Neither institutes nor colleges offer spiritual insights. That is why students are on the wrong path today. It is not your mistake. The mistake lies in the educational system. How do you expect man to follow the path of righteousness when education is devoid of spiritual values? Self-confidence is the foundation, Self-satisfaction is the wall and the self-sacrifice is the roof. Self-realisation is life. Everything depends upon Self-confidence. This is the spiritual knowledge. Self-confidence is very important. You will not be able to live without Self-confidence. Instead of indulging in gossip, wasting time and entertaining wicked thoughts, you should think about God. This is the true wealth that will help you in the future. Therefore, strive to acquire this permanent wealth, reputation and name. Then only will your life be useful. Enter the society. Serve the society, and keep serving without any ego. Body is given in order to perform righteous deeds and actions.
Greatness of Human Life
Liberation neither descends from the sky, nor does it come from the bottom of the earth. You don’t get it on this planet earth. All attachment will be given up the moment ignorance is dispelled. Human life is the result of the merits of past lives. But having got this human life, we are still not able to work for its redemption.
What is the greatness of human life? What is the purpose of this life? What is the goal of life? Why have we taken upon this human life? Everyone has to recognise this truth. Unfortunately we are not making use of this body for achieving its purpose. In this vast universe, the birds, beasts, animals, ants and even mosquitoes perform their duties. But man has forgotten how to discharge his responsibilities. Time is passing off like the whirl wind. Life span is fast disappearing, reducing like the melting of an ice; and man leaves this body before he realises its main purpose. What is the use of this human life? What is the greatness of this human life? We say human life is very rare. But what do you mean by saying that it is rare? Man is not enquiring into this. Neither does he understand nor is he conducting himself according to the situation. Human life is highly sacred. We have to make full use and good use of this sacred life. But we are not making proper use of this human life. We are wasting time, action and the body. We spend all the time in these fleeting pleasures of life. We consider these ephemeral fleeting joys as the very purpose of life. This is the outward nature. But the original nature of man is inwards. What is the use of all our learning? We have forgotten the eternal truth and the spiritual ways, running behind this physical world which is ephemeral and momentary.
What is the use of all this education you require?
Who can make you escape from destiny?
When wicked thoughts are there in your head,
You become a fool and lose your quality.
What is the result or the reward for acquiring this education? What is it that you accomplish by acquiring this education? Ravana had learnt all the 64 types of knowledge. Bhasmasura was also highly knowledgeable. Kamsa was extremely intelligent. They also chanted God’s name continuously. Ravana did penance for a long time. He also worshipped Shiva. But what is the use? All these things are done at the physical level and at the level of the mind. All rituals are followed at the body level. In spite of all education, penance or spiritual practice and chanting of God’s name, Ravana did not change from a demon to a Divine being. When you fill your mind with Divine thoughts, worldly thoughts will disappear. Human mind today is full of worldly thoughts. It is full of unsacred feelings. We are spending our life brooding over the temporary. How then do you expect permanent bliss? To get permanent bliss we have to first sanctify our heart. We have to fill it with love. You can acquire sacred bliss only through love. The main objective of the modern youth should be to sow the seeds of love in their heart and grow the flowers of forbearance and tolerance, and finally get the fruits of peace. Students should handover the fruits of peace to the society.
There is Nothing Beyond Truth
Today the society is yearning and pining for peace. Man searches for safety and peace in the world. Safety and security, however, are not present in the world. Peace and security are within. Everything is within you. But man is forgetting the truth. Man has forgotten his true nature, his true goal and is in pursuit of riches all the time. The whole universe is the form of Brahman. In this world you don’t find any place, any name where Brahman is not present. All the experiences that you pass through are Brahman. That which makes you look, that which makes you hear and that which make you experience and forget is only Brahman. When once everyone understands the principle that everyone is the spark of the Divine, there will be no scope for agitation and disturbances. Everywhere, all over the world today, we find conflicts and wars. It is not possible for us to decide who is a man and who is a devil. We are not able to decide who is good and who is wicked. We are not able to even decide who is a human and who is an animal. The order should be from animal to humanity and then to Divinity. But man is travelling in the reverse direction! It shouldn’t be so. This is not the way man should proceed. We have to practice human values.
Truth is the mother of man. Therefore, the Vedas declare ‘Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara’. There is nothing beyond truth. Truth is beyond time and space. Truth is unchangeable. That eternal Truth, the Divinity, is forgotten today. In order to realise Divinity, you don’t need to exert yourself. Once you remove the covering of ego and attachment, you will be able to see the Divinity. Man suffers because of two things: Raga (attachment) and Dwesha (hatred). Once you give up these two, you become Brahman. The entire universe, then, will appear Divine. We have to make an effort to know the fraction of that Divinity.
You think that spirituality is very difficult. Spirituality is one thousand times easier than your studies. Spiritual education is far easier than your bookish education. As you do not know it, you find it difficult. You struggle so much to learn alphabets – a,b,c,d. As you advance in your studies, these alphabets become simpler. Today in Bharat, there is only secular education – bookish knowledge, bereft of all moral values. There is dearth of human values. We have forgotten Dharma, which is the basic thing.
All Happiness is Momentary
People have forgotten Divinity owing to the adoption of modern education. What are all these degrees such as M.A. and B.A.? ‘MA’ plus ‘D’ is ‘mad’ and ‘BA’ plus ‘D’ is ‘bad’. Is this what you learn today?! They all mislead you! We just study only to eke out our living and to earn our daily bread. However, the heart should be purified and the mind should be immersed in God’s name. Today, after getting degrees, students register themselves in an employment office; they waste so much time in moving from one place to the other. This is not what we should be doing. The modern education is required for worldly living; however, it will not confer permanent values. Human values such as Satya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa are most essential.
Without truth, righteousness, love, peace,
the value of all education is zero.
Without truth, righteousness, love, peace,
all acts of charity done are of no use.
Occupying exalted positions in the society
has no value without these human values.
Without these human values, the varied acts undertaken
will result in nothingness.
For this age old mansion of Sanatana Dharma to sustain itself,
these five human values are the foundation pillars.
Our human life is in the centre, surrounded with these four walls of human values. Every house should have these four walls and our life should be spent in the centre of these four walls (human values). Today, these walls have fallen. There is no life! We are living our life aspiring for the ‘shadow tree’! Is this the way human beings should live. In that case, do not the birds and beasts live? Don’t the insects and the wild animals live? What bank balance do these creatures have? What mansions are they building for themselves? Nothing whatsoever. The birds are not bothered of tomorrow. But man keeps making five-year plans and ten-year plans! Birds and animals don’t have anything like this, yet they are always happy and comfortable.
To fill this small belly we study so much and struggle hard.
Yet we don’t get full happiness.
To fill this small belly we undergo so many troubles.
We study with all determination.
Yet we do not get total happiness.
Why should this human society be full of greed?
Oh man! Understand this!
What is that we are doing today?
Right from the time we get up in the morning, till the time we retire at night,
Without any limits for our living, we spend all our lives in pursuit of worldly things.
And in the process we forget God.
Oh man! Examine clearly what great pleasure have you been enjoying by living such a life?
What are required today are moral, ethical and spiritual values. Today, in society, you don’t find even a trace of moral, ethical and spiritual values anywhere. Cruelty and injustice are rampant in villages. There is a cure and remedy for every disease, but not for attachment and hatred. Attachment and hatred have their roots in selfishness and self-interest.
Students! You may be selfish and have self-interest, but there should be a limit for that too. Because these are not kept under limits, we are grief-stricken limitlessly. What kind of happiness do you have in this body made up of the five elements? What is happiness? Is eating, sleeping, having children or earning money happiness? There is no happiness anywhere. All this happiness is momentary.
Ma Kuru Dhana Jana Yauvan Garvam
Harati Nimeshat Kalah Sarvam
Mayamayam Idam Akhilam Hitva
Brahma Padam Twam Pravisha Viditva
Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam Govindam Bhaja Moodhamate
Oh man, don’t be proud of your wealth, power and youth.
Time will just snatch it away from you in a trice
This world is full of illusion
Hence take refuge in the Supreme Principle
Chant the name of the Lord oh foolish one!
Source: The True Goal of Human Life, Discourse 11, My Dear Students Volume 4; Divine Discourse delivered on August 16, 1996 at Prasanthi Nilayam
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