Knowledge removes the darkness of ignorance in life

True education I believe is that by which the individual is strengthened and can be away from sorrow. If someone criticizes, one can listen to the criticism boldly, and when one has to offer criticism or comment, one can give them with patience and confidence, without hesitation. There should be no timidity, there should be joy, and a sense of mental fulfilment – this is knowledge. Knowledge removes the darkness of ignorance in life, makes you joyful. Without knowledge, we remain depressed in life. Whoever is depressed, understand that he lacks knowledge. What is the reason for sorrow? Whatever you have received, will eventually go away, we will leave it all behind. Nothing is going to stay here; everything will change. Nothing will remain static here, neither our body, nor our home, our profession, our prestige – we will go beyond all these one day. Then what is the fear about?

So, it is extremely necessary to eradicate ignorance. In many villages, people do not send their children to school. They do not study. Educated people are becoming scarce in the villages, in the backward regions. We need to impart education.

Similarly, in every region, we need to obtain knowledge. What food and how we should eat it, we have no knowledge of it. We eat only carbohydrates – potato, rice, roti – we only keep eating these. Potato is starch and carbohydrate, so is rice and roti. We get only one nutrient in our diet. By adding a little bit of lentils, the meal is not balanced. That is why acidity is generated, people fall sick, they get diabetes.

If you go to North India, what they eat is brinjal, potato, and tomato, only these three things. Besides this, they cook no other vegetable at home. If anything else is cooked, it is during festivals. So much oil and chillies, along with potato, brinjal and tomato. These three have zero nutritional value. They contain no minerals. Okra/Lady’s fingers (bhindi), ridge gourd (turai), bottle gourd (lauki), carrots and many other vegetables – we forget all these. There are so many vegetables in India – parval (pointed gourd) these are not grown. Different kinds of vegetables should be grown. One should have knowledge of food.

So, ignorance has to be eliminated, and next, injustice has to be put to an end; wherever there is injustice in the name of caste, in the name of religion. Recently, a communal violence bill is being introduced by the government. If you look at it, it is rather scary; a draconian bill. Even in the Lokpal Bill that is being introduced, one who lodges the complaint gets two years’ punishment, the person against whom the complaint is being lodged gets six months’ punishment!

All this is injustice to the nation. They do not listen to the voice of the public. Instead, they follow whatever the high command says! Everyone says, 'Do as the high command says.' Where is this coming from?

The dignity and prestige of our nation needs to be upheld. There is a centuries-old tradition. We are not honouring this tradition.

When someone asks what our duty is, they say, 'Upholding the national flag.' Is upholding the national flag a duty? Dharma or duty is one that steadies a man. When one doesn’t have knowledge of one's duty, he says his dharma is only to uphold the national flag. Why are people so shy? Is the Dharma of this land so worthless?

Stand up erect and do not let injustice prevail. We have to fight against injustice.

Third is 'shortage' – we have to fight against shortage.

India is the largest producer of grains in the world, the largest producer of vegetables, the largest producer of milk. In spite of all this, we are always in shortage. The price of vegetables went sky high, and two or three months later, it dropped suddenly. It was a huge loss to the farmers. In Punjab, potatoes began to be sold for one rupee per kilo.

Planning is not right. We have no agricultural planning. Otherwise, how can there be such a huge fluctuation in prices in just three months?

Our distribution system is flawed. Some people are trying to mess things up behind the scenes, hoarding produce, and generating losses. This is not right. We have to fight against shortage and increase prosperity in the country.

Just yesterday, I had a conversation with some businessmen and traders, and they said, 'Guruji, everything has come to a grinding halt. All businessmen are frustrated and unhappy; no work is getting done.'

This has become the policy of our government, that is why! We have to remove shortage. In a country where traders prosper, there will be no scarcity. So, traders will have to think about this. I have been requested to address the World Economic Forum at the end of this month.

Each country in the world is facing a unique challenge. Without considering the situation, one single law has been imposed on everyone. This will not work. That which can work in America will not work in India. What will work in India will not work in Australia. According to our country, what needs to be done here to remove scarcity is something we will have to think about.

It should not be that someone from Washington commands us, and our ministers readily accept their orders. This will not work. Isn't it?

Next, we have to remove the impurity inside and outside our minds. We fill our minds with so much trash! It is necessary that we free ourselves of all the anger and attachment.We have to rise above all this.

So, remember that we need to work towards putting an end to these four things: Ignorance, Injustice, Scarcity and Impurity.

When you walk, check which nostril is open - right or left. Whichever side is open, put forward that foot first. If you get into the car after checking the nostrils and accordingly put that foot in first, you will never have an accident! This knowledge is in the shastras, they are all secrets that are not meant to be disclosed. But I say, reveal it and give it away to everyone.

If the right nostril is open, you should eat food, if the left is open, drink water. If you do the reverse, you will fall sick. If someone eats when the left nostril is open, and drinks when the right nostril is open, they would fall ill within three months - headache, backache, or any such ailment . So what should we do? After having food, if you sleep on your left side, the right nostril will work, which will aid in digestion.

You should definitely do Pranayama everyday, even if it is for a little while. Also, do Bhastrika everyday. Both are important.

How many people are willing to work for the benefit of the society? (Almost everyone raised their hands). Everyone is ready, that's wonderful! As I said yesterday, awakening in the country will start from Maharashtra, if you dedicate six months to the country. How many people are willing to work for us for six months? You know what you need to do? Form four groups: Ignorance, Scarcity, Injustice, and Impurity, and go on a Padayatra (travel on foot) from village to village and include everyone in Adarsh Divya Samaj Nirman Yojana (ADSNY). Ask everyone to become members. Everyone wants to be connected to a big revolution. It is very easy. Tell them, 'Let us all do it together. Let us prepare a database of ten crore citizens across the country.'

Look, for the sake of vote bank, all politicians use caste and creed. Why shouldn't we create a vote bank along the lines of honesty? Shouldn't we have a vote bank of honest people? Then, all the honest people will come to vote, elect honest people to office.

Nowadays, dishonest, anti-social elements, criminals are being given tickets because they have the vote bank behind them. So, if a vote bank of good people is created, good and sattvic people will come up. These people will do justice to everyone, and the country will improve. This is the thought that occurred to me today.

Recently, I was invited to address some industrialists in Delhi. Some top industrialists were present. People were wondering whether the businessmen would agree or not, what will happen. The organizers were scared. I stood up, and with a lot of artificiality, I addressed everyone: 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here to count how many donkeys are there!' The host was shocked and began trembling, 'What is Guruji saying?' I said, 'Yes, you are a donkey. When you maintain a state of un-naturalness and ignorance, what can I say? And you are embarrassed about knowledge. So you are a donkey!'

I gave them a good scolding, even though that is not my nature, but they all liked it and were somewhat awakened . Everyone was pleased.

See, being in knowledge, even if you scold, it is only beneficial. In ignorance, even if you love, you only have losses.