In plain words
Why should I hand you coffee?’ said the wife. Then he thought: ‘My life is entire darkness. Within a single month, happiness, then darkness.’ Today, through their studies, boys and girls have plenty of intelligence. But good qualities are not there. In those days girls, mindful of the family's honour, were very modest. The culture of Bhārata was shaped by great ideals. But in Western countries, what are the bonds of husband and wife like? They are like changing into a new shirt every day. ‘Dharme ca, arthe ca, kāme ca nāti carāmi.’ The husband vows that he will stand by her in dharma, artha and kāma.
Only God can choose the mother He is to be born of
You must make your parents happy. You may take any amount of trouble for them; there is nothing wrong in it. The reason is this: if you honour your parents today, tomorrow your children will make you happy. For parents think with their children's future in view. You, for your part, look at the girl. So you are deceived. You must not trust everyone. We make the selection of a wife. But is there anyone who makes the selection of his parents? Only God! God alone chooses His mother: in which birth, in whose womb He is to be born. For example, Satīdevī, Kausalyā, Devakī. Your wife you select. Your mother you have no way to select. You must never cause pain to the mother who shared her blood with you, gave you birth, raised you and nourished you. ‘Jananī janmabhūmiśca, svargādapi garīyasi,’ they have said. We must never forsake the land of our birth or the mother who bore us. This is my motherland, so there must be love for one's country. There must be individual character. Without these two, it is living death. Whatever danger comes to the country, one must feel it has come to oneself. Today all the politicians keep talking of love of country, and keep piling up in Switzerland all the money that comes to them.