In plain words
That is precisely why man, though he has every comfort, cannot attain Śānti. Everything is there, but there is no Śānti. Once upon a time Īśvara created a person and said, ‘My dear, ask for whatever you want.’ He said He would give him everything he asked for. That person said, ‘I want everything: riches, gold, goods, vehicles and the rest.’ He gave him all he asked for. He told him to enjoy them. Then Pārvatī, who was right beside Him: ‘Bholāśaṅkara is giving everything away. Now this person will not even give us a thought! It would be good to put some restraints on him,’ she said. Īśvara said, ‘What they ask for is only physical riches, gold, goods and vehicles! I shall not stand in the way of this at all. But what life needs, what is as dear as life itself, I have kept with Me.’ What is that? ‘Śānti I have kept with Me,’ He said.
We must see that evil qualities do not enter our heart
For one who has no Śānti, what use is it to have ever so much? Rāvaṇa had riches, gold, goods and vehicles in plenty. He even built his fort of gold. He was weighed down with great riches and wealth. If we look at learning, he had mastered the sixty-four arts. In strength of arm and strength of intellect there was none to surpass him. With all this, what was the use? Through one single evil quality he lost Śānti. Then if we look at Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was a great scientist. He took the five elements into his grasp and sat playing with them. He tried to move about in the waters like a fish. He moved about in the sky like a bird without wings. There was not one task to be seen that he could not do. With all this, what was the use? Because he had the great disease called hatred, he lost everything. How well Duryodhana knew statecraft! He had powers of every kind. What was the use? Because he had the evil quality called envy, everything fell to ruin. We must see that evil qualities do not enter our heart. If those evil qualities enter us, they will lead us in every way onto the evil path. Today is Vijayadaśamī: that is, the day when Parāśakti slew the demons and gave the land perfect peace.