I have set three ethical standards in my life. The first is endeavor (physical and mental efforts) to accomplish my goal in life. A number of people in our country are habitually lazy. This is due to unemployment. Those who are illiterate are naturally far away from pursuing anything, and without an act of seeking, there cannot be any delectation in life. In my opinion, any nation where people do not engage in any activity whatsoever to gain their livelihood is vulnerable to inevitable harm. Living a life without any means of
livelihood is of no use.
There must be a work culture in every home. Otherwise, the indolence of family members, especially male members, will bring the family into a state of partial ruin. The world is already full of sorrow. Finding joy in the world is a delusion. Saint Ramdas said – ‘One stupid who sees pleasure in this world is super stupid.’ Many people come to me with different stories of deep mental anguish and suffering every day. After great thought and undergoing experiences of their agony, I am also convinced to perceive the world in the same way. To make this world a pleasing place to live in, there are no other means except to engage in some activity, and the most feasible activity that everyone can execute is hand weaving. Cloth is the need of everyone. Every child, woman, or man can prepare their cloth by weaving. If we honor this culture, the spinning wheel shall become our friend. Attempting to work with it in a depressive state of mind will restore mental peace because the mind gets engaged in some pursuit, and as a result, grief is dissipated. In one of his poetries, Gaiety narrated the character of a very grief-stricken lady. At last, she took shelter of a spinning wheel to shed her sorrow. The poet has tried to convince that the spinning wheel allayed her grief, and this theory also convinces me.
Weaving is a very useful means specifically for women. Any person should never remain idle. Laziness is our biggest enemy. I don’t criticize going to sleep when needed, but one should not be conducive to idleness when he is awake. This inactivity has impoverished us and subjugated us to bigger powers. We, therefore, must incline towards pursuing something.
The second thing which has influenced me is the path of devotion. Any spiritual discipline which has most influenced me since my childhood is the path of devotion. My mother imparted this knowledge to me. Afterward, prayer at both times in Ashram became my practice, and later on, it developed into a habit. But devotion is not hypocrisy. We should not resort to fake devotion by avoiding pursuit to work. We must resort to prayer every morning or evening after a busy day’s schedule. Resorting to prayer after committing immoral practice and evil conduct all day does not yield any fortune. Rather, one should indulge in virtuous acts and service all day and offer the merits of that service to Almighty in the evening. God forgives our all vices which are done unintentionally.
We must feel remorse for what we have failed to do, and God forgives such conduct. All boys and girls should gather every day for at least 15 minutes to offer prayer. Any day without resorting to prayer should be considered as spent thoughtlessly. This is my opinion. I am fortunate to find like-minded people near me. My brother has informed me in a letter that he is studying these days the literature of saint Ramchandra. He is too concerned about him to think anything else, even about his decaying health, as he is sick these days. So is my brother. My friends and master are of the same attitude. My mother also was of the same nature. Saint Gyandev has written that God says, ‘If I am not found in the heart of ailing persons, not on Sun or elsewhere, I will definitely be found where my eulogizing is going on. But my eulogizing must be done only after pursuing some virtuous activity to gain a livelihood; otherwise, this will be presumed as something false and purported to be genuine.’
The third standard that I resolutely follow but very difficult for others to perform is learning a lot and teaching. Whatever proficiency one has should impart it to others and learn whatever is conceivable. Initiate knowledge even to older people. Teach them devotional songs, narrate lessons from Gita or teach them whatever you can. I don’t personally believe in school education. Children cannot be educated by sitting in class for 5 or 6 hours. I suggest that various types of vocational activities should be pursued and one or two hours in between that training are sufficient for teaching. Mathematics or other subjects should be taught in between working time. Promotion to senior classes should be in proportion to the increase in earnings. As the earning rises so should be promoted to the next class. They should be taught in such a way that education and vocation go on simultaneously.
Once my mother was reading ‘Bhakti-Marg-Pradeep.’ She was not proficient in reading, so she was reading leisurely. One day she spent 15 minutes reading one devotional song. I noticed her reading like this. So, I came to help her read that song properly without hindrance. Since then, I regularly taught her something from that book and helped her complete that book. So, keep teaching others whatever you can and learn from life as well. This is not an easy task for all. But Bhakti and pursuit can be followed by all, and they should do it. I do not find any other pleasure except pursuing self-satisfaction and imparting knowledge to others.
“It is your right to choose what you do and don’t do, to choose what you believe in and don’t believe in. It is your right to curate your life and your own perspective. – Lady Gaga”