In English
Man is no more the master, but the slave of habits
The path of Love and Service is not smooth: it abounds in struggle and disappointments. Life itself is a pendulum between sighs and smiles. But, every obstacle is an invitation to your intelligence. "Life is a challenge; meet it ! Life is a dream; realise it." Mankind is terrified by a crowd of problems at the present time - scientific, technological, economic and moral. These cannot be solved by material means alone. Mental transformation too must happen. The ideals laid down by the seers who moulded our cultural tradition have to be honoured and practised. They hold before the eyes the means to fulfil the years of life, not through the multiplication of material comforts, but through serenity and simplicity. Bigger mansions, swell cars, rare luxuries are eagerly sought after Man is no more the master; he is the slave of the habits, the pleasures and the riches he runs after He counts the number of years he has grown; he forgets that each year, his life-period is being shortened. Erudition sans humility, expertise sans discrimination, work sans wisdom, life sans love, music sans melody can never receive honour in the community. When virtues are few and studies are huge What is the gain, what is their worth? When desert land one has acres ten, What is the gain? What their worth? A patch is a treasure if fertile it be. Character is the measure of man. Character insists on keeping vice and wickedness at a distance. It reminds man of obligations and responsibilities, of the high ideals and goal of human life. Life not sanctified by character is a home without lamps, a coin that is counterfeit.