112. Apart from the Guru, do you think that a mediator is necessary in order to enable us to attain Self-realization?

Yes, yes. That is the Tutelary Deity or Ishta Devata. The mind cannot all at once rise beyond itself. The ego will seldom cut its own throat. Your consciousness will find it a hard task to realize the Cosmic Consciousness. Therefore the Name and the Form of a Deity are chosen to meditate upon. In due time, this Deity will manifest Itself before you and do the work of annihilating the ego and the mind, enabling you to realize Cosmic Consciousness.

113. What is the need to attain Moksha, Swamiji?

To understand this you should resort to Satsang and study of scriptures. An intellect that is clouded by all sorts of desires and evil Samskaras will not be able to grasp even the need for Moksha. Such an intellect is Asuric. Read the Gita. Attend Satsang. Listen to the discourses of saints and Sannyasins. Then Viveka will arise in you. You will understand that this world is full of pain and sorrow. The bungalow, the motor-car, the little position and the small salary that you are having now will not then satisfy you. Your aspirations will grow. You will want to liberate yourself.

What great labour goes into the preparation of the microscope lens? After a lot of grinding only you are able to peep into the beyond. Similarly, after a lot of study and Satsang only will your intellect even think of the Beyond.

114. Can a man not lead a good, virtuous life, be charitable, truthful and noble, work for the welfare of the community and die a good man, without aspiring for anything beyond this life?

If you lead a virtuous life and die, you will die as a good man, not as a saint. You will not attain Moksha.

You have hundreds of good men. But, how many saints have you got? Even real aspirants are rare in the world now. Even in your category of "good men", there are grades. How many good men have you got of Gandhiji's type?

What do your good men do? They may be truthful and noble; they may be charitable and pious. But, even they will be selfish at the core. They will hoard wealth and look after only their own wife and children. Will they feel that all children are theirs? When they bring sweetmeats from the bazaar, will they give to other people's children first? No, no. Because they have no knowledge of the truth that the One Self dwells in all beings. Unless this understanding of the Truth dawns on them, unless they meditate upon this Supreme Reality and strive to realize It, how can they develop renunciation and the true spirit of selfless service?

To be a good man is no doubt a better ideal than to be merely a human animal full of vicious qualities. But it is only a means to an end; it is only a step nearer the goal, not the end or the goal itself. The goal is Self-realization or Moksha. In order to achieve that, you must be good and do good; and you must do more— you must cultivate discrimination, dispassion and a correct attitude to life; you must meditate, do Japa and Kirtan, study scriptures. Then by the grace of God, you will attain the goal!