Some Masters have taught that the best way to achieve Man-O-Nash is to forget oneself through devotion and to give the mind no chance of having new impressions. The question is how to forget oneself through devotion (Bhakti Marg). When one is devoted 100 percent, then one forgets oneself. But this, too, is practically impossible, because such devotion and forgetfulness have to be continuous. Hafiz has said, "If you want the presence of the Beloved, do not absent yourself from the memory of the Beloved." You must not be for one moment without this devotion or without self-forgetfulness, which is almost an impossibility. Therefore one Master has said, "One moment with the Perfect Master is better than a hundred years of sincere prayers." Now some Masters have taught that mind must be diverted if it is to be killed. Mind makes the ego say "I am body." Therefore make the mind say, "I am not body, I am not this and not that, I am God." Now this, too, is almost impossible, because mind has its own impressions and to compel this mind to say what it thinks to be false and contrary to its own impressions seems like an hypocritical act. For example, mind knows that it is Mr. So and So. Now, if this person's mind says, "I am not a human being, but I am God," then at that very moment the mind thinks that it is lying. The result is that this tires out the heart—the emotions and love; the mind cannot accomplish actionless actions because mind says, "I am God, what do I have to act for?" Mind says, mind cannot forget itself in devotion because it repeats, "I am God, to whom should l pray?"

So Man-O-Nash becomes impossible. But if selfless action (even if not perfect) is persisted in, a stage is reached when mind is permanently at peace. It sees God, but it is not yet destroyed. If through Bhakti a state of love is achieved by which constant devotion is attained, then this peace of mind and seeing of God comes. So if one says, "I am God, I am not body," and persists in this saying with 100 percent faithfulness at the cost of everything, then this peace of mind is achieved. But for Man-O-Nash there is always the need of help of the Perfect Master. One who is free from the binding of impressions can "uproot" the minds of others, even of masses.

In short, there are all these ways to attempt and to make one feel superficially "I am God, Infinite, Eternal, etc." But it is rightly said, "You cannot step out of your nature, so how can you aspire to enter the threshold of your Beloved?"

Following different paths, different people encounter different difficulties. Some who do not know the technique of meditation go mad. Some say