203. Some people have alarmed me that Pranayam and Sirshasan are dangerous sometimes and it might turn a person mad even. Though I discount such alarms, yet my conviction is not firm. Kindly write of any possible harm accruing from the practice of Pranayam and Sirshasan

Be within your limits while performing Asans and Pranayam. Do not strain yourself to the point of exhaustion. None turns mad by performing Sirshasan and Pranayam. There is a rule for everything. Start from the initial stages and gradually increase the period as you find improvement.

204. Which Yogic Asans can a married lady having children profitably practice without any harm accruing therefrom?

A Grihini with children can practice all the Asans subject to certain restrictions just as in the case of a man. She should not practice during the period of monthly courses and three or four days thereafter, during any of the ailments peculiar to her sex, and during pregnancy. Sirshasan, Sarvangasan, Matsyasan, Halasan, Padahastasan, Bhujangasan, Salabhasan and Paschimottanasan are a few of the important Asans she can practice. To these can be added Yoga Mudra and Viparitakarani Mudra. Kriyas and Bandhas, as also Surya Namaskaras, can be performed likewise. The only conditions necessary, though not compulsory, for deft performance of all these are sliminess of body and balance over the physical frame. There is absolutely no harm in a household lady practicing Asans, but she should subject herself to the imposed restrictions cited above.

205. What is meant by "killing of conscience"?

He who is pure in thought, speech and action, who fears sin and Adharma, who is pious, God-fearing and equanimous, who is balanced and capable of maintaining equilibrium, will have his conscience in an unblemished state. He who has abundant Sattva (quality of purity) will always have an unmarred conscience. Expansion of heart gives rise to the hearing of the voice of conscience. Inner guidance will always be to that individual who has Sattva in abundant measure by way of Japa, Svadhyaya, Pranayam, selfless service and other elevative works (Yajna).

"Killing of conscience" means killing of what is divine in man, killing of the enviable quality of Sattva, expenditure of the laudable wealth of Dharma, the praiseworthy treasure of spiritual progress. He who is God-fearing can never commit anything that debases him or degrades him in moral evolution. To kill the conscience means to kill the God in man, to make an end of all Daivi Sampat (wealth of divine qualities) and equal oneself to a brute and reduce oneself to a spiritual cannibal. True conscience is another name for the Antaratma or Inner Soul. Go through my book "Ethical Teachings" in this connection.

206. Is procreation a sin?

Neither manhood nor womanhood nor procreation is a sin. A seeker after Truth can beget children and later take to the path of renunciation either in and through the world or entirely out of the clutches of the world. The moment one begets a male child for the upkeep of the progeny, one can devote oneself wholeheartedly to Sannyasa if he so wishes, though it is not a hard and fast rule to have a male child before taking Sannyas. The need for a male child, though not imperative, is in consonance with the Sruti.