FREEDOM IN SELF-REALIZATION
the religious feeling of this great intensity is as free subjectively as it is restrained in the physical sense. This restraint is not put on it; it is spontaneous. Wherever the flash of perfect beauty falls on the heart of man, its effect is as of lightning. This vision lifts the human consciousness from the physical plane where it receives the kiss of Beauty, into the salient regions of ecstasy to the pang of separation from it. The devotee of Beauty thus rises and falls into himself. Both the sorrow and joy of the true religious feeling are equally glorious; they react on each other to a still higher fulfillment. A Sikh peasant was noticed continuously to utter the Name of God- “Glory, Glory”-and they of the earth asked him why he repeated the same word to no purpose. “I am not quite well,” said he; “my skin smarts, it burns; I feel sharp needles piercing me all over, it is very painful. The air burns me; I perspire, I feel sick; I cry-no one can save me from this hell-fire. And brothers! the only cure for me is this ‘useless repetition’ of this pebble-like name ‘Wah Guru’, ‘Wah Guru’. The only cure for me is this repetition of ‘Glory’, ‘Glory’ that you think useless. My religion is this licking of saltless rocks.” With this utterance, I feel as if I am having a dip in the Himalayan Ganga.