ON KEEPING MIND QUIET, STEADY AND FIRM

 
Do not think much over petty questions, and wear out your mind. This constant thinking weighs heavy on your mind, and causes you much worry and anxiety for nothing. Do not let any material thoughts disturb your mind and eat it away. Do not be like a leaf (of a tree) moved here and there by the wind. Be like a rock, unaffected by gales and storms and standing firm in its place.

What do you do when a fly troubles and disturbs you? You do not worry about it but merely raise your hand and wave it to drive it away from you. In the same way, without giving yourself up to worrying you must drive away the thoughts that trouble you.

Only stick to one thing — One Eternal Truth. Those who think about worldly matters only dream, as Vivekananda says, vacant dreams. The universe is nothing but a dream. It is unreal, compared to the reality of Truth — God.

Let Truth be your goal. This Truth — Paramatman is nowhere to be searched for. For He is very near you, nay, He is with you, within you. Seek Him within you. You could easily see Him, but for the four big "Devils" who stand in your way and do not allow you to see Him. They are: Egoism — Kama — Krodha and Lobha.

Of the four the greatest is Egoism. It is the parent of all mischief. It is the lower self, which governs you. Therefore try your best to control and subdue it.

The next greatest devil is Kama or passion. The vulgar attraction for the opposite sex is pitiable. Consider all young women as your sisters, and all aged women as your mothers. You must neither act nor think lustfully.

The last two "devils" are Krodh or anger and Lobha or avarice.

To give yourself up to them means to drive yourself away from Truth. Unless you master these four "Devils" there can be no hope for you to enter on the Path.