Uttarkasi,
20-9-1951

Wish you all well.

The letter was received at Gangotri in due course. At the end of chaturmasya, usually, cold winter sets in the Himalayas and so I descended to Uttarkasi some days ago.

In every one of your letters your love and respect for spiritual life and devotion for sadhus shine out and so I rejoice and honor you. It is a spiritual life every wise man desires, not a worldly one. The dog and the pig lead a sensuous life. Is it a sign of wisdom to run after a life of the senses? Certainly not. The ignorant ones, who pursue sensuous pleasures, alas, know not, because of their ignorance, what a miserable life they are leading. Discrimination is the result of common sense. Why have common sense if one is to be led away by the whims? Viewed with discrimination who can find pleasure in the senses? The ignorant alone hanker after them hoping to find lasting pleasure. On the fulfilment of a desire there is a sense of satisfaction. But the momentary pleasure is so mixed up with pain and sorrow that our ancient rishis consider it poisoned, though dainty food. Which wise man will spend his life to obtain fleeting pleasure mixed up with hundreds of sorrows? If the sensuous life is really happy what need is there for God who is the embodiment of bliss or a life that is divine?

For a worldly man, wealth and other sense objects produce recurring grief, yet his mind clings to them – that is the great maya! This indiscretion should be overcome by discriminating thought. When the unwisdom is destroyed, pursuit after sense objects will cease. This is the vairagya recommended to men in the scriptures. Vairagya (dispassion) is the first step in the endeavour to realize God. A mind devoid of vairagya will not get concentrated upon godly sadhanas. At the root of all evil is passion. It is what makes the mind unsteady. Destroy passion with wisdom and get established in dispassion. Contract no attachment to anything. Welcome what comes, willingly give up what goes. There is no need to worry about either. Live, live in the living present. Think not of the past or future. If one attains this state of dispassion one’s mind will get fixed upon God. He will find joy in the worship of God. The blissful Lord is no longer far. Soon it will be possible to realize Him and secure liberation.

With affectionate regards,

Swami Tapovanam