| Personality Development through Service & Austerity |
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Why this liking for coziness always? You are comfortable at
home. We want you to be comfortable. But when a necessity
comes, can you not adjust to the situation? It is only a question
of the mind being prepared to be flexible. Normally it is
a culture that the youngsters always give preference to the
elders. If table facilities or lying facilities are there,
the youngsters should willingly say to the elders, "You
please take them I will be on the floor." As long as
you are not able to say this understand that you don't have
a proper mind. There is a lot to learn from social interactions.
You must have a love for people and readiness for making sacrifices
for the sake of others. House - everybody is born in . But
you have to grow out of the house, to incorporate more and
more people in your mind and heart.
So, it was a great opportunity. I don't know whether the children
have been able to use it.
It is there very much in the Punjabi community, particularly
in the Sikh community,
Kara-sevaa, they call it. When it comes
to the Hindus, especially the more 'refined' section, I find
that they have no respect for sevaa - service.
In Shreemad Bhaagavata, it is very clearly mentioned: Constructing
a temple for worship, arranging for the daily
pooja in the
temple, arranging for spiritual discourses, conducting
Daana
satra, giving food or water, giving dress - doing anything
in this manner for public welfare, is actually a worship of
the Lord. Sweeping or wiping the floor of holy places like
a temple or an Ashram, feeding people, removing the plates
or leaves - everything is immensely beneficial. And Sri Krishna
says, "They attain to my abode by taking part in all
these activities.
He says, "Whatever you do for the devotees is actually
done for me and when you serve the devotees, it is much greater
than serving me! You cannot directly serve me. But you can
serve my devotees."
Everywhere this worship is incorporated in the form of
sevaa.
This
sevaa form of worship, somehow our people are very lethargic
about. My dear children, know it very well that laziness is
a crime. It is victimizing. It is penalizing. And obstinacy
is equally bad. You should never be obstinate about anything
whatsoever. Obstinacy of any kind is immensely harmful.
My dear children, you have done something very good in having
come and participated in the whole session or at least partly.
I wish you evaluate it and understand its real value. If some
sort of you have been persuaded by your parents this time,
next time you should come without persuasion. The spiritual
and the philosophical aspects may not be fully accessible
to you. But the disciplines and habits, the self-less orientation,
the joy of expansion and straightforwardedness - if you have
been able to learn and incorporate to some extent, it would
be immensely beneficial for you.
You know, in TISCO, their junior officers, especially the
graduate trainees, are sent on a mission of mountaineering.
Can you imagine this? A company is sending its officers for
trekking in the mountains? It is all meant for personality
improvement.
Now is the time you should try to improve your personality.
By your looks, by your radiance, you must give joy and inspiration
to the others. You should never become gloomy. Any time, under
all circumstances, your must be able to say, "Yes, I
am ready to do whatever is necessary." Then only you
will have an alert and sensitive mind, a promising personality.
Try to develop it.
Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru!
