In English
The spiritual disciplines of the ancients
To control the mind the ancients resorted to various disciplines including food control. They fasted on full moon day and gradually increased their intake up to new moon day. From the next day they gradually reduced their intake till full moon day. Students need not resort to this discipline now, but they should avoid caring excessive food. By their spiritual discipline and regulated eating and other habits, the ancients led long and healthy lives. , who was Commander-in-Chief of the forces in the war, was 126 years old at the time. He lived a pure celibate life, making a great sacrifice for the sake of his father. took a vow of life-long celibacy to enable his father to marry the woman whom he desired, whose father insisted that the son born to her should be the heir to the throne. not only renounced his title to the throne but also took the vow of celibacy to ensure that he would leave no progeny to claim the right. After he fell in the battle he lay on abed of arrows for 56 days for the auspicious moment of the northward motion of the sun to give up his life. He had such will power that he could bear any amount of personal suffering. He spent his last days imparting the highest wisdom to the . The history of is full of stories of such heroic and noble souls. Unfortunately young people today, ignoring the examples of such great figures, Lead purposeless lives. They get prematurely old because of their ways of living. Students must Lead righteous lives, acquire courage and manliness and realise the Divine. They have to recognise the supreme importance of keeping the mind under control. To get close to God you have to go beyond the mind. To have control over the mind is the mark of (wisdom). To seek to achieve proximity to God you have to develop devotion. Millions of people all over the world are seeking God-Realisation. But all their efforts are at the mental level. They have to go beyond the mind to realise the Divine, who is the embodiment of Truth-Wisdom-Omnipotence.