characteristic of human nature. As a matter of fact, they are the ways in which we
become actively conscious of the vulnerable spots in our personality which are to be
protected from the onslaughts of powerful forces which we have to face in the future.
Sometimes it is difficult to understand where we are actually, at a particular stage,
and it is easy to miscalculate our situation, due to either over-enthusiasm or lack of
proper understanding. Everybody imagines that he or she is well prepared. Well, that
is not the case, because our strength will be seen only in the war field; we cannot see
it in the kitchen. That is very difficult to understand. When we actually face the
problems, we will know our energies, our strengths, and our capacity to tolerate the
pairs of opposites.
Many of the difficulties of modern students of yoga are due to the unfavourable
circumstances in which they have to live; and the whole world is ridden over with
these circumstances. The modern age is, unfortunately, of such a nature that we
cannot find isolation, solitude or sequestration anywhere in this world, even if we go
to a jungle. Nowadays there are no jungles; everywhere there are people, and we will
have every difficulty anywhere. This is a great handicap. It is to be emphasised that
these purifications cannot be properly practised in the humdrum of a society of
temptations where we are deliberately taken along the wrong path and purposely
driven in the erroneous direction by the very characteristic of human society and the
things of the world.
Therefore, modern institutions—even yoga institutions—may be said to be
inappropriate and unsuited for a strenuous practice of yoga, because the institutions
are mostly social in their character. For whatever reason it might be, their status is
social, and it is impossible to completely wrench oneself from these social
relationships and the consequences that follow from these relationships. Hence, all
the practice—whatever be the intensity with which one takes to it—has been mostly
of a diluted character, and it cannot be very intense because the surroundings, the
environment in which one lives, dilute the intensity with which one starts the
practice. Thus, it should not be forgotten that there is always a chance of getting
diverted along the channels of these social relationships; and a little aperture created
by any relationship of this kind will be enough to burst the whole bubble, and the
person is finished in a moment.
Hence, one has to be very careful in not overestimating one’s capacities or powers,
miscalculating one’s energies and wrongly imagining that the powers one has
conserved are equal to the powers of nature as a whole. Not all the sages put together
could face this nature—it is terrible. Therefore, one has to be very, very cautious; and
it is impossible to be cautious under the circumstances of this world, as I mentioned.
It has to be regarded as very unfortunate indeed, but this is the fact of the matter and
it cannot be overlooked.
There were great masters who took very great care to protect their children, such as
Sage Vibhandaka who took care of his son Rishyasringa under such favourable
conditions that human beings could not see that boy. He was guarded from all sides
because the sage, the father, was very wise. He knew what the world is made of, and
what difficulties one may have to face if a long rope is given to personal relationships
and external contacts with objects of sense. So this boy Rishyasringa was very well
guarded, and a great example of ideal nurturing of the tender mind is given to us in