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2005
KNOW THY SELF
Muni Shree Jinchandraji (Bandhu Triputi)
Translated by: Yogesh Desai
the ages by
*Know thy self' is the ardent call of the Rishis of the yore. The saints and sages of all the ages by scrupulously adhering to the said cry of the great Mahatmas, have reached the pinnacle of Truth and there is no religion higher than Truth.
Thus, inquiry in one's own Real Nature which is nothing but Truth - the Self, the Atmah, starts with introspection of one's own self. One who wants to attain the real Know thy self' is peace and bliss of the Self, observation of one's innerself is a 'must' as a preliminary Sadhana or exercise for treading on the Path of Truth. It is a privilege of Man alone
ivilege of Man alone the ardent call of to 'look within'. Animals are not endowed with this faculty of introspection. No spir
the Rishis of the itual Sadhana or practice or exercise at any level - be it physical, mental or intellectual - will bear any fruit whatsoever unless one knows the art of 'looking within'. yore. The saints
Introspection is a process of self-analysis of one's activities performed during the day. At the initial stage it may be performed only for a few minutes at any conven- and sages of all ient time, preferably before going to bed. Sadhak should try to remember at least the main events of the day and gradually cover as many details as possible. With consistent and sincere application, more activities reveal themselves to his memory, until at scrupulously last he is able to remember and recollect the minutest details of all that he has done during the day, with less effort and time. When such introspection is practised regu- adhering to the
a larly, the constant observation of one's own actions with their merits and demerits,
said cry of the helps him to remember and observe them even at the time of performance. Thus man becomes conscious and watchful of all his activities day in and day out. To pause, to great Mahatmas. think, to judge and then act needs concentration which is provided by introspection. Introspection, therefore, prepares the seeker to think, to speak and to act rightly at have reached the the right moment of time. As the Sadhak progresses in observation of one's own self, correction comes automatically when he becomes fully aware of his imperfections. He
pinnacle of develops ethical and moral values, mental equanimity and intellectual poise. With Truth and there these qualities his concentration on any matter is perfected and he emerges successful in any walk of life. The more he lives right values of life, the more he shall suc- is no religion ceed in introspection. Thus, the right way of living and introspection promise each
higher than other and they together help on to reach the Divine Abode of Truth.
Truth. When a state of observation is sustained, then change comes about in a person spontaneously. We see how anger creeps up and how selfishness and pettiness are there in us. Then, when we go back to our worldly relationship, we remain aware of our own susceptibility to anger, greed, jealousy etc. and when we are fully aware of these traits raising their heads at a given moment of time, we shall never succumb to them if we are further aware of the fact that these vices are self-annihilating. Thus,
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