Selections from "The Holy Science" by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (vegetarian), Chapter 2 - The Goal, Part 2 of 2

“The root of pain is egoistic actions, which (being based on delusions) lead to misery. Why man is bound. By the influence of these five troubles— ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and tenacity to the material creation— man is induced to involve himself in egoistic works and in consequence he suffers.”

“Man’s purpose is complete freedom from unhappiness. Once he has banished all pain beyond possibility of return, he has attained the highest goal. Ultimate aim of the heart. With man the cessation of all suffering is Artha, the heart’s immediate aim. The complete extirpation of all these sufferings so that their recurrence becomes impossible, is Paramartha, the ultimate goal.”

“Existence, consciousness, and bliss are the three longings (of the human heart). Ananda, bliss, is the contentment of heart attained by the ways and means suggested by the Savior, the Sat-Guru. Chit, true consciousness, brings about the complete destruction of all troubles and the rise of all virtues. Sat, existence, is attained by realization of the permanency of the soul. These three qualities constitute the real nature of man.”

“How man attains Bliss. When man becomes fortunate in securing the favor of any divine personage, Sat-Guru (the Savior), and affectionately following his holy precepts is able to direct all his attention inward, he becomes capable of satisfying all the wants of his heart and can thereby gain contentment, Ananda, the Real Bliss.”

“How main object of the heart is attained. All the necessities of the heart— Sat, Existence; Chit, Consciousness; and Ananda, Bliss — having been attained. Ignorance, the mother of evils, becomes emaciated and consequently all troubles of this material world, which are the sources of all sorts of sufferings, cease forever. Thus the ultimate aim of the heart is effected.”

“All fulfillments of his nature attained, man is not merely a reflector of Divine Light but becomes actively united with Spirit. This state is Kaivalya, oneness.”

“In this state man comprehends his Self as a fragment of the Universal Holy Spirit, and, abandoning the vain idea of his separate existence, unifies himself with the Eternal Spirit; that is, becomes one and the same with God the Father. This unification of Self with God is Kaivalya, which is the Ultimate Object of all created beings.”