In plain words
Two or three months later Goldstein came to Puttaparthi again. He had learnt from his own experience that wherever one goes and whatever one does, if one keeps remembering the Name of God, there is no fear at all. After coming here and having Swami's darśan, he regained his courage in full. I asked him, “Goldstein! When are you going back?” “Swami! I have made no plans. Whenever You tell me, then I will go,” he said. “All right, you have learnt this much at least,” I thought, and let it be. Some days later I Myself gave him the date and the time and said, “Set out.” From then on Goldstein stood like a ball of steel in firm faith.
Recognise the true purpose of life
If you ask why we have come into human birth, many say, ‘Eating, drinking, sleeping, dying’: that it is for this alone. That is a great mistake. There are many things you have to do in life. You did not come merely to eat, nor to study. Nor to enjoy pleasures and riches. The work you came for is something else. That you have forgotten. You must complete the work you came for, and make your birth fruitful. The body made of the five elements comes, and it grows. But what has grown must decline; there is no escaping it. Before it declines, we must strive to make our life fruitful. On this journey of life we meet with many ups and downs. We must gain the strength to face them bravely and stand firm and safe. That itself is true spiritual strength. Whatever obstacle comes on the way, we must not be afraid. In this ocean of worldly life the waves keep surging fiercely.
Again birth, again death, again lying in a mother's womb; in this saṃsāra, so very hard to cross, in Your mercy carry me across, protect me, O Murāri!
So said Ādi Śaṅkara. Being born from a mother's womb, dying… Is it for this that we have come? No, no. The work we have come for is very great. We must find the way to make fruitful the studies we pursue, the work we do and the wealth we earn.