26 December 1982

I am happy to see you here and bless you and congratulate you for coming and organizing and making this celebration so successful. The seeds of righteousness have been sown in your hearts for you to kindle the hearts of others. I seek the general good of all people in the world. You must do all work to perfect humanity. By saving humanity, everyone will be saved. Individual leaders have spread poison throughout the world. I want this poison removed. Learn to love your religion and consider yourself a solider of your country. Feel this in your heart. You must work to elevate humanity and eradicate pride, jealousy and hatred. Today humanity is in great danger and there exists no security of person or wealth. This problem is not of one nation but of the whole universe. Unite in an organization to achieve power by gaining the goodwill of the majority of the people at present. Unite in love to elevate yourselves. Each one of you must vow today to sacrifice everything to obtain oneness with yourself. Be rid of attachment in your heart and be ready for the sake of righteousness to jump into the flames and water of life. Be prepared to bum your very bones, if necessary to secure the public good and righteousness. Time and again you are told that idleness is like death and will destroy you. An idle man is a burden to this earth, so each of you must work hard. Spend your time in working. Work is life. Work is worship. A man who spends his time in idleness is like a dead man. The time is coming when you will have to be working to be saved. In this world, change is going on every minute. What we feel or do in this moment will be changed in the next. The time will come when there will be big cities where there was sea and sea where there were cities. You are intelligent and know these things, so there is no need to tell you more about it. Karma yoga is the highest religious practice of this time and will liberate you. The scriptures declare that at the end of each Yuga only Karma Yoga will help you. Lord Ram incarnated and there was a war between Ram and Ravana that took 14 days. In Krishna’s incarnation, there was war for 18 days. In this Yuga, the destruction will come within the flicker of an eye. This destruction will be such that those sleeping will be left sleeping, those standing will be left standing. The whole world will be transformed like this. In this destruction everything will finish ; nothing will remain the same. You should therefore leave your attachment to the world. Only repetition of God’s name will be useful for you; otherwise, it is hopeless. God’s names are more powerful than a thousand atomic and hydrogen bombs. Help yourself by repeating the Lord’s name. All of you know that God’s name is the highest thing. Why do you attach your minds to the transitory things in this world ? Why do you not spend your time in meditation and in repeating the Lord’s name ? Attach yourself to God. Be brave and always walk on. There will be many mountains to cross, but do not stop until the goal is reached. Be strong and never feel disheartened.