In English
Religious practices will not lead to God-realisation
We are familiar with the pairs of opposites like good and bad, sin and merit, truth and falsehood. The performance of (prescribed religious rites) like , (sacrificial rites) charity and penance, is regarded as (meritorious actions). While engaged in these acts, if a person is concerned with worldly gains, (egotism) arises. There is the feeling, I am doing these sacred rites. On the other hand, indulging in evil deeds like fraud, cruelty and deceit, man forgets his higher nature and is oblivious to the consequences of his actions. Involvement in actions, whether good or bad, results in bondage. The chains that bind may be made of gold or of iron, but they are chains all the same. Good deeds alone cannot be the means of liberation. The (ancient spiritual scriptures), the , the and the have declared that rituals and religious practices will not lead to God-realisation. As they are external acts, they are related only to the body. They are not conducive in any way to the development of the inner vision. Only when one is able to get rid of egotism and attachment can one develop the inner vision. (realisation of Divinity) and (mergence in the ) cannot be attained by rituals. "" - Perception of the Unity of the Divine is Wisdom. The sense of duality must be eradicated to realise the oneness of the Absolute. (knowledge of the true Self) dawns in man when he has (purity of the heart). This purity can he achieved only through . The body, the mind and the , all three are involved in the human entity. They are inextricably interdependent. When they become disparate, life loses its meaning. When the body is subject to the mind and the mind is controlled by the , life finds fulfilment. When the body alone is predominant, the human descends to the level of the animal. When the mind prevails over the body and the sensory organs, the human level is attained. When the prevails over the mind and. the body, Divinity is realised.