In plain words
Work in the hand, God in the mind
When Lakshmibai of Jhansi set out for battle, she tied her infant to her back. Holding a sword in her hand, she mounted her horse and fought. Even in the midst of battle she fulfilled her duty as a mother. All the while she fought, her mind was on her child alone. In the same way, while you carry out your duty in this world, you must still keep your aim turned towards God. You know this: a dancer, turning her eyes and turning her hands, performs her gestures in many ways. But however many ways she performs them, the beat she never misses. In the same way, though you lead a physical life in this world, you must still keep your mind on God. Hands in the society, head in the forest. This is just what you must do. Work with your hands, think of God with your mind. Thinking of God needs no special time. Nor do you need to do any special sādhanas. Whatever work you are doing, think of God.
Wasting food is a great sin
Embodiments of Prema! The food you eat must be pure. You must keep far away from evil habits such as drinking, eating meat and smoking. You must not waste money, food, time or energy. Today in the world so many people suffer greatly, with no food to eat. Eat as much as you can eat. There is nothing wrong in that. Have as much served to you as you can eat. Otherwise, if you leave what was served, you will have to throw it away outside. To waste food, neither eating it yourself nor giving it to others, is a great sin. You know. How the flood victims in Orissa are suffering today for a handful of rice! You may not know it, but now they know the value of food. So do not waste food.
Money and time must be put to good use.
Children today go to hotels with their friends, play cards and gamble, and waste a great deal of money. Students! Do not misuse money. Do your own work yourselves. Do not depend on others. When you have time, you could wash your clothes yourselves, could you not! Why give them to the washerman and spend needlessly the money your father earned! Whether you earned it or your parents earned it, you must not waste money.
Time is the form of God. God has many names: ‘Kālāya namaḥ, Kālakālāya namaḥ, Kāladarpadamanāya namaḥ, Kālātītāya namaḥ…’ So if you waste time, it is the same as wasting life itself. Do not waste time. Taste divinity. Whenever you have time, remember the Name of God.
Talk less and work more
Energy is the form of God. So do not waste energy. By seeing evil sights, speaking evil words and hearing evil things, a great deal of the energy in you goes to waste. When you listen to some programme on the radio, so many units of current are spent, are they not! In the same way, when you talk too much, much of the energy in you is spent. That is why the great ṛṣis of old kept silence. You too must keep silence at least one day a week. Time and again I tell the children: