Health Is Wealth

27 May 2002, Summer Course 2002, Brindavan

Published English.

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Do realize that man has no contentment Despite acquiring plenty of riches and luxuries Peace and contentment will accrue to man Only when he attains conciousness ()

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So, you may be thinking that this body would anyway perish, today or tomorrow. It may indeed be a water bubble. But many are the legendary persons who used this water bubble to lead an ideal life, accomplishing monumental deeds and studying profound theories. Here , the body, became essential means for , the nation, to reveal sacred ideals. Principles of perfect life were propagated to other countries through the virtuous lives and meritorious deeds of the individuals in the nation.

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Nowadays, why does a teenager of 16 years look like a decrepit of 60 years? The unhealthy practices that they are used to in their daily lives are the actual reason for this. As soon as we wake up in the morning, we should cleanse our mouth. The inner and outer sides of teeth should be brushed well. Surface of the tongue should be cleaned thoroughly. For, mouth is the front entrance, the gateway for all diseases. While talking to each other we should be cautious of unpleasant odour. Health should thus be protected through hygiene. Not only this, each working part of the body should be fit and robust. We should always be aware of the truth that divinity is inherent in each limb and organ of the body. That is why extol God as “”, the essential fluid in the limbs. Each part of the body has its intrinsic characteristic goodness.

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You should learn from , how strong were the Indians who protected their health in this manner. At the time of the great war, ’s age was 115 years and he was Commander-in-Chief. Similarly, was eighty-six and was eighty-four. Such were the mighty warriors of those days who lived with health and happiness. Thus by preserving health, the men and women of those times were able to be exemplars for many ideals to the nation. They ate and slept in time. Ate lightly; never partook of anything out of schedule. The other day I told you a poem:

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then sang a Telugu rhyme on good habits for students:

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Instead of habituating children to such evil traits, can one not encourage good practices? Can they not be shown good stories which promote good behaviour in them? None protests against this evil, neither parents inside house, nor the teachers, the educated persons and the elders in the society. The reason simply is that they too have succumbed to this addiction. So if they try to correct children, they would have to face the question “What about you?” Such are the elders of to day to whom children would give a piece of mind. They in fact are the ones who occupy the front seats in front of TV sets. Let me tell you what some of these elders are up to. They tell our students when they go home on vacation, “Son, it is an year since you watched TV or movie, as you were at . Now go ahead and watch them to your heart’s content”. Mothers even serve meals to them in front of the TV set itself. Should any mother interested in the well-being of her child do this? Certainly not. But unfortunately they are all out to spoil their own children. And Government only adds to the problem, mindlessly. The government servants themselves are glued to TV as soon as they return home from offices. Or they go to clubs where they drink, fill themselves with unhealthy food and gamble. It is precisely due to these bad habits, evil traits and unhealthy activities that today’s citizens are turning into cruel people. Even their speech is not soft and pleasant but is very rude. That is why I often tell you, ‘You cannot always oblige, but you can speak obligingly’. One should speak obligingly with all humility and modesty. Today even these virtues are disappearing. In addition to all this they squander away money in idle pursuits.

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Wealth is the source of all evil ways of life. A student has come here from America. Today in the morning I called him for an interview. There in the interview I asked “ My son, how much do you earn”. “I earn $30000 in a month”, he said. “ How much do you save”, I enquired. “I couldn’t save anything” he replied. Then I chided him, “you have degenerated into a demon. How can you waste so much money? Is this the purpose for which you went abroad? I never show mercy on any one who wastes hard-earned money in evil indulgences”. I even told his wife that she was behaving like by accepting and joining hands with her husband in his extravagant evil life style. I told them, “You both are burning away your lives. This is not acceptable. Having been abroad you should return with the ideals you picked up there”.

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Why go Abroad for Money Where do you find ideals but in the country of ?

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. What is not in is not of lasting value.

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There are as many things to learn as you wish in . Why then do you go abroad? Is it for money? Then are you able to save any? You squander it away. Ultimately, having run out of the monthly salary you take to dish washing or selling of newspapers for survival. Back at home your parents feel proud that their son is in US but would be ashamed to know what menial jobs you do there. Why stay in US and take up menial labour? You should rather earn well and return home to share with your parents and lead a happy life.

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. Parents are like God.

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Students make frantic efforts to obtain visa for some western countries as soon as they pass the examinations. They struggle to reach there to make money but return with empty hands. But this situation will not last for many days, I must tell you. Those who have gone to America are going to come back within five or six years. It will not be possible for them to stay on there. The situation is turning dangerous. Motherland is the right place. , one’s innate obligation, is appropriate to discharge. , alien values, always cause fear and insecurity. Enjoy what is your own. Wherever you may go be proud to be an Indian.

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is a sacred land. The syllable in the name means radiance (in Sanskrit). So spreads radiance, that is, it spreads the light of wisdom. It is said, ‘God, having some affinity, takes birth in again and again to teach the nature of its reality to humanity’. It is only in that all take birth. Only in , is propagated. : Speak Truth and Behave Righteously. These two ideals are to be cared for as the two eyes in life. I am stating facts and not just praising when I say that, more or less, the students of colleges and schools are found to possess these ideals. When you see their counterparts elsewhere you feel ashamed. It is an awful situation. What would happen to them in the future, none can conjecture. Parents are scared to even talk to them. If a father tries to talk about the son’s smoking habit, he would promptly be asked to shut up. Not stopping at this, the son would pull out a cigarette and smoke right in front of the father. Smoke he may, but is this not an insult to the father who brought him up. Who benefits from the birth of such an ill-mannered son? It is better if such a son without respect for the father should be dead. So you must respect your parents and earn them a good name.

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Strive for Unity Students! Cultivate good habits. Awaken noble thoughts. Unity can be achieved through love alone. The country will be torn apart into pieces if there is no unity. Today, political parties are all-powerful and a number of them are mushrooming with different names, patronages, and partisan views. They are breaking up the nation and its villages and distributing the fragments among themselves. What is happening to the sacred land of ! Today, when one says he is from India, he will face a volley of probing questions about the state, the district and the town that he particularly belongs to. This was not the case earlier, for entire was one place, like a big home. With such love and unity did prosper? With the advent of political parties, each and every village has been fragmented into factions. What are these parties, and for whose advantage are they doing this? Purely for their selfish ends! You can see nothing but selfishness from top to toe in these political leaders. And they have hoards of yes-men as followers. This is not the proper way. You must strive to unite the country. India is one; all Indians are brothers and sisters; Brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God – such feelings of unity we should foster. Never think of dividing the country. Why even differentiate the states based on the languages spoken? One can learn any language anywhere, so why have such differences?

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Students, boys and girls! Never give chance to such differences whosoever may advise you. Declare fearlessly that you are all children of . You need not follow the senseless elders who divide the country. They do this as they lack intelligence, but do you also lack? Society is a train in which all of us are travelling. Those who have lived their time get off at the next station or the following. But you as youth have a long journey to undergo. Such long journey demands from you great amount of courage, confidence and idealism. There is none who tells children such good points. When does so others criticise Him. I do not care about any criticism or praise. I have nothing to lose if they criticise, nor anything to gain if they praise. Whatever I say is for common good. Let all be united like brothers and sisters. If they do so this country will achieve great fame. Right from ancient times ’s splendour shone brightly. You should again strengthen and develop the country. Brush aside personal animosities if any. Stay together like brothers. It is only when you do that will you find true devotion, true fervour and true liberation. Devotion never divides. It sees unity in diversity.

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Always Have Pure Thoughts and Feelings Students, having studied in our educational institutions and having undergone the summer course, you should show the benefits of the ideal education you have acquired. Live cheerfully. Never put on a long face. Negative thoughts show up as ugly expressions. Pure thoughts and feelings will always keep us cheerful. I am always cheerful. People wonder how could always be smiling. I cannot but smile. I have no negative feelings, no bad traits, no bad thoughts nor any bad habits. I am always pure. You too should follow this. Follow the Master, Face the Devil, Fight to the End and Finish the Game. Follow Me. Be happy like I am. Be cheerful. That makes me very happy. However, some people indulge in meaningless laughter, which is loud and comical. Just like the way they laugh in movies. Such laughter is no better than crying – it is not true cheerfulness. So lead a cheerful and ideal life. Do not harm anyone under any circumstances. Help Ever and Hurt Never. That is the ideal historically upheld by . .

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Be Ideal Students, Shun Vices Boys and Girls! What you have learnt here today is different from the kind of studies you did earlier. You must find the essence of education and live by it. Never abuse anyone with harsh words. Today if you hurt the feelings of others with harsh words, tomorrow many others will hurt you with harsher words. You cannot escape this law of reaction, resound and reflection. So speak kindly and receive kind words. Do good to others and get good in return. I expect you to become ideal students and uphold the above ideals. No other joy do I need for myself than this. For this pleasure I am prepared to sacrifice everything. How many of am I spending for your sake! Look at any other college. Does it compare in beauty to ours? Then the facilities I provide! Over and above, I create ideal environment. I never touch a single of yours. If anyone is not well off, I grant them scholarships to cover personal expenditure. I shall give anything to see students become good. But some of them still cling on to vices, even after having spent a long time here.

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Students! I am indeed begging of you: please shun your vices, give up bad habits, develop virtues, cultivate good habits, take to right path and enjoy an ideal life. If you have both health and happiness, you need not acquire anything else. Money can always be earned, but what is really important is earning of virtues. Money without virtues is of no use, for, it is virtue that gives happiness in life and not money. Make your parents happy. If they are into bad habits and try to pull you in, tell them as follows: “These things are not good. They spoil us. We know that you wish our well-being but you are showing to us wrong ways of life. told us what is good for our well-being; allow us to do that.” Do lead a sacred life on the sacred path with good behaviour. All of you be happy and I shall tell you many more special things.