In this illuminating book the author traces the decent of the individual from his true divine status to his present condition and describes his ascent back to God. He explains how the various aspects of man's relative existence can be instrumental in the realization of his perfect being, which, in fact, he has never lost. The matter discussed herein is, in short, an explanation of the involution and evolution of the soul. One finds in these pages the Vedantic answers to many of the big questions that we have asked since we first started asking. It provides not only an intellectual understanding of the soul's journey, but also practical counsels on how to speed it along.
The disciple must have great power of endurance. Life seems comfortable; and you find the mind behaves well when everything is going well with you. But if something goes wrong, your mind loses its balance. That is not good. Bear all evil and misery without one murmur of hurt, without one thought of unhappiness, resistance, remedy, or retaliation. That is true endurance; and that you must acquire.
-Swami Vivekananda