It is good and very grand to conquer external nature, but grander still to conquer the internal nature of man. It is grand and good to know the laws that govern the stars and planets; it is infinitely grander and better to know the laws that govern the passions, the feelings, the will, of mankind. This conquering of the inner man, understanding the secrets of the subtle workings that are within the human mind, and knowing its wonderful secrets, belong entirely to religion.
We should never forget that our real objective is to enshrine the Lord in the heart of every man in the world, for the real temple of the Lord is the human heart. There within the heart of every man the ground has to be consecrated, for it has been defiled by the profanity of worldly desires and pleasures. There on that consecrated ground let the temple of Divine Communion be raised and the overflowing bliss of the Supreme Good reign. Infinite Bliss from within, that is the idea. Let the devotee be flooded over by this Bliss from within. Preaching is real only when this Bliss provides for its own preaching. One devotee overflowing from within with this Divine Bliss is worth a million dollars of propagandist devices. One real temple raised in the human heart is worth dozens of temples built outside. Remember that our objective is really to raise the temple from within. I pray that our Lord may shower His blessings upon you more and more, as He is doing, till your life becomes pervaded through and through by a blessedness which is His love, which is He Himself. May you be submerged in the reality of His Presence. With loving blessings to all,
Yours in the Lord,
Swami Premananda