241. To a blind man there is no difference between day and night. To him, external light is of no use. In him, the light of Jnyan is strong. To the blind, their bodily form is of no use. As their physical eyes do not see, their spiritual eye must be very effective. Blind men cannot describe the form of a carriage by feeling it with touch.

242. Is the sound generated from the world or is the world generated from the sound? Is the effect from the cause or the cause from the effect? The world is generated from the sound. From the sound is generated the form, and the world which has form. From the cause is the effect. Whence is the cause? The cause and the effect are from the Self. Cause and effect must be the slaves of oneself. Both these are from the Self. This Self absorbs the cause and the effect and become one (indivisible). The Maya which the Self creates is annihilated by Self. A lie is a lie. If you believe the lie, you will have to tell the lie. If you believe the truth, you must tell the truth. Those who utter falsehood have no truth about them; there is no falsehood separate from them, but it is one with them. What is the cause of falsehood? Their mind becomes habituated to falsehood and they do not feel it to be false. They do not feel falsehood as a separate thing. If they knew it (falsehood) to be evil, their mind will not be inclined to falsehood. Then they will feel that there is a separate thing called truth. Then they will attain the good. Then they will know the correct path.

243. Just as all rivers enter the ocean, both the good and the evil enter the Atman. Both are sacrificed to the Atman. Both the good and the evil are from the Atman. They enter in that from which they came. Mind is the cause of good and evil acts. Mind is Atman's power (instrument). No one can increase or diminish it (the soul force). What will happen will happen. It will happen only in one way according to the eternal law.

244. The seed is not from the tree. The seed is the beginning. A seed falls down from a tree and that seed grows into a smallplant which grows into a tree. Again and again, trees grow from seeds. Similarly is creation. In the seed is the beginning but there is no ending. Wherever you may see, you see the same seed.

245. Those who have no doubt, find that this doubtlessness is the path to onepointedness of mind. A doubting person's intellect is small (limited). Wherever they may see, they see nothing but doubt. Everybody is subject to his own nature. There is no cause for finding that quality which one has not. In the shaking water, a man cannot see his shadow. In the still water, a man can see his shadow, quite properly. Similarly, to a fickle-minded man, his real nature is not visible. To a steady-minded man wherever he may see, he sees the ONE, indivisible.He sees himself in others. If you put on red spectacles you see everything red. You cannot see green color. Everyone sees according as he thinks.

246. Why do you hold an umbrella? To prevent the rain from falling on you. Rain is the Maya. Truth is the umbrella. Chitta (firm mind) is the handle (of the umbrella). In everything, there is truth.But there are very few men who have realized that truth. Maya is from Atman. But Atman is not from Maya. The prime minister is of the king. The prime minister is not the king. Mind is not Atman. Mind is the reflection of the Atman. Mind is two ranks below Atman. Mind is subject to destruction; Atman is indestructible.Mind is deluded by the various objects to the senses. Atman is not subject to the delusion caused by the three fold qualities, Trigunas. mind is subject to the three fold qualities. When we say that mind is a fragment of the Atman, we man mind is to Atman what the river is to the ocean. Atman is the ocean; its water is measureless and endless. Similarly, Atman has neither a beginning nor an ending. Atman has not come from anywhere nor does He go anywhere. Atman is everywhere. There is nothing existing but Atman. Anterior to you and posterior to you, is all creation which fact is unknown to you.

247. When the life energy moves in an outward direction; desire is generated for the sense objects. It manifests as mind and it is divided and subdivided into two, three, and six. Thus what is called "world" comes into being. From this world all qualities (good and bad) come into being. Five organs of action are related to the earth. Five chief senses are related to space. Organs of action are said to belong to Sat-guna. He who conquers the senses is the free man. To such a man, fulfillment comes from himself.

248. Think and think about Brahmin. Mind, though seemingly different, is one and one only. Mind when it is one pointed is great indeed. This mind is the eternal "mind". This eternal mind is "supreme joy" (happiness).This eternal mind is called "Chidakash" (consciousness space).A clean mind is a clean space. A clean space is "Siddhi" (fulfillment). This clean space is yoga (union with God). This clean space is the heart. When you move in this clean space, it is the "fulfillment". When you move in this clean space, the difference between "you" and "I" will vanish.In this clean space is Mukti (liberation from bondage), Bhakti (selfless love for God), Shakti (energy) and the path suitable. This clean space is Budhi (intellect). When the Jeeva dwells in this clean space, the attachments to sense objects will be burnt away. This clean space is Brahma Randhra (the cavity in which Brahma dwells). What is called Raja yoga is above the neck. What is called the "Color cavity" is above the neck.

249. Mantra is this Brahma Randhra. Mantra is the minister to Prana. This prime minister of Prana is Atma Bindu (Atma point, which is spaceless, timeless, causeless). In the midst of this is eternal Mantra. In the midst of this is "Chidakash". This Chidakash is Chit. This is supreme joy. This is the supreme medicine. This supreme medicine is the supreme guru whose Mantra is "Tatwamasi"; That art Thou; Thou art That.

250. Why is man called man? The true man is he who ruminates (performs Manana). If you do not know the path leading to Brahman, you will be born again and again. If you do not know the path, you will have no contentment. This contentment consists in doing your duty without attachment to results. This non-attachment to results of action is called Mukti. It is also called the supreme joy. Desire is hell. Desirelessness is supreme joy. The supreme position is Shiva Shakti. The Shiva Shakti is the knower of both the visible and the invisible.

251. Atma is not perceived by the senses. Atma is quite different from the senses.It is perceptible to Jnana. It is free from the body idea. Those are yogis who know the true nature of the senses and behave according to that knowledge. Those are called the "Mahatmas". what they utter is Veda-word. They are like the seeds of the tamarind fruit. The tamarind matter is sticky to the touch. But the seed is perfectly pure. The heart of a Mahatma is like the tamarind seed perfectly pure. These Mahatmas are ever young. For a Jnyani, there is no age-idea.

252. Fill a lamp with oil and light the wick. When the oil becomes less, the wick comes lower and lower and the light becomes less and less. If you again supply the lamp with oil and light the wick, the light shines as before. Similar is the internal life of a Jnyani. Their mental life is like butter placed in water. The butter does not sink in water. It floats above water. The body is like the water and the butter, the soul. The subtle intelligence should be concentrated in the head. The intelligence should be concentrated at the top of the Sushumna. Both the mind and Budhi should be in the head. The mind must be in the Budhi; Budhi in the mind. Discrimination is from Budhi and from discrimination is effected the union of Jeevatman and Paramatman.

253. From one coconut, many coconuts are produced. If you cut the trunk of the coconut tree at the bottom, the production of coconuts ceases. Vasana (attachment) which is like the trunk should be cut at the root by the axe of discrimination. Then comes peace. The characteristics of Sadhu-guna, Satwaguna, and peace and all such qualities, come from non-attachment.When Budhi becomes steady, it is called Satwaguna. Sat (truth) is like letters engraved in stone. The talk of the worldly, is like letters engraved on a chalk slab.

254. Once the well should be emptied of its water. All the mud should be removed. The water which then comes is the purest .Jnyana is like this pure water. Once you burn away the thought of "I" and "mine", then non-attachment to the objects of the senses will result of its own accord.

255. When a man has learnt to write on paper, he need not practice writing on sand, spread on the ground. Similarly, when a man has attained attained Brahman which is qualityless, he does not descend to Brahman with qualities. When the milk has been changed into buttermilk, can the latter be again converted into milk?

256. Those who have come to buy the milk, should not ask what the price of the cow is. Similarly, those who hanker after Atma should not bother themselves about the body. The man who has attained the Atman is like the dry kernel within the coconut, i. e. , he has no attachment to the body.When the rope is burnt to ashes, it cannot be made into a rope again. No man can do evil to another man. A man will be good or evil according to his own thinking. When we say some other man is the cause, it has a subtle meaning.The boat must be pushed off with the hand that it may move. Similarly, there must be some one as guru for Atma knowledge. When the boat has reached the opposite bank, the boatman's help is no longer needed . How is the boat in the water? So is the Atman in the body. Suppose the feet are dirty with mud. In order to wash off the mud, we must go to a place where there is water. If you fear to touch the water, how can the mud be washed away? You cannot produce sound with one hand only. When both hands strike against each other, then you are conscious of an energy, (sound is produced). Although all fingers are not of the same size, when you take your meals, they come to one size. So, when your experience ripens, you see the one, indivisible. Faith in the guru is like the cry of a jackal. Just as the cry of all jackals is similar, so also are the hearts of all Sadhus similar. The water in the well is the same at all levels.There are not two waters in the same well. So also, the life energy is the same in all mobile and immoble beings. Likewise, the energy in the sun and the moon is the same. Atma is in space and space is in Atma. Those who have realized this, will sing with joy. They know the "Ananda Kundalini" (the joy producing serpentine energy in man).They will try to discover where this Kundalini is. They will join it by Pranayama after finding it out. They must join it by repeatedly performing Pranayama; they must realize Bhakti; they must realize Mukti.They must conquer both birth and death and must forget all. One must conquer death and things allied to it. One must understand the true nature of Maya. One should realize Nityananda (eternal joy). O Mind! Become one with this eternal joy. Enjoy such a mind which has become one with this eternal joy, (bliss). Become one with the Supreme Being. O Mind! The external world must melt and become one with the Supreme Being. One who has become one with the Supreme has accomplished the object of his birth. One must concentrate his mind on the Supreme. One must become one with the Supreme. Wakefulness, dream state, and sleep state must melt in the Supreme and become one. The power of discrimination (Budhi) is the key to self knowledge, and that key must always be in the hand. Just as a man, possessing a treasure box, must be very careful about the key of the box, so also, Budhi must be concentrated in the brain. The water is hot only so long as it is kept on the fire; but when the vessel is kept on the ground, the water becomes cooler and cooler. Our Budhi must be like the water placed over a fire. Similarly, faith should be constant. Jeeva is like a calf tied in a room. The calf is always very eager to go out of the room. So also, Jeeva is very eager to drink Jnyana which is like Amrita (ambrosia).

257. Dharana is the means by which Budhi's power of discrimination is increased. Dharana is the path to mukti. Dharana is the path leading to the highest. Prana (life energy) to become steady, Dharana is a means. When life energy becomes steady, the mind becomes steady. When Prana is given an "upward" direction, then Jnyana enters every nerve and peace is the resultant. Then nature and the subtle become separated. Then powers resulting from yoga peace of mind, forgiveness, patience -- these are experienced in Budhi. Those who practice constant Dharana feel that the whole external world is existing in themselves. One should, being quite steady in mind, be enjoying eternal joy (Nityananda). Atma is beyond all karmas and formality. Karma is that which is done without attachment. A man is free from sin if he performs karmas disinterestedly. Karma is that which is done by the knowledge of Atma who is actionless and passionless.

258. Atma is not perceptible to the senses. it is perceived by intelligence (Budhi). It is not perceptible as a thing with form and qualities. To those whose attention is fixed on the body, it is very difficult to attain peace. It is also very difficult for them to see the Atma. The attention towards the visible should be lessened. The love towards the invisible should be increased. So long as the attention is directed towards the visible, pain and pleasure may appear to be dual. But when the attention is directed towards the invisible, the sense of duality will disappear.

259. The sacred syllable "OM" is like a storm in the sky. OM is without beginning or ending. "Omkar" is like a stage manager in a drama. As it works through the bodies of men, those bodies are pervaded by "Omkar". This syllable is inside us, outside us and everywhere. It is the cause of everything that exists. We need not bring it up to consciousness any-where. That sound exists in everything. We need not recall it separately to memory. This energy is not divisible but indivisible. This sound exists in every animal. Whatever sound is produced by animals, it is nothing but "Omkar". What is called Pranava is another name for "Omkar".When it is united with Prana and moves in the body, it is called "Pranava". When the nature and the subtle (i.e., physical and non-physical) "Sthoola" and "Sookshma" are separate, it is Pranava. When we feel both to be one, then it is called the feeling of oneness. This is identical with "Omkar". At that time, one sees the "ONE" everywhere. That which you worship with faith, becomes ALL.

260. That energy called "Omkar" pervades the universe and is formless. It is the light in ALL and light of ALL. Ignorance and knowledge are mere phantoms, i.e., not realities. Happiness and misery will never touch a man who has realized the "oneness".