A Letter of Swami Ramakrishnananda

Thiruvalikeni [Triplicane, Chennai]
14.08.1904

Dear friend Chokkalingam Pillai,

I was glad to go through your letter describing your mental state. It is extremely good that you want to become a genuine Yogi. But even before you try to become a Yogi, it is absolutely necessary to do certain things. Is it possible to build a house before the construction of the foundation? First, you have to do your duty to your soul, and to your wife and children, if you have any. You have to do your duty to your relations, friends and neighbours. You have to be charitable, honest in earning wealth and truthful. Not only that; your soul and body itself should have intense devotion and love for God. You have to continue like this till you acquire all the virtues mentioned above. You should certainly know that people do not have the right to enter the house of Yoga till the body and mind become extremely pure. Yoga is not controlling the breath, doing pranayama or practising certain special ‘postures’. Annihilating all the desires in the mind is yoga. Only pure-minded persons can throw out the results of evil desires from their mind. Therefore, my dear friend, you should always try to become pure-hearted by doing properly your duties to your parents, wife and children, friends and neighbours. First of all you should try to become an ideal householder. Only then you can truly become a Yogi. Otherwise, it will never be possible.

With loving blessings, your dear friend.

Ramakrishnananda

(Source : Vedanta Kesari, January 2009, p.37)