Educare Leads to Unity of Thought, Word and Deed

This land of Bharath is the motherland for great people who acquired name and fame in different continents;
This land of Bharath is the battle field where
The warriors of foreign countries were driven out and freedom from foreign rule obtained;
The sweetest feeling of this land of Bharath is the feeling of motherhood.
Consigning to flames the moral fabric of our country
That ordains self-respect as more valuable than one’s own life,
The dagger of unrestrained freedom has been given
To the people today imitating the western countries;
Just as an elephant that is unable to realize its own strength,
So are the Bharathiyas today.  (Telugu Poem)

The elephant, not knowing its own inherent strength, meekly submits itself to the mahout and obeys his commands. Similarly, man, unable to realize his own divine nature, submits himself to the world and its attractions and in the process encounters several difficulties. He is unable to bear even a little inconvenience. When someone is transferred to a new place, he feels diffident to take up the new assignment. If his child falls sick, he is filled with anxiety. He is living in the grip of fear. He is unable to realize his own strength.

The reason for this fear complex is modern education. It does not develop self-confidence and self-reliance. Modern education teaches you how to make a living in the outside world. With the help of modern education, you may earn money and make a comfortable living by providing all sorts of conveniences to the ephemeral physical body. But you cannot have peace of mind. You may enjoy worldly pleasures with money, but spiritual bliss cannot be attained with wealth.

Hence, never forget spirituality under any circumstances. Only spiritual life can confer peace and happiness. It is said “Bhajana bina sukha santhi nahi…..”  Peace and happiness can be attained only by singing the glory of the Divine Name and not by wealth or worldly possessions. Worldly education aims at providing physical comforts only.

In spite of his education and intelligence, a foolish man will not know his true Self and a mean-minded person will not give up his evil qualities.                               (Telugu Poem)

Modern education leads only to argumentation, not to total wisdom. What is the use of acquiring education that cannot lead you to immortality? Acquire that knowledge which will make you immortal.                                               (Telugu Poem)

What is the use of pursuing such type of education? A human being needs to cultivate five human values, namely sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), santhi (peace), prema (love), and ahimsa (nonviolence). Kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), etc. are qualities of animals. Unfortunately today man is developing animal qualities. He does not make an effort to cultivate human qualities. That is why he has no peace of mind or happiness in spite of accumulating a lot of wealth.

It is in this context that much emphasis is laid on ‘educare’ instead of education. What is ‘educare’? Educare is manifesting one’s own innate divine nature. One can experience bliss by doing so.

There are several colleges and universities in different parts of the world today. There are innumerable number of professors and PhDs, too. But could their high academic degrees confer peace and happiness on them? Why did not the world experience peace and happiness in spite of producing so many educated people? The reason is that all their education is meant to make a comfortable living. Education is for life, not for a mere living.

One has to pursue educare along with education. Education is related to the outside world, whereas educare concerns itself with one’s inner being. It relates to the Atma (Soul). Where is Atma? It is everywhere. It is omnipresent. The Vedas declare Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman). This dictum establishes the universal existence of God. A human being is the Embodiment of Divine Self, verily. One is not merely a human being. Since one identifies oneself with the physical body, one considers oneself a mere mortal..

There are five human values. The first one is sathya (sathya). What is its form? It has no form. It is beyond description. Similarly, santhi (peace) cannot be perceived by the naked eye. So also the other human values like dharma (righteousness), prema (love), and ahimsa (nonviolence) have no form.

Prema is one quality that is present in all human beings, but it is invisible. It can be recognized only when it is showered on another human being. Where there is love, there cannot be hatred. Where there is no hatred, there cannot be violence. That is ahimsa.

Strangely, the term human value has acquired new meaning these days. It is mistaken to be accumulating wealth and maintaining a bank balance. People think this is the purpose of education. This is not true.

The real human values are sathya, dharma, santhi, prema, and ahimsa. Anything contrary to these values is animalistic in nature. Hence, whenever you are confronted with such animal thoughts, remind yourself, “I am not an animal, I am not an animal; I am a human being, I am a human being.” You are a human being, not an animal. However, you can be considered a human being only when you manifest human qualities; not otherwise. You may be highly educated and well-read; if you do not have human qualities, you cannot be called a human being. Only the person who manifests the five human values can be called a real human being.

You may be an Emperor with lot of wealth and manpower to support you, but you may not be happy. Real peace and happiness come from inner feeling of peace and tranquility. Worldly positions and power cannot confer peace and happiness.

You all know the story of Alexander. He went round the world on a conquest mission. He crossed the river Sindhu and came to India. Meanwhile he had a heart attack. There were a good number of doctors around him, who examined him and declared that he might not live long and die very soon. Alexander called his ministers and generals and told them, “After I leave this body, wrap my dead body with a white cloth keeping my both hands in a raised position so that all people can see my empty hands. Then, take my body in procession through all the streets of our village. Whoever sees my body thus will ask why my hands are kept in such raised position. Tell them that the Emperor Alexander conquered all the countries and accumulated a lot of wealth. However, at the time of his death, none, even the mighty army or the doctors present, could save him. He left the world empty-handed, leaving behind his empire and great wealth.”

Similarly, one may be a billionaire or a millionaire; yet one has to leave this world with empty hands. You may store your wealth in bank lockers; but you cannot take even a handful of earth along with you at the time of leaving this world. Not even a dust particle.

All the education that we pursue today is secular. No doubt this is also necessary. But the real education is that which helps you to manifest your innate divinity. You may read a number of texts, you can teach them to others, too. They cannot make your life exemplary.

Hence, what sort of education should a man pursue? ‘Educare’. What is educare? Educare is manifesting one’s innate human qualities in the outside world. No text books need be read for this purpose.

However, since you came into this world with a physical body, you have to acquire education and earn money to sustain that body. Secular education is for sustaining the physical body. The chanting of the Gayathri Mantra starts with AUM. Then the mantra proper reads “Bhur Bhava Suvah Thath Savithur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayath”. The chanting of AUM itself will confer all the benefits that accrue by chanting of the mantra.

There is a great necessity today to explain the significance and inner meanings of such mantras to students. That is why we have recruited teachers who can explain these spiritual aspects along with secular education to the students in our educational institutions.

The first Vice Chancellor of our University, V. K. Gokak, was one such great teacher who could impart secular education with spiritual background. I knew him even before we started our colleges. He learnt several aspects from Me. He always used to chant the divine name of Swami. He and his wife had single-minded devotion. Whenever I visited their house, first of all, they would take Me to their puja room. Gokak’s heart was very pure.

Such a noble person became the first Vice Chancellor of our university. The students today are enjoying the fruits of all the hard work done by him. He used to obey My command in letter and spirit. He used to approach Me to clarify even a small doubt. Today, his eldest son, Anil Gokak, is laying down the office of the Vice Chancellor of our university after completing his tenure of three years. Anil is a worthy son of a worthy father. Having completed his tenure, he is leaving the university, but I know that his mind is always with Swami.

Anil Gokak and his wife both are ardent devotees of Swami. Do not think that they are going away from us, nor are we sending them away. Sri Sathya Sai University is imprinted in their hearts. Their thoughts are always focused on Swami. Their hearts are always tuned to Swami. Swami is always with them. Do not think that we are giving them a send-off today. No, no. We do not give send-off to any one; we always welcome, welcome, welcome. I also told them that wherever they are, they should come here and have Swami’s darshan.

The Gokak family has always remained a homogeneous unit. Wherever they are, Swami is firmly installed in their heart. Anil Gokak is Mine and I am his. I told him, “I and you are one.” Not only Anil, all of you are part of Me, though outwardly you appear to be different from Me. Easwara sarva bhutanam (God is immanent in every living being). Easavasyamidam jagat (The entire universe is permeated by God). Even ants and insects are different forms of God. There is nothing in the universe which is not divine. That is the truth.

Creation emerges from truth and merges into truth,
Is there a place in the cosmos where truth does not exist?
Visualise this pure and unsullied truth.            (Telugu Poem)

Everything is God. It is God that protects or punishes. Do not be under the impression that someone is punishing you. It is God’s Will that works through him. Whoever hurts you or causes suffering to you, always think that that person belongs to you. Never entertain an ill feeling against that person.

All are one, be alike to every one. The bodies may be different and the thoughts may be different. But, the Atma Thathwa (Atmic principle) in all is only one. No one can separate the Atma as belonging to this person or that person. Wherever you go, whether it is America or Japan or Germany or Pakistan or India, only one Sun illuminates the entire world. It is day time for us now, whereas it is night in America. Does it mean that there is no Sun in America? No. The Sun is here, there, and everywhere, illumining the entire world. Since the Earth rotates round the Sun, it is night in America at this point of time.

Similarly God is everywhere. He is omnipresent. We need not search for Him in some corner. He is immanent in us. We should develop a feeling that God is always with us, in us, above us, and below us. One should develop such firm faith. Then one can see Him at any place of one’s choice.

You may contemplate upon Rama or Krishna. While doing so, keep the form of your chosen deity before your mind’s eye and contemplate on Him. Surely you will visualise that form. You should therefore not entertain the feeling that God has forsaken you. If God were to forsake you, how can you exist in the world? God and you are one. Lord Eswara is also referred to as Arthanareeswara, signifying the unity between the male and female aspects of Divinity.

In fact, all our troubles are due to our attachment to prakriti (material world). Do not entertain the feeling that you are separate from God; that you are only a devotee etc. Do not think that He is God and you are only a dasa (servant of God). You are not merely a devotee. You are God verily. Constantly remind yourself, “I am God, I am God, I am God.”

All the names that are given to individuals are for the purpose of identification. They are not eternal. In fact, all names and forms are meant to be shed at one time or the other. But the Atma is eternal and changeless.

If ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ are removed, what remains is God only. You say this is my body, my mind, my intellect, etc. You are not the body, you are not the mind, you are not the intellect. You are separate from all these things. You are God, verily.

Fill water in a thousand vessels and keep them in the Sun. The Sun reflects in all these thousand vessels, but there is only one Sun. Just as the one Sun reflects in thousand vessels, so also the one God illumines the entire universe. God is one and the goal is one. You have to develop the feeling that everything good or bad, profit or loss, is God.

Of course, secular education and ideas are necessary to a certain extent.

Today Viswanath Pandit is taking charge as the new Vice Chancellor. He has also toured several countries of the world as an academician. He is ‘Viswanatha’. He is a very good person. In the past also, several Vice Chancellors worked in this university and left after completing their tenure. They may not be present here in their physical bodies. But their Atmas are always with Me. In fact, I am their Atma. Hence, no one should feel that someone has left and some other person has come in his place.

Perform your duty. This duty strengthens your relationship with God. Duty is God. Anil Gokak performed his duties very well. Even a small matter, he used to bring to the notice of Swami for clarification. I need such people. Right from the first Vice Chancellor, the senior Gokak to the junior Gokak, all Vice Chancellors are My people only. Even the future Vice Chancellors belong to Me only. I am utilizing the services of all these persons for the development of students.

The students are also good. College students in the outside world these days are problematic, but our students cannot be compared to those boys. Our students are unique. They do not join unsuitable company in the outside world. They maintain their good behaviour at all times. Everywhere they are distinct and distinguishable, but that does not mean that they are separate or misfits in any society. Wherever they are, they act in harmony with their local community and always conduct themselves with dignity, obeying Swami’s command.

Spirituality is like the head of a physical body. Only when the head functions well can all other limbs in the body function smoothly. All our students should therefore treat spirituality as their head.

Each lecturer teaches a particular subject in the classroom. Students should imprint their teachings in their hearts. They should not differentiate between the lecturers saying so and so is a great lecturer and others are not. If you conduct yourself as good boys with sterling character and leadership qualities, you can even rule this country in the years to come. Hence, develop a sense of equal-mindedness, treat all lecturers as good, and take their lessons to your heart. This is what I wish to emphasise today as My advice to all the students of our Institute.

Let there be unity between your thoughts, words, and deeds. That is ‘Trikarana suddhi’ (three instruments of purity). What you think, you should speak; what you speak, you must put into practice. That is real humanness. Unity does not mean gathering of all people at one place. What is needed is perfect harmony between thoughts, words and deeds. That is real Educare. The Educare is very much immanent in you.

You need not refer to any text books to find Educare. Our heart itself is a text book. Follow its teachings. Then you will become good students and good people. The good people are God’s own people. Don’t consider yourself as just students. You are not merely students. Only your body is a student. In your heart, you are verily divine.

Anil Gokak is leaving today. He will come back. Wherever he and his family reside, they belong to Me. I belong to them too. This is our relationship. I wish that all of you should conduct yourself as good students and welcome the incoming Vice Chancellor Viswanath Pandit with love and respect. Be happy.