DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

THE DEEPER ASPECTS OF SADHANA 193paradoxes connected with spiritual Sadhana is that all effort ofthe aspirant is intended for arriving at a state of effortlessness.There is a beautiful story of a Kasturi-mriga ∗ whichbrings out the nature of all spiritual Sadhana. Once,while roaming about and frolicking among hills and dales, theStory of KasturimrigaKasturi-mriga was suddenly aware of anexquisitely beautiful scent, the like of which ithad never known. The scent stirred the innerdepths of its soul so profoundly that it determined to find itssource. So keen was its longing that notwithstanding the severityof cold or the intensity of scorching heat, by day as well as bynight, it carried on its desperate search for the source of the sweetscent. It knew no fear or hesitation but undaunted went on itselusive search until, at last, happening to lose its foothold on acliff, it had a precipitous fall resulting in a fatal injury. Whilebreathing its last the deer found that the scent which had ravishedits heart and inspired all these efforts came from its own navel.This last moment of the deer's life was its happiest, and there wason its face inexpressible peace.All spiritual Sadhana of the aspirant is like the efforts ofthe Kasturi-mriga. The final fructification of Sadhana involves thetermination of the ego-life of the aspirant. At that moment there isGoal of Sadhana isSelf-knowledgethe realisation that he himself has, in asense, been the object of all his search andendeavour, that all that he suffered andenjoyed—all his risks and adventures, all his sacrifices anddesperate strivings—were intended for having true Self-knowledgein which he loses his limited individuality, only to discover that heis really identical with God Who is in everything.∗ The deer whose navel yields musk.