Page 715 - Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 6

and if it were to happen he will be the most miserable man. Thus he will look to the proper discharge of all his duties towards the family, society and God dedicating all his actions to the Master and leaving the results in His hands. Again he will endeavour to maintain the highest moral standards so that no one will raise a finger against him as the Master puts it elsewhere.
We started with the proposition that the person who is happy under all circumstances is the happiest one. It is easy to be happy when things are favourable, we are getting to enjoy what we want and there is no threat or challenge to the condition. It is like the smooth sailing of a ship in calm waters with a favourable wind bucking up its sails. When we are subjected to pain, grief, loss of property, spouse and progeny, our equilibrium is sorely tested. It is like the Titanic hitting the iceberg. We are now reminded of the portrayal in the Gita of the person of steady wisdom (sthithaprajna) established in the awareness of his true nature (swaswaroopa jnana) at all times irrespective of the circumstances in which he may find himself. Such a state can be entered into and a permanent stay therein is possible only when all desires have been cast away from his mind and he is entirely satisfied in the Self by the Self alone. His mind is not shaken by adversity nor does he hanker after happiness and freed is he from attachment, fear and wrath. Such an accomplished person is able to withdraw his mind (attention) from the objects of enjoyment just as the tortoise withdraws its limbs into itself and fix it on the Real Self. This is mastery of Pratyahara. The state described is one of balance, equanimity and serenity and is the characteristic of the fifth knot. Thus it is seen immediately that considerable spiritual evolution is required before we can live and act in the spirit of the
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