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shipful Swami Sivananda said, "Within you is the hidden God, within you is the immortal soul, within you is the fountain of joy." Ah! we come to the fountain here, you see. "Within you is the hidden God, within you is the immortal soul, within you is the fountain of joy, within you is the ocean of bliss." What is there preventing you from experiencing that fountain of joy and ocean of bliss? It is nothing but your self, this little 'I'. We are so much involved, so entangled with 'I, I, I,' 'so and so' and 'such and such', different from everyone, fighting and squabbling, superior and inferior. It is this which is a problem; there is no problem outside you, it is this 'I'.
Therefore, you may follow this. "Within you is the fountain of joy, within you is the ocean of bliss. Kill this little 'I'. Die to live. Lead the divine life." That is the one thing that is necessary, and if you get rid of this little 'I', whatever is there is the pure fountain of joy, is the pure ocean of bliss. It is the pure light of lights, transcending all darkness. It is light at the center of your being, and it is your true self. If you realize this, then there is no more 'me' to weep and wail, no more 'me' to come back again and again in the ever-recurring births and deaths.
That is the great goal pointed out for you, and all the yoga path ultimately lead you to that goal by averting your attention from this little 'I', either to God, or to Brahman or to purusha. Whatever path you take, you get away from yourself. The first liberation starts when you stop thinking about yourself and start thinking of something else. The most important way to cross 'I' and 'me', to erase it, eradicate it and uproot it, is to enter with vengeance into the field of dedicated, selfless service unto all people. That is the most effective panacea for getting rid of the little 'I', the little, selfish, egoistic self.
Therefore, selfless service is the first entry into yoga. Selfless service, not expecting even thanks, and not even being aware that "I am doing something". It is the will of God. God does everything. What am I? I am nothing. Changing this 'I' into a zero, without selfishness, without any sense of worship, expecting nothing, and dedicating even this selfless, motiveless action at the feet of God. The first liberation starts there. Then the love of your heart can be directed to God. Put all the love you have for things here upon that one supreme being, who is the source, the father, mother, friend, relative, everything, all in all.
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