In plain words
So man must keep his ‘food’ and his ‘head’ on the right path. He must keep his intentions pure. If we develop a sāttvic ‘head’ from childhood itself, our whole life will move along the sāttvic path. If we are to make our humanness worthwhile, we must not live like cattle, birds and wild beasts. Born human, we must do karma that befits humanness. Only when we practise the human values of Satya, Dharma, Śānti, Prema and Ahiṃsā do we become human. In the life of man today the influence of rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa shows strongly, but nothing sāttvic shows at all. We must teach the sāttvic. We must do sāttvic karma. We must reach the sāttvic place.
Cultivate the sāttvic guṇa at a tender age itself
Embodiments of Prema! Whatever qualities you follow in childhood, such is the place you will reach in the future. If you follow rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa in childhood and youth and follow sattvaguṇa in old age, what use is it? So you must follow the sāttvic guṇa at a tender age itself. If we are to experience humanness and to reach divinity, sāttvic qualities are greatly needed. Only when you follow the sāttvic guṇa can you receive good fruits. To follow rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa while hoping to enjoy good fruits is madness. If you want to acquire the sāttvic in old age, that is not possible. So we must follow the sāttvic guṇa in youth itself. That is why all our ancient ṛṣis kept up fine sādhanas in their youth itself. You must eat sāttvic food. Only from sāttvic ‘food’ does a sāttvic ‘head’ come. Only when there is a sāttvic ‘head’ will you do sāttvic karma. Only through sāttvic karma do sāttvic qualities grow. Not only that: in youth there must be sāttvic ‘friendship’.