Spiritual Education Is Deathless

11 February 1976

Published English.

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It has been a custom in our college to celebrate festivals wherein the students express their hearts, full of joy. The castles built by man on the sand dunes of life are destroyed by merciless gales that visit without any notice. Formidable evil spirits are ever ready to crush the blossoming buds that waver. In this kind of experience, we will also notice that human life is but momentary. . Education in itself is not capable of making man sacred. It is the combination of (education) and (penance) that makes man sacred. Just as positive and negative are needed for making use of electricity, so also both education and penance are necessary for the fulfilment of life.

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Out of these two, what is meant by education? It is apparently of two kinds – worldly education and spiritual education. It is possible to enjoy temporal as well as transcendental experiences out of education. Worldly studies are what we are learning normally. The purpose of education is construed as getting degrees, coveting high-flying jobs and possessing comforts. All these vocations, starting from a cleaner up to the Prime Minister, can be termed (Non-education). It is clear that all these mundane studies are undertaken for the sake of livelihood. Are we supposed to live for the sake of food, or is it for the sake of life? We must realise that food is for the sake of life, but life is not meant for the sake of food. This secular education is meant for livelihood only. Then what is this non-secular education? It is (education pertaining to ). Really speaking, (education) is only meant for the knowledge about and not for worldly talents. The education that enlightens about is known as . This education links us to the (the Supreme Soul). This integration is what is called man’s divinity. For this kind of divinity to be experienced, we need some kinds of education, no doubt. But we will not derive any happiness due to cheap type of education. They lead us to some kinds of suspicions and detractions. Does man’s karmic fulfilment depend on the physical atmosphere? It is not at all dependent on this. His fulfilment depends on the strength of qualities and sacredness. The root causes for a transcendental and happy life are the qualities like character and renunciation. It is not long life, but divine life that is desirable. Therefore we must seek education for developing qualities such as the above.

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Progress Through Eligible Teachers Only “” - The Yoga of the says. Only the spiritual education is real education. This requires the power of (penance). does not mean that one should leave family, go to forest, stand upside down and carry out severe austerities. It really involves actions that integrate pure thoughts, words and deeds. It involves talking in consonance with thought and work in consonance with word. Education therefore has to be taken up as a . There is an immense need for highly dedicated and virtuous teachers in this noble task. Food-oriented life is equal to death. oriented life is eternal. It has no old age or death. Therefore, students must strive for such a life, because the future of the world is dependent on them. When we have such eligible teachers in India, we are assured of this progress.

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Oh girl students that are the embodiments of love! You should make proper attempts to realise your principle. Anyone that forgets her own reality cannot achieve anything. We are celebrating birthday. Really speaking, there is no birthday for either Swami or for anybody else. The form has no birth or death. When some shape or attribute is imposed on such an , it then becomes a cause for sorrow. Happiness is the real form of . We are celebrating mundane birthday for the sake of eternal .

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This is because man is addicted to temporal and trivial joys. Really, birth is for whom? It is for the body alone. This body takes birth, grows, decays and dies. Not only this. It is filled with six kinds of aberrations. We need not care for such a body. We must not waste our lives in a manner of attracting people. Suitable efforts must be made to develop inner vision that attracts . Secular education brings several girl students together, makes them play and enjoy, attracts and fulfils desires through various fields or faculties. We have some subjects like chemistry, physics, botany and zoology, etc. There is a possibility of understanding certain secrets pertaining to the nature through these subjects. When we understand the secret of nature, we will realise, “” ( is Truth. World is illusion). Everything that is born in this world will undergo changes. The person or individual, who is associated with this change, is also subjected to change. How then these ever-changing materials could provide changeless Bliss to the ever-changing individual. You may think about it. All these materials and bodies are subjected to constant change. Only, change is permanent in this mundane world. They are all castles in the air. They are exceeding like the sky. Innumerable people are undertaking researches and studies to reach the moon, the sun and the galaxies. However, the experiences pertaining to daily life are different from the facts pertaining to the ever-changing materials. Is this the truth? Or that is the truth? This question arises in the thinking minds.

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'There is no disease for the indweller. In fact he has no birth or death. Nor is he bound by passion or prejudice. The Indwelling is God of Gods, this is the Truth!

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We imagine a form for the in terms of the bodily form. But you must develop inner vision and must realise the indweller . Just now three girls have spoken and had expressed sacred stream of thoughts. Accordingly, all of you must practice these ideals and put them into practice so that society can emulate. There are many fields in which development is possible only through women. Any family or any society gets its name or fame only because of women. Women’s birth is noblest among all beings.

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At this age you may find certain restrictions as hardships. But in future, they will prove out to be great benefactors. “”. Do not expect happiness out of comforts. We should try to achieve Joy out of difficulties. That is why it is said, ‘pleasure is an interval between two pains’. When you equip yourself in a proper way, you will be able to take up leadership in all the fields in the future. Queen Victoria had ruled over the British Empire. Many erudite women had occupied highly respected positions in the royal courts of and other kings. You find many people, in this , opposing women’s education. But women’s education was considered sacred in the Puranic age.

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Husband’s Home Is A Sacred School “Husband’s home is the sacred school that fosters sacred ideals for woman! It is the temple that pardons all mistakes and provides fulfilment without hardship! Gods like , and are obliging to women of good ideals!”

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This kind of celebration will take place in this college periodically, whereupon it is expected that our students show improvement year after year with regard to their spiritual and secular learning. While blessing you all for success in this regard, Swami expresses happiness to have interaction with such ideal students and to share happiness. This will help to enlighten students on the nature of things, and on the differences of transient and permanent aspects. In addition to imbibing Swami’s ideals, you should also be able to propagate them in the society. I expect that you will not tread a path that is contrary to these principles. ‘Devotion, Discipline and Duty’, these three are very essential qualities. Man is in fact endowed with three eyes. You may say that we see only two eyes for man. With these two eyes we see the present. We also saw the past. We will also see what is going to happen in the future. Our deeds of the present lay seeds for the future. As we sow, so we reap. As we eat, so is our belch. Therefore, we must try to spend the present in a sacred manner so as to derive good in the future. “Be good, see good and do good. This is the way to God”, it is said. For today’s celebration, all of you were looking forward eagerly all night awaiting the sunrise. This is not ‘sunrise’ (). It is ‘Joy-rise’ (). I conclude my discourse with a blessing and hope that all of you will fill your hearts with lasting happiness.