He alone is a saint and a sage who maintains unity of thought, word and deed. External actions will only lead to ignorance and not wisdom - Swami
Ganesh L
There are many things in nature that teach us the
importance of sacrifice. The Vedas declare that the divine can be realized not
by action, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by sacrifice alone. There is great joy in sacrifice. When their
offspring grow wings, even the birds send them away into the open nature. The
animals look after their younger ones only until they are able to chew their
food. This sense of sacrifice that is seen in birds and beasts is not seen in
man. He nurtures different type of relationships and is subjected to sorrow in
many ways.
What then is the use of education, knowledge and wisdom? Without transforming the heart, without cultivating broad mindedness and divine feelings what is the use of living as a man? Our daily experiences repeat time and again but the divine feelings never emerge in our hearts. People read the scriptures, practice meditation and other spiritual disciplines, but these are of no avail if they do not transform the heart. One will not excel in devotion just because one wears ochre and saffron clothes. By just chanting the mantra that is given, one cannot get rid of the sins that are acquired. He alone is a saint and a sage who maintains unity of thought, word and deed. External actions will only lead to ignorance and not wisdom.
(Divine discourse on 25th January 1992 at Dharmakshetra, Mumbai)