharshi has given a great prominence to Ahimsa. Ahimsa comes first in the practice of Yama. To give pleasure to others is right. To spread misery and pain to others is wrong. One can follow this in his daily conduct towards others and can evolve in his spiritual path. Do not perform any act that brings to you shame and fear. You will be quite safe if you follow this rule. Stick to any rule that appeals to your reason and conscience and follow it with faith and attention. You will evolve and reach the abode of eternal happiness.
Now I shall tell you another important point. I have already pointed out that right and wrong are relative terms. They vary according to time, special circumstances, Varna (caste) and Ashrama (stage). Morality is a changing, relative term. That passionate man who molests his legally married wife frequently to gratify his passion is more immoral than a man who visits the house of a woman of ill-fame once in a year. That man who dwells constantly on immoral thoughts is the most immoral man. Do you clearly see the subtle difference now? To kill an enemy is right for a Kshatriya king. A Brahmin or a Sannyasin should practise strict forbearance and forgiveness. To speak an untruth, for saving the life of a Mahatma or one's Guru who has been unjustly charged by the officer of a state is right. Untruth has become a truth in this particular case. To speak a truth which brings harm to many is untruth only. To kill a dacoit who is committing murder on the wayfarers daily is only Ahimsa. Himsa becomes Ahimsa under certain circumstances. You must think over and discriminate on every point. Discriminate between right and wrong and then do the right thing only. This will help you in the achievement of ethical perfection.
Build Your Character
A man may die, but his character remains. His thoughts remain. It is the character that gives real force and power to man. Character is power. Without character the attainment of knowledge is impossible. That man who has no character is practically a dead man in this world. He is ignored and despised by the community. If you want success in life, if you want to influence others, if you want to get progress in the spiritual path, if you want to have God-realisation, you must possess an unblemished, spotless character. The quintessence of a man is his character. The character of a man survives or outlives him. Sri Sankara, Buddha, Jesus are remembered even now, because they had wonderful character. They influenced people and converted others through their force of character.
Money is nothing before character. Character is a mighty soul-force. It is like a sweet flower that wafts its fragrance far and wide. A man of noble traits and good character possesses a tremendous, magnetic personality. Personality is character only. A man may be a skilful artist. He may be a clever songster. He may be a great poet. He may be a great scientist. If he has no character, he has no real position in society. People will spit at him.
Character is a broad term. In a restricted sense it means moral character. When we say that Mr. Ram Narayan is a man of character, we mean that he is strictly a moral man. In a broad sense, a man of character is expected to be kind, merciful, truthful, generous, forgiving and tolerant. He is expected to possess all the Sattvic qualities. He may be strictly moral. This is one of the great qualifications. But if he speaks deliberate lies, if he is selfish and greedy, if he hurts the feelings of others, then also he is called a man of bad character. A man who wants to develop his character must be an all-round man. He should possess all the qualities which are mentioned in the thirteenth and sixteenth chapters of the Gita. Then he is a perfect man. Then he is a man of perfect character. A man of perfect character should possess the following virtues: humility, harmlessness, forgiveness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control, indifference to the objects of senses, absence of egoism, insight into the pain and evil of birth, death, old age and sickness, fearlessness, cleanliness of life, alms-giving, study of scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, renunciation, peacefulness, compassion to living beings, uncovetousness, mildness, modesty, vigour, fortitude and absence of envy, pride, crookedness and wrath.
You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. The impressions of thoughts, feelings and actions are impressed in the subconscious mind, Chitta. Whatever you think and act are indelibly impressed there. You may die, but the impressions are there. It is these impressions that bring you back to this universe.
A rogue is not an eternal rogue. A prostitute is not an eternal prostitute. Put these people in the company of saints. They will be newly moulded and will be transmuted into saints with virtuous qualities. Dacoit Ratnakar was changed into sage Valmiki. Jagai and Madai who pelted stones at Nityananda, became his sincere devotees. Their mental images, ideals and thoughts were changed. Their habits were changed completely. It is in the power of every man to change his bad character and thoughts. If good thoughts and good ideals are supplanted in the place of vicious thoughts and wrong feelings, the man will grow in the path of virtues. A liar will become a truthful man. A scoundrel will become a saintly man.
The method of Pratipaksha Bhavana or thinking of the opposite quality can change the habits, qualities and character of the man. By a steady practice, one can get success. It will take some time. Think of courage and truth. You will become a courageous and truthful man. Fear and the habit of telling lies will vanish gradually. Think of contentment and Brahmacharya. Greed and lust will vanish completely. This method is quite scientific. Generally ignorant people, who have no knowledge of the subconscious mind and Yogic method of changing the habits and character, think that they will have their old evil traits throughout their whole lives. This is a sad mistake. The character is the outcome of your thoughts, ideals and mental pictures. If you change your thoughts and mental pictures, your character also will be changed. Have a firm conviction and faith in this statement.
Here I shall give you a practice. Suppose you want to develop courage. I have already told you that the subconscious mind is your willing servant and you must know how to extract work from it. It will establish new character, new ideals, new mental pictures and new habits in the mind. Now the first thing is that you must have a strong desire to possess this virtue—courage. Then only the attainment is easy. The supply can come only if there is the demand. This is the law. If there is no desire in you for developing this quality, first try to create a desire. This desire you can create by thinking again and again the immense advantages that you can get by the possession of this noble quality. Side by side you will have to imagine the disadvantages of the quality, fear. When the intense desire has manifested, you will get help from will. Will follows the desire, just as the dog follows the master. Feel that you actually possess this virtue. Mentally repeat the words "OM COURAGE" several times. Feel that you are in actual possession of it. Imagine that you have got this virtue and try to express it in the daily actions and trying conditions. Have a clear-cut mental image of this virtue. Slowly this virtue will develop. Wait coolly. Do not be discouraged if you do not get success in the practice of a few days. The force of old wrong Samskara of timidity and fear is there. Eventually the new Samskara of courage will win the day. Always positive overcomes the negative. This is a law of nature. Have strong faith and confident expectation that you will possess courage soon. Develop your attention in this direction. You are bound to succeed in a short time. Likewise you can develop any good virtue or character.
Building up of character is building up of habits. The changing of character is changing of habits. It can be changed at any moment through will, interest, attention and faith. New, healthy, strong, virtuous habits will replace old, morbid, abnormal, vicious habits. Yoga aims at changing the old habits. Habits of worldly nature can be changed into divine virtuous habits through selfless service with the spirit of renunciation, devotion, prayer and Vichara. Development of other virtues such as friendship, mercy and the practice of the three Tapas (austerity) mentioned in the seventeenth chapter of the Gita will pave a long way for the moulding of character.
Here is another effective method for building up your character. Remain in the company of sages and saints. You will be changed through their strong spiritual currents. Never complain: "I cannot get good Mahatmas in these days." This is your mistake only. Follow me with faith and interest. I will show you thousands of good Mahatmas. Give up your audacity and obstinacy. Be humble and sincere. Build up your character properly. This will give you success in life. Character is the mark of saintliness. Remove the old evil habits. Establish virtuous, healthy habits. Character will help you to attain the goal of life. Character is your very being.
Control Evil Habits
This is Kali Yuga. This is the age of scientific discoveries. This is the age of new fashion and style. There is modern civilisation. This is the age of aeroplanes, cinemas and radios. Dharma has become a decrepit. People are acting according to their whims and fancies. There is no check. Every man is a Guru. He does not want any religious instructions. Passion is swaying over everybody. Discrimination, right thinking and Vichara have taken to their heels. Eating, drinking and procreation are the goal of life. Moksha has become a non-entity and a visionary dream. Evil habits of all sorts have cropped up in all.
A friend greets another friend not with the names of God: "Jai Sri Krishna or Jai Ramji," but with a cigarette or a peg of brandy. He says: "Come along Mr. Naidu! Have a smoke. Have a drink of gin squash." Alcohol is such a devil that if it once enters the system of a man, it never leaves him and he becomes a confirmed drunkard. Even our Hindu ladies of big families have taken to liquor and smoke. They take small doses to excite their passion in the beginning and develop the habit soon. Alcohol is a deadly poison that destroys the brain-cells and nerves. Many nervous diseases crop up in a short time. It becomes very difficult to correct and bring round a drunkard. The habit becomes very strong. No amount of hypnotic suggestion can do any good. A drunkard is a wreck and a menace to society. The Temperance Association has not done much good to the country. One should be very careful in the beginning. He should avoid the company of drunkards.
Then comes another evil habit, smoking. Smokers bring a little bit of philosophy and medical opinion in support of their evil habit. They say: "Smoking keeps bowels free. I get a good motion in the morning. It is very exhilarating. It is good for the lungs, brain and heart. When I sit for meditation after a smoke I can meditate nicely."
Nice philosophy! They bring ingenious arguments to support their evil habit. They cannot leave this inveterate habit. They are heavy smokers who will finish a tin of cigarettes within a few minutes. This habit starts from early boyhood. A little boy gets a curiosity for smoking. He stealthily removes a cigarette from the pocket of his uncle and tries a first smoke. He gets little tickling of nerves and continues the theft daily. After some time he cannot manage with a few cigarettes. He begins to steal money to get a big tin for smoking independently. His father and brothers are heavy smokers. They are the Gurus for these little boys for learning the art of smoking. What a nasty state of affairs! Horrible! These parents are entirely responsible for the bad conduct of their children. Any intoxicant brings in a bad habit soon, and the man finds it difficult to give up the habit. He becomes a slave to smoking. Maya havocs through habits. This is the secret of her working. You will not get an iota of benefit from smoking. Give up this wrong and foolish imagination. Smoking brings an irritable heart, 'tobacco heart,' amblyopia and other diseases of the eyes and nicotine poisoning of the system. Various nervous diseases and impotence develop gradually.
Now comes in another evil habit—betel-chewing. Votaries of this evil habit bring in their philosophy also like the smokers. They say: "Betel is a good stimulant of the stomach. It digests food and gives good appetite." Look at their beautiful red teeth and ways of talking with betel in their mouths! Their tongues become thick. They cannot pronounce the words properly. They want a vessel by their side to throw the spit. This is a dirty habit. They always keep the places very dirty. Money is simply wasted. It can be well utilised in the purchase of Upanishads and other philosophical books. People become slaves of betel. They cannot remain even for a few minutes without chewing. They take tobacco along with betels. This is another evil habit. Some Bengalis take cocaine along with betels. This is a still worse habit. It is very difficult to leave cocaine habit. Some use snuffs of scented kinds to tickle their olfactory nerves. This is also a nasty habit. They have to carry a stinking latrine in their pockets. Their whole body and dresses stink abominably. You cannot approach them. They lose their self-respect when their stock of snuff is finished. They will stretch their hands to anybody in the street to get a pinch of snuff. They become dull. They cannot work without snuff. How weak a man becomes through this evil habit! Pitiable indeed! Ganja (Cannabis lndica), opium, Charas are other intoxicants. Some Sadhus take them in abundance. People eat opium also to keep up their spirits and get excitement before copulation. Sadhus claim that Ganja makes the mind one-pointed. This is simple foolishness. He who is under intoxication cannot watch the movements of the mind. It is not one-pointedness. They get some exhilaration of spirit as in alcohol. This is also an evil habit of the worst kind. All these intoxicants poison the system and make a man unfit for spiritual practices. They have become slaves of these intoxicants. They have developed evil habits. They waste the money in wrong channels.
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