In plain words
Āśrama means that which has no strain. Young women and men must learn such āśrama learning. But young women and men today foster needless ties and attachments in college and soil their minds. Those who go to college must not set their attention on anything but their studies. Only then will they be able to nourish their character as well as their studies. Our forefathers gave character the very highest importance. They felt that when wealth goes, nothing has gone; when health goes, something has gone; when character goes, all has gone. But the young women and men of today give more importance to wealth than to character. They feel that when character goes, nothing has gone. They feel that when wealth goes, all has gone.
Who are Swami's dear friends?
Young women and men! I may be tiring you by talking so much! I can talk of good things like this for any length of time. I will speak any number of words that are of use to anyone. Useless words I do not speak. You are the ones who must lead a very sacred life. In days to come you yourselves will have to carry the responsibility of the Sathya Sai Organisations. Each one of you must be the leader of a state. But remember one thing. See that you have nothing to do with politics. Seek the welfare of society. Labour for it as much as you can. That is great tapas. After being good all the while you are in Prasanthi Nilayam, you must not start wagging your tails the moment you go out. That is the mark of the ‘monkey mind’. Be with the ‘divine mind’. Do not drown in ‘deep wine’! I have the utmost need of young women and men with such pure hearts. All of them are close to Me. Such ones alone are My dear friends. If you wish to be dear friends of Swami, conduct yourselves as Swami tells you. Then you need not come here. I Myself will come to you. I am with you. I am within you. I am outside you. I am in front of you. I am behind you. Develop this faith. I do not stand apart from you. I and you are one. Recognise this oneness and try to attain divinity. Make your purity grow. Think of God without ceasing. Then you will grow in every way.
(After Swami had sung the bhajans ‘Pibare rāmarasaṃ…’ and ‘Vahe guru…’, continuing the discourse)
‘Vahe guru’ means one guru, one God, one goal. You must not wander as you please, now to this one and now to that. In no circumstance should you leave the path of God. They said, ‘The guru is Brahmā, the guru is Viṣṇu, the guru is the god Maheśvara.’ God, the embodiment of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, is Himself your guru. The syllable ‘gu’ stands for the principle beyond the guṇas, and the syllable ‘ru’ for the principle without form. The One beyond the guṇas and without form is God alone. So God alone is your true guru. God alone is your goal. Only when you follow God is your birth blessed.
Young women and men! Since you have come here at much cost and trouble, put into practice what you learned in these three days and gain its fitting fruit. When you go back to your own places, try to share with others too the Ānanda you experienced here. Show in your conduct the fitting fruit of having taken part in this conference. Help the lowly. Take part in service. There is no other sādhana greater than service. Crossing the ocean of saṃsāra is not possible through tapas, nor through pilgrimages, nor through hearing the śāstras. Only by selfless service does birth find its fulfilment.