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the sensual over the object of their senses. Then the road to God would be closed for ever. Since the mind is restless all unreal gods are eliminated, and it goes ahead. Since the mind is unsteady, it does not allow us to be stationary; it goads us on and on. I wish to tell you a great mysterious secret underlying this fickleness of the mind:
Unless and until it finds a final resting-place befitting it, the mind will never allow you to take peaceful rest. That is why it is fickle. The mind finds its heaven of refuge only in God where it sheds its fickleness, but never before. Bear this in mind that your mind is kind and benevolent to you. Otherwise you would get stuck-up in some worldliness and your endeavour to reach God will be shelved for ever.
Do not, therefore, censure and abuse your mind for its unsteadiness. Accept this unsteadiness as a favour shown to you, and utilize it. Let it be remembered that if the mind fails to be steady and firm, that is because of some error on your part, some misdeed for which you are responsible. That is why the mind does not wish to stay there. You do your utmost to concentrate, but your mind does not. Certainly, that is your mistake. By being inconstant the mind warns you, but unfortunately, instead of taking the hint, you consider the mind your enemy!
I have heard a story. Once upon a time when Egypt was ruled by a great emperor, a great sage highly respected by the emperor lived in a small Egyptian village. One day, without any previous intimation, the emperor paid a visit to the village. He wished to invite the sage to this palace. The sage, however, had gone out somewhere when the emperor reached the hut. His young disciple could not recognize the emperor in his simple clothes. He asked the visitor to sit on the ridge of the field and said that he would go to the village and fetch his preceptor. The emperor not only refused to sit, but also began to pace up and down the field. On seeing this, the disciple requested the visitor to go and sit under a tree where there was ample shade. Still unwilling to sit, the emperor began pacing up and down beneath the tree. This set the disciple thinking, and he requested
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