You are the heirs to truth and righteousness. Truth and righteousness depend on you. Students should have broad-mindedness. Then only will they have the capacity of sustaining truth and righteousness. Students should be determined to render service adhering to these two principles. They should ensure that peace and security prevail in the society. Today’s education is merely text-book knowledge. Education should rather be like the light which dispels the darkness of ignorance. Students should consider truth and righteousness as their two eyes and should be determined to work for the welfare of the society and the country at large. The real beauty of your hand lies in indulging yourself in service of others. Students should therefore be determined to work for the progress of the society. Truth is God. God is the embodiment of righteousness. And since truth and righteousness are everywhere, you need not search for God anywhere. Where there is God, there is Truth, and where there is Truth there is God. God and Truth are one and the same. Many think that they are propagating the principles of truth and righteousness. You can propagate these two principles where they are missing. But when they are present everywhere, why do you need to teach and propagate them? They need to be practiced rather than being publicised.
Satya and Dharma
The word Dharma has derived from the root word ‘Dhrut’. The primal word for Dharma in Sanskrit is ‘Dharani’. The word ‘Dharani’ means that which binds the whole world. Dharma encompasses the entire universe. It is said, ‘Dharayate Iti Dharmaha’. Dharma is the vesture put on by this universe. It is righteousness that binds the universe as one. It is not limited to time or space or an individual. Truth and righteousness relate to all periods of time, all countries and all individuals. The mansion of righteousness stands on the foundation of Truth. The mansion of righteousness doesn’t need anything more than this, it is self-sufficient. Righteousness will never decay. However, it becomes shaky at times. Truly speaking, righteousness will never perish. It will never be hidden. However, sometimes it appears to be hidden because it is not practiced by mankind. Hence, it is said in the Bhagavad Gita:
Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya
Glanir Bhavati Bharata
Abhyutthanam Adharmasya
Tadatmanam Srujamya Aham
(Whenever and wherever there is decline of righteousness, O Bharata,
And a rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself!)
The shining sun is sometimes covered with thick clouds. However, nothing can come between the sun and the sunlight. Sunlight is righteousness, sun is truth; none can stand in between these two. Truth and righteousness are inter-related and inter-dependent. They have a relationship like Nature (Prakriti) and God (Paramatma). It is the relationship between inertness and awareness, matter and energy. None can separate these two – truth and righteousness. These two are the natural traits in every human. When it is said that it is the duty of every man to practice and propagate and reach the state of bliss through this truth and righteousness, some say that it is the qualification of a man to do a job (Udyogam Purusha Lakshanam). If you say that a man should take up a job, in today’s times, you find so many women also doing a job! Can you then say that it is the requirement only for a man? It is not limited to a particular gender only. In a collective sense, among the four goals or Purusharthas of human life, righteousness is the first one. There are many men without jobs, can you say that they are not men? There are many women who are doing jobs, can you then say that doing a job is the special qualification of women (Udyogam Stree Lakshanam)? Thus, it is not Udyogam Purusha Lakshanam but Dharmam Purusha Lakshanam and Satyam Purusha Lakshanam. Truth and righteousness are the qualifications to be recognised as a man (Purusha).
What do you mean by the word ‘Purusha’? Can you call a person wearing a safari suit a ‘Purusha’? The word ‘Purusha’ means that the body is a ‘Pura’, where the awareness is present from top to toe. Dharma is therefore the common quality which is uniform to all. However this Dharma is classified into many categories – Brahmacharya (celibacy), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (mendicant), Sanyasa (renunciant). Each stage has got a particular Dharma. It is only temporary code in our life. It can’t be a collective way of behaviour. It is external Dharma. It is not internal Dharma. What is the internal Dharma? Manasyekam, Vachasyekam, Karmanyekam Mahatmanam. The internal Dharma refers to this unity in one’s thoughts, word and deeds. This is a natural truth – Dharma. This is not limited to any gender. It is applicable to entire mankind. The birds and animals have their own Dharma – code of conduct. The Dharma of fire is to burn, the Dharma of water is to flow, and the Dharma of sugar is sweetness. Like this, every object on this earth has its own Dharma. It started right from the time of creation. This Dharma is just external and it has nothing to do with the heart. However, that Dharma which is all truth and eternal and comes out of the heart is very essential. Let people belong to any country or sect; they should have harmony between their thought, word and deed. However individuals follow their own external Dharma.
The real beauty of the hand is charity (Hastasya Bhushanam Daanam). Truth is the jewel for our neck (Satyam Kanthasya Bhushanam). Sacred texts are the ornaments to the ear. What more jewels do you need? These are the permanent jewels that we have. They confer upon us the real beauty. There is no other beauty beyond this. He who has harmony in his thoughts, words and deeds is the most handsome among all men.
Therefore in order to uphold and protect these two principles of truth and righteousness, we should practice them. Since ancient times, Bharatiyas have considered this truth and righteousness as their two eyes. What is this Dharma? Dharma was born even before you were born. You may select your wife, but Dharma is not a matter of selection. No one has the authority to select Dharma. God alone has the right of selection of Dharma. Righteousness is like our mother and therefore we have to obey the Divine command of our Divine Mother. Since ancient times people commanded us and wanted us to follow the path of righteousness. Walking, talking, singing, looking; everything has its own prescribed code. The entire universe depends on this Dharma (Dharma Moolam Idam Jagat).
Conscience is Your Master
What do you mean by the word ‘Jagat’? This world has no definite form. It is the combination of all individuals. It is like a society. A society has name but no form. A combination of group of individuals constitutes a society. Therefore a society has no special form. But society has got qualities. What are the qualities of a society? Truth and righteousness are the qualities of a society. If a society doesn’t follow these two principles, it will be condemned by the world. If you eat a fruit which is bitter instead of being sweet, you spit it out. Therefore, if you don’t perform any good acts in the society, then the society will reject you. Dharma should, therefore, come out of your heart. A seed will not germinate if you put it in a bottle. But the same seed will sprout if you sow it in soil. In the same way, the seed of Dharma will never grow by means of publicity. Instead, the seed of Dharma sprouts if it is sown in our hearts.
Righteousness is highly valuable. In order to satisfy yourself, you should satisfy your conscience. Uphold the truth with your conscience as your witness. It is said, ‘Follow the Master’. But who is your master? Your conscience is your master. The teacher or Guru is not your master. But your conscience is your master. You think that your master is your teacher or the one who gives you money. But it is not so. Your conscience is your master. You should, therefore, speak the truth from your heart.
Tantra, Yantra and Mantra
The heart is Tantra, the body is Yantra or the machine and the feeling is Mantra. In this body, which is Yantra, from the heart, which is Tantra, the Mantra ‘Soham’ is constantly emanating. Therefore the Yantra, the Tantra and the Mantra are all within you.
This body, the Yantra, works wonderfully. Consider what happens when you see a fruit on a tree. Your eye sees the fruit. The moment the eyes see it, your mind wants it. Then the legs approach the tree and the hands pick up a stone. You move your shoulder to throw the stone on the fruit. When the fruit falls, you use your finger to hold it. Finally you chew the food and it goes into your stomach. Now, which limb of your body has helped you satisfy your hunger? All the organs of your body have worked uniformly for this process. If one organ does not cooperate, you don’t get the fruit. Man can bring near him a distant object with the help of all these organs. All limbs of this body made the effort to get the fruit and hence the stomach should satisfy all the limbs of this body. This is Dharma which promotes co-operation. But in this world there is only operation, and no co-operation. Everything is diversified and divided. Today in this modern society there is neither unity nor purity, only enmity. Due to rise in this enmity, the whole world is restless. Therefore we should fill our heart with truth and righteousness. Once there is truth and righteousness, there will be no enmity. There should be only unity among all the societies. With this unity you can achieve whatever you want. Today, people appear to be righteous and truthful. But no one can find out what the real truth or righteousness is.
Source: Satya and Dharma, Discourse 13, My Dear Students Volume 4; Divine Discourse on July 24, 1996 at Prasanthi Nilayam
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