Boys and girls today acquire education with the external world in view. They do not realise that everything in the external world is transient. One can develop inner vision and maintain balance in life only when one hones one’s knowledge into one’s skill. Humanness has declined today because man lacks balance in life. If human values are to be fostered, one should sharpen one’s knowledge to skill and maintain proper balance in life. Ecological balance too has lost as man, out of utter selfishness, is robbing Mother Earth of her resources like oil, petrol, iron, etc. As a result, we find earthquakes, floods and other natural calamities devastating people. Human life will find fulfilment only when ecological balance is maintained. Balance in human life and in nature is equally important. Today even marine life is dwindling due to the so-called advances in science. Advances in science are welcome but should not lead to ecological imbalance. The people and the world at large should benefit from science. But today everyone is interested in selfish gains. No one seems to care for society.

The food we eat, the water that we drink, the air we breathe, are all polluted. It is the foremost duty of students to cleanse the world of pollution. Cleanliness is Godliness. Keep your body, mind and the surroundings clean. Let all your actions be sacred. Speak sweetly and softly to everybody. The culture of Bharat teaches Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara. Love everybody because God is present in all. The Veda teaches, Easwara Sarva Bhutaanaam (God dwells in all beings). God has another name, Viswa, meaning that the entire universe is His form.

Modern education cannot be called education in its true sense. What is the use of intelligence if one lacks the power of discrimination and of what avail is knowledge if it is not sharpened into skill? True education is that which develops love and confers well being on the fellow beings. The modern system of education has undergone many changes but no change has brought about tangible results. First of all, the mind of man should be transformed. Then the entire world will be transformed because mind forms the basis of the entire world (Mano Moolam Idam Jagat).

Students today do not know how to convert their knowledge into skills. Where does the mistake lie? Does it lie with the parents or the teachers or the leaders? It is the mistake of everybody. All students are pure and tenderhearted. It is the responsibility of parents to teach them the importance of human values like truth, righteousness and love. But parents are not making any effort to teach children speak truth. In fact, some parents mislead their children in this regard. For example, if the father does not want to attend a particular telephone call, he tells the son to utter a lie, saying his father is not available. In this manner, children are taught to speak untruth. As a result, they lead a life of untruth once they grow up. Under no circumstance, should one speak falsehood. Help ever, hurt never. Those who adhere to this dictum will certainly come up in life.

One does not find unity among students today as they do not have love for each other. You should consider love as your very life. I often tell My students – when the electric current of truth flows through the wire of dharma and enters the bulb of peace, you get the light of love. In order to cultivate love, you should adhere to the values of Sathya and Dharma.

Sathyam Bruyath, Priyam Bruyath, Na Bruyath Sathyamapriyam (speak truth, speak in a palatable way and do not utter truth that is unpleasant). The first is moral value, the second social value and the third is spiritual value.

The rich and the educated today are not interested in spirituality. They consider money as the be all and end all of existence. Money does not confer peace and bliss on you. Devotion is most essential. Today the country is facing hardships because people lack devotion. They do not think of God who is manifest in the form of five elements. Who is a human being? Is he merely the body? No. One with purity, love and devotion alone is a true human being. Today people are in the mad pursuit of money. No doubt money is essential but it should be within limits. Once you have love for God, money will follow you of its own accord. Some are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of money but do not spend even a minute in the contemplation of God. They do not undertake even a single sacred activity. Time is God. Time wasted is life wasted. Each one has to enquire whether he is making proper use of time. People today waste a lot of time in vain gossip, television, etc.

One may be wealthy but his wealth is useless if he lacks character. After death, you cannot even take a fistful of sand with you? No. Your bank balance will not follow you. It will remain only in the bank. So, character is most essential, not money. True education is that which removes pollution of the mind and develops character. It is not enough if students get good marks, they should take care that they do not get bad remarks. Only then will their marks have value.

Divine qualities should be fostered by everyone, whether he is a student or an adult. Depend on God alone and not on others. Easwara Sarva Bhutanaaam (God is present in all beings). You will remain a human being so long as you think are one. Have firm conviction that you are God and share your love with all. This is the essence of true education.

The goal of education is to confer purity. Worldly education is transient. Knowledge of the Self alone is eternal. It can be acquired only through devotion and love for God. Man is born to set an ideal example to the rest of the world, not to amass riches. Where are those kings of yore who amassed riches and conquered kingdoms? So long as they were alive, they enjoyed physical comforts but ultimately, died leaving everything behind. Of what use is such a life? One should attain immortal bliss.

That is true education. It will protect you wherever you are. When you have such education everyone will become your friend, even if you do not have money and you are in a foreign land. Never give up human values under any circumstances. Only then can you set an example to the world. Human values are not be acquired from textbooks nor can teachers confer them. They are with you right from your birth. You have to cultivate them through self effort. The whole creation has emerged from Truth, sustained in Truth and ultimately merges in Truth. To lead a peaceful life, one should always adhere to truth and righteousness. In the beginning, you may face problems, but you should take them in your stride and proceed along the path of Truth. Purity, patience and perseverance are essential for man. But man is becoming a patient as he lacks patience. Each one has to question himself/herself whether he/she has these virtues. It is not enough if you proclaim that you are pure; let others say it.

Do not give room for immoderate desires. It is said, "Less luggage more comfort makes travel a pleasure." Your desires are the luggage in the journey of your life. You will have peace of mind only when you reduce your desires. I am the best ideal in this regard. I don’t have any desires, I don’t want anything. As you are aware we have a very big hospital at Puttaparthi and there are many educational institutions. They are functioning smoothly because they have been started with love and noble intentions. My only desire is that all should live like ideal human beings. After Bhajans, you chant the prayer, Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu (May the entire world be happy). It is not enough if some are happy and some are not. All should be happy. That is possible only when human values are practised. There are many who give lectures on human values. He alone is a true human being who puts them into practice. Elders should sow the seeds of human values in the tender hearts of children. They will grow into gigantic trees and give shelter to many in future. It is said, "Start early, drive slowly, reach safely." Human values should be taught to the children right from the primary school level because they are the future leaders of the nation. Parents and teachers should strive hard to inculcate ideals in them.

It is said, "Tell me your company and I shall tell you what you are." As is your company so shall you become. So, run away from bad company; join good company. Undertake good deeds day in and day out. Even the bad will change seeing your good conduct.

Love is essential for mankind. From whichever country you are, however rich or poor you must adhere to truth and righteousness. Having a tongue, you must utter only truth. With these God-given hands perform acts of charity. With ears capable of hearing, hear only pure words. This is the purity of the organs of action. In the same way you must maintain the purity of the five elements. It is solely for this purpose that Jhum Sai has done a lot of work. This issue of human values cannot be established by a single person. All have to get together. Will a single thread make a cloth? When several threads are interwoven, cloth is produced. All worthwhile causes can be achieved only by co-operation of several people. This handkerchief is so strong only because of the togetherness of all the threads. If you take the threads singly they will break easily. So for our movement to advance unity is essential. The faltering of a few must be compensated by others and all must move forward together. Unity, goodness and good action must be practised. If this is practised well, you can grow faster and increase in number.

It is not enough if you start an institution. The students must be brought up in the right way. Speak gently. Never show anger towards children. You cannot always oblige but you can always speak obligingly. Talk to children softly and sweetly. Between teachers too transactions should be pleasant. Then children will be encouraged by example. Jhum Sai has great hopes in the growth of this movement. In the next three or four days, a lot of issues and ideas will be forthcoming. Every little thing should be taught to children to the best of your ability. Then children will learn and react with enthusiasm. Mathematics, physics or chemistry can be learnt from books or by experiments in laboratories. But these human values cannot be learnt that way. It is not something that can be acquired from books. It cannot be taught by a teacher through mere oral instruction. It is like training in physical exercise. Athletics can be taught only by example. The drillmaster demonstrates and makes the learners to follow the steps. Children imitate elders. Therefore, you should teach the children these values of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema by practice rather than by mere precept. Then children will progress in the right way. The whole country will grow. Not only this country, all countries of the world will be transformed. There are few who teach these things today, fewer to prove, even less to practice. This is why the world is in this bad state now.

Many of you may be wealthy. Many are scholars. You will not be judged merely by your possessions. Are you spending your wealth in a proper way, to what extent is your learning used constructively, are you using your intellect for the good of the community, this is what counts with Bhagawan. Swami seeks quality and not quantity. One teaspoonful of cow’s milk is useful while a barrel of donkey’s milk is worthless. What you have not put in practice is of no use. Practise and demonstrate. Then you become truly wealthy. Then you are a true scholar. Wealth, scholarship, intelligence – all become worthwhile only when used in the right way. Money may come and money may go. These are mere passing clouds. Love comes-never leaves-only grows. You have to realise this firmly in all sincerity and earnestness. Then you become truly human. You also attract all those around you. If you are bereft of love, none will come to you. A small example, Bhagawan is the embodiment of Love. That is why there is such a large gathering here. No invitations have been sent forth, this Love has attracted all of you here. Hence enlarge your love. With love you can achieve anything. There are another three or four days left. Put together any queries or doubts. Analyse and arrive at answers. With these you can improve yourselves. You have to make this conference an ideal for other such gatherings. Many go to seminars and conferences. Hardly any understanding results. This is not such a conference. The transactions should appeal to your feelings and intellect. That is a proper conference. All should be united. Develop love and share love. Speak the truth. Practise righteous conduct. Lead a sacred life. That is true living. Your life will become meaningful then.

Many of you have come from far off places, spending a lot of money. For this effort and expense, take back a modicum of sanctity. Even the buying of a handkerchief needs the exchange of money, a few rupees. For the expense incurred, share in the sacred love from here. Fully internalise the four human values. Truth does not mean merely to repeat faithfully what you have seen. Truth is eternal, does not change through the three modes of time (past, present and future). You must seek such truth, practise righteousness. What is this Dharma? Dharayati Iti Dharmah. That which sustains (life) is Dharma. Fire is that which burns. If it does not burn, it is mere coal. Only when Dharma is well established in a person, his humanness manifests. The principle of love must shine foremost in you. Then you should practise truth.

In the coming few days, if you have any doubts in you, ask without hesitation. Bhagawan is ready to clear all your doubts. Make full use of the presence of Bhagawan’s proximity. Ask and be satisfied. You are mine and I am yours. You and I are one. We are not different. Many say ‘thank you’, ‘thank you’. It is a meaningless habit. Thanks is only for strangers different from you. Bhagawan is no third person. He is the second person. You should not be thanking the second person. If your mother serves you good food, do thank her? No, No, it is her duty. To love you all is the duty of Bhagawan. Don’t you ever say thank you to Bhagawan. It is your right to ask. It is your right and Bhagawan’s responsibility. When right and responsibility get together, bliss results.