Karma Yoga

Author(s): Swami Vivekanand
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

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figures of speech, but they form our highest ideal, because in them lies such a manifestation of power. In the first place, a man who can work for five days, or even for five minutes, without any selfish motive whatever, without thinking of future, of heaven, of punishment, or anything of the kind, has in him the capacity to become a powerful moral giant. It is hard to do it, but in the heart of our hearts we know the value of it, and what good it brings. It is the greatest manifestation of power—this tremendous restraint; self-restraint is a higher manifestation of power than all outgoing action. A carriage with four horses may rush down a hill without restraint; 'or, the coachman may restrain the horses. Which is the.greater manifestation of power, to let them go or to restrain them? A ball flying through the air goes a long distance and then falls. Another is cut short in its flight by striking against a wall, and intense heat is generated. : "So, all this outgoing follows a selfish motive. and disappears sooner or later; it will not cause power to return to you, but if the