New Year talk

Knowledge and Behaviour

Most of you have been attending my classes and studying the scriptures for some time now. There are also others who do not attend classes but hear the scriptures from various places. If the study of scriptures is to be beneficial it is important to remember some fundamental truths. By studying the scriptures we are not trying to change the world or other people. The material Sciences is trying to change the world (improve the world) whereas our scriptural teachings is not meant for changing the world or others. Infact we can never change other people.

Recently in one of the series of lectures Swami Dayananda was talking about his personal experience. Swamiji has been conducting training courses for over 25 years meeting so many different people. And in his 25 years of hair graying experience, Swamiji discovered a painful fact that we cannot change others. Therefore, I would like to emphasize this: we are not here to change other people at all because we cannot change them. The primary purpose of studying scriptures is to change us. Because we change ourselves only and we alone can change ourselves. Both conditions are important. And the change we want to make is to face the world and the people who are themselves changing or we want to make is to face the world and people who don’t want to change at all.

When I say that we are studying the scriptures only to change ourselves, a doubt may arise: is it a selfish exercise? Just to study the scriptures for our own improvement, for own change. Will not create an irresponsible attitude? (that whatever happens to others let it happen). We need not care for them. Such a doubt may arise. We say that we cannot change others but we certainly can help other people to change. So we are not talking of total pessimism but only cautioning against being over optimistic. If we are over optimistic then it is easy to become frustrated and at the same time we need be pessimistic as we can help in changing others.

And we can help other people to change only if these three conditions are satisfied. The first condition is that the person has made a decision to change. Second condition is even as the other person has decided to change he must have a desire to take help from me. I can offer help only when the other person wants to change and he has a desire to take help from me. Because you cannot give something unless the other person is willing to receive. Otherwise whatever you give will only drop out. And the third condition is the most important condition is that I should be competent to help others. If these three conditions are satisfied then we can hope to help others. And if you study the society, the family, or the colleagues in your organization you will find that majority of people don’t want to change because they think they are paragons of perfection.

If I go near them to change they will in turn offer help to change us. When I give advice to them they will not receive it and instead give us a big lecture. Therefore, we cannot even open our mouths. And if a person wants to change but does not want my help then also I cannot do anything. And if these two conditions are met – people want to change and want us to help them change – when we must ask ourselves this question. Are we competent enough to help others to change? Actually most of us ourselves need help instead of trying to change the world. In fact the best help we can do is not poking our nose and not interfering in other people’s affairs. Even the Lord cannot change others unless the other party wants to change and wants to take the Lord’s assistance. That is why, in Puranas Lord Krishna could not change Kamsa, Rama could not change Ravana. When God themselves cannot change others what chance is there for mere mortals like us in improving the world. So, these three conditions are vitally important.

First I must have a strong desire to change. That is called free will or Purushartha. Second I should take help from the Lord. Surrender or Devaim Anugraha. And if these twin conditions are met then God Himself will change us or HE will send competent people to help us change for the better. When we recognize this fact then our attitude to scriptural study will be different and you will find that your personality will change radically. In an unbelievable manner our personality will improve. Not suddenly but gradually. Like a butterfly. When you look at a butterfly at conception, it is in the form of an egg. At this stage we can never believe that this tiny egg is going to be a wonderful, beautiful, attractive, free flying butterfly. But nature has provided it with all the conditions for the egg to grow and evolve to a caterpillar. From a caterpillar to a cocoon and then a butterfly. Each stage is radically different from the previous stages. And as a butterfly it is so wonderful and beautiful that we see the Lord’s glory in it. We can also be like this butterfly (don’t imagine that you are going to grow wings!) but internally we can become wonderful and attractive. But for that we need to go through all the stages. That is why in our scriptures we have four ashramas.

Brahmacharya ---- egg state Grihastha----- caterpillar
Vanaprastha--------cocoon Sanyasa------butterfly

But between a butterfly and human beings, there is a big difference. In the case of a butterfly, the change happens naturally. It is programmed, it is in the genetics. It need not use free will. It need not do saranagati. Not required. It has to just survive and the change will happen automatically. But in our case if the scriptures should change my personality, it does not happen automatically. I will have to initiate the change. I have to use my freewill. And if my freewill is limited I must be prepared to take help of the Lord and then I can get the full benefit. On the other hand I am not willing to change then scriptural study will only give me information. There will be information but no transformation. Whether I want information or transformation will not depend upon the teacher, does not depend on the scriptures and does not even depend on the Lord. It depends on my decision.

One unfortunate fact about change is it is a very painful affair. Because we are comfortable in our habits, in our way of behaviour that we do not want to give it up. We have become cozy and comfortable. Therefore, we don’t give up our personality that easily. And without tyaga of the present, petty, small personality we cannot change for the better. Change is painful because we have to give up some parts of us. Some traits. Some conduct. Some type of behaviour which is like death. Death of the ego or death of a part of ego. Change is a type of death. In the second chapter of the Gita, the Lord says that death is a type of change. Now I say that the converse is also true. Change is a type of death. Therefore we are afraid as it is painful. That is why, when baby comes out of the womb it cries even though it is coming out for better possibilities. Even though it is a happy affair, it cries. Unless we are willing to undergo that pain, there cannot be change.

So if our time, energy, intelligence etc. should be beneficial to others, we must make a decision on New Year day that, “ I want to change myself.” And if others want to change and want my help, I am ready to give what I can. But if they are unwilling to change and I have to suffer because of it then it is an unfortunate fact. Let me prepare myself and let me change myself. Take the simple example of chanting Om. I can tell once or twice that all of us should chant Om together but in spite of that some people – they have it in their blood – chant odd Oms. What do I do? I cannot take a stick and walk in the crowd and crash it on their heads. Such odd Oms can irritate us tremendously. So you bite your tongue and chant. You cannot tell the person because he might be a very senior person. And he also doesn’t do willingly. He might be doing Saharanama archana chanting namah and Om together by practice. Instead of Om….namah what comes out is namah-----Om. It is very difficult and one needs to listen to others carefully. What do you do? Suggest once or twice and then change yourself. Not to get irritated by an odd OM. I took three New Year functions to change me. I am reasonably patient and now for an odd Om, I smile. Earlier there used to be no smile. For me it is only a two hour affair but for you it might be to live with a troublesome family member or colleague at work for a long time. It is all part of the game. Since it is very important the scriptures themselves emphasize the fact. They constantly remind us that along with scriptural study, there must be a change in our personality. As somebody nicely said, “ as vichara change, the achara must also change.” Vichara means the changes in the thought process as learning takes place. The internal change must bring a change in our external personality. Achara means speech and action. Today I propose to take eight scriptural quotations which emphasize speech and action. That is, the change is speech and action as learning takes place.

In advising we are very, very good. We have got all the knowledge in the world when it comes to advising others. What is the problem? We forget all the values (everything that we have learnt) when it comes to our lives. Then we conveniently, comfortably, or perhaps even helplessly forget what we have learnt. Since this weakness is there, be alert especially when you are involved in transactions.

You may not be able to do all the Vedic Yagnas. Doesn’t matter. Many people don’t even know that such things exists. And they have got their own reasons – we are in the city and have so many problems like water problem. Even if we didn’t do smartha Karma, it is all right. See how much compromise our scriptures allow us. Don’t expect my statement and stop doing Sandhya vandanam. Our scriptures only show an understanding. But there is one condition. May you lead a disciplined life by Achara – speech and actions- learnt in the scriptures. In any scriptures of the world, the first task is to change the pattern of your speech and actions.


Shankaracharya says in Vivekachodamani – don’t talk too much and only then you will have quality control. First quantity control. If too much of quantity is there, quality control becomes very difficult. Therefore first control the quantity of talking. Be alert in your actions. Dharma is not something that is to be spoken but it exists through actions. Scriptures emphasize Achara. That is, remove the gap between what you know and what you know and what you are. Do not have a spilt personality.

And in spite of all this you don’t want to change, the scriptures begin to warn us. First it is a suggestion and now it says, ‘better follow.’ What will happen if I don’t follow? The scriptures warn. When you take food it is meant to be digested and only then it contributes to our growth. And if the food is undigested not only we don’t grow but the very same undigested food becomes poison which can be destroy us. Similarly the study of scriptures is akin to talking food. We have to grow and if the Shastras are stuffed and not assimilated then the very same Shastra becomes counter productive. For example it can add to our ego problem. Before coming to the Gita Class, I felt very proud having a lot of money, a bungalow, and car etc. now my ahambhavam (ego) is added because now I know Gita also. I have completed Brihadarnyaka Upanishad. Swami Chinamaya nicely said,’ you have gone through ten Upanishads but how many Upanishads have gone through you?’ Learning with an attitude of pride will not make any difference. Vidya Garvam is the worst garvam for which there is no parihara because of all kinds of arrogance, Vidya is the solution. But if Vidya itself is a cause of pride then even Bhagawan cannot help us. Therefore, assimilate the teaching and don’t allow it to become arrogance.

Poverty causes shame in a person. He avoids people or an assembly. The assembly becomes a Visham for a poor person as he feels ashamed and runs away in the company of rich men.
Don’t give advice to an unwilling person. It will only become counter productive.

Any amount of scriptural study will not benefit or purify the mind unless the person is keen to follow what he has been taught. One might have studied all the four Vedas and also the six Angas but he can still be cantankerous and problematic and as egoistic as before. Without Achara, Vedas cannot purify a person. During crisis that knowledge (mere book knowledge) will not help. The greatest crisis in life is Mrutyu Kala and unless he has worked for the assimilation of scriptures he will not get any benefits. Like the birds (fledglings) will leave the nest when their wings are fully developed. Similarly at the time of death the knowledge of Gita will only be in the cassettes and notebooks. It will not be in our hearts. For it to be in our hearts, it must be well assimilated.

These are verses in which the scriptures does parihasa. It teases a person who goes on learning without changing. Only the scriptures can tease and not anybody else. So don’t quote this verse and tease others. It says,’ suppose a person is a scholar and does not follow the teaching in his day to day life. It is only in his head and there is no change in speech or action. It is vrytham (futile) much like the tail of a dog. It does not even cover its back side unlike other animals. The tail is useless. Our Acharayas can sometimes give us humourous examples also but this is to tease a scholar who does not assimilate the teaching. So any time you misbehave think of a dog’s tail. Not only does a dog’s tail not cover its back but it does not drive the flies away. In most animals the tail is used to drive away flies, insects, and mosquitoes away. In a dog the tail serves no useful function. So any amount of scriptural study is useless unless it is accompanied by a change in personality. Then what type of personality change should happen?

You are not a victorious person or Shura (a valorous person) by conquering people in wars. That victory is only ephemeral and not shuratvam. You are not a Panditah if you only study the scriptures. Similarly you are not a great speaker if you are only eloquent. And one is not a Dhatha (charitable person) by just denoting money. Then who is a real shura, or a real panditah?

A true shura is not who defeats other people in battles but one who controls and manages his sense organs. Indriyah Jayeh. As long as I have not mastered my sense organs I am not a Shura. A real Panditah is one whose life is dharmic. Mere scriptural knowledge is useless unless it is backed by a dharmic life. A true speaker is one who speaks of what is good for others. And that which is pleasant to others. Not only in dais but also in ordinary day to day conversations. Even the language could be with grammatical errors. It doesn’t matter. He might not use good English. It doesn’t matter. But what is important is the content. A true Dhatha is one who treats others with respect or who gives respect. Even a poor person who is in need of charitable help is a good human being. He may not have a house, or money, or a car or even the next meal but he is still a human being worthy of our respect.

Therefore on this New Year, what decision should I like to make is what I should do to change myself and not bother about others. By attending these classes, one gets scriptural knowledge but it is more important that I transform my own personality without compelling others to change. For me to help others to change it needs to satisfy all these three conditions. I hope the New Year will bring all of us peace and security as we tread along the path as shown in the scriptures.