In plain words
Though they are not here today, their ideals still shine out brilliantly even now.
Did not Hariścandra, who ruled the earth in ever-steadfast truth, leave this earth and go? Did the noble King Nala, who ruled all the worlds in splendour, go away carrying the earth with him? Did Māndhātā, who was the adornment of the Kṛta age, go off with his wealth tied up in a bundle? Is Śrī Rāma, who once bridged the ocean, on the earth now? How many, how many kings have gone! Not one of them takes the earth along with him; will you alone carry off the kingdom and its pleasures tied on your head, O righteous heart?
No one took anything with him. They handed on their ideals to others and went. And women dedicated their lives to society and sustained them as ideal women. Sāvitrī, who believed her husband to be her truth and won back her husband's life, kept handing on that principle to all women. However many hardships befell her, however many adversities of every kind befell her, Sītā held the principle of her husband in her heart, passed ten months in Laṅkā, and proved herself an ideal woman for all women. Because such pure men and women lived in those days, the country flourished in well-being, in safety, in constant festivity, bright with green festoons. But today no one thinks of this pure heart. No one gives thought to the wealth of character. Only when peace of mind brings forth its own divine feelings does Śānti come to us.
The man of today utters the words "I love, I love". They do not truly understand what this Prema is. What is this Prema? From daybreak until he lies down at night, the man next door is seen in his own form, yet you do not love him, and you say you love the Paramātma who is not seen: is that anything one can believe? You do not love even the parents you see. Only when you love individuals will you become one who loves the Power. The God within each individual is one! Ekovasi sarvabhūtāntarātma. God is in everyone. Do not hate anyone. Adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānām; that is why the Upaniṣads said, ‘Uttiṣṭhata, jāgrata, prāpyavarānnibodhata.’ To whomever you bow, it reaches God. Whomever you scorn or hate, that too goes to God. Who is God? It is not that He is in some temple or in some holy place. ‘Deho devālaya prokto jīvo devassanātanaḥ.’ The body is the temple. The jīva is God. ‘God is not in some other land; God dwells in one's own body itself’: such a body we neglect. Man today must inquire into the principle that recognises this truth. It is because man forgets such true feelings that his life today is falling into great unrest. Only when there is light in the heart will all the actions man does be right. Every step man takes is falling into adharma. Every word he speaks forgets the truth. In every look he looks with, Prema has become confused. In the thoughts he thinks, foresight has perished. Even the desire he desires has become selfishness and self-interest. Awareness in man has gone cold. The senses are roaming at will. To tell the truth, humanness itself has been rooted out.
First of all one must recognise the way to master the senses. Having recognised it, one must try to act on it. At every little thing, excitement, hatred, envy, ego, oh! The man of today is being filled with bad qualities too many to tell.