The body, the sense organs, the mind and the intellect are the instruments for a human being. Only when one understands the secrets of these instruments will one be able to comprehend the Atmic Principle. If you cannot understand the vesture you are wearing, how can you understand the mystery of the infinite, indwelling Spirit? However great a scholar you may be, however profound your knowledge of the Scriptures, you still have to learn about the body because it brings with it the consequences of the previous lives of the individual. The body is the basic instrument for all the actions in life and for the acquisition of all knowledge and skills. The body should be regarded primarily as an instrument for the realization of the Divine. Attachment to the body for physical pleasures should be given up. It is essentially sacred and precious for it is the abode of the Atma (spirit) and should be used only for sacred purposes.

- Divine Discourse, 5th Oct 1997.