Tyaga Is Yoga

Good education is 
That which teaches the path to world peace, 
That which removes narrow feeling, 
That which teaches unity, fellowship and equality

Embodiments of Divine Atma! Teachers and connoisseurs of education!

For the past two hundred years, westerners are showing superiority by making dangerous machines and with the help of natural powers like steam and electricity. In the name of science, they had imposed shackles on the natural powers of water, fire, sound, etc., like the legendary Hiranyakashyapa. There is no difference at all between the boons that Hiranyakashyapa obtained in yonder days and the achievements of the present day scientists. But, they are distancing themselves from the aspect of realizing the divinity that is present in every human. Man, today, is striving to bring those powers under his control. He is immersed in gay abandon with arrogance, with influence of Technology. This is not a sign of victory for man.

Man has to understand his aspect of human nature properly. Attempt has to be made to realise divinity and to secure sacredness. Present day studies are based on selfishness and for eking livelihood. He is keeping himself aloof from his own principle of Self and from his real goal of life. People are ever ready to annihilate the world with the most dangerous type of atom bombs. This is nothing less than Hiranyakashyapa's biography.

What Is The Fact Of Life?

This is the condition of western education. It is necessary to decide about our own life after contemplating on this type of education and by using our discrimination. Even a rationalist like Churchill opined, 'man is not trying to understand things in their totality'. Prahlada told Hiranyakashyapa, “You have conquered all the worlds, but you are unable to conquer your inner senses”. Hiranyakashyapa could not identify the real distracting enemies that were lying within himself; but he went about conquering the external world. Likewise, today, science and machines are creating wars rather than uniting the world. This type of education cannot be called Vidya (learning). Their sum total is zero. It is one’s own fate that dominates. When bad thoughts rule the head, then it becomes barren and the intellect becomes inert like a stone. Today, man is not trying to realise his own real principle.

We must at least try to keep up our human nature. It is a shame indeed that man is resorting to evil deeds even worse than wild beasts. Therefore, attempts should be made in our colleges to make the students realise truth. There is a vast difference between present day education and that of the olden days. In those days, they used to teach the students about the principle of Atma in a peaceful atmosphere, preferably in hermitages in the vicinity of a river bank. Those days, they used to consider each 'ascetic village' as a university; each Guru was a Vice-Chancellor. Those Gurus were not lacking in any branch of education. There was no language that was not known to them. They were eminent in all subjects, in all Dharmas and in all powers. Now, there are no such institutions.

Serving the Guru was itself considered as education in those days. (“Guru shushrooshaya vidya”). Now what people say is, “Dhana moolam idam Vidya” (Basis of education is money). What is happening is earning money, enjoying money, craving for money and shedding life in a state of agitation about money.

Aim of education is not money. Its aim is to acquire virtues. Virtue is real greatness and real power. We have physical sciences in the field of science. Physics says a needle of six millimeters length becomes longer when heated. In another context, turmeric is yellow in color, lime is white. When they are mixed along with water, they become red. This is a chemical fact. From biology point of view, even when you grow a sapling keeping its leaves down and roots up in a tube you will find after some time that roots find their way downwards and the branches go upwards. Similarly, there is a fact pertaining to the science of our life. This is 'Satyasya Satyam' (Truth about truth) 'Satyannasti paro dharmah' (Truth alone is the basis for Dharma). The edifice of Dharma is based on the foundation of Truth. We are dwelling in the building called Dharma. So our house of Dharma is resting on Truth. Truth is God. The goal of life is to dedicate it to truth and to reach God in a path of Truth. This should be our path. But we are neglecting this goal. From the moment we get up, we keep ourselves in untruth till we go to sleep. We are whiling away the time in untruth. Time is fleeting like a passing breeze. As it is born, so the body melts away like a piece of ice. Lifespan goes on decreasing even without knowledge.

Have Implicit Faith

We are shedding our body without realizing our duty. When do we get liberated? When to get fulfillment?

The essence of all education is to recognize Truth. Renunciation is the essence of Upanishads. “Tyagenike Amritatva manashuh.” Real peace lies in renunciation. One should not brood over accumulate things. The swimmer can move forward only when he throws water back. It means that we must leave off the past. Past is past. Forget the past. Also do not brood over the future. Present is the reality. Very few people try to make use of the present in the direction of fulfillment.

Modern students consider bookish knowledge as education. Education is not eking out livelihood, or for bookish eminence. Real education is that which exhorts upon truth and the goal. Education should foster sacred biographies. This is the principle of Geeta. This is our constant companion and protector. Discipline and restraint are important aspects of education. Discipline involves a principled approach. Restraint means the ability to bear all losses, profits, sorrows, and joys in a spirit of equanimity with faith. One example for this. We all know about Sita looking at the golden deer and asking Rama to fetch it; Rama went after the deer leaving the Ashram. Lakshmana stands as an ideal for a principled and regulated way of life. It was his avowed principle to obey Rama’s command at any cost. While leaving the Ashram, Rama told him not to leave Sita alone.

But when Sita spoke to him in harsh words, Lakshmana had forsaken his principle and determination; and went in search of Rama. The thing is, Lakshmana lost his restraint and forsaken the principle when Sita resorted to accusations. Because of this, Lakshmana was drowned in shame and sorrow considering himself as the cause behind all troubles underwent by Rama and Sita, until he merged into the Sarayu River.

There is another example, the episode of Casablanca. His father was a boatman. One day the father had to go out on an urgent errand. Before leaving, he told Casablanca not to leave the steering of the boat until the travelers reach their destination. Casablanca had taken up the steering as advised by his father. Shortly thereafter, a fire had broken out in the boat and passengers started rushing hither and thither. But Casablanca did not move an inch from the steering in order to fulfill his father’s command even though he was scorched by the fire. Body is transient. It has to wither away sometime or the other. But Casablanca’s name is written in gold in the annals of history, because he sacrificed his life for the sake of his principle. Let anybody deride; but we should not deviate from truth at any cost. We must stick on to our duty; respect parents and Gurus. This is the sacred essence of our education. In olden days, children were taught humility as the most important aspect. Discrimination is derived from humility. From discrimination, purity is derived; and we realize righteousness out of purity and thereby we achieve fulfillment.

Dharma is that which sustains. This is our strength. To scorch is the main quality of Fire. Devoid of this quality, fire loses its identity. Just as scorching is a natural quality of fire, movement is a natural quality of water, coolness is the quality of breeze and attraction of iron is the quality of a magnet. Man’s nature is to be attracted by Atma.

We should keep the principle of Atma in our heart, develop liking for God and fear of sin. Thus we should realize our own nature of self. Whoever does not follow this, is verily neglecting his basic duty. Students should foster their principles of discipline and should not deviate from them at any cost. You will become mothers in the future. You should, like embodiments of motherhood, foster universal education. The main principles of motherhood are peace and forbearance. These should be fostered by you, and you must bring fame to your family and your in-law’s family as well. You are potential mothers who raise children into diamond-like leaders of this country of Bharat. Discipline and restraint are like two wings of a bird and like the two wheels of a cart, without which travel is impossible.

This is the age of Kali. Its special effects are indescribable indeed. To forget divinity, to deride sacredness, to hate devotional singing and to make fun of pilgrimages – do these constitute virtues. It is not that we are devoid of virtue? But, sometimes these go underneath due to the impact of bad influences. We strive to learn physical sciences and try to achieve eminence in it. In the same manner, you must strive and struggle to learn the spiritual texts and to excel in that knowledge. Nowadays, people regard reading of spiritual texts as a waste of time and secular studies as essential for life. This is a great mistake. It is human nature to take eternal things as temporal and vice versa. For example, the sun which is at a distance of nine crore miles, appears so small as though it fits into the palm.

God’s Grace Is Best Friend

But actually, the sun is several times bigger than the earth. Stars are still farther away and so they appear like dots in the sky. “Anoraniyan mahato mahiyan”, the stars which are biggest appear to us as the small. The reason is that they are situated far away from man. Joys and luxuries of nature are like the moon that has no brilliance of its own. These joys are not self-effulgent. They shine because of the Atmic power.

The effulgence of the sun called intellect falls on the moon, the mind, and is spread all over providing comfort and joy. These are not permanent. Bigger and greater things are lying far away from us. We must strive to reach them. God is like a star. During the daytime stars are not visible. Do we say, therefore, they are not existing? It is out of ignorance that we say God is not existing. We will be able to perceive God only when this cause of ignorance is removed. We will attain divinity when we purify our heart and thoughts and undertake selfless deeds.

Today we have only secular (or worldly) education. “Ihamuna sukhiyimpa hema taraka vidya, Paramuna sukhiyimpa Brahma vidya.” Transcendental education involves Dharmic studies. These two wheels are necessary for the vehicle of life to get going.

Today we may feel happy that we got degrees and ranks. Swami is also happy about it. But you must endeavour to obtain much greater rank than this. That is grace of God by which all grahas (planets) come under your control. Thyagaraja said, “Oh Rama, it is enough if I have Your grace. Then all grahas will automatically surrender to me”. Those people who had struggled for God’s grace are shining brilliantly till this day. You must follow their path. On the other hand, completion in worldly achievements will not lead us to happiness. There is no need for people to get education for the sake of livelihood. Animals, birds, and other beings are not getting any education for the purpose of filling their stomachs. Did we take birth as humans in order to fill our bellies? 'Jantunam Nara janma durlabham' (Human birth is rarest among animals) we must realize this. Man is the greatest among all the 84 lakh species of living beings. Man must consider his life as a mere stopover station. One should earn money in order to sustain his life, no doubt. But over ambition is bad. 'Athi buddhi mati hani' (excessive desires causes damage to the mind). We should observe limits in life in order to be happy. Westerners had described Indian families as idealistic. When Alexander came to India, he came across a great person; he asked him, “Who are you?” at this the Yogi simply smiled. Then Alexander got angry and took his sword out saying, “I, the emperor Alexander, is standing before you and you are taking it as fun”. Even then, the Yogi kept smiling. Alexander said, “I will cut off your head”. The Yogi then replied, “Even a kid can do that. One need not become an emperor for that. Even a mad one can do that. However, you will not be able to do that”. Alexander got surprised and asked, “who you are?” Then the Yogi replied, “I am not mind, not intellect, not senses; but my form is Atma (soul) which is pure, steady and unselfish. This Atma cannot be soaked in water or burnt in fire. You may do whatever you want to do with this earthy body. My form is chit or bliss”.

When Alexander invaded India, the scholars and pious people could stop him with the help of Yajnas and the power of mantras. Then, Alexander realized that they were more powerful than even atom bombs. The reason for this was their purity of mind. But we are unable to acquire purity of mind even while doing meditation, because, our mind keeps on thinking of mundane matters.

The modern people think of those people of old generations as foolish and ignorant. But, in fact, these modern people do not possess even a small fraction of the intelligence they had. In those days, people like Sugriva and Angada were able to build a great bridge across the sea by using stones. They were only monkeys. But today even the most efficient technologists are unable to achieve such a task. Reason behind the success and happiness of these monkeys was the support of God and their faith in divinity. As those monkeys took stones and put them in the sea uttering 'Ram', those stones started floating. These days, if one throws in water even a cork, it will be drowned. It is because we are filled with impure thoughts. People in those days worked selflessly and with pure thoughts. These days even while studying, one starts thinking about his livelihood, about the possibility of income and position. But we rarely come across students that think about their usefulness to the family and the society. Students should develop a sacrificial attitude that can be useful to society, nation and the family. This ‘Tyaga Buddhi' (Sacrificial mind)’ is what is called ‘Yoga Buddhi' (Yogic mind)’. This kind of Yoga is the real Bhoga (Luxury). Therefore as students you should strive to make your parents, who bestowed your life, happy. Always keep in mind the aphorism, "Matru devo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava”, and dedicate your life to your parents. If you do not extend happiness to your parents, tomorrow your children will ignore you too. I bless that you realise the value and goal of education and keep the above in mind.