In plain words
For a man who has faith in the Ātma there is no room for any doubt. Whatever fear and confusion may come upon him, he does not lose heart; he stays relying on his faith in the Ātma. He is facing everything and striding forward with courage and daring. But on the spiritual path he is falling back. From time without beginning, the culture of Bhārata has gone on living with sacred faith in the Ātma alone as its support. Since this modern age began, faith in the Ātma has been dwindling day by day. Faith is most necessary for every man. This Ānanda comes to us purely through faith alone. If there is no faith in any task, however small, we do not gain Ānanda. So we must try to live with faith in the Ātma as our support.
The Greatness of Vijayadaśamī
When a man cannot recognise himself, what is the use of his recognising so many things? The very moment he gets up in the morning, every man takes up the newspaper and enquires what is happening in the world. He tries to learn the affairs of country after country and the affairs of the times, but he does not in the least recognise the faith that comes from within himself. Whomever we see, ‘Who are you? Where have you come from?’ we ask. But man does not recognise himself. He does not question himself. ‘Who am I? Where have I come from?’ That truth he does not enquire into at all. Without this kind of faith in the Ātma, whatever sādhanas you do, there is no use in them. In keeping with this, food and habits have changed a great deal. For the want of purity of citta in mankind today, the root cause is none other than food.