be fixed in the Self

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Day by Day with Bhagavan________9-10-45 AfternoonMr. K. Mahatani asked in continuation of the above, "Ifwe want to succeed in any enterprise in the world, we mustgive our whole mind and heart to it. Otherwise we cannotsucceed. So it is rather impracticable to devote one's mindboth to God and worldly activity."Bhagavan: If one keeps fixed in the Self, the activitieswill still go on and their success will not be affected. One shouldnot have the idea that one is the doer. The activities will still goon. That force, by whatever name you may call it, which broughtthe body into existence will see to it that the activities whichthis body is meant to go through are brought about.Mr. Mahatani was still not quite satisfied and thereuponBhagavan referred him to read an article on renunciation whichis found at the end of the Gita Press edition of Bhagavad Gita.This article mentions seven stages of renunciation andBhagavan said, "Let Mr. Mahatani see if anything in this articleappeals to him". I read out the whole article in the hall for thebenefit of all, as Bhagavan desired. It is said there that onewho has reached the seventh stage of renunciation will notfeel even when his body is cut by a weapon or some othersuffering is inflicted on him. When this portion was beingread Bhagavan remembered the following poem.(non-english script)(i.e., They won't be afraid even if guileful enemies stabtheir chest or they are surrounded by fire or bitten by a cobra,all will be bliss for them). This is found in Ponnambala Swami'scommentary on Bhagavad Gita in Tamil stanzas, Chapter VIVerse 17 (Page 150 of the Asramam book). Continuing thistopic, I said, "It is true such things are said in the books. But wesee that the jnani feels pain. Even one like Sri RamakrishnaParamahamsa felt pain when he had cancer of the throat andcried out, `Why has mother sent this pain to me?'"Bhagavan: It may be like that in the beginning, due tolong association or habit. But afterwards it will pass off.In this connection I must record that long ago, once whenBhagavan was suffering from some illness and I expressedconcern, Bhagavan was pleased to explain to me that he feltthe pain as in a dream and no more.