Untitled - the Divine Life Society

of Self. He' is attracted towards her. This is the differencebetween the vision of a Jnani and a worldly ntan. There is noharm in looking at women but you must not entertain evilthoughts. Feel that women are nranifestations of'Mother Kaali.Feel that the beauty of a woman is the beauty of the Lord.Feel that all tbrnrs are images of the Lord. Your mind will beelevated at once.Sonre students ask, "Shall we practise Viveka, Vairagya,etc.. in order, one by one, after mastering each Anga or shallwe practise all the Angas simultaneously? If we practise oneby one, perhaps we will not be able to get mastery over one ortwo Angas in this life. We may require several births forperfect mastery over all Angas. Life is very short. What shallwe do?" It depends upon the temperament, taste and capacityof the students. Some like to get perfect mastery over eachstage and then proceed to the next step. Some like to practiseall the limbs at the same time. For six months concentrateyour mind in cultivating Viveka, Vairagya and Sama. For thenext six months try to acquire Sraddha, Samadhana andMumukshutva. Devote more time in developing that virtuewhich you are seriously lacking. If you are earnest and sincerein your attempt, you can develop the four means and attainSelf-realisation in this very birth.Another Vedantic student says, "Swamiji, there is nonecessity for acquiring these four means of salvation,-Viveka, Vairagya, etc. It is a long, tedious process. I will notbe able to acquire them even in several births. The shortestway is to think of Brahman always. I will acquire all thevirtues automatically. Then I will be able to practise deepmeditation." He is right. A first class type of student can adoptthis method because he had cultivated the four means in hisprevious births. A mediocre student will not be able to think ofBrahman at the very outset. How can one think of Brahmanwhen the mind is filled with impurities, when the mind is178 LECTURES ON YOGA AND VEDANTA