WAYS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE - SOME OBSTACLES TO SPIRITUAL LIFE

WAYS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE

[.Some obstacles to spiritual life—Influence of past impressions—Pitfalls of occult powers—Alms and charity —Dress and food—Attitude towards the body—Attitude towards sufferings—Forbearance—Reticence—Humility and self-respect—Simplicity—'Conquest of desires— Attitude towards women—Devotee and his family— Prayer and devotion]

SOME OBSTACLES TO SPIRITUAL LIFE

God comes not where reign timidity, hatred and fear.

The heavier scale of a balance goes down while the lighter rises up. Similarly, he who is weighed down by the many cares and anxieties of the world sinks down into it, while he who has fewer rises up towards the feet of the Lord.

One who spends his time in discussing the good and bad qualities of others simply wastes his own time. For it is time spent neither in thinking about one's own self nor about the Supreme Self, but in fruitless thinking of others' selves.

In what condition of mind is the vision of God obtained? When the mind is perfectly tranquil. When the sea of one's mind is agitated by the wind of desires, it cannot reflect God, and then God-vision is impossible.

Though a person s stomach may be full and he is suffering from dyspepsia in addition, his tongue will water naturally at the sight of sweet delicacies and savoury sauces. Similarly a man may not have the slightest covetousness in him ; yet the sight of wealth and other objects of temptation will unsettle his mind, howsoever holy he may be.

Be not like the frog in the well. The frog in the well knows nothing bigger and grander than its well. So are all bigots. They do not see anything better than their own creed.

The great Sankaracharya had a foolish disciple who used to imitate his Master in all matters. Sankara uttered 'Sivoham (I am Siva); the disciple also repeated 'Sivoham. To correct his disciple s folly, Sankara one day, while passing by a smithy, took a potful of molten iron and swallowed it; and then he asked that disciple also to do the same. Of course, the disciple could not imitate this act of his Master, and thenceforward he left off saying Sivoham. Base imitation is always bad, but an attempt to correct one's own self by the noble examples of the great ones is always good.