In plain words
Helping others is merit, hurting others is sin
What is sin? In our culture of Bhārata it was said, ‘Paropakāraḥ puṇyāya pāpāya parapīḍanam.’ help ever, hurt never. So which is sin? Taking the body itself to be oneself, for the comforts of the body, for the body's convenience, out of selfishness we enter certain paths. Para upa kara: para means the Ātma, upa near, kara doing. It has been said that what goes near the Ātma is merit. That is, it has been said that going near divinity is merit. Para pīḍanam. Para means the Paramātma itself, pīḍanam forgetting. It has been said that forgetting the principle of the Paramātma is sin. Its inner meaning is that forgetting divinity is sin, and remembering divinity, believing in it, is merit. We must go on believing in the divinity in every human being. Then there is no room for hatred or for sin. But today's young women and young men, carried by the force of their age, are losing patience. Through that, hatred, ego and jealousy grow.
Rooting out ego
Young women and young men, embodiments of Prema!
Today in the world there is a disease in everyone that no medicine cures. In some it may be less. In some it may be more. The difference is only of quantity; the quality is one. What is that disease? That is the disease called ego. No medicine cures it. So today the whole world looks like a patient tormented by many illnesses. Of all diseases, this ego is the most wretched. This ego begins from ignorance. For this ignorance to go, avidyā must go. Only when both of these go is ego rooted out. What have you seen, that you are proud?
Young women and young men! For this there are two kinds of way. To root out ego, we must ask ourselves two questions. The whole world appears as a very big globe. In so big a world India is small. In this India, how small Andhra Pradesh is! In this Andhra Pradesh, how small Anantapur District is! Within this Anantapur District, how small Prasanthi Nilayam is! In this Prasanthi Nilayam, how small am I! For so small a man to look at the endless world and be proud is great ignorance, is it not! When we enquire on the spiritual path: ‘Īśāvāsyam idaṃ jagat, sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma.’ Wherever you look, there is divinity alone. When we recognise the feeling of oneness, that the one who dwells in all is God alone, over whom are you to be proud? What is in all is one and the same divine power. We see many bulbs. The bulbs are different from one another. If we recognise the truth that the current in them all is one, this difference will not be there for us at all. On the spiritual path we must recognise the feeling of the one Self: all is one. In the worldly view we must recognise that in so big a world I am small. But in this spiritual principle, ‘smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest’. Whatever circumstances arise, we must not change our divinity.
Though great riches come, though you ride elephants and horses, though the world calls you mad, though everyone praises you alone, do not forget the good, do not let go of God!
Both of these we must keep well in mind. We must not forget the good. We must not let go of God. Whatever circumstances come, we must stay steady, with firm resolve. That must grow somewhat in today's young women and young men.
Do not swell your desires; do not forget your ideals
The right leaders, the right protectors and the right sustainers of this world are today's young women and young men themselves. You must turn your conduct into sacred conduct. You must experience the Prema of God. Indulal Shah said that very thing. ‘my life is my message’: everything Swami says is these very ideals. One must never give up ideals. But in today's world people swell their desires and forget ideals. They are increasing their attachment to the body. They are forgetting their love for the country.