Do Not Forget God; Do Not Believe In The World; Do Not Fear Death

May 1977, Summer Course 1977, Brindavan

Published English.

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Like good food that comes to one who has been fasting for the past ten days, like a heavy downpour of rain that comes to fill the dried and empty tanks, like a child coming into a family which has for long been yearning for children, like a shower of wealth on a very poor man, has come in , when there is a total decline of among the people. What better can I tell those who are assembled in this congregation?

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Time is fleeting away as if it is being blown by a strong wind. So also, the life span of each one is melt-ing away like a block of ice. However, man is simply moving forward without recognising his duties. Is this the destination of man? Is this the ambition of man? Is this all that he is going to fulfil in his life? Having been born in this sacred country of , having attained a human birth which is not easily attainable, is man going to spend his life in this manner?

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To dream is just a play of one’s own mind. To be awake is again a manifestation of one’s own mind. Both these things are untrue. Man, unable to recognise this truth, mistakes truth for untruth and untruth for truth. Truly, this human body is one of and bliss and has been given to us in order that we may have the vision of the . The main task of man is to recognise the secret and the truth behind life. We are wasting our time like a man does when he cuts out sandal wood for burning and using it as coal. With a golden pot, we are trying to cook something which is very inferior. The body that has been given to us for the search of truth is being used for inferior objectives. Truly, we have to search for and find a precious stone in dust. A precious stone cannot be found on the top of a tree. In the same manner, the pearls of wisdom can be found only by searching for them in the human body which is just dust. Dust thou the art and to dust thou shalt return.

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All my hopes are resting on the youth. The youth of today are the future citizens and will be responsible for the well-being of . The good or bad of a country depends upon the youth.

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These thirty days, you have been living in and spending your time in a heavenly man-ner. We are thinking that the Summer Classes have come to an end today. But our Summer Classes do not come to an end on any day. Till today, you have lived in and you have experienced joy in . But from today, you must make live in your heart. Till today, you have been sitting in the auditorium. From today you must take all the people and all that you have learnt in the auditorium into your heart. If you can promote such an attitude in you, there will be no room for differences amongst yourselves.

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Many of you are not willing to go back, but remember that is with you. You should not have the feeling that to go back is an unwanted imposition. ’s ideals are like this. As a diamond has so many different facets, has so many different facets. He is in all of you. Although the diamond has many facets around, it is the central portion of the diamond that is connected with all these facets. So boys and girls, all of you should develop into rays that are emanating from the centre. You should go and establish the form of that you have opted to join.

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The lotus has many petals in it. But all those petals are connected with the central portion of the lotus. For who constitutes the central part of the lotus, you are all like the petals connected with the centre of the lotus.

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Young people, you should develop the spirit of sacrifice. Having developed the spirit of sacrifice, you should feel that there are no differences which are of religious origin. You should be able to establish the oneness of all religions. At all times, you should attempt to be of service to others. You must establish and maintain the sacred culture of . By accepting the sacred essence of our culture which you have learnt during the past thirty days, you have experienced a kind of bliss. In the future, as well, you must try and continue this. To forget what you have listened to, as soon as you leave this place, is unbecoming of human nature.

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You must exercise great control over your mind. You must see that the mean desires of your mind do not get control over you. You must serve your parents, your society and then your country. This is the true form of . You must experience this kind of in your daily life. You must acquire for yourself several things, in the dharmic field, the religious field and the spiritual field. It is not possible for an individual to practise all those things; but you must choose a few out of them and put them into practice in your daily life. Most important is that daily, from morning till the night, you must think of the three essential things, namely: Do not forget God, do not believe in the world, do not be afraid of death. These three things are essential in your life. You must forget any harm done to you by others. So also, you must forget any good you may do to others. If you keep on thinking in your mind the harm done to you by others, you will in return attempt to harm them. To harm them in return is a sin. You should not undertake to commit such a sin. By forgetting the good that you may have done to others, you will not be expecting them to do good to you in return. If you are expecting to get something in return and do not get it, you will have to take birth again.

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We must also recognise the meaning of the word . We are thinking that our duty is our . This is not so. To do something which will give pleasure and happiness to others is our real . Whatever we do should not cause any curtailment of the freedom which others enjoy.

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One individual came to Socrates and said, “You are one who knows everything.” Socrates replied, “I do not know everything. I know only one thing.” The individual asked, “What is the only thing that you know?” Socrates replied, “I know one thing and that is that I do not know anything.” You are thinking that you know everything and when some people come to you and say, “You have been attending Summer Classes, do you know everything?” At that moment, you should conduct yourselves in a manner that you do not know anything. It is only when we put these things into practice, we may develop the feeling that we know all these things. If we have such a feeling that we know everything, then it will appear as if it has come from books; and it had better remain in books. I am hoping that what you have learnt from the books, you will be able to put it back into your head, and after putting it back into your head, you will be able to practise it.

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When you go back to your respective places, you should try and promote some connection with . The important changes that have come about in your conduct in life should be demonstrated to your parents.

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In the old days, when the students were return-ing to their homes after completing their education, the used to tell them various good things like, “Respect your mother as God, respect your father as God, respect your teacher as God, tell the truth, follow the path of .” They were protecting these statements as if they were precious gems given to them. Throughout their lives and till the end of their lives, these statements remained as their weapons and they were safeguarding them.

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