Equality through Love

11 December 1985, Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleswaram, Bengaluru

Professor Kasturi's English.

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REAL equality among men has to be achieved not by the equal distribution of material things but by the cultivation of love, which promotes a sense of the divinity that is inherent in all beings. In this land of , through all the vicissitudes of history, Truth has been regarded as the highest value to be cherished by man. This is the essence of the cultural heritage that has been given down to us as . The ancient sages emphasized the importance of , the discharge of one's duties in life in a dedicated spirit. Through man achieves control of the senses and develops the qualities of universal love, forbearance and compassion.

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A life without love is meaningless There has been talk of achieving equality in society. The equal distribution of wealth through socialism is declared as the ideal, but is it possible to bring about such equality? Even if material wealth is distributed equally, can you ensure equality in desires and aspirations? Only when you have equality in terms of desires and aspirations can you get true equality. By taking away a part of a rich man's property and giving it to a poor man, you may give satisfaction to the latter, but what about the dissatisfaction caused to the man who has been deprived? You must look beyond material things to the Supreme Being who is the provider of all things. When you recognise the One as present in all beings and respect everyone as a manifestation of the Divine, you will achieve equality in the true sense of the term. All those who claim to be should strive to bring about this kind of equality through love for all beings.

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Unity comes only through sacrifice There is considerable progress today in various fields - scientific, economic, political and so on, but all man's actions are motivated by selfishness. Man has become a plaything in the hands of his own selfishness. There is no unity among men. Unity can come only through (sacrifice), not through the pursuit of desires and comforts. You must cultivate chatty, which does not mean giving some money to a person in need or to an organization. Chatty calls for the removal of all evil thoughts that are within you and development of a largeness of spirit. Chatty will confer Purity, and through Purity, Unity will be achieved. Once you have Purity and Unity, you can realise Divinity.

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When you look around today you find that there is little evidence of sacrifice for the sake of society. A person may call himself a great devotee, or or scientist, but without a spirit of sacrifice there is nothing great in him. (service) is the salt which lends savour to life. The spirit of sacrifice imparts fragrance to living. One may live for 60, 70, or 80 years but it will have no meaning unless his life has been devoted to the ennobling of one's character and rendering devoted service to others. What you must aspire for are not buildings, positions or factories or industries. A good character is the greatest wealth you can acquire. More vital than the five (, , and others), , , , and are the vital life-breath for every one. Of these the greatest is (Love). Fill yourself with love. Love should express itself in service to society. You should look upon society this way. We exist for society and society exists for the good of all. Try to sanctify your life by doing service and spreading joy and comfort all around.