The youth should follow the path of sathya and dharma
by
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

All names and forms are the manifestations of the Supreme Being,
     who is the embodiment of peace and auspiciousness.
He is Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute and non-dual.
He is Sathyam, Sivam, Sundaram (Truth, Goodness, Beauty).
(Sanskrit verse)

There are four entities: vyashti, samashti, srishti, and Parameshti (individual, society, creation and Creator). Srishti emerges from Parameshti. Samashti is a part of srishti, and vyashti is a part of samashti.

The basis of creation

Being its part, the individual should serve society. In fact, service to society is the most important duty of man. It can endow him with divine power. Service to society is, in reality, service to Divinity. For whose sake is the existence of man? It is for the sake of society. Similarly, society has its existence for the sake of creation. This is the basis of the entire creation. The creation is the manifestation of God. Man has a unique position in it. But what is the use if man behaves like animals and birds?

Divinity is immanent in every being. The same truth was proclaimed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavadgita: Mamaivamsho jivaloke jivabhuta Sanathana (the eternal Atma in all beings is a part of My Being). Since every being is a part of the Divine, all should be respected, loved and adored. You should not hate anybody and should not create distance between one another.

Just as all the parts of the body form one organism, similarly, all beings are like various limbs of God. When there is injury in the leg, it is the eye that sheds tears. The same type of intimate relationship exists between God and all beings as exists between different limbs of the body. You may ask why man faces troubles and difficulties when he enjoys an intimate relationship with God. God is essentially the embodiment of immortality and bliss. He does not cause difficulties and problems for anyone. Some people think that God is the cause of their problems and difficulties, but this is a big mistake. All your troubles are the result of your own actions; they are not given by God.

Everyone has to face the consequences of his actions, whoever he may be.
No one can know what lies ahead for him in future.
But this much is sure that everybody has to reap the consequences of his actions.
(Telugu song)

Our joys and sorrows are the reflection of our own actions; they are not caused by others. To blame others for our sorrows is a big mistake. Everything in this world is reaction, reflection, and resound. Every person is their own witness.

Acquire education that gives knowledge of the Self

Only the youth are capable of protecting this world. It is the youth and youth alone who can set this world right. No nation can stand without youth. Sometimes, the elders underestimate the capabilities of the youth, thinking that they are inexperienced and young. But the youth are endowed with immense power. If they take a firm resolve, they are capable of achieving anything. If they realise their power, they can emancipate the nation. This does not need any education.

What is education? Education means vidya, which connotes the knowledge of the Self. This is the foundation of all education.

Today students are acquiring only bookish knowledge. Does a man become educated just by acquiring a college degree? Can a person who lacks wisdom and does not perform righteous actions be called educated? Education that does not confer wisdom is no education at all; it is only worldly and bookish knowledge.

Modern youth are hankering after this type of education. They go to foreign countries like Germany, Japan, and America to pursue this type of education. The education that is not here in Bharat is not available anywhere else (loud applause). Yanna Bharate, thanna Bharata (what is not there in Bharat cannot be found anywhere else). Some people have a mistaken notion that those who are educated abroad are great. In fact, many of them come back after acquiring evil qualities, evil thoughts, and evil habits.

In Bharat, students acquire sacred education; it begins with the thoughts of God. Even an illiterate driver in Bharat salutes the steering wheel before starting the vehicle. Similarly, a musician offers salutations to the musical instrument before playing on it. In fact, all type of learning in Bharat begins with the name of God and prayer to Him, and every activity is done as an offering to God without any artificiality and ostentation.

People educated abroad come back with big degrees. What is that degree? It is only a piece of paper. They do not understand the essence of education. The students of Bharat have a pure and sacred heart. I feel blissful when I see Indian students. One can see the goodness of education reflected on their faces. The Bharatiyas are not inferior in any way; they are endowed with immense sacredness. Every individual in Bharat is imbued with divine feelings.

Forgetting this type of sacred education, people these days are running after worldly and materialistic education. Today, there is an influx of gadgets like calculators and computers. They are mere yantras (machines). These yantras do not stand any comparison with mantra (incantation). The real mantra is the name of God, which gives immense bliss. Bharatiyas (Indians) are not able to understand this truth because of their delusion. But their heart is very sacred.

Bharat is the land of sacrifice

Today, people are ruining themselves by craving for worldly and materialistic possessions. Even those responsible for conducting the affairs of the government are treading the evil path. They want only the worldly type of education to be promoted in our country. They talk about science and technology. What is this technology? It is only trick knowledge. They say it is technology, but what they do is "tricknology".

Many people in Bharat are indulging in dirty business; they are cheating others and doing injustice to them. No Bharatiya should take to this type of business. Everyone should have divine feelings in his heart. All actions should be done to please God. When you start all your activities with prayer to God, you are sure to be rewarded with bliss.

Today if you invite a music artist to sing devotional songs, he will ask, "How much will you pay?" In this manner, all our activity has become business-oriented. Even food and drink have become a big business.

The sacred land of Bharat is annapurna kshetra (land of plenty). The tradition of Bharat is to offer food free to every hungry person and water to every thirsty person. This sacred tradition seems to have disappeared these days. By imitating the culture of the West, the Bharatiyas today are casting a blot on the fair name of Bharat. It is the land of great culture. There is hardly any other country that can stand comparison with her as far as the sacredness of the culture is concerned. Having been born in this sacred land of Bharat, we should live like true Bharatiyas. The land of Bharat, which is known for thyaga (sacrifice), is being turned into a land of bhoga (pleasure) in mad imitation of western culture. That is why Bharat is facing many problems these days. What is needed in this country is not bhoga but thyaga.

Imagine the great sacrifice of Sakkubai, who renounced everything for the sake of God. Na karmana na prajaya dhanena thyagenaike amrutatthwamanasu (immortality is not attained through action, progeny, or wealth; it is attained only by sacrifice).

Money is the root cause of many evils. Money makes many wrongs. The first priority of the moneyed people today is to send their children abroad for education. Even elders are encouraging the youth to go to foreign countries for the sake of earning money. Too much money leads one to the path of evil. Money comes and goes, morality comes and grows. So, we have to develop morality.

The very foundation of Bharat is based on sathya (truth) and dharma (right conduct). This is what we have to propagate. Bharatiyas should consider adherence to truth as the greatest dharma. Sathya and dharma are most important in the life of man. The youth should strictly adhere to them. What is sathya? It is the harmony of thought, word, and deed. Where these three are in harmony, sathya is present there. People speak something on the platform, they have something else in their mind, and their actions are entirely different from what they speak and think. This is the worst sin.

Service to society is the sign of nobility

Embodiments of Love!

Your very form is love. It is love that protects the whole world. The five elements that constitute the universe are based on love. Only when love combines with the five elements does the universe come into existence.

But love is not to be seen anywhere these days. Today, there is lack of love even between mother and children. What happened to that love? We are bartering it for money. When money is lost, nothing is lost. Instead of putting our faith in money, have more faith in love and develop love to love relationship with others. When you have this type of relationship based on love, love will develop more and more. Only then will we be able to love everybody.

Do not observe such differences as so and so is mine and so and so is someone else. Develop the feeling that you belong to all and all belong to you. All are the children of the same mother. Being the children of the same mother, all should live like brothers and sisters. There may be some differences, but they are temporary. They will come and go like passing clouds. The only thing that is permanent and eternal is love.

There is nothing great in acquiring education and amassing wealth. There have been many millionaires in this world, but what have they taken with them at the time of leaving this world? The great world conqueror Alexander did not carry anything with him when he left the world.

Even King Harischandra, who strictly followed the path of truth,
    had to leave this world ultimately,
    leaving behind his vast kingdom and riches.
Emperor Nala, who reigned over a great empire,
    could not take with him anything when he passed away.
Did King Mandhata, who adorned the Krita Yuga,
    carry any wealth with him when he left the earth?
Is Lord Rama, who built the bridge across the ocean,
    present on the earth today?
(Telugu Poem)

You may earn any amount of money, but as long as you are alive you should give joy to others by undertaking acts of charity. Those who have money should look after the poor and sick people. Utilise all your earnings in a proper manner. Consider social service as service to yourself. Those who undertake social service are noble people. On the contrary, those who do not take to the path of service are wicked.

When somebody salutes you, you also salute them. Do not consider that, since somebody is your enemy, you should not salute him. All are friends. Do not bear hatred or enmity toward anyone. Enmity is a wicked quality.

Friendship is very important. You and I should become one. That is true maitri (friendship). All should become united. If you really want to see God, first see Him in everyone.

The youth should greet and treat each other with love like brothers and sisters. But these days this type of relationship is not seen between people. They greet each other, saying "hello, hello," but their heart is hollow without any feeling. Love everybody, and develop faith in God. One without viswasa (faith) is actually without swasa (breath). Faith in God is our life breath. If you want to develop faith in God, develop love. If you do not have love, you cannot be called a human being.

Humanness blossoms in a pure heart

Embodiments of Love!

Develop love. When we come into this world, it is only love that comes with us. From love comes truth. When love and truth come together, humanness finds its sustenance.

The mansion of human life can be built with self-confidence as the foundation, self-satisfaction as pillars, and self-sacrifice as roof. Only then can you have self-realisation in life. If you want to have self-satisfaction, you should first have self-confidence. Without self-satisfaction, there can be no happiness in life. How can one who does not have confidence in themself have confidence in others?

People doubt anything and everything. Doubt endangers life. A person with doubts will not achieve anything in life. He will not have faith even in his wife and children. Therefore, first and foremost, develop faith.

We think we are great and highly educated. But what is the use of this education? Even animals like goat and monkeys can learn many things. A monkey can be trained to ride a bicycle. Man is much superior to animals. His conduct should be such that manifests his superiority. It is said, Jantunam nara janma durlabham (out of all living beings, human birth is the rarest). Man should therefore not behave like birds, animals, and insects.

People distribute sweets when they beget children. What is so great about it? Even a pig can give birth to ten offspring. Give up all wicked qualities and lead an ideal and blissful life. Only then will humanness find fulfilment.

Embodiments of Love!

Face all difficulties with forbearance. Accept all trials and tribulations with love. Accept both pleasure and pain with love. Fill your heart with love and not with the poison of evil qualities. Even poison becomes prasadam (sacred food) if it is offered to God. When Mira was given a cup of milk mixed with poison, she offered it to Krishna. Krishna accepted the poison and gave her the milk as prasadam.

(Bhagavan sang the prasadam, "Prema Mudita Manase Kaho Rama, Rama, Ram", and continued His Discourse.)

Rama, Rama, Rama in fact, connotes Prema, Prema, Prema (Love, Love, Love). Rama and Prema are one and the same. People adore many deities like Rama, Krishna, and Sai, but the divine principle in all of them is the same. Atma has neither a form nor a name. Atma is also referred to as Brahma.

Brahma sathyam jagan-mithya (Brahman alone is real, the world is unreal). God has no attributes. He does not punish or harm anybody. He is present in your heart in the form of pure and unsullied love. Develop love more and more. That will protect you always. There is no other greater protection than this. There is no weapon more powerful than love. Everything is love. The very word love is suffused with sweetness. Treat each other with love, converse with each other with love, lead a life full of love and enjoy bliss.

(Bhagavan referred to the drama "Ekalavya", which was to be enacted that evening, and called upon the youth to follow the path of truth, obey the command of their preceptors, and adhere always to righteousness like Ekalavya. With this advice to the youth, Bhagavan concluded His Discourse.)