Selflessness Is ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’

In order to make proper use of this sacred human life, man should accept these five basic elements as a boon from the Supreme Lord. It is his sacred duty to make use of them in a proper manner. But, it is necessary to contemplate on whether he is discharging his duty in the way he should. In today’s world, wherever you look, you will come across indescribable agitations, sorrows, and restlessness. When you think deeply on it, you will realize that selfishness is the root cause behind all this. But then, what is the method by which this selfishness can be eradicated? When you seek sincerely, you will surely find the path. It is out of selfishness that anyone resorts to harming, inflicting pain, or abusing others. Not only this, even wars are waged out of selfishness.

So, it is clear that selfishness and greed are the causes behind all our sorrows. When you ponder directing this selfishness along Godward path (towards the path of God) you will realize that the Bharatiyas are aware that Sat, Chit, and Ananda (Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss) are the basic qualities of God. These basic qualities are naturally available in humans as well. But we are unable to put these basic principles into practice and we are wasting them because of our misconceptions. It is necessary to ponder over this aspect of Sat-Chit-Ananda. Sat means Truth. There is no one in the world who does not know about Truth. Chit means Vijnanam (knowledge).

Man will be able to recognize this Vijnanam through satsang (company of God-seeking people), learning, and other kinds of experiences. Ananda is what every man aspires for. Every human being aims at obtaining happiness and removal of sorrow. When one treads with determination the path of truth and knowledge, he is bound to reach (get) this thing called Ananda (Happiness). To realize fulfillment of life, this kind of effort is a bounden duty of the individual. When a thorough enquiry about this Ananda is made, it is easy to recognize and enjoy this happiness from within ourselves. Today, everyone is anxious to enjoy some kinds of happiness and is trying to push others into devious paths; and is thus damaging humanism. Is man living like a man today? If he is really living as a man, then there is no scope for selfishness to enter his being. Due to this selfishness, man today is distancing himself from divinity and is unable to obtain happiness and is subjected to various kinds of losses and troubles. So, then, how to destroy this selfishness? How to discard this path and to enter a sacred path? We should ponder over this as well. In order to keep up hope on life, man has to keep certain aims in his mind. In the absence of any aim, men are unable to distinguish what is the goal, what is divine, and thus are blinding themselves. In such circumstances, we must eschew our selfishness to some extent and recall our sacred culture.

Advancement In Devotion

In keeping with the present, we should try to make certain changes to our culture and try to encourage the youth to become worthy citizens of Bharat. As at present, we are unable to extend selfless ideal in a satisfactory manner.

Women’s Role In Rejuvenating The Culture Of Bharat

You may ask if other countries are able to do this. This should not be our concern. When we are able to take care of ourselves, about our individuality, we will be able to achieve total freedom. The foremost aim of the governing body is to fill the hearts of youth with sacred Bharatiya Culture through practical examples of elders and to make them ideal citizens endowed with this kind of total freedom. Here is one example. Since long, in the context of Culture, we have formed certain notions about our customs without understanding their real meaning. Now, we must think in terms of pleasing God and about the customs that are conducive to this effect. Various kinds of theists do worship, no doubt. In what ways are they done? They worship only by way of Vandanam (Prostration), Dasyam (Servitude), Pada-sevanam (Worship to the feet), Atma-nivedanam (Self Surrender), etc. We also consider things like collecting some flowers, offering garlands, and doing some rituals of worship as part of Bharatiya Culture. This is no doubt a right way. But how long one remains in the same level or state? It is clear that this is not a progressive quality. A student should not remain in the same class forever. He aspires promotion to a higher class every year. Worship is similar to this. If we remain always in the same mental condition as we started, then what will be the end? What have we learned regarding our goal? We must think over this.

As long as we do worship with flowers, it means that we are in the first stage of worship. Flowers remain fresh for a little while and then they wither away. But, the flowers liked by God are those of non-violence, sense control, compassion, peace, patience, penance, truth, and love. The correct path involves understanding the significance of these eight kinds of flowers and to worship God with these flowers. The flowers represented by eight qualities are not inimical to any age or clan. These are approved by all religions. These flowers of the heart are indeed unifying all religions. By offering such flowers of heart, good principles, and righteous wealth, we become eligible for God’s grace along with the fulfillment of our individual lives and also sacredness to the nation. Therefore, it is very important for man to endeavour to foster good principles and practices instead of these kinds of worship and ritual.

‘Jantunam Nara janma durlabham’ (Human birth is rarest among animals). Our scriptures are exhorting that among all the 84 lakhs of species of living beings, man is the most sacred. This is a very unique birth and it is highly improper on the part of such a human being to resort to devious path. Today, you do not find any difference between animals which have no education, culture, or sacred deeds and those people who flaunt their education and status in a callous and arrogant manner. It is the duty of students not only to acquire degrees and fame, but also to be able to extend good service to society and bring about cultural rejuvenation of our country of Bharat.

Good Conduct Is Good Wealth

Today, everybody is fond of money, wealth, pelf and pomp. But, these really do not constitute wealth. In our divine path of spirituality, good conduct and character are our wealth. Good service is our ornament. These sacred things will protect such people at all times and in all the three worlds (or in all states of being). Therefore, the main aim of education is to convince the world about the importance of sacred qualities. Instead, we are destroying our own hearts by resorting to evil principles and deeds. We should also realize the truth that the principle of Atma is constructive and not destructive.

Bharatiyas fondly utter ‘Govinda’, and they take pleasure in it. This ‘Govinda’ has come from where? Generally, it is believed that because He tended the cows, He is called Govinda. But, what is really meant by ‘Go’? It means ‘Beings’. What is the difference between ‘Cows’ and ‘Beings’? We will notice a trait in cows. It is common knowledge that a cow follows you when tempted with some strands of green grass. On the other hand, if you threaten it wielding a stick in hand, the cow runs away. Likewise man runs towards you if you show him a ten rupee note, and runs away when you resort to abusing. Thus it is evident that there is no difference between man and cow in this regard. The real worth of a human being shines forth only when he sticks to Truth, even staking his own life, while discharging his righteous duties.

It appears that our present state and fate of long faces and morose demeanour is due to the fact that we have blanked off the pristine and sanguine qualities and have unleashed artificial ways of life. Human life is very sacred, but ninety percent of people are not even making any attempt to realize this great power! They state that man is God and God is man, only in words, but are unable to experience this in its true sense. If at least a fraction of our population try to understand this, the eminence of Bharat in the field of Education since olden days and its sacredness can be realized.

We are also willfully neglecting our famous cultural aspects like devotion to mother and the sacred way of life. This kind of negligence is highly deplorable. Some Indians go to the extent of deriding culture as rituals associated with blind faith and superstitions. I am ready to accept it if only they try to distinguish the difference between blind faith and true faith. This is nothing but a lazy talk. These are the words of those who do not know the value of time. They say it is blind faith, but they are unable to define what it is. By lending ear to such foolish theories, we are also becoming fools; and we are drifted away from the path of divinity with the result we are living at the mercy of others like dogs and jackals. You will deserve the name, ‘sons of Bharat’, only when you ignore such negative attitudes and try to foster noble ideals and practices. Contrary to this is the way of procrastination and wasteful life. No one has the right to judge another person as good or bad, because, good or bad depends upon one’s own outlook.

Lead An Exemplary Life

Then, how can anyone judge others? Without knowing one’s own defects only the fools decide about the good in others. In fact, man has no right in this regard. We are drinking pure water and in a few minutes we are letting it out as urine. So who can decide which is good or bad? We take good food and after a while, we excrete it as stool. Similarly, the so-called impurity may turn into purity and vice versa. We are not in a position to realize the truth that all these discriminations are only due to our defective views, but not the defect of matter which has no diversity. When someone passes a comment on another as ‘good’ it is only his personal view, but it is not necessarily the view of others nor is it a universal view. So much so, when we pass judgment on others, it means we are wasting our own time and life as well. We should, therefore, strive to criticize our own defects, try to develop good qualities, make life meaningful, and should be worthy of emulation. The reason for the unwanted changes in the tender hearts of students is the surrounding atmosphere, but it is not their own making.

The root cause of this malady is the parents and to some extent teachers. Therefore, parents and teachers should take care not to let their children go astray. Parents and teachers will get credibility only when they are able to practice ideals before teaching the children. Some parents command their children not to see cinemas, but the same evening they hire a rickshaw and proceed to a cinema theater. If this is the attitude of parents, then, how can the children grow up into good citizens?

The same kind of attitude is being displayed by teachers as well. The main aim behind the establishment of this college is to foster women who will practice before preaching and to develop an urge to foster their children into praiseworthy citizens.

It is also decided that almost every state of this country should be provided with a college of this type. Therefore, one trust has to be formed in each state for this purpose. By forming such a trust, it is hoped that the people around them would become aware of these ideals, and that this kind of awareness spreads far and wide. A new governing body has been formed in Andhra Pradesh. There are highly educated and worthy members in this body. Therefore, I hope this institute will develop fast. After getting education from this college, girls should kindle their families and subsequently get married and impact their in-laws so as to make them wonder from which college they got this kind of education. I wish that in-laws and prospective husbands will crave to have as their bride one who is a product of Sri Sathya Sai College for Women. On the other hand, after stepping out of this college, if the students begin to disrespect their in-laws, they should know that they are defaming their college. I conclude my discourse with hope and blessing that after getting good education in this college; you will all go out and strive to develop children into worthy citizens of Bharat.