Egoism plus Sadhana is better than egoism minus Sadhana
by Swami Sivananda
The message seems to be that where it is possible to adhere to these rules, why not adhere to them? It is the ego that says “I don’t want these rules.”
You are practising Yoga in order to deal with that. If the mind suggests that you don’t need temple Puja, that is the ego.
Of course it is also possible to develop the temple-going egoism and to say “I have never abandoned Puja even for a day,” or “I have always been meditating for three hours every morning.”
The ego keeps doing something—going to the temple, sitting and meditating, doing some Asanas, Japa, Pranayama. You are egoistic about that.
If you abandon Sadhana in order to avoid this Sadhana-ego you are left with nothing except egoism. Egoism plus Sadhana is better than egoism minus Sadhana.
