Chapter (অধ্যায়): NOTES TAKEN DOWN IN MADRAS, 1892-93 PAGE-118Page: 118 of 519
everybody is free or everybody is under necessity. That would not matter. The relations would be the same. Vice and virtue would be the same. If a thief pleads that he was under the necessity of stealing, the magistrate would say that he was under the necessity to punish. We are seated in a room, and the whole room is moving-the relation between us is unchanged. To get out of this infinite chain of causation is Mukti (freedom). Muktas (free souls) are not actuated by necessity, they are like god. They begin the chain of cause and effect. God is the only free being-the first source of their will-and is always experienced by them as such.
The feeling of want is the real prayer, not the words. But you must have patience to wait and see if your prayers are answered.
You should cultivate a noble nature by doing your duty. By doing our duty we get rid of the idea of duty; and then and then only we feel everything as done by God. We are but machines in His hand. This body is opaque, God is the lamp. Whatever is going out of the body is God's. You do not feel it. You feel "I". This is delusion. You must learn calm submission to the will of God. Duty is the best school for it. This duty is morality. Drill yourself to be thoroughly submissive. Get rid of the "I". No humbuggism. Then you can get rid of the idea of duty; for all is His. Then you go on naturally, forgiving, forgetting, etc.
Our religion always presents different gradations of duty and religion to different people.
Light is everywhere visible only in the men of holiness. A Mahapurusha is like crystal glass-full rays of God passing and repassing through. Why not worship a Jivanmukta?
Contact with holy men is good. If you go near holy men, you will find holiness overflowing unconsciously in everything there.