The whole world is one family, so it is necessary that we live with naturalness and simplicity; only then life blossoms.
The second thing is, the wall that we erect between ourselves and others needs to be demolished. Drop all inhibitions between you and others. From your side you drop inhibitions. Go on and shake hands.
This is what kids do. However, as we grow up, we tend to lose that. We create a wall between us. We bring formalities between us and forget our naturalness.
However, in Mumbai that spirit is there, the sense of belongingness!
All those who are grown up physically, but want to be a child again, or think you are one, just go for it! Don't worry about what others think about you. If the world calls us crazy, let them say, but you be happy. Be in the present and be natural.
What is most important in the world is innocence along with intelligence. The innocence of an ignorant person has no value. Similarly the crookedness of an intelligent person has no value. What is most valuable is innocence and intelligence. Innocence and intelligence should go together.
We need to bring these things in the society.
In children there is innocence, naturalness, and ease. Together with that, intelligence should be sharpened, and our education system should be this way.
This is what I call spirituality - that which keeps the spirit uplifted. Not that spirit which one takes and experiences a temporary high! The inner spirit - keeping your spirit alive with enthusiasm, with innocence, with naturalness - this is spirituality.
Tomorrow is Christmas. In the Bible, Jesus said, 'Unless you become like a child, you cannot get into the kingdom of heaven.'
In Hindi, they say 'Bhole bhaav mile raghurayi' - one who lacks innocence can never find Ram. So, maintain your innocence. How to maintain innocence? Know that God is One for everyone and be natural with everyone.
Inside everyone there is a power.
Parama atma means what - that which is present everywhere; that which is omnipresent. So, will it not be present within us? If it is not present within me, it is not Parama atma. And if it is forever, then it exists in the present also. It is not that it was present previously and will appear again in the future.
Parama atma is always there, and therefore is here right this very moment. Resting with this knowledge is meditation - Parama atma is here, in the present, within me. If you rest with this thought, all the restlessness in the mind will quiet down. Once the mind is silenced, Boom! A radiance will be experienced.
This is what everyone had been in search of. For how many lifetimes we had been in search of this, and then one realizes, 'I am THAT!' Aham brahmasmi. 'Tat tvam asi' - 'You are THAT which you are in search of.'
If you close your eyes and rest and meditate a little bit in the knowledge of 'You are THAT', as you go deep, you will also realize, 'I am THAT.' Once you experience this, all your work will get done effortlessly! So, meditation is a very big gift to us.
And you also take an oath, 'I will not be with corruption.'
We want to see a radiant India where there is no corruption. When there is belongingness, corruption automatically disappears. When everyone is child-like and innocent, corruption will definitely be eradicated.
I want to give you an example. Nine out of ten diamonds are made in Surat (a city in Gujarat, India). The entire industry is run by people who have not studied beyond High School, but are brilliant businessmen! That doesn't mean you should stop studying!
Remember, when you get less marks, you should know there are other avenues as well - you can become a great sportsperson. If you didn't get good marks once, so what? You will get it the next time.
If you don’t get it for the third or fourth time, become a big sportsman, or a big shot, but never, ever commit suicide. It is a wrong thing.
God has given you this body, this precious gift. We should not destroy it. You must all promise me this!
We should do some breathing, some meditation, some pranayama; this will give you inner strength.
ART Excel, YES+ course and all these courses are there only to help you to cope up with your stress. There is so much demand from your peers, from your school, from parents and when you think about your future you feel insecure. That is why all these courses have been designed.
They help you gain inner strength to move forward with a smile.
When I was a kid, I emptied my father's brief case and stuffed all the toys into it. When he went to office and opened the briefcase during the board meeting, all the toys popped up. He was very embarrassed. But I did it only once.
If it is not yours, you just move on and look for something which is yours.
So when you feel lazy, play a little game and then come back and study.
If they say something negative about you, there are two reasons: one is, either they are doing it out of jealousy, or they are doing it because they love you very much. They are good friends with you and want the best for you, so they show your negative points or your weak points.
So if they say something negative, either you thank them because they took the guts and said it, which others normally don't want to say to you.
If someone criticizes you, they gathered the courage to do so, and they put their friendship at risk to criticize you. So thank them. And if they are just saying it out of jealousy, just forget about them and move on with a smile.
I had the same challenge when I was in college. Everybody around me was smoking and some really macho guys surrounded me one day and asked me, 'you must smoke.'
I just stared at them and said, 'no!'
I was the youngest in my class. Everyone else was older than me. I said, 'I will not do it!' They just looked at me baffled and then left.
So you will become a hero if you say in front of them, 'no way! I won't do it.'
They started liking my company very much later on.
'Yes, here is somebody who has strong resolve.' Show your strong resolve for something that you believe in. These are the things which we must believe and acknowledge.
'I am not going to do anything which is bad, which is injurious to my life and to the society.'
Will you all take the promise now, today? 'We will not touch any of those drugs, alcohol or cigarettes.' Can you promise me?
Life itself is a miracle. Honor it!
Love is the greatest miracle.
The more love you give in your life, you will find miracles are abundant in your life.
All three can go together. There is no either-or.
At this age, there is no choice. As kids you should not choose. Develop as many talents as you can.
You can't directly achieve concentration, but if you meditate for a few minutes, your mind will be very focused, concentration happens to you.
It is a benefit to the farmers and is good for our health. Otherwise, they use so many chemicals to raise the crops and then we complain of stomach ache and back ache. How many people suffer from lower and upper back pain and knee pain? Do you know why it is so? It is because of excess urea used in the production of food.
The food that is produced using inorganic chemical fertilizers, causes pain in the joints, back, head, stomach; from head to toe.
Talking in this manner, you manage to convince him. Do you not get your way by gauging their mood? You know many tricks!
After causing so much sadness, even if you get married, your mind will never be reconciled.
Then everyone will remain unhappy. So it is best to seek everybody's consent.
If they think you are a donkey or a dog, tell them, 'Yes! That is what I am.'
Come on my dear, be bold! If they think you are a fool, so what?
All the youth here, I want you to move forward. Let us create a bright future for India.
In foreign countries what they do is, they take a sabbatical - take one year off from studies or work and work for the country or on any other project.
I want that some of you, in fact I would prefer all of you to come forward for one year. We should go from village to village and visit the slums of Mumbai, (we are running a school in Dharavi) and take on responsibility, there is a lot we can do. We will be able to bring all the suicides to a stop. We can be of use to the society.
All of you who wish to volunteer should register. Make our country proud; make our country really strong. I want to see a society where there is no corruption, no injustice, no violence and no stress.
A society where humanity flourishes and love is visible everywhere.
I want all of you to become volunteers, and see a corruption-free society, violence-free society. Let's all join hands.
