From ‘Life and teachings of Sri Ma Anandamayi’ by Bithika Mukerji

Apply your reasoning power, your intellect, to the quest for Immortality – all else will follow as a matter of course. It is just like watering the roots of a tree. The tree grows by it's own power, throws out branches and leaves, gives forth blossoms and fruits at proper season.

The supreme duty of man is, therefore, to undertake the quest for his true Being – whether one takes the path of devotion, where the ‘I’ is lost in the ‘Thou’ or the path of self-inquiry, in search of the true ‘I’ – it is He alone who is found in the ‘Thou’ as well as in the ‘I’

- Sri Ma Anandamayi



…..samyamavrata …….. Once a week one should make a strong resolve to live in the sphere of Truth only. On that day, one should eat sparingly, watch one’s speech and action carefully to avoid the least incorrect utterance or unworthy behavior; emotions should be controlled. One should look upon the children as child manifestations (bala-gopala) of the Divine; one’s wife or husband as not only an object of love but of reverence as well. One should render services to all the members of the family (including servants) in a spirit of humility. Even if there should be occasions for anger or other provocations one should respond with calmness and not be jolted out of a tranquil frame of mind. In spite of a few or many failures in the beginning one should persevere till the goal of perfect samyama in thought, speech and action is attained. If one member of the family practices this vrata then the entire family will feel the calming effects of that one day.