In plain words
A small example. We plant a seed in the ground. For that we plough the land well and make it good soil. We give it rich manure. We water it. We see that sunlight too falls on it. Then the seed grows into a sapling, into a tree. For a seed to grow into a plant like this, it needs soil, it needs manure, it needs water, it needs air, it needs sunlight. It takes in all of them. But it holds to its own svabhāva, and takes the form of the very tree whose seed we planted. This tree is not soil, this tree is not water, this tree is not air, this tree is not light. It takes in the light, the air, the manure and the soil, but it grows as itself. In the same way, we too must take good qualities from good people.
You must not forget your svabhāva
Wherever good is done, you must take it in. But you must live as yourself. That is the chief principle of true humanness. Thinking, “I have taken in the air, haven't I?”, one must not merge into the air. Thinking, “Without this soil I would not be a plant, would I?”, you must not turn into soil. Take everything in, accept it all; but never forget your svabhāva. But students today do not conduct themselves that way. If someone wears a bush coat, they want to wear that bush coat too. That is imitation. You are becoming a slave to it. This imitation is very bad. Take the good; from whomever it comes, take the good! But live as yourself. Offer yourself to divinity! Not to ordinary men: to them you must not offer yourself. This is what marks true education.
So, students! We must not imitate outsiders in the least. Imitation belongs to a low level. But svabhāva belongs to your Ātma. That alone is what we must follow. Hoping and blessing you that you will take in such virtues, follow good habits, enter the right path and become exemplary students, I bring My discourse to a close.