Commentary on 10 Maxims

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Commentary on

Ten Maxims

of Sahaj Marg


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OM TAT SAT

How can the PATH be described which is so wonderul!Reality is beyond senses and beyond eeling;Reality is hidden in the veil o Darkness;Reality shines orth through the veil o Darkness.


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that all this search or happiness in the world by adapt-ing the world to ones needs and happiness cannot avail,and the precariousness o the achievement is more to beknown. True also indeed they have counselled that intransitoriness o happiness achieved there can be no realhappiness. They have also held that the very denitiono illusion is precisely transitoriness o all happiness. Thesearch or the eternal and the permanent happiness is thereal search and this entails the renunciation o the search

or the transitory happiness or success. However, man isnot quite prepared or this renunciation o the transitoryhappiness which according to him is in the hand, or thesake o the permanent happiness which is ar o. Bet-ter the bondage o the immediate i it is pleasant thanthe reedom o the eternal which needs renunciation othe immediate. So too the renunciation o niteness or

individuality is impossible because o the promise o at-tainment o the Innite.

Surely men have sought a dierent solution or wishullment. They would like to realize the eternal in thetemporal, the innite in the nite, the unbounded inthe bounded, spirit in the bosom o matter, and so on,because o the double demand o the human nature orboth the worlds. There have grown several philosophieswhich seek to do justice to the claims o mans desiresor wishes here and yonder. That philosophies are gov-erned by such desires or wishes is a act that reveals thepsychological roots o their thinking. Such thinking hasnot released itsel rom the goal-directing impulse, and

rightly too, though it must be conessed that reality isnot capable o being a goal unless all happiness-claimis dropped whether it is o the temporal or the eternalorder. Reality has a claim to be known or itsel withoutthe limitations and strictures o desire or any goals such


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as happiness or pleasure or power. It is to be known as itis in itsel and or itsel; that is the law o ones real be-ing and reality. Man eels his reality to be o paramountconcern and the realization o that reality is the basicimpulse o his being; and happiness, pleasure, power andso on are just means considered and surrendered on themarch towards his own reality-realization.

The methods by which this reality-consciousnessis to be attained are o great antiquity and had varying

ortunes just because o mans dual aims. It is only whenone seeks onesel that one realizes ones reality and notwhen one turns to the world to realize onesel or oneselin it. Several indeed have been the philosophies thatimagined or built up the systems and they have becomeincapable o showing the way to the reality-consciousness.Nor was liberation achieved with their help.

A return to the need or personal experience o theUltimate has become urgent, and most people tired ophilosophies and logistics and so-called rationality areturning towards a method by which they would havethe experience or intuition and realization o the essenceo being or existence. There are o course some who do

not think that experience can solve any problems andbelieve that belie alone in the methods or means ophilosophies will be sucient and personal experienceis merely a lure and a mirage. With such thinkers weo course do not agree and man has never agreed. Trueindeed this personal experience should be o the highestand not merely a hallucinatory product o ones wishes

and constructionsmental projections so to speak andnot reality. Hallucination is the projection o one set oillusions in the place o those it is said to replace, namelythe experience o Nature.


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The evolution o man into a higher consciousnessor reality is indeed our endeavour, and this evolution canno longer be achieved through the old patterns suitableto lower species and orms o lie including man. Thegrowth o a cosmic consciousness, or an intuition thatcan grasp all in one sweep o consciousness rather thanin ragments, or that which will integrate all knowledgeand perceive the integral reality is a divine git and can-not be expected to be attained through natural means o

mere aspiration. Science expects this to happen in naturalevolution through mans innite capacity to adapt theenvironment to his needs, and also to rouse within himselpowers and capacities latent in a sense (such as he hadalready done) such as rationality, intelligence, instinct,will, consciousness itsel and creative imagination, co-operative activity and social unity. However the ascent o

lie is marked by breaks and one wonders whether thesebreaks or leaps are due to an innate orce or elan, or anupward orce that has leaned towards it to pull it up.Religious experience in man reveals this leaning o thecosmic consciousness or divine and transcendent graceconsciousness towards it.

Thus in man this conjunction o the divine and thehuman is made possible or the rst time in evolution.But a jump to the Ultimate consciousness or Being is along way o. And the natural evolution o man will revealthat in his lie the incidence o a orce much vaster andsuperior to himsel takes its hand. This is the beginningo spirituality. The sel conronts its own deepest urge to

be this urge towards the ultimate reality without whichits own uture is impossible and untenable.

This is the call to knowledge o the sel, to ull-ment, to perection, to ultimate happiness and bliss,and above all to the eeling and realization o reality


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o onesel which seems to be slipping away in its ownoriginal nature.

The seers o India had long ago seen this necessityor the help o the Highest and Ultimate Spirit or litingman to higher levels o consciousness and awareness,such as super-consciousness and absolute consciousnessor experience. Super-mind belongs to the regions othe level very much above the human mental and over-mental. There are levels o being such as thepind,anda, or

brahmanda,parabrahmanda and the Highest transcendentwhich is called by Shri Ram Chandraji o Shahjahanpuras the Central Region, and the Centre. Indeed wecan reveal the parallels between these and the worldsdescribed as bhuh, bhuvah, svar, mahah, janah, tapah andsatyam. Consciousness at each level is a higher, suited to

the plane o its being, and goes through modicationsor twists and limitations when it descends lower, and isthus said to orm the several centres orgranthis or chakras,that distribute the power o consciousness according tothe laws o the centres which emerge as and when thecentre orms.

The yoga o sel-realization demands then theapproach to the highest state beyond all the levels oconsciousness and being. The question arises whetherthis is possible. Whether it is not a gradual process oascent which enables man to proceed rom the level oman to the level o the superman with a super-mindand so on till the highest level is reached, this is the

second question. There is much to be said in avouro the gradual theory o evolution. The immediatepossibility o arriving at the Highest level is also opento the human soul that has become aware o the urgency


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o its attainment and existence. This is what Shri RamChandraji assures as possible, and by the yoga directedby one who has attained that Ultimate Central Realityit is positively easy. Evolution o the individual becomesswit even while in the human body, which is puriedby that highest consciousness or power and transormedin every one o its cells.

The power o the Highest can descend thus into thehuman heart and begin to puriy and lead it to the highest

state. The human rame itsel is so made as to receive thetransmissions o highest energy orsakti divine, at severalcentres corresponding to the cosmic centres and super-cosmic regions. The human body being thus puried inits nervous, circulatory and other systems can enjoy orexperience the peace, the power and the transcendence

even in this body. The need and process are really to betrained by an adept in this Raja Yoga path.

Shri Ram Chandraji in this book entitled Commentaryon Ten Maxims o Sahaj Marg elucidates the conditionswhich are necessary or realising the Ultimate. They aremaxims which one must ollow implicitly. They are notmerely orders arbitrarily given, but clearly explainedin order to show their rationality in respect o the goalthat has to be reached. They are o course easy to ollowwhen there is the earnestness to reach the Goal or theUltimate.

The simple ormula o prayer gives us our objectivein this searchit is God who is the All Master, and who

is the only person who can lead us to the destination. Ourwishes interere with our reaching the destination and areprapti-virodhisenemies o our attainment. Surrender toGod who is the power omnipotent is the essential need,


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or God is both the means and the end. The Master wholeads us to the Highest is one who is so much absorbed inthe Ultimate that He is as it were God in descent towardsthe soul that seeks and strives, and struggles or help.

The ancient methods o practice are beautiullyexplained showing the rationality o worship andmeditation at thesandhyas or conjunctions o the daymorning, noon and evening. The angas o yoga are alsoneatly expounded and the natural method o spiritual

adaptation and adjustment to the goal is given in asimple and straightorward manner. The purication othe system by the subtle process o transmission by theMaster is an achievement that can nd no parallel in thespiritual history in recent times. To live in God, or Godand by God is the burden o the path o Sahaj Marg andthis naturally leads to the realization o ones reality in

God, or God. So too one becomes harmonious with allwithout any distinctions. The higher worlds open up toone who has become one with God by living in Him andor Him alone. Spirituality is not like religion just a ormo worship or technique o observances; it is a living inthe awareness o God and in His essence.

Shri Ram Chandraji points out how the individualsoul by ollowing the Maxims o Sahaj Marg can even atthe rst contact come to experience the peace that passethunderstanding, and then grow in this peace towards thehighest possible to man. Liberation or moksha is somethingthat naturally ollows rom this practice. Perection toomay be open to one who is divinely directed.

There is a little amount o metaphysics orphysics in the exposition which it is not very importantto discuss as it will become clear as one proceeds on withthe abhyasa.


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There is no doubt that there must be completetransormation o mans nature and he must be taken upor guidance by the cosmic and super-cosmic Nature sothat his attainment may be elt to be more and more real-ity (sat). As one approaches the Centre or the Ultimate,one increases in his reality and all that went beore appearto be more and more unreality. However the abhyasisaim is to gain this increasing reality that arises as onebegins to get near the Centre.

Shri Ram Chandrajis discoveries in this realm areremarkable or their dynamic practical nature. God isnot ar and distant but very near and ready-means (sid-dhopaya) and man has but to turn towards Him to eelHis presence and His power o transormation.

We owe it to Shri Ram Chandraji o Fatehgarh ormaking this experience possible to all, and to Shri RamChandraji o Shahjahanpur or spreading this gospel oredemption and transormation by demonstrating itpractically to whosoever turned towards him.

This book is in a sense or the advanced practicant,but it is a very illuminating book which should be readater the study o Masters Reality at Dawn and Efcacy

o Raja Yoga.K.C. Varadachari, M.A., Ph.D.

Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh


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A Word

In this book I have endeavoured to put up in wordsthose spiritual secrets which have up till now comedown rom heart to heart. But since they relate to direct

perception which depends upon the study o Nature andcan be revealed by means o vibrations, it is not only di-cult but almost impossible to express them adequatelyin words.

True love cannot be expressed by words. This isthe very reality which is inexplicable in any way.

In this respect, I may thereore say that it is properor the readers to try to reach up to the real spirit, ig-noring the deects o expression and language, and beproted, and help others to be proted by it.

Ram ChandraDecember 8, 1946


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Maxim 1Ris e beore dawn. O er your prayer and

puja(meditation) at a fxed hour preerably beoresunrise, sitting in one and the same pose. Have aseparate place and seat or worship. Purity o mindand body should be specially adhered to.

The re o the Divine which has been burning since thebeginning o time has not yet cooled down. Whenthe time o creation came the latent thought came intoaction and the subtlest particles got heated up. Thus thepreliminary covering set in rom the very rst day. Bythe eect o continuous heating, the particles began tocome into motion. Its intensity went on increasing add-ing veils ater veils to it. Grossness began to develop bythe eect o the growing intensity o the vibrations. Theaction o every particle started and went on multiplyingtill the Reality was completely wrapped up within, likea silkworm in the cocoon. In other words only the whiteshell o the egg remained open to view while the realitywithin was lost to sight. Co-relationship began to springup. Now one who was more closely attached to it, received

more o it or his share.The heat which existed on the rst day maniested

itsel in man, and gradually it went on developing as-suming the orm o organic growth. Every particle got


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Commentary on Ten Maxims

aected thereby, absorbing its due share o it. A mate-rial tinge was thus introduced into it and it remainedsubject to the infuence o that which it was part o. Thebigger layer previously ormed by the heat maintainedits connection with it. Now the infuence caused on thegreater thing will naturally be refected on the smallerthing which will get aected thereby in proportion toits magnitude.

All things being subject to external infuences are

aected by the rays o the sun in accordance with theircapacity. The heat produced by external causes begins toexhaust itsel ater some time and the real comort comesonly when it gets completely exhausted. Take the case othe summer season. When the eect o the external heatwhich reduces ater some time is thoroughly removed,

some comort or ease is denitely elt and experienced.Now the time when the external heat begins to

subside, yielding place or the cooler eect to settle in,or the meeting point o the two is known assandhi-gatiand this, in the opinion o the mahatmas, is the time bestsuited or the practice osandhya and upasana (worship).This is the time o the advent o that which is opposed toheat and it can be that alone which existed prior to thegeneration o heat at the time o creation, and which isin close conormity with Nature, or in other words thevery image o the ultimate state we have nally to arriveat. Thus the point we start rom is the very point whichcorresponds closely with the Destination.

Importance is also given tosandhya at the time onoon (tam). But in that case the power is utilised in adierent way. The suns rays are quite direct at the timecausing greater heat. Natures eternal heat which proceeds


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rom the origin is also attached with it. Thus indirectlywe connect ourselves with the Ultimate Power throughthe medium o the material heat and secure closeness toit. This continues till the time when the heat begins tosubside and we draw the ullest benet thereo. Now thetime that ollows will enable us to have a taste o the con-dition which comes next, helping us to acquire still ur-ther closeness. The sages have thereore advisedsandhya atnoontime too. The reason is that by continuous infuence

the suns rays get connected with the plane whereromthey have originated and which is next to the Ultimate.Since the rays o the sun are closest to the perpendicularat noon the eect brought about by them is more directowing to the nearness. The heat which seems to be com-ing rom the sun is in act the heat o the particles. Thusi we meditate at noon our thought gets unconsciously

attached with the Centre or the Ultimate.

Putting it in a dierent way, I may say that in or-der to solve a problem we oten assume the answer rst.Similarly in order to solve the problem o lie we assumethe very real thing rst, however hazy it may be to ourview, because on arriving at the last phase the cognizance

o the previous ones is oten lost. In this way we utilisethat excessive heat to our best advantage. But since thematerial heat at the time is also great we do not treatsandhya at noon to be compulsory in our system.

During the time that ollows, the heat o the sunbegins gradually to subside. In other words, we begin to

advance towards coolness till we reach the point whereboth the heat and the coolness are at par and this is theevening time which is xed or the practice osandhya.It helps us to derive the ull benet o the time getting


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more closely attached with the coolness o the hour. Asthe time advances urther we go on getting closer andcloser to greater coolness. Finally we reach the pointwhere we are closest to it and that is the time o dawn.The suns rays have their least infuence at that time. Itis a scientic principle upon which the division o thetimings orpuja andsandhya is based in accordance withthe natural eect o the time.

A question now arises as to whysandhya has been

xed only at the times osattva and tamas and not at thetime orajas. The principle o Invertendo is well knownto everybody. Both terminals are taken into account, viz.,the beginning and the end. The beginning issatand theend is tam. Inverting them we get the reverse. The begin-ning becomes the end and vice versa. The middle in both

cases remains the same, or in other words a hypotheticalline which connects the two ends.

I now reveal herein the true signicance o a littleknown mystery. Generally they considersatto be the real-ity and treat it as a yardstick or measuring the knowledgeo God. The mystery at the bottom is quite unknown tothem. In act it is all the sphere otam and tam alone. Thisis the only thing worth achieving or a true yogi. It is nodoubt very dicult to gain access up to this point. Toacquiresatis a very easy job but the state termed as tamcannot be so easily attained. There is nothing beyond it.Though generally people talk a good deal about it, ewamongst them even attempt to secure approach up to

it. Even purity, simplicity and peace are not there. It isin act beyond all o them. This is the very thing whichis acquired ater persistent labour through several lives.I can boldly assert that even the greatest saints o the


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world have remained short o the mark in this respect.The state o negation which one craves or and which isthe real lie, abides in it and all activities cease beoreone reaches the point. This is the divine mystery whichis revealed today. It is the central point o the real stateo Being which in most o the cases remained unattainedin spite o all the eorts o the pursuer. Perception hasno approach up to it.

People tend to consider this state o tam as their

deadliest enemy. But i you ever happen to study a personin whom this state o complete ignorance is reigningin ull swing, you will nd that at the highest pitch oadvancement he, like an inant baby, has no awareness ohis own condition. But i a slight touch osatis appliedto it, he will then begin to have cognizance o his state

otam. This is due to the act that the meeting point othe two leads to the creation o a new state, identical withthat which was the basis o Creation. Now the principleo Invertendo applies in this case too.

The third phase o maniestation relates to the ma-terial exposition o the objects o Nature. People remainentangled in it, orming numerous ideas and desires.Generally our eye is attracted by anything bright andglaring which we commonly misunderstand assat. Thisbright object is nothing except maya and those who talkso highly about it are in act ar away rom the sphere ospirituality even, not to say o Reality. But people havedeveloped such a state o torpidity that they are neither

prone to hear nor perceive anything in this connection.They have lost sight o the true Reality which is beyondboth light and darkness. This is what has been shown inthe emblem o the Mission and which is in a true sense


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arriving at the place. Man possesses power which he hasderived rom his thought connection with the Reality.When one resolves to do a thing, the connecting linkbetween the thought and the work becomes intensied,and one begins to draw power rom the real source inaccordance with the strength o his thought. Whenthe power begins to fow in, and we associate it with aparticular point o time, then the remembrance o thework begins to revive in our heart and we begin to eel

attached to it in some way or the other.The room or place we sit in or meditation is also

charged by our thought orce and a eeling o sanctitybegins to prevail all over there. The infuence taken inby the place helps us urther in the accomplishment othe task. Now it depends upon ones individual capacity

to expand it as much as he can. It has been generallyobserved, and the sacred shrines are a living proo o it,that this infuence is not exhausted with the lapse o time,and even today pilgrims and visitors get beneted byit. Not only this, since the air blows through, it carriesits ragrance to the adjoining layers also. Now there iscontraction and expansion in each layer, so the eect thus

caused continues to develop and expand.

As regardsasan or posture, it is a well-known stepo yoga. It is treated as a preliminary step and is muchemphasised upon by the mahatmas, though the mysteryat the bottom has not been revealed yet. Everythingcomes to light at the destined time.

Beore creation everything was in an almost inactivestate and had dissolved into the Origin. But though theywere dissolved into the Origin losing their individuality,the previous impressions persisted. This was because o


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the shade o reality which they remained under till thetime o dissolution, which helped them to retain the e-ect o the impressions during the entire period o theirexistence. How long they continued to absorb this eectis beyond human imagination to determine. It must atleast have been during the entire period o existence sincethe time o creation. The eect taken in by them was noother than the motion which generated rom the shockso the Root-Power. This being saturated with the eect

remained silently active and this continued indenitely.It is known as the latent motion around the Centre. Thelatent motion which is concentrated energy, cuts outcrevices or the power to burst orth and fow out areshleading to the re-ormation o the universe.

Man came into being. The latent craving to return

to his origin also began to spring up in him, because thereal Essence which he partook o, being very powerul,began to attract him towards it. The thing which atercoming into motion led to be the cause o the creationwas also inherited by him. But that was contrary to thestatic condition because its basis was activity. When thethought o going back to the static state was stirred up

in man, it became essential or him to bring the activitywhich had sprung up in him into a latent state as ar asit was possible. He began to seek out means or it. Atlast it came to his understanding that just as the latentmotion was grosser in comparison to the Absolute withwhich it was connected, in the same way he must alsotake up something grosser or the purpose, to enablehim to attain the destined ideal o Reality. This led himto the conclusion that he must create in himsel a ormo contraction or withdrawal similar to that at the timeopralaya.


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Now, Sel is all-pervading in man just as it is inthe whole universe, taking the universe in a collectivesense. The state opralaya comes in when contractionbegins to take place. Similar contraction in man leadsto his individual pralaya. This means that he beginsto proceed rom his state o grossness to the real state.The contraction always starts rom below and proceedsgradually upwards because o its upward tendency.Thereore in order to go upwards he must start contracting

rom below. The orm would only be to bring his legs andthe allied parts to one pose and to keep them steady. Inwhatever way it might be done, the orm would nallybe that oasan. It is essential because it paves our wayto the Ultimate. The posture must always be the same.The reason is that in this way he gets associated with thegreat Power, the very thing he takes up in the beginning

or the attainment o his particular objective. Thus theorm which is associated with Reality helps him a gooddeal in his primary initiation.

Perorming osandhya in an upright sitting pose hasbeen thought to be most advantageous rom very ancienttimes, because in that position the fow o divine grace

descends straight upon the abhyasi. I an abhyasi sitscrookedly or obliquely, or in an unsteady pose, the fowo eulgence will necessarily be impeded or disturbed.The abhyasi will thus be deprived o the ull benet o thedescent. Thereore in order to get the greatest spiritualbenet one must sit in a proper steady pose. Some mayprobably think that the upright steady pose may berefecting a tinge o pride. It is not so. In principle thedevotee or abhyasi should present himsel beore theMaster in the same manner as a soldier does at the timeo parade. At the call to Attention it is essential or him


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to keep up the same steady upright pose, looking withattention towards the ocer. This indicates alertness,healthy disposition and the reshness o the body. Thesame principle holds good in the case o the abhyasi whilesitting in service beore the Master.

The ideal o purity held by the Hindus, in particular,is indeed very high. But now, in its degenerated state, ithas gone down to such an extent that it exists merely inimagination. All the principles thereo have been quite

orgotten, and bathing and washing are the only remnantslet now. The principle o purity was based on the thoughtthat the Eternal and pure Existence which we have toenter into is entirely ree rom all contaminations. It isperectly pure. This highest standard o absolute purityree rom all impurities (mala), distortions (vikshepa) and

coverings (avarana) was taken up or the ideal. Our beingis contaminated with all these, hence ar below the ideal.Thus our attention being directed towards the attainmento purity o that highest level, we began to imitate it inall outward ways, looking particularly to the cleaningo the body.

The external ways adopted or the purpose beganto cast their eect upon the mind and thus the internalpurity too began to develop. This continued processsupplemented by our rm attention upon the Ideal con-tributed greatly to the attainment o the highest purity.The process thus being accelerated, real purity began tofow in all through, and the mind began to get puried,

producing good thoughts which helped us urther in ourpursuit. Thus we were doubly beneted.

We had already resorted to means or the internalpurication and now the external ways too began to help


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us a good deal in the work, and both combined togetherhelped us immensely in the attainment o the objective.When both these get harmonised with each other, itbecomes in itsel a power which makes our path all themore smooth and we go on soaring higher and higher.Thus our eeling o purity helped us so eciently in theattainment o the ideal. Our rst and the oremost maximrelates to the proper observance osandhya and upasana.By ollowing it we begin to draw in power which we have

nally to attain in due course.Another important point in this connection is that

when the divine currents began to fow, their actions andcounter actions created a state o grossness which led tothe ormation o atoms (anu) and sub-atoms (paramanu)in their particular orms and shapes. The continuance o

the fow created heat which was the very basis o lie andwhich gave urther stimulus to existence. But thoughthe heat remained in existence, its orce got diverteddownwards.

One may be at a loss to understand the real signi-cance o the words up and down. When we conceiveo the highest, our thought takes into account the op-posite view too, i.e., o the lowest. Besides, when wehave sprung up rom that which is the greatest and thebest, the level next to it will naturally be called loweror lesser in comparison. This brings into our mind theidea o high and low. When the downward tendencybegins to get diminished, the very same thing which

had been continuously pouring heat into the particleshelps to direct them upwards, whererom their existencehad started, and the heat created by the eect o motionmakes it lighter still. A lighter thing always tends to rise


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upwards or in other words it moves towards its source.Thus everything that comes into activity by the eect othe divine fow tends to fy towards the Origin. Man hasalso inherited the same tendency, so, when his downwardtendency is checked, the thought o reaching the Originautomatically revives in his heart. This is why he beginsto eel inclined towardssandhya and upasana.

There is a great dierence between Natures heatand that caused by the sun. The ormer which originates

rom Reality is totally devoid o materiality, whereas thelatter which originates rom a comparatively materialsource is heavier. In my view the ormer may more aptlybe called as orce or energy. In energy the heat exists ina latent state while in the sun it is apparent. The sunsheat is mere warmth while the other is the promoter and

preserver o lie, though the word used in both the casesis the same.

It is regrettable that no adequate means o expressiono such subtlest matters are available and possible. I have,however, tried my best to explain it through words asar as possible, yet the actual realization o the dierencedepends upon practical experience (anubhava) alone.

Under Sahaj Marg, our system o spiritual training,the teacher at the very outset weakens the downwardtendency o the abhyasi by the eect o his own power,so that it may get automatically diverted towards theDivine. This state o mind relates to the higher planeo consciousness whereas the ormer one relates to the

lower. This basic principle o spiritual training underthe system may oer a chance to philosophers to ponderover. I have dealt with it very briefy. In this connec-tion I may quote the ollowing remarks o a great saint.


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The Lord has closed upon man the door o every query.A poet has also said: One can acquire the intelligenceo Sahban [a Chinese philosopher] in eloquence andrhetoric but none can attain to the knowledge o the holyAlmighty. What that veil is may be discovered only bydeep thinking.

For an explanation o that which obstructs our ap-propriate knowledge o the Real, I may say that whenwe ponder over God, our imagination creates a circle

round it. This is the knot which bars our approach tothe answer o every question. I possibly we can get overthis knot and remove the limitation o thought, thenthe subtlest things can be revealed to us. But there isalso another circle within, o which this one is but a re-fection. When we orce our entry into that one also the

mystery o the Centre can be revealed. But the breakingthrough o these limitations will be possible only whenone is able to shatter the particles o his being. But thisis rarely possible since the means required or the purposecannot be brought into practice except in rare cases. Ihowever a person does come into existence who can doso by his will, then the circle will disappear rom view

because the vision will, in its shattered state, become onewith it. But in order to have a knowledge o it, it is alsoessential or him to be able to rearrange the particles ohis being so as to assume a similar orm o existence asit had beore.

Common imagination may not conceive o such a

personality having ever been born, but my perceptionasserts that denitely a ew such ones have come intoexistence already. The condition that exists ater theshattering o the particles is similar to that o the latent


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motion and his will lies dormant in it, just as it was beorethe time o creation and will again be ater mahapralaya(complete dissolution). The same dormant will whichcaused creation to come into being will again lead to there-adjustment o the shattered particles and there will beno limitation then let.


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Maxim 2Begin your puja(meditation) with a prayer or

spiritual elevation with a heart ull o love anddevotion.

Prayer is the sign o devotion. It shows that we haveestablished our relationship with the Holy Divine.When the idea o Divine Mastership is established our

position turns into that o a ser. Now service is the only

concern o the ser. Take or example the case o Bharata.

He never allowed his heart to be contaminated with

anything but the esteem, regard and devoted worship

o the Master. This example must be kept in view or

maintaining the relationship which is the true orm o

devotion. This is the connecting link between the Master

and the ser.

Everyone is amiliar with the principle o telegraphy.

When one end is connected to electricity, the message is

immediately carried over to the other end. Similar is the

case with the devotee, who makes himsel known to the

Master by the current o his own power. Now by eect

o devotion, that which is with the Master begins to fowtowards the ser through the medium o the connecting

link set up between the two. Gradually everything o the

Master begins to fow into the ser.


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In the beginning the devotee (servant) had only

conveyed his own cognizance to the Master but sub-

sequently by the eect o devotion, the Master beganto adopt nearness to him, which went on developing

till the thought o actual communion began to pervade

within him. Divine revelations and Natures commands

then begin to descend upon him and the rst phase o

initiation thus comes into eect. Now urther on.... it is

a mystery; the tongue is tied up. Generally people think

that devotion makes us slaves, but here the invertendorule comes in again. The human concept never extended

so ar and the mystery remains sealed until now.

The reason why prayer should be oered with a

heart ull o love and devotion is that one should create

within himsel a state o vacuity so that the fow o divine

Grace may be diverted towards him. A poet has said, O,thou thirsty or the divine intoxication! Empty thy heart

or the purpose, or the head o the bottle o wine bows

down only over an empty cup.

Constant practice brings a man to a state in which

he begins to eel himsel in prayer all through. This state

is acquired when an abhyasi practices in the way directedabove and the divine Grace is set into motion. When the

nal stage is reached he begins to dwell all through in a

state o prayer even while discharging his worldly duties,

and the same state prevails during all his worldly engage-

ments without the least disturbance or interruption. I do

not ask you to detach yoursel rom the world but only toattend to everything with a conscious idea o the Divine.

(A poets view.) I a person develops that state o mind

he is constantly in a state o prayer, which implies he has


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Maxim 2

realized his own serdom and the Lords Mastership and

has established a permanent link o devotion.

Everyone can attain this state but only ater su-cient practice. He who acquires it abides in the stateo supplication permanently. He is at liberty to put uphumbly beore the Master anything he likes. Everyone hasto assume that state at the time o prayer; then alone isthe prayer accepted. This is the relationship o love whichhaving been established in the sphere o sel extends up to

that o the Master. This is the link which once establishedis never severed. But still the nal destination is ar o,though the power o thought, which is enormously great,makes it easily accessible.

Remembrance brings a lover close to the beloved.There is no limit to this closeness. The greater the love

or anity, the more does one advance towards Him.This relationship comes to us by inheritance. Now it isup to us to develop it as ar as to secure utmost nearnessto Him. The state o prayer is that o a devotee and itis strengthened by love. This constitutes the rst stepin the ladder which helps us to climb up to the Ulti-mate. All stages or states o spiritual advancement arewithin it.

No particular time is xed or the prayer. One cando it when he eels inclined to it or else he should tryto create a disposition or it when required. One shouldalways pray to Him alone who is the Master in the truesense. I do not think it proper to pray to the slaves, i.e.,

to those powers which are subordinate to man and whichare potentialised by him. The ravages o time have nowreduced them to a consumptive state. It is also sheer ollyto pray to the great Master or worldly gains except in


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most special cases. O course it is right to pray to theMaster or that which is ordained. This comes under therule o true etiquette and signies our acceptance o Himas the Master, entrusting to Him our entire sel.

Now or the orm o prayer which may ensure thegreatest good to everyone. I may say that one shouldbe brought to the same state o mind which is usuallydeveloped at the time o prayer. The eeling that he as atrue servant approaches the great Master in the humble

capacity o an insignicant beggar must be engrossedupon his mind. He may put up everything beore hisMaster, resigning himsel completely to His will. In otherwords he may assume his real orm ater surrenderingeverything to the Master. He should withdraw himselrom all sides and turn completely towards Him losing all

worldly charms. The remembrance o everything shouldmerge into the remembrance o Onethe Ultimate, re-sounding all through in every particle o his being. Thismay be known as complete annihilation o sel. I onedevelops in this state, in my view he should be consideredas an embodiment o prayer. Every thought o his willbe synonymous with that o the Master. He will never

turn towards anything that is against the divine will.His mind will always be directed towards that which isthe Masters command.

People should be exhorted to oer such a type oprayer. I one achieves and settles down in it what elseremains or him to do except remembrance and that

too such a one as never comes in consciousness even.Even great saints remained thirsting or it without evengetting up to its brink. They remained longing or itorever. It is not an ordinary thing. One will be struck


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Maxim 2

with wonder i he grasps its real signicance. There isextreme simplicity, and in spite o the vibrations in itthere is perect calmness which can hardly be termed assuch, and to say nothing o emotional excitations. I wecall it light it may not be correct. Similarly, darknessmay not be an appropriate expression or it. It is a statewhich none may perhaps like to appreciate. It is in actthe end o everything. All stages nish at this point. Itis the absolute Realitythe Source o everythingthe

Ultimate Mark which we have nally to arrive at. Whatbeyond? May the Lord bestow upon you all an opportu-nity to be blessed with its realization. Amen.

Beore creation perect calmness prevailed all over.When it descended, it brought with it the real essence.The condition o both was nearly the same. Veils ater

veils began to set in, and we ourselves were the doers.The waves o the current raised a huge sea. Numerousdrops joined together to orm a river. The origin was thesame dropthe essence, which came down with it. Thebasis o the river was nothing but a ew drops o water,which trickled down rom a mountain crevice and foweddown in the orm o a river. In other words the unneces-

sary additional drops mingled with it, enclosing the realessence all over and giving it an assumed orm which wasthicker and grosser. Now generally the grosser orm oa thing alone is open to view. By constant observationits grosser orm melts away ater some time and only animaginary orm remains in its place. This too by constantendeavour disappears rom sight. Finally all things whichhad swelled up the original point will be lost sight o.

This state can be achieved by the continued practiceo doing everything with our thought resting all the while


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on the real point which orms the very basis o existence.This pointed attention upon the Real may be taken asthe essence o prayer. This is the starting point, and theremoving o superfuities is the rst step towards it.

People may wonder why I have called it as thebeginning. It is in act a state o consciousness. Thoughconsciousness is present at every step, yet this one is thehigher and superior. I do not take up the subsequentstates or it would be very dicult to grasp them, and

the nal phase cannot even be conceived o in any way.Oneness prevails there in ull swing. Prayer comes beorethis state is entered into.

These three stages, or two and a hal as one mightsaybecause ater that awareness is lostmay or thesake o understanding be taken as the entire space rom

the beginning to the end. The intermediate state is alsoimplied in it. This, which I have termed as the begin-ning, is in act the real abode. Perhaps there may besome diculty in accepting it as the beginning or therst stage o prayer. The idea is analogous with that oa child who starts learning the alphabet with a view tosecure higher approaches, so that subsequently he maystart tackling higher problems and deeper thoughts. Thatmeans the ideal was beore him, though at the time hewas entangled only in the structure o words and letters.This preliminary stage may appear to be a superfuity incomparison with its nal phase.

This rst state exists in every man who starts prayer,

but i the nal point is in view it will infuence the grosserthing too, and by and by he will attain a state where themain point alone will be beore him and he will havehis stay on it. When this preliminary state is attained


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Maxim 2

one must then try to get it expanded. Expanding doesnot mean swelling it up like a balloon but to developit by introducing into it the real substance or power.When it develops to the extent that grossness beginsto be converted into lightness almost up to the point oextinction, then he must understand that he has enteredthe sphere where only the aint ghost o the idea o thesubtle existence o something remains.

The currents fowing down rom the Origin mani-

ested themselves in diverse ways. They had descendednot without purpose. They were in act powers whichbegan to act in numerous ways, producing the requiredresults. All these powers had emerged rom the Originand began to maniest their actions. Take the case o ababy. At the time o birth he could not even move about.

Subsequently he began to sit, stand, talk, walk and run.That is to say, the capacities lay dormant in him, whichnow began to develop into action till he attained bloom-ing youth and acquired the ull active vigour o a man.

The elements contained in the composition o thebaby developed in various orms, though the origin o allthese was the same tiny drop. Veils ater veils began toset round which were caused by the eect o the mothershabits, the athers thoughts, the type o training and allexternal infuences which began to display their respectiveactions. All these infuences had a touch o materiality.The multiplicity o actions made him uncognisant oall the various changes which he had undergone during

his march towards grossness. Now he is so intenselyengrossed in it that it dees all eorts to get out o thatstate o complete grossness.

Later on it took another turn. He came in touch with


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the world around and was infuenced by the dealings andassociation o others. The environment caused its owneect. Desires began to creep in and attract his attention.His entire existence being coloured thus, he assumed achanged orm and began to attract material or the same.What was he, and what has he now become? The sametiny drop which is now quite out o view?

Not only this but the elements thus introduced wenton growing stronger by the eect o his own thoughts.

Consequently their action grew still more powerul andintensied, with the result that they began to draw ingreater power rom the orces o nature. Just as a tinyspring composed o a ew drops o water trickling downrom a mountain crevice fows down in the orm o a pettyrivulet, and goes on swelling by the additional supply o

water rom the melting snow or rom a tributary streamtill it develops into a huge sea o water, so does a baby,when the things introduced into him at the primary stagehave attained ull development, attain maturity.

The origin o the ripples present in the water isnothing but the result o the karmas (actions) which hadhelped him during the course to acquire its nal orm.These are the waves which are lastly considered to be thewaves o joy oten misinterpreted asanandam. In a manslie this phase comes during the period o youth whenhe is suciently coated with contaminations. When aman comes into this orm which is the result o all theactions, his state is similar to that o the ocean.

An important point in this connection is that athing when observed continuously begins to ade awayrom sight, and only its refection remains, which toonally disappears. The reason is that matter possesses


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Maxim 2

the capacity o seeing matter alone. The capacity to seebeyond lies only in the ner power which is beyond it.This goes on urther in the same way till the very powero seeing becomes extinct. But still something remainseven beyond it which comes up in the orm o conscious-ness. Further on, this too becomes extinct and even theeeling o existence ades away. That which ollows then isthe state o negationthe very Reality itsel. In act it isvery dicult to understand it unless one actually reaches

the point, nay rather he is submerged in that state. Buteven this negation is something existent, or i it is notwhy do we call it so? Proceed on still urther....!

The currents which descended rom the origin be-gan to grow thicker and grosser. Why? It is a very dicultpoint to explain. When a man jumps down rom a great

height he becomes almost hal-dead during the course othe all. The reason is generally attributed to the gravita-tion o the earth. But I may say that the awareness o thedownward all diverts the heat o thought downwards andit begins to get out o him by the orce o the push. Thesame is the case with the downward currents. Solidityimplies grossness and it has no lie. Now the divine cur-

rents being without lie may not be generally appealing.But I may say that though all minerals, vegetables, andanimals have come down rom the Divine yet all o themare not said to be possessing lie. But i they do at all itmust be a orm o dormant lie. The same is the case withthe divine currents. But man associating them with hisown karmas begins to get engrossed in them.

Since we have accepted prayer as essential, it nowbecomes imperative to understand how it should beconducted. I consider the ollowing short prayer to be


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essential or an abhyasi; though there may be other ormstoo, I preer this short one:

O Master! Thou art the real goal o human lie;we are yet but slaves o wishes putting barto our advancement. Thou art the only Godand power to bring us up to that stage.

When the world emerged into the present orm thecentral point was already rooted deep in all the beings.

This being a part o the Supreme, it turns our attentiontowards the Source. In prayer we try to reach up to thatcentral point. This is however possible only when wecreate a similar state within. This requires practice. Itcan be attained by resigning ourselves to the divine willwhich is absolutely simple and tranquil. Apparently itseems to be very dicult, though in act it is not so. It

is not dicult or those who aspire or it. When a mancreates in himsel a strong craving or the Absolute, he isindeed in a state o prayer and it is or everyone to striveor it. Whenever a man enters into that state even or amoment, his prayer is granted but it requires continuedpractice to accomplish it.


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Maxim 3Fix your Goal which should be complete oneness

with God. Rest not till the ideal is achieved.

It is very essential or everyone to x his thought, atthe very outset, upon the goal which he has to attainso that his thought and will may pave his way up to it.It has been observed that those on the path o spiritual-ity who did not x that nal state or their goal have

denitely remained short o the mark, because, beorearriving at the nal point, they mistook one or the othero the intermediate states to be the nal point or theReality, and stopped there. Thus they suered merelyor not having xed their goal. Even in worldly mattersso long as a person does not keep his object in view hiseorts are never so intensied as to ensure success.

It is an admitted act that a boat cannot ply direct tothe destination unless the helm is applied to it. Treatingthis human orm as a boat and the space it is plying inas the ocean o spirituality, it is but essential to put upthe helm in order to be able to ply through the vastocean successully. In the spiritual eld the helm is our

strong determination which helps us to steer on to thedestination. There may certainly be countless whirls atplaces, but the strength o our will and condence helpsus to overcome all o them and proceed on straight tothe destination.


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Now since our eye is xed upon spirituality, wetake up the ideal which is the highest and which can benothing but that associated directly with the Absolute.Thus to reach the Innite Absolute is one o the primaryduties o man. But so long as the goal is not xed inones thought it is very dicult to complete the journeysuccessully. Divine help does come, no doubt, butonly when the Supreme is convinced o the devoteesearnestness o purpose.

When the reaction creates a stir in the Innite itindicates that he has concentrated his thought in theGreat Being. (This brings to our view the example othe lover and the Beloved.) It means that the distancebetween the devotee and the Lord is reduced, and theidea o remoteness begins to ade away.

Our nearness goes on increasing up to the nal limitwhere the very eeling o alooness, having merged in theReality, becomes completely extinct and assumes the ormo the latent motion that existed at the time o creation.In this way our merging in the state becomes permanentand lasting. Our swimming in the innite ocean nowstarts, which brings us to the real lie which comprisesthe infuences o the ocean we are now swimming in.

It is thus clear that the rmness o will and de-termination to reach the goal helped us to arrive at thedestination, with the result that we got rmly establishedin the nal state. How this most dicult problem was soeasily solved by virtue o the correctness o our goal and

the rmness o determination may not now be dicult tounderstand. Our intention to reach the goal promoted oureorts, and since the Ideal was the noblest, the interestor it went on increasing till it developed into a strong


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Maxim 3

craving. Then we began to eel impatient or it. Whenwe get into this habit, the tendencies o the mind arediverted towards it with ull vigour.

Thus we come to the conclusion that or the at-tainment o the objective we have to create in us intenselonging or extreme impatience, which orces our pas-sage on to it, just as the latent motion did at the timeo creation.


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Maxim 4Be plain and simple to be identical with Nature.

The topic implied in this maxim is a bit dicult toexplain. Simplicity is the very essence o Nature. Itis the refection o that which existed in the Absolute in alatent state. It promotes growth. It can be aptly described

as the quintessence o the Ultimate. This is in act the

lie-substance o Nature. Activity starts rom this pointwhich is verily the very Origin. All that ollows allswithin the sphere o maya, where the people mostly abide

in and pursue their activities accordingly. In other wordsit is this one that led to the composition o orms.

This continued to develop in man too, and nally

led to the ormation o strong knots which are nowdicult to undo except by the special power o will.Being entangled in these knots, man assumes a ormwhich refects grossness at the very surace. The externalatmosphere and environment also aect it, putting it

to actions and counter-actions which brings it rom badto worse, and the simplicity gets enshrouded within it.

All these combined together orm a snare which keepsman entrapped in it. The perect calmness that existed

beore creation was disturbed by the eect o the Stir(kshobh) which led to the ormation o orms. Since all


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vibrations is that the ormer possessed a perversive trend,and the latter the same as it originally had.

All the powers residing in the Absolute are presentin man because his thought orce comprised all theparticles that were present at the time o the Main Stir,but since they possess an invert tendency their workingtook a dierent course, and the aculties possessed by himbegan to be utilised in a reverse way. All this combinedtogether promoted the growth o the intricacies. Every

particle o it became strong and powerul like that oGods maniestation. In this way man has brought intobeing a tiny creation o his own.

All his aculties being thus animated grew strongand restive and his mind and thought began to co-operatewith them. This resulted in the creation o a world o

thoughts. The balance was disturbed and confictingtendencies began to develop.

One aculty now induces him to have a walk in theopen. Another stops him rom doing so on the ground ocatching cold. The third one presents another view; andthe ourth still another. The th one begins to think o

earning money and the sixth suggests the undertakingo some employment. The seventh dissuades him romundertaking excessive hard work or the purpose. Theeighth one recommends the establishment o cordial at-tachment with some rich relation so as to capture his heartand oer him inducement to transer his entire wealthto him. Another aculty comes orth to declare that all

this is quite useless so long as he does not get marriedand have children to enjoy that wealth. He nally getsmarried and has children too. Now the problem o theireducation comes in, as they grow up.


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Maxim 4

Further, hearing o the nice acting o one Jamila,he was tempted to go to the theatre. He went thereand witnessed the show several times. The coquettishmovements o Jamila captured his heart and he wasinduced to attend the show again and again. Everythingo Jamila began to attract his heart. This led to thecommencement o love. Now he began to pine over thesame thought, giving urther strength to it by turningit into his habit. The network thus began to grow more

intensied. The habit excited in him a tendency to lookupon every similar thing as Jamila. Now he began tothink o having money sucient enough to satisy hislusty desires, but the constant thought o Jamila oeredhim no time or earning money by lawul means. Heat last began to think o stealing but at the same timeeared prosecution and imprisonment. But the thought o

Jamila had caught him so tightly that he at last resortedto stealingan unair means.

Now imagine what he originally was, and whathe has nally been led to, by the eect o his thoughtswhich had entrapped him so tightly. Similar incidentsadded urther to the intricacies o the net, giving greater

strength to it by the eect o his thought, which omentedthem all the more. The grossness went on increasing. Itsresultant eects led to the development o urther evilslike passion, anger, lust, et cetera. In short, a completeconglomerate was ormed. The retracing rom it can nowbe eected only by the process o casting away all that hehad taken in previously, and by removing perversion othought by xing it rmly in the right direction.

Now since this diversion o thought is beyond thecapacity o a common man, he should attach himsel to


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some great personality who is himsel rmly establishedin the highest plane beyond all possibilities o all. Thedownward tendency o thought indicates that one hasdescended to a lower plane, assuming a grosser orm. Insuch a case it is quite essential or him to get himselattached to one o his ellow beings with aith and de-votion, so that his downward tendency may be mendedby his infuence. This will relieve him o all distractingthoughts.

He must also cultivate habits which will be condu-cive to his eorts or shattering the network. For instance,the ears should attend only to noble talks; the eyes shouldsee only that which is pious and good; the heart shouldbe inclined only towards that which is virtuous. Theremay be many such other things which will automatically

come to his knowledge i he is ater it. Besides this, hemust also put in his own sincere eorts to shatter thenet. At every stage there are practices and meditationsor this purpose, but a strong will and condence are es-sential everywhere.

At dierent chakrasor plexuses there are variousknots in this network and still more are under ormation.For shattering them, the help and support o one whohas shattered his own is really invaluable. The theorydeserves careul study. These being mysteries so ar arenow revealed so that people may ponder over them andbring them into practice.

Ater dealing with the subject, my humble request

to you, the reader, is that you should try to re-own thelatent power which is the very quintessence o Nature bybreaking up the network interwoven by yoursel. Takingup or the ideal the simplicity o Nature, which is beore


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Maxim 4

everybodys view, you should set to work or the attain-ment o the Goal in a way that all senses having mergedin, may become synonymous with that which remainsater the ading away o the previous impressions. Thenalone can you think o yoursel as diverted towards Himin the true sense.

The only method can be one that I have describedabove. One must go on reducing the activities, shakingo all superfuities that have entered into his being, or

the purpose o shattering his individual network and as-suming the purest state one has nally to acquire. This ispossible only when he associates himsel with one who,having shattered his own network, has had enough swim-ming in the Innite.


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Maxim 5Be truthul. Take miseries as Divine Blessings or

your own good and be thankul.

Truthulness really implies the sense o presentingones own sel in its true colours. This is the state atwhich a man exclaims spontaneously, It is as it is. Nowords however can express this condition in any way.This is the state which in true sense is the Reality. Even

to call it as a state is to blemish its true character. Theword state applied to it is not appropriate. This is inact the point at which all the powers are drawn in andaccumulated at the time opralayadissolutionandnothing but Absolute Reality remains in existence.

The word reality, as I have used it, does not also

convey the true sense, as all eeling and perceptions endthere. I we call it as power, even then a material cloak isset round it. It is almost inexplicable. I we use the wordnegation or it even then a aint refection o somethingremains in view. Now existence is the only word letor conveying the sense. But i we x our thought on it,even then the aint idea o something persists and thusthe same consciousness o materiality is revived to someextent. I we banish both these views rom our thought,even then something remains at the root. Nothing canthus express it except the words, It is as it is.


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Maxim 5

It can be imitated upon only by keeping ones selo rom every concept. It depends upon practice so thatone may bring himsel up to it by means o proper actionand right behaviour. The state o settledness is helpulin it but that too must end beore one reaches the desti-nation. Then alone can consciousness o reality be had,and when consciousness also ends we may then considerourselves to have arrived at its primary stage.

We cultivate a habit o truthulness so that our ac-

tions and dealings may be in consonance with the staterelated above and just as it is in the dealings o Nature.Devotion now starts rom this point and it reminds adevotee o his devotional duties, and the Masters remem-brance gets implanted upon his mind. Even as the harsh-ness o the Beloved is appealing to a lover since it contains

a gentle tenderness which refects love all through andattracts him all the more, the rebukes o the Beloved arevery pleasant to him and oer him greatest joy.

I we take a cruder view o these scoldings, they as-sume the orm o painul experiences which people callby the name o miseries which are so easily endurable toa true lover who takes them with delight even in theirgrossest orm. When this state is acquired, the underly-ing emotional trend converts it into a state o gratitude.This indicates how nicely he has welcomed them and isnow so happy with them because they have come downrom his Beloved.

Do not complain o sorrow, because it is ar rom

etiquette. Happiness cannot be had without undergoingsuerings. (rom a poet)

This results in all joy and he begins to abide in it.Ater sucient practice it becomes his second nature and


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Maxim 6Know all people as thy brethren and treat them assuch.

The perection o human nobility lies in the devoteebeing always within the sphere o devotion. Allthings descending rom the Origin should be treatedas coming rom the same source. Just as children borno the same mother are related to each other in one andthe same way, so also are all bound together by the samecommon tie o brotherliness, and are related to each otherin the same way.

The underlying sense had never been ully grasped.All are connected with the same Realitythe Centralpointby the eect o motion which set everything intoaction. No substantial disconnection existed betweenthem. It was all really the eect o our own thoughts and

actions that converted brothers and riends into strangers.It was due to our own eeling o selshness that madethem appear like aliens. This engendered separative eel-ing must now, thereore, be removed so that brotherlyrelations may be revived. This is one o the veils whichenshrouds a devotee.

Just as a eeling o remoteness sets in by itsel among

the members o a amily when the number increases, inthe same way our brothers and relatives begin to appearmore and more remote by the lapse o time and distance,and the state which is common to all vanishes rom thesphere o thought; only its solid orm remains to view


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which we begin to love as ar as we can. But love in-cludes within it a latent eeling o enmity, so the currento thought began to settle down and aect it adversely.Everything began to appear dierently and eectedseparation rom one another. All these contributed to theormation o our individual network on account o whichwe lost consciousness o the currents that fow into everybeing appearing in man in the orm o eelings.

The development o the eeling o universal brother-

hood means the breaking up o the individual networkthat separated one rom the other, and the closer adher-ence to the tie o raternity. It will naturally lead to mu-tual association and greater attachment, and our dealingwith one another will be moulded accordingly, ensuringgreater peace and contentment to everyone. How nicewould it be to have it thus!

Having accomplished this we proceed on urther,which also becomes easier to realize. This world is in acta refection o the other world. When this one is mouldedproperly, its eect extends on to the other world whoserefection it is, and that too will begin to get puried.This will greatly smoothen our task and help us urtherin the attainment o the Ideal. Our success here will lead

to our success there.By the world that casts the refection I mean the

brahmandor the astral world where everything happens inan astral orm prior to its coming to this world in mate-rial shape. In brahmandit comes down similarly rom thenext higher region, and there rom the still higher, andso on. Thus by proper modication o this last layer theeect is carried to each o the higher layers successivelyup to the very highest one which begins to get puriedin the easiest and most natural way.


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Maxim 7Be not revengeul or the wrongs done by others.Take them with gratitude as heavenly gits.

Almost all religions unanimously agree that whateverhappens is the result o our actions. Nobody eversuers in contravention o this principle. When such isthe case one will naturally be led to the conclusion thatit is really the ate which he himsel has built up. Trulyspeaking, we ourselves are the makers o ate. When we

do something by applying our head and heart we ormimpressions thereo at the base, which remain there inseed-orm till they are washed o by the eect obhogam(the process o undergoing the eects). The bhogam is thusessential and indispensable.

As a rule, Nature wants to keep everything pureand crystal clear just as it had originally come down inthe beginning. Even the slightest coating veils its lustre.This in itsel, being a power, assumes a kind o lie whichwe relate with our own karmas (actions). It is because wepose ourselves as the doers. This very thought orces itsimpressions. When such thoughts get accumulated theyorm numerous coils. The heat o thought contained init promotes the growth o activity which sets up a sorto boiling action in it.

According to the law o Nature everything tendsto go back to its source. Since owing to the continuouscontact o heat its heaviness grows unendurable, it


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becomes necessary or it to return to the Origin in order torelieve itsel o the weight. Things coming out rom evensmaller things get expanded when they nd sucientscope or it. The expansion is ull with orce accordingto the volume it covers, because the things which havesprung up naturally possess power. When this is thecase it now turns another phase and begins to cover allavailable space, aecting even the layers reserved orbhogam. This leads to the commencement o suerings.

I have taken up the subject very briefy though everypoint in it could be urther illustrated separately.

The circumstances or the process obhogam, whichmay be rom internal causes or external, are thus created.The external help comes in the orm o suering causedby the wrongs done by others, against which the peoplegenerally poison their thought on account o their own

ignorance. This is very improper because this action, hav-ing helped the process o purication, has in act put youunder a sense o obligation. When this is the case, thework done through an external agency, it may be any, hasin other words rendered the unction o a true riend.

This may seem to be an uncommon approach sincethis basic philosophy was never taken into account be-ore, or the reason that it came out simply in the ormo an advice to take everything as coming rom the Lord,so that the eelings o resentment may not arise and onemay not lose nobility o character.

Thus it is now quite evident that anything thatcomes to us or our ultimate good, may it be rom any

medium, lls our heart with delight and promotes in usa sense o gratitude.


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best purpose the thing which we take in rom outside.The particles and atoms o the body begin to get puri-ed. The impulse o thought created thereby combineswith the ood, and helps to promote our physical andspiritual health.

The power oprana being all pervasive, nothingis ree rom its infuence. It is inside the ood as well asoutside it. We apply the push o our thought to it, whichbrings it to a state similar to that which causes spark

by riction, though it is somewhat dierent and purer.That which springs up by our contact with Reality leadsus towards the Supreme, the power below it not beingcapable o the job. Human imagination has no accessto it. This paves our way to the Innite. Thus so muchdistance is covered so very easily.

Our rules provide or taking ood in the remem-brance o God. All our actions should likewise be suchas may be helpul to us in the attainment o the Ideal.While taking ood we x our thought upon the Ultimatewhich we have nally to attain, in order to take in itseect too, and increase our purity all the more.

We have originated rom Purity. The pure streamswhich were the cause o our coming into being had alsooriginated rom the purest Source, and or that reasonthe thought o purity persisted in us all through. Nevercan any impurity enter into them; not even the ravageso time could aect them in any way.

Now because these currents had come rom a verypowerul source, they were permeated with absolutepurity. These currents are really the result o the actiono the original stir which had caused the creation andwhich were perectly pure. Whatever came into exist-


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Maxim 8

ence through their medium was also perectly pure inits original state. But the infuence o time stained theirpurity and this was the result o our own actions anddoings, as explained under Maxim 4.

The thing got rom Nature is very pure because itsbasis is purity. The thing earned by man can also remainin a pure state when that is got through pure and piousmeans. The infuence thereo will aect the nearest layersand help to puriy this human web. This is the reason

why sages have laid so much stress upon honest and pi-ous earnings.


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Maxim 9Mould your living so as to rouse a eeling o love

and piety in others.

We get power rom our thought. It happens onlywhen we create perect harmony between things oour making and those o the Divine. The word vyavaha-rapractical dealingscarries a wide meaning. It coversthe entire sphere which alls next to the Ultimate. There

is uniormity in divine dealings, but only in a particularsense. For example He gives light equally to all. He hascreated air or all to breathe in, and so also many otherthings which oster the growth o lie and sustain ourvery existence. This can be interpreted as the uniormityo Natures dealingsvyavahara.

There are other things too which present themselvesin a modied orm and they are dealt with in a dierentway. It is obvious that when a thing made o clay comesbeore us we take a dierent view o it, and our liking orit is increased in comparison to the mass o clay whichit is made up o. Similarly when a man approaches Godater proper making o himsel, He takes a dierent viewo him. This goes to explain that we should eect such amaking o ourselves as may help us to become the cyno-sure o His eyes. This dealing o Nature we have to copyand apply in our daily lie.


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Maxim 9

Natures dealings described above are maniested indiverse ways. The variety o colours in dierent objects isan instance o it. A fower blossoms in red colour, anotherclose by in yellow or blue. Thus Nature maniests herselin dierent colours, each object receiving its due shareaccording to its capacity and worth. In other words, Sheis dealing with them in Her own particular way.

This example must be kept in view and all our deal-ings must be moulded accordingly, with due regard to

proper needs and air right o everyone, and bring themin close conormity with those o Nature. This will addurther orce to its eectiveness and the people will beattracted towards you. It will create a eeling o love intheir hearts and they will begin to behave with you inthe manner which you duly deserve.


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Maxim 10At bedtime, eeling the presence o God, repent or

the wrongs committed. Beg orgiveness in a sup-plicant mood, resolving not to allow repetition othe same.

Human perection lies in realising the Master as Mas-ter in true sense, and onesel as His slave devotedentirely to His service. By doing so one creates in himsel

a state o negation which attracts His direct attention andestablishes a link with Him. Now it becomes incumbentupon one to discharge his duties in like manner, keepingthe link intact, so that the Masters greatness be engrossedupon his heart and he may be in His direct view.

A devotee is concerned with nothing but the Mas-

ters close attention towards him, and his own nearnessto Him. The nobleness o heart now takes another turn.When one has accepted Him as the Master he can laybeore Him every wrong committed unknowingly byhim, or anything that might be against the principle,in the capacity o one eeling guilty. In this way oneimpresses his own meekness upon the Master, who also

begins to think that the wrong committed by the devoteeis really pardonable since the eeling o supplication ispresent in his heart, or which he has presented it to theMaster. There is such a tender sotness in it as cannot


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o devotion now comes in, which cautions him againstthe repetition o the wrong. It appears in the orm orepeated prayers to the great Master or granting him astate o contentment to serve as a saeguard against rep-etition. As we have entered the sphere in the capacity oa supplicant it becomes incumbent upon us to abide bythe rules o duty, avoiding everything that is orbiddenby the laws o Nature. This can be accomplished whenone shortens to the greatest possible limit the distance

between onesel and the Master. Hence the best methodor that would be to maintain in our thought a constanteeling o His presence.

It is also considered to be better to do this at bed-time, because one is then ree rom all engagements andthe only point in ones view is that o rest and repose. In

other words, one nds himsel in a comparatively reestate. This reedom may also be interpreted as Naturesstate o contentment. Thus in a way we acquire conorm-ity with at least one o the aspects o Nature.

This is the reason why prayer at bedtime is more e-ective, and actions done accordingly are all well adjusted.We must thereore derive the greatest benet rom time,and take up the work suited or the hour.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

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Commentary on 10 Maxims