In plain words
We must find out what the reason for this is, make whatever additions and changes are needed, and spread the organisations. At a gathering such as this, it is vital that all of you come together, see the truth, and settle on the remedies.
Above all, you must note one thing: whatever we think good when others do it, those things we must practise and follow, and so bring Ānanda to them. If you step forward in the telling but hang back in the doing, that is nothing but the wrong path. The members of our organisations must give more care to practice than to preaching.
Many people give pride of place to surmises, welcome misconceptions of every kind, and even set about discouraging the workers and members. A few days ago a good householder came to Me: “Swami! There are so many workers in Your organisation! Do all of them have complete faith in the Vedas and Śāstras, in a life of Dharma, and in the wonders of God's Līlās and His host of attributes?” he asked. — “Even if they lack complete faith, before long, as they go on doing service through these organisations, go on watching the programmes of the other organisations and go on telling of God's glory, their lack of faith steadily lessens, and they have the chance to change their conduct by themselves.” So I answered; and then, “Who are you? In which organisation are you a worker, and what work of service have you taken up?” I asked. To that he said, “Swami! I am a politician.” When I asked, “How many members are there in your organisation?” he said, “5 lakhs.” “Among those 5 lakhs, are all of them politicians? Patriots? People who follow your rules? Are they following them without breaking their word? Or are they devotees of power? Devotees of office? Do they all wear khaddar? What is the cloth you wear? On top you have put on a khaddar shirt. Below you have tied a khaddar dhoti; but inside, you are wearing a vest that Westerners made, aren't you?” I said. Such a thing may well come naturally in the ways of other organisations, but among the members of the Sathya Sai organisations there must never, on any day, be the least of such deceit, scheming and wrongdoing; and My faith is that there will be none. See: in our country a great many programmes of service to society go on under the name “social service”; but here in this Gurukulam, with no room at all for show or for pride, with what care, with what Bhakti and surrender, the members of our East Godavari district organisations have given what great service! Without spending even a single naya paisa on wages for anyone, for one full month the members themselves bore toil of every kind and, with eager hearts, made arrangements here for the thousands who have come from all over the world! I hope that others too, not only the members of the Sathya Sai organisations but everyone, will recognise their patience, their Prema and their Ānanda, and offer selfless service in the very same way. Members of the Sathya Sai organisations!