A farmer clears and levels the land, removes the stones and thorns, ploughs and prepares the field, manures and strengthens the soil, waters and fertilizers it, and sowing, transplanting, weeding, spraying and waiting, he reaps the crop, and after winnowing and thrashing, he stacks the corn. All these various processes are for the sake of the stomach; so too, one must feel that hunger, thirst, joy and sorrow, grief and loss, suffering and anger, food and appetite are
but impulses helping us towards attaining the Presence of the Lord. When one has this attitude, sin will never tarnish these activities. The appetites too will vanish, without a vestige of name and form. (Prema Vahini, p. 61)

The taste of food or of anything eaten cannot be grasped if the person is ill or even if the mind is immersed in something else. So also, even if one is engaged in Namasmarana, Bhajana, Japa or Dhayana, if the heart is full of Tamas or if it is wayward, no joy can be experienced, joy can never well up, under such circumstances. The tongue will be sweet, so long as there is sugar upon the tongue; if there is the pillar of light, Bhakti, in the corridor of the heart, so long as that lamp burns, there will be no darkness. The heart willl be illumined in Bliss. A bitter thing in the tongue makes the whole tongue bitter; when qualities like greed and anger enter the heart, the brightness disappears and darkness dominates the scene and Man becomes the target of countless griefs and losses. Therefore, those who aspire to attain the holy Presence of the Lord, must acquire certain habits, disciplines and qualities. The usual, accustomed way of life will not lead to god. They have to be modified somewhat, by means of Sadhana. (Prema Vahini, pp. 61-62)