Untitled - the Divine Life Society

Itcture IIFOURFOLD SADHANAFouRrolo Sadhana of the student in the path of JnanaYoga consists of Viveka, Vairagya, Shadshampat or sixfoldvirtues and Mumukshutva or strong yearning for liberation.Viveka dawns in a man, through the grace of God, who hasdone virtuous actions in his previous births as offerings untothe Lord without expectation of fruits and without egoism.Viveka is the discrimination between the real and the unreal,the permanent and the non-permanent, Atman and Anatma.You must first develop Viveka or discrimination betweenthe real and the unreal and Vairagya or dispassion for theenjoyment of objects herein and hereafter. Then only you willhave success in the practice of Sama. Vairagya born of Vivekaonly will be of a lasting nature. Such a Vairagya only will behelpful to you in your spiritual practices. Karana Vairagya dueto loss of property or death of wife or son will be temporary. Itwill be of no use to you. [t is volatile like ammonia.Sama is serenity of mind produced by the constanteradication of Vasanas or desires. Whenever desires crop up inyour mind do not try to fulfil them. Reject them throughdiscrimination, right enquiry and dispassion. You will gettranquillity of mind and mental strength by constant practice.The mind is thinned out. The mind is checked directly fromwandering. Its out-going tendencies are curbed. If the desiresare eradicated, the thoughts also will die by themselves. Themind is detached from the manifold sense objects bycontinually observing their defects and is fixed on Brahman.ln the practice of Sama, the five Jnana-lndriyas or organs ofknowledge, viz., ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose are alsocontrolled.174 LECTURES ON YOGA AND VEDANTA