Students! You have been developing only outer vision. All happiness, joy and comfort come from within us. They do not come from anywhere outside. Whatever we see is a reflection of our own inner being. Keeping this in mind, you should develop pure feelings. That which has an outward vision is an animal. Human beings are the ones endowed with a Divine Nature. You should manifest that. Today, you have attained a high position having studied B.A., M.A., B.Com., M.Com., etc. These are because of the books that you have studied. But in reality, all knowledge is within you. If you don’t have that Divine energy, how can you study such books? It is that Divine energy that helped you to read those books. You should harness that energy. Selfish people use it for themselves, their family and for their selfish interests. You should use it for the welfare of the people. You should use it for the welfare of the world. Such knowledge has to be experienced and has to be spread across the world. It has to be used to develop good qualities. Without virtues, your education is a waste. Good qualities are the very breath of education. To develop these qualities, transformation is necessary. For that transformation, you should have spirituality. You should develop moral principles.
What is the use of having so much money? What is the use of power? People may respect you for that, but may not love you. Love is more important than respect. Respect is in reference to worldly affairs. Love is related to heart. Lead your life only to gain the love of people and not name and fame. All the other forms of respect are temporary and artificial. In front of you people may salute you, but behind you they may speak bad things about you. This is not what you should earn. You gain love only through right conduct. You should develop such good behaviour. What you gain out of behaviour, you can’t gain through books. Obedience and humility are very essential for education. If you feel proud that you are educated, you will be nearing your downfall. Ego in man is that disease which does not have any medicine. If this ego enters you, you can’t develop yourself.
Man and God
Students! Even if you know everything, you should behave as if you don’t know anything. I have told you many times, this is the main difference between Divinity and mankind. God behaves as if He does not know anything, even though He is omniscient. But man, even if he does not know anything, behaves as if he knows everything. God presents Himself as though He does not have anything even though He has everything. But man, even though he does not have anything, pretends as if he has everything. Man has got used to this sort of an ostentatious behaviour. It is for this reason that mankind is facing a downfall. This pomp and show should be avoided. Practise is what is required. You should have culture and good thoughts. You should practise these. Then alone will you be able to transform this human life into Divinity.
The Lord does not exist apart from you;
In fact He exists in your very body.
Sin does not exist apart from you;
It follows the deeds that you do.
Merit and sin do not get imported from somewhere else. They are neither gifted by friends, nor are they available in shops for you to buy. Good, bad, sorrow, happiness, are all the result of your past actions. Hence, do good, be good, see good and lead a good life. Happiness can be achieved only through goodness. This is the right way to God. If you ask yourself, “What is the way to God?” The reply is, “The best way to love God is to love all and serve all.” But today, such broadmindedness in service and love are not seen in anyone. We stared this Institute so that at least our students develop such qualities.
Students! Develop greater amount of interest in God compared to your interest for studies. There are many educated people in the world. There are many scholars. There are many people with intelligence. But they are not able to provide security and peace to the country. What is the reason? They are using all their intelligence and scholarship for developing themselves. But they are lacking the broad mindedness to pray for the welfare of the world. One should use one’s physical and mental energies for the society as one uses it for oneself. Not only in India, but also in other countries, there are people who are highly educated. But you cannot say that they are knowledgeable.
Knowledge without Discrimination is Useless
I told you the difference between a man of wisdom and a man who with education. Rama learnt 32 forms of education whereas Ravana learnt 64. Inspite of this, Valmiki called Ravana an ignorant person. Ravana was ignorant and Rama was wisdom personified. Even though Ravana studied a lot he was called ignorant. Despite his education, he succumbed to the senses. Hence he was considered ignorant. On the other hand, Rama had his senses under control. Hence he became a man of wisdom. He who has his senses under control is truly a man of wisdom.
Hiranyakashyap was a great scholar. None has studied like Hiranyakashyap nor does anyone have the strength that he had. He performed experiments and research hundred times in magnitude to the research conducted by scientists of these days. He even performed the experiments inside water. He had all sorts of powers under his control. He played with the 5 elements of nature. Unfortunately, such a man became a prey to the senses. What is the use of acquiring many external powers? You are seeing many objects like the solar system, the moon, the Milky Way, etc. But despite this success in the external world, man is unable to get rid of his ignorance. He is unable to overcome his weakness.
Of what use is so much learning?
Is it possible to erase the fate written on your forehead?
If the evils are harboured in the head,
It blunts one’s mind and dries it up to a trickle.
You should ensure that bad qualities do not enter your mind. If they enter you, all your education will become useless. If you possess knowledge, you should put it into action. Knowledge without action is useless. Action without knowledge is foolishness. Man is becoming foolish today. He has knowledge but no action. These two – knowledge and action should go together. Young Prahlada asked his father Hiranyakashyap, “What is it that you have gained? You are under the illusion that you have won over all the worlds. You are unable to control your senses. If you win the world, you will be called a king. If you win your senses, you will become an emperor. Hence your senses are your enemies. One who has surrendered to the internal enemies, how can he win the external enemies?”
You are succumbing to the enemies within you. You can’t catch the external foes. You should control the internal enemies first. Spirituality is the only way to do this. You can win over the senses through spirituality. That education which does not help in subduing the senses is useless. You are trying only for livelihood. Hard-work is for food. Education is for knowledge. But today, education seems to be only for livelihood. Education should not be for living.
In order to fill one’s little belly, taking many troubles, learning a million skills;
Yet being unable to find complete satisfaction!
Oh why should mankind suffer so miserably?
Won’t the supreme Lord show the way to the devotees who meditate upon Him!
That you have poured over many books, that you have delved deep into all sciences;
That you have acquired formidable learning, why do you feel so proud?
Folding your palms in devotion, if you do not adore the Supreme One
Isn’t your learning a wasteful fantasy, Oh man?
From the time you wake up till you go to sleep again,
Spending life recklessly just to cater to your belly,
Losing yourself to learning of various sorts,
And forgetting the lotus eyed Lord in the bargain!
How much of happiness and peace have you gained?
Think about it carefully, Oh man!
Right from dawn to dusk, all your activities are centred around filling your stomach. You are struggling for the sake of your stomach. What do you gain? Man is struggling in the same way as birds, beasts and animals are. They are in fact better than human beings. What is the use of man learning and earning so many degrees? Those animals did not go to any university. What degrees did they earn? Which foreign countries are they going to? They are not doing anything of this sort. But for man to learn special knowledge, skills and intelligence are necessary. Having received education, one should earn discrimination. This should also be governed by intelligent thinking. Today knowledge is increasing rapidly. But clarity of thought and discrimination (Viveka) are lacking. When knowledge is clubbed with Viveka, one can make good use of knowledge. Without Viveka, knowledge is useless.
How to use this knowledge? Knowledge is being used in multiple ways to create atom bombs and nuclear bombs. What is it that man does having created all these? They are turning countries into ashes. This is knowledge devoid of wisdom (Viveka). If this is put to use with Viveka, the atomic energy can be developed and can be used for production of various utilities and providing amenities to the public. People need food. People need various things which make life simpler and convenient. Is there greatness in killing people using bombs? Try to save the life of at least a single person. This is knowledge with Viveka.
OM SAI RAM!!!
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