The Equinox (Volume I, Number III)

THE EQUINOX Better than the sacrifice of any objects is the sacrifice of wisdom, O Paran- tapa. All actions in their entirety, O Partha, culminate in wisdom. As the burning fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so doth the fire of wisdom reduce all actions to ashes. Verily there is nothing so pure in this world as wisdom; he that is perfected in Yoga finds it in the Atman in due season.* KARMA YOGA. Union through Work. Very closely allied to Gnana Yoga is Karma Yoga, Yoga through work, which may seem only a means towards the former. But this is not so, for not only must the aspirant commune with the Atman through the knowledge or wisdom he attains, but also through the work which aids him to attain it. A good example of Karma Yoga is quoted from Chuang- Tzu by Flagg in his work on Yoga. It is as follows: Prince Hui’s cook was cutting up a bullock. Every blow of his hand, every heave of his shoulders, every tread of his foot, every thrust of his knee, every whshh of rent flesh, every chhk of the chopper, was in perfect harmony,— rhythmical like the dance of the mulberry grove, simultaneous like the chords of Ching Shou.” “Well done,” cried the Prince; “yours is skill indeed.” “Sire,” replied the cook, “I have always devoted myself to Zao (which here means the same as Yoga). Jt zs better than skill, When I first began to cut up bullocks I saw before me simply whole Judlocks. After three years’ practice I saw no more whole animals, And now I work with my mind and not with my eye. When my senses bid me stop, but my mind urges me on, I fall back upon eternal * «The Bhagavad-Gita,” iv, 33, 37, 38. Compare with the above “The Wisdom of Solomon,” eg.: “For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtle, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good... . for wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness. For she is the breath of the power of God.” (Chap. VII, 22, 24, 25.) 70