The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 7/Inspired Talks/Thursday, July 25
(RECORDED BY MISS S. E. WALDO, A DISCIPLE)
THURSDAY, July 25, 1895. (Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms)
"Things may be done, caused to be done, or approved of", and the effect upon
us is nearly equal.
Complete continence gives great intellectual and spiritual power. The Brahmachârin must be sexually pure in thought, word, and deed. Lose regard for the body; get rid of the consciousness of it so far as possible.
Âsana (posture) must be steady and pleasant; and constant practice, identifying the mind with the Infinite, will bring this about.
Continual attention to one object is contemplation.
When a stone is thrown into still water, many circles are made, each
distinct but all interacting; so with our minds; only in us the action is
unconscious, while with the Yogi it is conscious. We are spiders in a web,
and Yoga practice will enable us like the spider to pass along any strand of
the web we please. Non-Yogis are bound to the particular spot where they
are.
* * *
To injure another creates bondage and hides the truth. Negative virtues are
not enough; we have to conquer Maya, and then she will follow us. We only
deserve things when they cease to bind us. When the bondage ceases, really
and truly, all things come to us. Only those who want nothing are masters of
nature.
Take refuge in some soul who has already broken his bondage, and in time he
will free you through his mercy. Higher still is to take refuge in the Lord
(Ishvara), but it is the most difficult; only once in a century can one be
found who has really done it. Feel nothing, know nothing, do nothing, have
nothing, give up all to God, and say utterly, "Thy will be done". We only
dream this bondage. Wake up and let it go. Take refuge in God, only so can
we cross the desert of Maya. "Let go thy hold, Sannyasin bold, say, Om tat
sat, Om!"
It is our privilege to be allowed to be charitable, for only so can we grow.
The poor man suffers that we may be helped; let the giver kneel down and
give thanks, let the receiver stand up and permit. See the Lord back of
every being and give to Him. When we cease to see evil, the world must end
for us, since to rid us of that mistake is its only object. To think there
is any imperfection creates it. Thoughts of strength and perfection alone
can cure it. Do what good you can, some evil will inhere in it; but do all
without regard to personal result, give up all results to the Lord, then
neither good nor evil will affect you.
Doing work is not religion, but work done rightly leads to freedom. In
reality all pity is darkness, because whom to pity? Can you pity God? And is
there anything else? Thank God for giving you this world as a moral
gymnasium to help your development, but never imagine you can help the
world. Be grateful to him who curses you, for he gives you a mirror to show
what cursing is, also a chance to practise self-restraint; so bless him and
be glad. Without exercise, power cannot come out; without the mirror, we
cannot see ourselves.
Unchaste imagination is as bad as unchaste action. Controlled desire leads
to the highest result. Transform the sexual energy into spiritual energy,
but do not emasculate, because that is throwing away the power. The stronger
this force, the more can be done with it. Only a powerful current of water
can do hydraulic mining.
What we need today is to know there is a God and that we can see and feel Him here and now. A Chicago professor says, "Take care of this world, God will take care of the next." What nonsense! If we can take care of this world, what need of a gratuitous Lord to take care of the other!