Philosophy is a subject not based on reason but intuition. It starts not from ‘doubt’ as most of the western philosophers hold, but from ‘wonder’. Generally philosophers have attempted things before actually going into the life of practice, as is commonly the case with the western philosophers. I may say that it is not certain that a philosopher being a philosopher cannot be corrupt or degraded. But there is no possibility of corruption if he had studied things by leading a practical life. Sages in India have generally attempted philosophy by first going into the life of practicality. They have opened the secrets of existing things, as far as they could do, at their level of advancement. The outcome is the six schools of philosophy in different hues. We should always attempt the expression of things when our practice or abhyas is over. This is the key point for the philosopher to note in order to achieve the accuracy of things.

India is the home of spirituality and as such the pursuit of the Real has been active here in all ages. Spirituality is a science concerning the power, which flows from the original repository and has the capacity, in the form of knots, both of creating and destroying. The sages in India have used the power of creation for the reformation of humanity. The destructive power too is found in such abundance that even the atom bomb is nothing in comparison. The yogi uses these things according to the divine command and his will power. At present too this power is being utilised and a new world is being created. Spiritual renaissance must necessarily take place and India will again lead the world, no matter how long a time it may take. Other countries have begun to realise that no nation can even survive without spirituality. The age of diplomacy and stratagem is now passing swiftly. By the end of this century a great change is bound to take place. Every one should gladly welcome what is destined to befall and should come to the path of spirituality whereby his welfare is promoted. I am revealing herein the greater philosophy. People may grasp it or not in the beginning but in due course of time they will surely begin to realise as such.

Great men are not accidentally born. They are born when world waits for them in eager expectation. Such is the phenomenon of Nature. India, the home of spirituality, was groping in darkness and had totally forgotten the age old system of yoga. Solid materialism had taken the place of fine spiritualism. Dark clouds of ignorance were hovering all over. Yogic transmission had become quite foreign to the Hindus. At this stage, when spirituality was tottering helplessly, some great personality was urgently needed to set things right, for the upliftment of mankind.

It was the auspicious day of Basant Panchami, February 2, 1873, on which the power of Nature descended to earth in the human form of Samarth Guru Mahatma Shri Ram Chandraji Maharaj at Fatehgarh in district Farukhabad (U.P.). The happy day so beautifully co-ordinated with the most pleasant season of the year breathed into every heart the blooming freshness of the spring. The blissful time ushered in by his advent introduced a new era of spiritual awakening which promises a practical solution of the human problem of existence. We are struck with a reverend joyful awe when we recall to our mind the grand renaissance brought about by him in the spiritual field. He offers an easy solution of the problem of existence, which has ever been confounding even the greatest of sages.

This Divine personality was born in a respectable Kayastha family. His childhood was influenced by his mother, a noble-minded simple lady, who spent most of her time in devotion and worship. It was due to her influence, that he received inspiration at a very early age. The incident goes, that one day while he was playing with his mates, some Divine force aroused in him the feeling that he had not come for the purpose he was engaged in. He had to realise himself and to equip himself for the greater task ahead. The soul was awakened and he set to it in right earnest. He attained perfection only in seven months – really an unparalleled example. Since then he devoted the whole of his life for the cause of spirituality. He is the Adi Guru of our Mission.

He was an embodiment of moderation, toleration and devotion. With him dawned the new era of yogic training through transmission, of which he was the master. He showed a way to bring a man to perfection in one life only, and even leading a family life in the grihastha ashram. He used to say that troubles and miseries of grihastha life are penances and sacrifices for spiritual attainments. He had simplified the method of spiritual training to a great extent and adjusted it to suit the requirements of our time. With a high calibre and spiritual dignity, our great Master, the Divine Light, devoted every moment of his life to the upliftment of humanity. He was in fact the Nature’s prodigy and his work in the spiritual field is beyond common conception. His wonderful researches in this science have made human approach up to the highest limit, in the least possible time, quite possible and practicable. He introduced an improved system of raja yoga which later came to be known as ‘Sahaj Marg’. After serving the masses for about 36 years this spiritual genius left his material form at the age of 58 on the 14^{th of August 1931. The work he did during his lifetime is beyond conception. Posterity will know his merits in due course.}

Shri Ram Chandra Mission was established at Shahjahanpur (U.P.) on 31st March 1945 after the name of this great personality, by me as his successor, through his grace; and slowly it is attracting the seekers of the Real from everywhere. I am happy that Master’s grace is working in this respect and people are attracted to benefit from his grace.

The system of ‘Sahaj Marg Sadhana’ now followed in the Mission presents an easy and natural path for the attainment of the Ultimate. Sahaj Marg does not advise those cruder methods which are hardly practicable in the routine life of man. Under the Sahaj Marg system of spiritual training the action of the senses is regulated in a natural way so as to bring them to their original state, i.e. just as it was when it assumed the human form for the first time. Not only this, but the lower vrittis (modifications), which are working independently, are subjected to the control of super-consciousness. Hence their perverse action is stopped. The higher centres come under the charge of divine centres, and in this way the whole system begins to get divinised.

Whatever I say or write is on the basis of my own experience and anubhava irrespective of what Shankar, Ramanuja or others might have said about their own. Every one in this world wants peace. That means that realisation is not his object. In that case he will get only peace and not realisation is not his object. In that case he will get only peace and not realisation. But if realisation is the object, peace will automatically come on its wake. We should not be only after knowing what realisation is but also try to attain it as well.

Generally people think that it is difficult – nay, quite impossible, to attain liberation in this very life. This, however, is a mistaken idea. Who knows perhaps this very life of ours might be the last one, taking us towards liberation. Our Master’s declaration is that a sadhak can reach such a state not only in one and the same birth (lifetime) but even within a shorter period, if he is a diligent worker and has got a real guide. This he proved also, but the proof is impossible to be given in words. Our experience alone can show it.

The popular belief that God can be sought for only in the midst of the forest, as if He is but a forest dweller, is vain and absurd. I believe He can better be sought for in the midst of one’s own heart. But for that purpose, the spirit of the Spartans is necessary.

There is not the least justification for any one to flee away from home in utter disregard of his worldly duties and wander about without any definite aim or purpose. As a matter of fact even in that state of vairagya, one is seldom free from feelings of worldliness. The most important feature of this system of sadhana is that it goes on in conjunction with the normal worldly living of the common man, with due regard to his duties and responsibilities of life, so that both the facets of life – the worldly and the Divine – may develop equally bright. We do not mean merely to preach or propagate these ideas, but also to bring them into practise and apply them in daily life.

The Mission aims at the promulgation of the ideology set forth by the great Master through this newly introduced system of Sahaj Marg, and to awaken the sleeping masses to Divine consciousness, so as to set them right on the path of progress. For this purpose, it is but essential that the old mechanical methods involving forced austerity and penances, most ill-fitted to the environments of the present day life, must necessarily be set aside and replaced by simple and natural means.

As far as the attainment of liberation or complete freedom is concerned, almost all the great sages of the past and the present agree on the point that raja yoga alone is the path that ensures success up to the final limit of human approach; and everyone destined to complete freedom, i.e. realisation, must sooner or later come up to it. Sahaj Marg runs closely along the lines of raja yoga; but of course, with certain amendments and modifications to purge out superfluity from that system.

Under Sahaj Marg, the Master’s support being a very special feature of sadhana, it becomes incumbent upon the abhyasi to seek a worthy guide to lead him on, helping him by his power transmitted through the yogic process of pranahuti. The Master by the application of his inner powers, awakens and accelerates the dormant forces in the abhyasi to action and directs the flow of Divine current towards his heart, through the process of pranahuti. As a result, the abhyasi begins to advance spiritually experiencing more and more of bliss. The abhyasi has only to prepare himself to receive it or in other words to make himself capable and deserving of it. In this way all that which previously required persistent labour and hardships, can now be achieved very easily in a much shorter time with least labour. But it is all practical and cannot in any way be put into words. Only practical experience can reveal its merits.

Many a man must have had a taste of the condition of peace. In fact the actual state of real peace is beyond comprehension. It admits no contradiction. It is literally neither peace nor restlessness, neither union nor separation, neither bliss nor otherwise. It is, after all, that for which we had developed pain. May you all have a taste of that pain. It is not, however, difficult to cultivate. Only a firm will and an undivided attention towards it is all that is required for the purpose. Then that you seek for will be found quite close to you, rather with you – nay, you might yourself be that which you seek for. For that there must be a burning in the heart, which might burn down the weeds and bushes on the path.

I do not mean to advocate, in any way, the orthodox idea of gurudom. In our sanstha we take it in the sense of common brotherhood, in a spirit of service and sacrifice, helping each other as needed and required. The Sahaj Marg system of spiritual practice and training is open to every one without any distinction of creed, caste, sex or colour. Seekers of Truth may come to experience and practise and derive the greatest benefit from the grace of my Master, who has turned a new leaf in the tradition of Indian philosophy. May the benign supervision of the Master Supreme, guide all to the Realisation of the Ultimate Goal, and fulfilment of human purpose.