MESSAGE TO STUDENTS

True Education.

Years along in regular succession, whether mankind acquires culture or relapses into barbarism, whether it progresses through education or regresses, the period of time available for living that is allotted to each individual drips away - moment by moment. This process cannot be arrested or denied. Unmindful of this truth, the educational institutions charged with the duty of equipping the citizens of the country with the knowledge and the skill needed to make every facet of life strong and fruitful, are now falling fast into decadence. The educational system which has to play a pivotal role is raising the quality and standard of human life is severely handicapped. It has lost the honoured status it for centuries.

It doess not now receive the homage it deserves. Silently and subtly, the lure of money has penetrated the system so deep that support and respect are given only to such faculties and professions that can offer high monetary rewards. For, a man is honoured in society only when he earns an enormous amount of money. The spirit of sacrifice, loyalty to plain living, strict adherence to virtue, observance of justice, appreciation of integrity - these laudable traits are having to confront powerful opposing forces. Education is rendered a barren exercise and a danger to social security. Strikes and other more violent pressures are used to gain non-educational ends. Those who oppose such factions are subjected to insult and injury.

In order to gain the benefit that education can confer, it must be directed towards the cleansing of the Antah-Karana or the inner instruments of thought and feeling. It has to promote and protect the pleasure of spiritual learning.

Education does not consist of mere reading of books or writing them. Nor should education be valued and pursued as a means of securing jobs. Mastering the contents of books gives only secondary knowledge. The goal of education should be heroic excellence in action, not the accumulation of information. The educated man must resolve to earn his livelyhood through hard toil and sustained effort, through the sweat of his brow; he must have his ideal the fullest use of talents for increasing the prosperity and welfare of his country.

The learning process yields best results during the early years of life. What is taught then is easily assimilated. The qualities that are fostered during this tender age-period last until the very end. Childhood, boyhood and youth are, assredly, invaluable stages of one's life. When they are used to the best advantages, man can shine as a well-educated person and earn respect and fame in the society. Consider the amount of effort and sacrifice a person undergoes to procure even some trivial thing. He cannot get from the market an article he desires without parting with some money. "Give and take" is the rule of life. When one willingly renounces things of value in order to gain such paltry possessions, why should he lament when he has to renounce the low, limited pleasures that his senses can give, in order to gain the 'Awareness of the Atma' which confers immeasurable Bliss?

Students who are wise do not allow the senses to rule over them. They control their vagaries and achieve triumph in the battle against that group of deluders. They give up degrading habits and welcome good habits in their place. They renounce the illussion of the 'many' in order to accept the Reality, the 'One'.