Life is to fight.⁽¹⁾ Now when one starts fight, then he becomes a man in human structure. He is no longer a brute in human structure, he is a man in human structure. And in that phase he says: “O Lord, by Your mercy, by Your grace, I have become a hero, I have started fighting against debasing forces functioning within my mind, functioning within my family, functioning within the society. So by Your grace I have become a hero. I am a hero, I am a viira, thou art Viireshvara [Lord of Heroes].”

So in the second phase of sádhaná, Pashupati⁽²⁾ becomes Viireshvara. It is another name of Lord Shiva. Pashupati becomes Viireshvara. And as a result of further fight, when this fighting tendency, this belligerent tendency, becomes his wont, in that case He becomes a deva, he is called a deva.

Dyotate kriid́ate yasmádudyate dyotate divi;
Tasmát deva iti proktah stúyate sarvadevataeh.

[The vibrational manifestations emanating from the Supreme Nucleus are known as devatás or devas; and these devatás address that Supreme Nucleus as “(Mahá)deva”. He with His powers vibrates the entire universe, makes the entire universe dance; and He by dint of His occult and supra-occult powers brings everything back onto His lap.]

So he becomes a deva. And he says: “O Lord, by Your mercy I have become a deva, a god.” (Deva means “god in human structure”.) “And Thou art my Lord, Thou art Mahádeva.” So in the third stage that very Lord becomes Mahádeva. Pashupati becomes Viireshvara, Viireshvara becomes Mahádeva – according to the status or phase of sádhaná of the spiritual aspirant.

Now, this fight, this fight against the eccentric force fighting, eccentric force functioning, in the world, is actually the sádhaná. You know, in each and every structure, there are two forces, the centripetal force and the centrifugal force. In the case of this Cosmological world, in the case of this Cosmological system, in the case of this Brahma Cakra, the centripetal force, the centre-seeking force, is called vidyá, and the centrifugal force is called avidyá. So this spiritual practice, or intuitional practice, is a fight between vidyá and avidyá. A sádhaka is to strengthen his vidyá, his centripetal force, in his movement towards the nave of this Cosmological order, towards the nucleus of this Cosmological order – because of the fact that this Cosmological nucleus is the nucleus of all other nuclei of the universe. It is the abode of supreme beatitude. All other nuclei of the universe are sheltered in Him. (That’s why he is called Náráyańa. Ayana means “shelter”. And Nára means “Operative Principle”.) There is no other way. If one wants peace of permanent nature, if one has developed the longing for supreme beatitude, one has no alternative but to move towards this Supreme Nucleus; and this movement is sádhaná. And while moving towards this Supreme Nucleus, one will have to fight against the centrifugal force, the avidyá shakti.

In this fight against avidyá shakti one must have sufficient weapons. You know, a soldier requires weapons, and sádhaná is a fight. In your internal sphere, that is, in your mind, you should have ten weapons. Those ten weapons are five Yama and five Niyama [moral principles]. And similarly, while fighting against evil forces in this crude physicality, you should have ultra-modern physical weapons also. Those who want disarmament and those who want to ban the atom bomb are not friends of human society. They do not want to accelerate the speed of human society. Rather they want to retard its progress. Weapons you must have, but you should have control over your body and mind. There must not be any abuse or misuse of your weapons.

Now, in this progress, that is, in the realm of intuitionalism, you should have ten internal weapons – Yama and Niyama – and your progress in sádhaná depends on jiṋána, karma and bhakti.⁽³⁾ Your progress is effected by jiṋána and karma.⁽⁴⁾

Footnotes

(1) This discourse begins on the tape with the words “… never-ending [or unending] effort to restore an unstable equilibrium”. This is followed by “Life is to fight.” Elsewhere the author has said: “Life is a constant effort to restore an unstable equilibrium.” –Eds.

(2) Lord of those in the animalistic first phase of sádhaná. Pashu means “animal”. –Eds.

(3) Jiṋána, karma and bhakti are forms of spiritual practice which emphasize, respectively, discrimination, selfless action, and devotion. –Eds.

(4) This discourse ends here on the tape with the words “But the final union with the Sup – ”. The complete sentence must have said that the final union with the Supreme is effected by bhakti. –Eds.