Introduction^33Along with ahimsa go abhaya (freedom from fear) and akrodha
(freedom from anger). Freedom from fear comes only to those who
lead a pure life. The yogi fears none and none need fear him, because
he is purified by the study of the Self. Fear grips a man and paralyses
him. He is afraid of the future, the unknown and the unseen. He is
afraid that he may lose his means of livelihood, wealth or reputation.
But the greatest fear is that of death. The yogi knows that he is
different from his body, which is a temporary house for his spirit.
He sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings and therefore
he loses all fear. Though the body is subject to sickness, age, decay
and death, the spirit remains unaffected. To the yogi death is the sauce
that adds zest to life. He has dedicated his mind, his reason and his
whole life to the Lord. When he has linked his entire being to the
Lord, what shall he then fear?
There are two types of anger (krodha), one of which debases the
mind while the other leads to spiritual growth. The root of the first is
pride, which makes one angry when slighted. This prevents the mind
from seeing things in perspective and makes one's judgement defective.
The yogi, on the other hand, is angry with himself when his mind
stoops low or when all his learning and experience fail to stop him
from folly. He is stern with himself when he deals with his own faults,
but gentle with the faults of others. Gentleness of mind is an attribute
of a yogi, whose heart melts at all suffering. In him gentleness for others
and firmness for himself go hand in hand, and in his presence all
hostilities are given up.
Satya. Satya or truth is the highest rule of conduct or morality.
Mahatma Gandhi said: 'Truth is God and God is Truth., As fire burns
impurities and refines gold, so the fire of truth cleanses the yogi and
burns up the dross in him.
If the mind thinks thoughts of truth, if the tongue speaks words
of truth and if the whole life is. based upon truth, then one becomes fit
for union with the Infinite. Reality in its fundamental nature is love
and truth and expresses itself through these two aspects. The yogi's
life must conform strictly to these two facets of Reality. That is why
ahimsa, which is essentially based on love, is enjoined. Satya pre
supposes perfect truthfulness in thought, word and deed. Untruthful
ness in any form puts the sadhaka out of harmony with the funda
mental law of truth.
Truth is not limited to speech alone. There are four sins of speech:
abuse and obscenity, dealing in falsehoods, calumny or telling tales
and lastly ridiculing what others hold to be sacred. The tale bearer
is more poisonous than a snake. The control of speech leads to the