immortal storehouse of inexhaustible wisdom—the Vedas and Upanishads.
The next line is this:
Ma ma himsi. Do not smite me with death.
We shall have fully to understand what this means. You have heard me say that in this first line it has been said, "Thou art my Father." This truth is everywhere. We have to be born into this great idea of the Father. That is the end and object of man, the fulfilment of his life.
Though it is true that we are eternally related to our Father, yet there is some barrier which prevents the full realization of this truth, and this is the greatest source of suffering to man. The animals—they have their pain, they suffer from the attacks of enemies and physical imperfection, and this suffering urges them to strive still more to fulfil the wants of their natural life and struggle against these obstacles. This in itself is a matter of joy. And we can be sure that they truly enjoy their life, because through this impulse they struggle against obstacles and this rouses their whole vitality. Otherwise they would be like the vegetable world. Life must for its fulfilment have its obstacles, and by continual
