Indian culture is eternal. It is unshakeable by time, untarnished by history. The youth, in particular the students, have forgotten this great culture today and are hence being subjected to all kinds of agitations and turbulences in life. They have lost their peace and are unable to experience bliss; in contrast, ancient Indians were steeped in our culture and therefore lived in bliss by sharing their joy among themselves.

There are several examples of people who understood the importance of culture in moulding their lives. Abraham Lincoln, the late president of America, is one such. His childhood was spent in poverty, as a consequence of which he was often subjected to ridicule. Many a time he would be miserable at his sorry state, but his mother always gave him courage. She once told him that though they had very little by way of material opulence, they had abundance of self-confidence and self-respect. Riches are bound to melt away, but these two attributes are one's own and none can steal them. hence, Lincoln believed firmly that the SELF was his true wealth. He thereafter strove to live with self-confidence and self-respect.

This firm belief paid dividends because Lincoln's name and fame as an honest, courageous, and sincere person spread far and wide. He was never known to utter or encourage a lie. Rising from such a poor background, he went on to become the president of his country. He still remained humble, since he always believed what his mother told him. She advised him to be thankful for these gifts of God that had brought him to such a position.

Abraham Lincoln set a shining example that was emulated by his countrymen. It is said,

The sun lends illumination during the day.
The moon lights up the night sky.
The three worlds are illuminated by dharma.
A good son lends splendour to the entire family.

What is culture? It is a process of refinement. It is to shed away all the evil and unwanted and extract the pure substance. An example is the dehusking of paddy. Once the husk is removed, the rice can then be boiled and consumed. It is this pure cultured state that gives good health to the body and mind.

The body and mind are very closely interlinked and are vital to man's evolution. One must purify the mind and foster the body. Food by itself can give nourishment and wealth can give comfort, but both food and wealth still cannot obtain for you the bliss you seek. A complete man is he who has both a pure mind and a healthy body. Only he experiences bliss. You must not think that it is kalimi (wealth), balimi (strength), and chelimi (friendship) that give you peace. Gunamu (character) supercedes all and can alone guarantee peace and bliss.

One's actions should not be artificial. "Art is outside; Heart is inside." When one says, "brothers and sisters," or "brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God," one should put their entire heart into the statement. When you offer namaskaram to others, you must actually feel what the term conveys. Namaskaram is the whole-hearted offering of the five organs of cognisence (jnanendriyas) and the five organs of sense perception (karmendriyas) from the Atma in a person to the Atma in the other. This is the significance of combining the five fingers of each palm and placing it on the heart. It has an underlying principle of unity in it.

Students today don't even know what Atma is. It is not localized. It is in all and envelops all. It is like the air that cannot be seen or caught and survival is impossible without it. Atma is prana (life force) itself ---helping one to breathe and survive.

The key to understanding the nature of the creator is to understand the creation. The great Buddha realized this and hence first understood the inner significance of the five elements. He then understood and mastered his five senses.

For example, 2+2=4: the number four forms only when 2 is combined  with 2. Hence, 2 is hence the building block. Similarly, the key to understand God is to first comprehend nature.

But understanding of nature cannot be developed by body attachment. The body must certainly be fostered and protected, but no attachment must be developed towards it. The Atma within the body is more fundamental. While the body will perish sometime, the Atma within is eternal. A healthy body enables one to control one's senses. A healthy body and a pure mind in turn combine to give lavanya (beauty).

True beauty is that of the character and not of the body. It is this lavanya that gives one an eternal youthful countenance and bliss. Eat in a limited way. Don't give scope for tensions and worries. Follow Bhagwan's message, "MY LIFE IS MY MESSAGE." I don't eat much or worry at all. That is why my body retains its youthful appearance despite being 76 years of age!

Students!

After the sessions everyday, don't waste time in gossip. Ponder over what good things have been taught and imprint the substance on your heart. The gopikas (cowherd maids) once told Uddhava that since Krishna was imprinted on their hearts, it was impossible to separate Krishna from them. In the same way, these lofty ideals must be imprinted on your hearts. They will then become a part of you.