In plain words
With their encouragement Lincoln stood in the elections and won. Step by step he was elected President of America. What was the reason that Lincoln, born into a poor family, was able to adorn the office of President of America? It was the nurturing of self-confidence, the guarding of self-respect. Students! Understand properly what the Ātma is. The Veda taught, “Ahaṃ brahmāsmi” (I am Brahman). You must recognise this principle. Yet as I see it, even this is not right. Because in it there are two words, ‘ahaṃ’ and ‘Brahma’. Truth is one, not two. What is bound up with duality can never be Satya. So you must believe in oneness, embrace oneness, and make your life worthwhile. You must rely on the power of the Ātma. There is no other power greater than the Ātma.
What makes Śivarātri special
Today is Śivarātri, a most sacred day. Every day we see the night. What is the difference between this Śivarātri and the other nights? ‘Śivam’ means what is auspicious, what is sacred. Why has it been called the auspicious night? The mind has 16 kalās. Of them, on this night 15 kalās merge and only one kalā is left. So this night is sacred, divine and glorious. If you do sādhana tonight with a sacred feeling, that one remaining kalā too will merge and divinity will be attained. What is the sādhana you must do? It is to remove the impurity that covers the heart. That is, you must remove the bad qualities and bad feelings that close up the antaḥkaraṇa. It is from the misuse of the senses that bad qualities begin. The misuse of the Senses is the root cause of all Sins. God does not appear before you merely because you hold a japamālā, shut your eyes and think of God, saying “Rām, Rām …”; you must develop sacred feelings within you. There must be no feeling in you other than the one feeling of God. Whomever you see, you must see with the feeling of God. You must respect everyone. When you develop in yourselves the broad feeling, “All are mine, and I belong to all,” you will find great ease in life; not the slightest worry will be seen.