In plain words
We must not talk too much. Because of it our character takes something of a blow. Seeing those who talk too much, some people go away. In former times, seeing those without character, people would take fright and run away as if they had seen a snake. When you enquire into the nature of every maker of history, the sacred thing in it is character. Three parts of it show character alone to be sacred.
The sacred character of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
When we enquire into our history in a sacred way, we can see how far each person kept his looks, his hearing and his words under control. A small example. After the bow of Śiva was broken, King Janaka made ready to give Sītā to Śrī Rāmacandra in marriage. But before this, Rāma had never seen Sītā for even a moment. Before marriage she was a woman not his own. You must not even raise your eyes to a woman not your own. The sacredness of Śrī Rāmacandra's character. The parents see to this responsibility. He stayed resolved not to look. They sat on the wedding seats. Before the maṅgalasūtra was tied, they stood up. When Sītā was on the left side, Rāma sat on the right. King Janaka, standing close beside, was saying, ‘Iyaṃ sītā, Rāma! Sītā is here. You are looking somewhere else,’ he said. He said it many times. Rāma paid no heed at all. What was the reason? The maṅgalasūtra had not yet been tied. We must not look at that woman. Śrī Rāmacandra, the hero of history, is the one who gave such an ideal to the world.
All the brothers behaved in the same way. Lakṣmaṇa set out for the forest with Śrī Rāma. Not one day, not two days. Fourteen years. Sītā too was with them. Sītā was a very young woman. Eighteen years of age. Though Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, twenty years of age, were right beside her, in these fourteen years Lakṣmaṇa never once saw Sītā's face. After Rāvaṇa carried Sītā off, Lakṣmaṇa and Rāma were going about searching for Sītā. Hanumān lived on a mountain. Seeing that group of people, Sītā tied her jewels in a bundle and dropped them on that mountain. While they were going in search of Sītā, Sugrīva became their friend. They told Sugrīva their story. Someone has carried Sītā off. Your help is urgently needed to find them, he said. The moment he heard those words, Sugrīva brought a bundle and gave it to him. See whether these jewels are Sītā's, he said. Rāma too did not know which were his wife's jewels. Then he set them before Lakṣmaṇa. ‘Lakṣmaṇa! See whether these jewels are your sister-in-law's,’ he said. Then he said, ‘I do not know whose this necklace is. I do not know whose these bangles are. But the anklets alone I know well to be Sītā's,’ he said. ‘How do you know the anklets alone?’ he asked. ‘Every day I bowed at her feet. These jewels were on her feet. I saw them,’ he said. Though he lived in the forest for fourteen years, Lakṣmaṇa never once saw Sītā's face, even for a moment. Because they went on nurturing such character, they became ideal men.
Only those who serve are true leaders
Character, the ray of Śānti for a divine life, for a life that gives radiance: today women and men alike must hold it as dear as life. Some young people go out for village service. Doing service is a very great thing.
Not penances, not holy fords, not scriptures, not japa: to rescue from the ocean of saṃsāra, nothing without serving the good.
It does not matter if we do no penance. It does not matter if we make no pilgrimages. It does not matter if we visit no holy place. Leadership lies in being a servant itself. Only the one who does these services attains Śānti. Through these services the Ahaṅkāra within a person is rooted out.
After writing the Rāmāyaṇa, Vālmīki one day sat with that Rāmāyaṇa before him, deep in thought. ‘I have written this sacred story. If this sacred story is to bear fruit, it urgently needs to be spread and taught. Who can spread it?’ he was wondering.