The family of the husband which you enter with marriage is a good training ground, it is a Sadhana-Kshetra. When you are found fault with, do not fly into a rage; examine your own conduct and discover the faults in yourselves; self-examination is the first step to self-improvement and peace. Do not exaggerate the faults of others, but, give them a wide margin and see them as small; exaggerate yours, see them as big and strive to remove them fast. Take all faultfinders as your friends and well-wishers for they give you warning-signals in time. (SSS Vol.3, pp. 63-64)
The first equipment that is necessary for the individual is a rigorous self-examination to remove all evil from oneself. Do not try to cover up the defects, the down-dragging tendencies and habits. When people go to a shop to purchase cloth to have dresses prepared for themselves, have you noticed that they prefer coloured materials to white? The answer they will give when you question them why they choose coloured materials is, "It will not reveal dirt"! So, you see how anxious people are to hide their defects, instead of striving to remove them. They are so much attached to physical comfort and objective pleasure. (SSS Vol. 6)
You must strive to diagnose your own character and discover the faults that are infesting it; do not try to analyse the character of others and seek to spot their defects. This self-examination is very necessary to bring to light the defects that might undermine one s spiritual career. People buy clothes with deep colour, so that they may not reveal dust or dirt; they do not prefer white clothes, for they show plainly their soiled condition. But, do not try to hide your dirt in darkness; be ashamed of soiled natures and endeavour to cleanse them fast. (SSS Vol. 6)
Saying one thing and being another will defeat the very purpose. The slightest sign of hypocrisy will weaken the foundations of the edifice. That is why it is necessary to lay down certain tests and qualifications, certain broad guide-lines for those who stand forth as workers in this field. Standards and systematic self-examination are necessary at every stage for the success of every effort. (SSS Vol.7)
Dangers can be averted if men realise the sacredness of human existence. People have to ask themselves how they are using the time that is given to them. In a year there are 3,15,36,000 seconds. How is man using these precious moments? How many seconds is he devoting to respecting elders and honouring his parents? How many seconds does he spend for earning his food? And how many is he wasting on useless activities? How many is he devoting to seeing films and T.V? How many is he spending on reading meaningless novels? And how many on studying worthwhile books? How many does he devote to God? How many to rectify his inner feelings?
If this sort of enquiry is made it will be found that the average man spends most of his time on mundane activities. Not even ten minutes or ten seconds are devoted wholeheartedly to spiritual enquiry or self-examination.
All are ostensibly engaged in the pursuit of Truth, all are devoting their time to God. They go on pilgrimages. But even in these trips, they do not concentrate their thoughts on God for a few moments. They don t make any internal enquiry.
To seek the Truth and experience God, there is no need to go out anywhere. By going to a forest or visiting temples, the inner being is not purified. Renouncing all worldly things, one must explore his inner life. This prescription of sacrifice is what the Vedas recommended for attaining immortality. (SSS Vol.26)
Humanness is a combination of the body and consciousness. Man has to embark on self-scrutiny as the first step in spirituality. Only then the reality can be comprehended. No one undertakes self-examination, though everyone is ready to condemn others. Only the person who is prepared to examine and punish himself for his lapses is competent to judge others. (SSS Vol.30)