Maharshi on the use of will power

[Guest guest]

Devotee: Is not will power necessary for success. It should ensure

success and also rule out failure. ...Bhagawan said its necessary for

strength of mind.

 

No answer

 

Devotee: I try to gain will power. After these years (three) I find

myself only where I began. There is no progress.

 

No answer

 

Devotee: What are the means of gaining will power?

 

Maharshi: Your idea of will power is success insured. Will power should

be understood to be the strength of mind which makes it capable for

meeting success or failure with equanimity. It is not synonymous with

certain success. Why should one' attempts be always attended with

success? Success develops arrogance and the man's spiritual progress is

thus arrested. Failure on the other hand is beneficial, inasmuch as it

opens the eyes of the man to his limitations and prepares him to

surrender himself. Self-surrender is synonymous with eternal happiness.

Therefore one should try to gain the equipose of mind under all

circumstances. That is will power. Again, success and failure are the

results of prarabdha and not of will power. A man my be doing only good

and noble actions and yet prove a failure. Another may do otherwise and

yet be uniformly successful. This does not mean that the will power is

present in the one and not in the other.....................

 

 

Devotee: Is will power gained by divesting oneself of thoughts?

 

Maharshi: Rather by confining oneself to a single thought. Ultimately

this will also disappear, leaving Pure Consciousness behind.

Concentration helps one to it.

 

Devotee: So then, it is gained by directing the mind and concentrating

it. The personality has nothing to do with it.

 

Maharshi: Personality is the root-cause of external activities. It must

sink for gaining the highest good.

 

 

Talks 390.2