13th October, 1938

Talk 528.

A middle-aged Andhra man asked: "Is thought of God necessary for fixing one's sight (or making the mind one-pointed)?"
M.: What is the practice?

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D.: To fix the look.
M.: What for?
D.: To gain concentration.
M.: The practice gives work for the eye right enough; but where is the work for the mind in the process?

D.: What should I do for it?
M.: Thought of God, certainly.
D.: Does the practice make one ill?
M.: Maybe. But all will be rightly adjusted of its own accord.
D.: I practised dhyana ^[?] for four hours a day and fixation of sight for two hours. I became ill. Then others said that it was owing to my practice. So I gave up dhyana.

M.: Matters will adjust themselves.
D.: Is it not better that the gaze of the eye becomes fixed naturally?
M.: What do you mean?
D.: Is practice necessary to fix the gaze or is it better to leave it to happen of its own accord?

M.: What is practice if it is not an attempt to make something natural?

It will become natural after long practice.

D.: Is pranayama ^[?] necessary?
M.: Yes. It is useful.
D.: I did not practise it. But should I undertake it?
M.: Everything will be all right with sufficient strength of mind.
D.: How shall I get the strength of mind?
M.: By pranayama.
D.: Is food-regulation also necessary?
M.: It is certainly useful.
D.: Should my contemplation be on the Infinite or the limited being?

M.: What do you mean?
D.: May I contemplate on Sri Krishna or Sri Rama alternately?
M.: Bhavana ^[?] implies khanda ^[?] i.e., division.

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