{ Progress in cultivating the human spirit entails the
gradual disappearance of the materialistic ego. Covered
by ignorance, passion, and so-called goodness, the spirit

A soul thinks himself all in all and is covered by a false

| sense of ego. Thus he falsely identifies the soul with the

body, and his bodily relations with material things become
> aa: a WE the objects of his attraction. This false identification and

Bo eee attraction for matter gradually dry up and fade away by suc-

cess in the cultivation of the human spirit. That is the effect of

SN Sie such higher cultivation. Progress in spiritual culture brings

_ about the disintegration of false ego and material attraction.

Se Keg sa The ultimate goal of cultivating the human spirit is God

ig e r < realization and surrender unto God with a full sense of His

Ecis TEE: . __all-pervasive nature. When a liberated soul thus surrenders

ey ae . a eh, unto the lotus feet of the all-pervading Godhead, the ocean
¢=44) of nescience becomes as insignificant to him as the water in
abl ge se ,ep-q the small hoofprint of a calf. He at once becomes eligible to
~*~ be promoted to the spiritual kingdom, and he has nothing to
We peters do with the miserable land of the material world.

PATER 2 RR Cultivation of the human spirit is not, therefore, mere

ae Me + ~adjustment of materialistic anomalies. It is the process for

e ? preparing oneself to be promoted to the spiritual kingdom.

5 ees No one can adjust the sufferings of material existence, but

: by spiritual culture one can elevate himself from the effects

y of such miserable life. As an example one may cite the
condition of a dry coconut. The dry coconut pulp automati-

cally becomes separate from its outer skin. Similarly, the
outer skin, or the gross and subtle material coverings of the
soul, automatically separates from the spirit soul, and the
spirit soul can then exist in spiritual existence, even though
apparently within the dry skin. This freedom from the false
sense of ego is called the liberation of the soul.=

_ 98
