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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE,
is the only subject in which mind can find food for meditation and entertainment enough for all eternity; and if we recollect that the soul is the Infinite itself, we can easily understand the emphasis on Self-knowledge in the old injunction, “Man know thyself.”.
To revert from the digression, all the founders of the existing religions of the world have laid stress on some one, or other, or a combination of some, of these Yoga methods, according to their lights and the need of the moment.
Mahomet pointed out the path of Resignation to the * Resignation to the will of the Almighty means a complete effacement of the personal will. The bhakta has ears and eyes only for the Lord; he readily and cheerfully obeys all divine commands, however strongly opposed to his own personal interests. Something like the spirit of Abraham who is said to have got ready to sacrifice his son, at the command of Jehovah, is required for resignation. There must be no grumbling or murmuring against the harshness of fate, or the injustice of the commandment. The ideal devotee does not enquire into the reason why, but cheerfully, even blindly. obeys all injunctions, believing that he would thereby reach his goal. Sri Krishna declared : “Flee unto Him (Brahman) for shelter with all thy being; hy His grace shalt thou obtain supreme peace, the everlasting dwelling place, Merge thy mind in Me, be My devotee, sacrifice to Me, prostrate thyself before Me, thou shalt come even to Me" (Bhagavad Gita, XVIII. 62 and 65). The devotees hold that when the soul gives up self-interest, subdues self-conceit. crushes out all notions of self-importance, and tears out, from its heart, the very idea of egotism, the burden of salvation becomes the burden of the Self, and, like the mother ever watchful over the child. which is completely resigned in her arms, he looks upon it as his duty to do everything for the man who has so completely resigned himself into his hands, for “verily the devotee is dear to him" (Bhagavad Gita, XVIII. 65). Such is the attitude of resignation. which, in its true import, is tantamount to lofty devotion to the great spiritual Ideal.
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