Sipher

The Sheikh started with the problem uppermost in his mind. He said:  'Either seek worldly prosperity or seek God. Put not thy feet on two boats lest thou losest the entire capital'.  This question was in keeping with his declared conviction that it was not possible for a house-holder to find God. The Guru replied equally firmly, verified by the biographers, thus:  'Put thy feet as also thy capital on both boats (remain a householder but detached in the love of God). If one boat were to sink, the other would cross over(i.e. would be there for thy rescue). The love of God would save thee from worldly entanglements and the love of family, with all the responsibilities it entailed, would curb renunciation taking extreme forms. Thus imbalance in both extremes would be liquidated and harmony restored. Human personality remained incomplete unless both the mystic and the mundane aspects of life were advanced. (This view was further explained in the next line.) When a man possesse...