Passage 2

His poems 362

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In plain words

From Satya, abiding in it, He created all; into Satya all creation subsides; search, and what place is there without the glory of Satya? This is pure sattva: see it, sirs!

The whole world was born from Satya itself. Satya alone protects the whole world, Satya alone sustains it, Satya alone brings about its dissolution. For all three, creation, sustenance and dissolution, Satya alone is the root cause. You too, make that Satya your support. Practise Dharma. Only then will Śānti and Prema emerge in you.

Satya Practised Is Dharma, Freedom from Saṅkalpa Is Śānti

In every human being there are the five life-breaths called prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna and samāna. They are inward-facing divine powers. Facing outward, Satya, Dharma, Śānti, Prema and Ahiṃsā can be said to be man's five life-breaths. Unable to recognise this subtle principle, man is wasting his humanness. Satya is the name of the very life-force in man. When you put Satya into practice, that itself becomes Dharma. Dharma is the very practice of Satya. You must speak Satya, you must practise Dharma. That is exactly why the Veda taught, “Satyaṃ vada, dharmaṃ cara.” Dharma is what emerges from a saṅkalpa of Satya. Without Satya there is no Dharma at all. That is exactly why the Veda said, “Satyān nāsti paro dharmaḥ.” Without the very foundation called Satya, the mansion called Dharma cannot be built. Śānti is what takes shape from Dharma. You perform worship because you want Śānti. You offer prayers, you hold campaigns. But Śānti is not something these bring. However many rites such as yajña and yāga you perform, whatever sādhanas you practise, so long as there are desires in you, you will not attain Śānti. You must root out your desires. Desires emerge from saṅkalpas. The mind is the very root and basis of saṅkalpa. So if you are to attain Śānti, you must forget the mind; you must keep the mind under control. When you restrain the mind, it falls silent. That principle, free of saṅkalpa, is itself Śānti.