In plain words
What is this power of the Manas? Not for one moment does it stay still. Even a monkey has steadiness, but the Manas is left without steadiness. Strong, dangerous, very obstinate and heavy is this Manas. Because of it, man falls prey to many hardships, losses, sorrows, rebukes and kinds of unrest, turns into a wreck and in the end lands in the mental hospital. Ever so many books he reads. Children must recognise the main goal in that reading.
We Must Recognise the Truth That All Religious Books Are for Practice, Not for Recitation
If someone gives you a Bhagavad Gītā, you first of all bow to that Bhagavad Gītā. You place it on your head. You press it to your heart. After that you open it and begin to read. ‘Dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre.....’ Every day you are reciting the Bhagavad Gītā. Right here lies the great Ajñāna that is in these educated people, these believers, these devotees. After reading, they put that book in the pūjā room. They place two roses on it. They show it every courtesy. But what is the use? You have not put the matter into practice, have you? You honour the book, you honour the paper, you worship the paper, you worship the letters on the paper. But you do not drink in the Ānanda in the letters; everyone today must recognise the truth that all these books, the Bible, the Koran, the Upaniṣads, the Veda, the Itihāsa, all of them came into being for practice, not for recitation. Look in anyone's hand and you will see the Sai Saccaritra. They say, ‘We are reciting it every day, Swami!’ There is no foolishness greater than that. Was it for recitation that these books were printed? It was for practising! Whatever he said in it, practise that. A certain man's cold, cough had grown worse, it seems, poor fellow! A country doctor came and said, ‘Sir! Put in dried ginger, pepper, lime, fresh ginger, all of them, boil it and drink,’ it seems!