Affectionate Kankana Ma and Kasturi Ma, To day what I write is purely concentrated quintessence of my letters to you.
It was, I should say, by a flash that I came to the conclusion early in my life that human life is not complete with its observable activities and that there is something above human perception controlling and directing all that is visible. I may boldly say that I began to perceive the realities behind what we call life on earth. The unrest and feverish anxiety that characterise man's ordinary existence here bespeak a higher good that he has to reach one day and or the other.
When man gets entangled in selfishness, greed, lust and hatred, he naturally forgets what is beneath his own skin. Materialism and scepticism reign supreme. He gets irritated by small things and begins to fight. In short, man is miserable. The doctor's profession gave ample evidence of the sufferings of this world. I found concrete proofs of the great saying "Sarvam Duhkham Vivekinah". I was blessed with a new vision and perspective. I was deeply convinced that there must be place, a sweet home of pristine glory and purity and divine splendor where absolute security, perfection and happiness can be enjoyed eternally. In conformity with the dictum of the SRUTI. I renounced the world, and felt that I belong to the whole world.
A course of severe self discipline and penance endowed me with enough strength to move unscathed amidst the vicissitudes of the world-phenomena. And I began to feel the great good it would be to humanity if I could share this new vision with one and all.
Side by side, the stirring events since the advent of the twentieth century had their effect upon all keen minded people - the horrors of past and possible worse, and the consequent suffering, touched the minds of people. It was not difficult to see that the pains of mankind were mostly brought on by its own deeds. To awaken man to his errors and follies and to make mend him ways so that he may utilise his life for attaining worthier ends, was felt to be the urgent need of the time. As if in answer to this need. I saw the birth of the divine life mission with its task of receiving man from the forces of the lower nature and raising him to the consciousness, an awareness of the essential divinity of man.
Not by mere argument or discussion can religion be taught or understood. Not by precepts or canons of teaching alone can you make one religious. It requires a peculiar atonement with one's vast environment and ability to feel the deepest as well as the vasted, a genuine sympathy with creation. Religion is living, not speaking or showing. I hold that whatever be one's religion whoever be the prophet adored, which ever be the language or the country, whatever be one's age or sex one can be religious provided the true implication of that hallowed TAPAS, which essentially means any form of self control is made capable of being practiced in daily life to the extent possible for one in the environment and under the circumstances in which one is placed.
I hold that real religion is the religion of the heart. The heart must be purified first. Truth, love & purity are the basis of real religion. Control over the baser nature, conquest of the mind, cultivation of virtues, service of humanity, goodwill, fellowship and amity constitute the fundamentals of true religion. These ideals are included in the principles of the Divine life. And I try to teach them mostly by example which I consider to be weightier than all precepts.
The modern thinker has neither the requisite time nor the patience to perform rigorous TAPAS and austere religious practices, and many of these are even being relegated to the level of superstition. In order to give the present generation the benefit to them its real significance and to convince them of its meaning and efficacy, I held up my torch of Divine life, which is a system of religious life suited to one and all, which can be practiced by the recluse and the office goer alike, which can be intelligible to the scholar and the rustic in its different stages and phases. This is a religion which is not other than what is essential to give meaning to the daily duties of the human being. The beauty in divine life is its simplicity and applicability to the everyday affairs of the ordinary man. It is immaterial whether one goes to the church, or the Mosque, or the Mandir for offering his prayers, for all prayers are heard by the one.
The average seeker after truth is often deceived by the caprices of his mind. A person who takes to the spiritual path is bewildered before he reaches the end of his journey and is naturally tempted to relax his efforts half way – many are the pit falls, but those who plod on steadily are sure to reach the goal of life which is universality of being, knowledge and joy. I have said great emphasis in all my writings upon the discipline of the turbulent senses, conquest of the mind, purification of the heart, and attainment of inner peace and strength, suited to different stages in evolution.
I have leant that is the foremost duty of man to learn to Give - give in charity, give in Plenty, give with love, give without any expectation of consequence, because one does not lose anything by giving; on the other hand the giver is given back a thousand-Fold. Charity is not merely an act of offering certain material goods, for charity is incomplete without charity of disposition, charity of feeling, charity of understanding, knowledge and attitude to theirs. Charity is self-sacrifice in different levels of one's being. Charity in the highest sense, I understand to be equivalent to Gyana Yajna.
Similarly I consider goodness of being and doing constitutes the rockbottom of one's life. By goodness I mean the capacity to feel with others and live & feel as others do & be in a position to act so that no one is heart by the act. Goodness is the face of Godliness. I think that to be good in reality in the innermost recesses of one's heart, is not easy. Though it may appear to be simple as a teaching. It is one of the hardest of things on earth if only one would be honest to one self.
There is no Physical world for me. What I see, I see as the glorious manifestation of the Almighty. I rejoice when I behold the PURUSHA with thousands of heads and thousands of eyes & feet.
ōm sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākśaḥ sahasrapāt,
sa bhūmiṁ viśvato vṛtvā'tyatiṣṭaddaśāgulam.
When I serve persons, I see not the persons but Him of whom they are the limbs. I learn to be humble before the mighty. Being whose breath we breathe and whose joy we enjoy. I do not think there is anything more to teach or to learn. Here is the erdan of religion the quintessence of philosophy, that which any one really needs.
The philosophy I hold is neither a dreamy subjective world negating doctrine of illusion, nor a crude world affirming theory of saints-ridden humanism. It is the fact of the divinity of the universe, the immortality of soul of man, the unity of creation of Absolute, that I feel as the only doctrine worth considering. As the Brahman appears as the diverse universe in all the planes of its manifestation. The aspirant has to pay his homage to the lower manifestations before he steps into the higher. Sound health, clear understanding, deep Knowledge, a powerful will & moral, integrity are all necessary parts of the process of the realization of the Ideal of humanity as a whole. To adjust, adopt & accommodate to see good in everything & bring to effective use all the principals of nature in the process of evolution towards self realization along the path of an integrated adjustment of the human powers, faculties are some of the main factors that go to build up a true philosophy of life. For me philosophy is not merely a love of wisdom but actual possession of it. In all my talks I have told the methods for ever coming & mastering the physical, mental, vital & the intellectual layers of consciousness in order to be able to proceed with the sadhana for self-perfection. The self perfected ones are the sarbobhootorite. To behold the ATMAN in every being or form, to feel Brahman everywhere, at all times and in all conditions of life, to see, hear, taste & feel everything as the Atman is my creed. To live in Brahman, to melt in Brahman & to dissolve in Brahman is my creed. By dwelling in such union, to utilise the hands, mind, sense & the body for the service of humanity, for singing the Names of the Lord for elevating the devotees, for giving instruction to sincere aspirant and disseminating knowledge throughout the world, is my creed; if you call it one to be a Cosmic friend and Cosmic benefactor, a friend of the poor, the forlorn, the helpless & the fallen is my creed. It is my sacred creed to serve the sick persons to nurse them with care, sympathy & love, to cheer the depressed, to infuse power & joy in all, to feel oneness with each & everyone, & to treat all with equal vision. In my highest creed there are neither peasants nor kings, neither beggars nor emperors, neither males nor females, neither teachers nor students. I love to live, move & have my being in this realm indescribable.
The first step is often the most difficult one. But once it is taken the rest become easy. There is a need for more of courage & patient on the part of people. They usually shirk, hesitate & are frightened. All this is due to ignorance of one's duty. A certain amount of education & culture is necessary to have a sufficiently clear grasp of one's position in this world. Our educational system needs an overhauling for it is now floating on the surface without touching the depth of man. To achieve this, co-operation should come not only from society but also from the Government. Success is difficult without mutual help. The head & heart should go hand in hand & the ideal & the real should have a close relation to work with this knowledge is Karmayoga . The Lord has declared this truth in the Bhagavad Gita . I pray that supreme ideal be actualized in the daily life of every individual & there be a veritable heaven on earth. This not merely a wish-this is a possibility and a fact that cannot be gain said. This is to be realized it life is to mean what it ought really to mean.
At the concluding stage of my writing I wish you all success in your college carrier. You see life is a precious gift of God and you have to put it to the best account. You should not be live the "dump driven Cattle." You must be a heroine. When you are preparing for achieving success in your education, you should side by side, engage yourself in spiritual practices for filling yourself for the service of humanity and become a radiant instrument in the hands of God. Let all the powers you would develop be utilized for His service. This is the real aim in life.
Divine love and blessings to you, your parents and all other friends there.
Yours in the Lord
SIVANANDA
