In plain words
Otherwise, without a change of mind, however many of these material things may change, there is no gain. The change of the individual is the change of the universe. Unless man changes, the universe does not change. The universe does not mean only the earth we see. The society that talks with us is our universe. The society our eyes see is our universe. Society is something living, not inert. Only when man's mind changes does society change too. Today worldly change, economic change, scientific change and political change are all happening, but no change of mind is happening. For a change of mind to happen, spiritual change is essential. Change of mind is contained within spiritual change itself.
Students! This spiritual change is essential. A small example. When farmers, workers, traders, politicians and officials all join together and seek the peace of Nature, a kind of happiness and security arises in Nature. From ancient times, it is through the combined form of all of them that plenty has arisen in the land. More than all of these, the zeal and encouragement of the great ṛṣis gave great splendour to the welfare of the world. It was through their spiritual power and strength that rain fell in season, food grew in plenty, abundance danced in the world, and people lived with no want of food and drink. In those days there were no projects at all. They built no dams at all. They had no need of them. The reason is that their good feelings and holy conduct brought the rains in their season. The prosperity of the land and the good fortune of Nature depend on the conduct of the young women and young men. Only when there is good conduct can one live a good life. The young women and young men of those days shaped Nature into splendour by their holy conduct. Today they are developing all these projects. They are building all these dams. They are spending wealth by the crore. But without food and drink, people suffer in many ways. What is the reason? For all the comforts that have been provided, what is the reason there is no happiness and peace among the people? It is the want of right conduct. It is the loss of morality and honesty. It is that human values have sunk out of sight. Today people are mere human shapes; human qualities do not shine in them at all.
In those days the great kings appointed as their counsellors the ṛṣis, maharṣis, rājarṣis and brahmarṣis, such men alone: that is, the maharṣis who had no desires at all and had given up selfish interest.