Commitment to the Search for Truth

16.08.1983

A boy living in USA and influenced by Western standards of life asks: I do

not feel like prostrating to anyone. I do not believe that there is God. Why
do people go to temples? What is all this? What is really true?

Master: Why do you bother about existence of God? Let Him be, let Him
not be. We are not bothered about Him and He is not bothered about us;
but let us inculcate the spirit of investigation into truth. Let us make use of
the intellect to the extent possible in the investigation.

To start with, you must set in your life, a goal. This setting of a goal
is extremely important. A haphazard critical approach without open-
mindedness will not yield any results. It is therefore necessary to set a goal
in your life. Let us collect knowledge. Your goal in life is to attain ultimate
true knowledge and you are an investigator into the ultimate truth. The
process of investigation is most difficult, for, in your way, you come across
innumerable difficulties. Each difficulty is an impediment and a test for
your perseverance. The stronger your perseverance the weaker the
impediment. So, you have to have an ardent desire to preserve and pursue,
come what may. For this, there are certain do’s and don’ts. Your desire for
knowledge is like a fire, ever burning in your heart. You cannot afford to be
away from this even for a split second.

You will have to have good associations. It is said, Satsangatve

Nissangathvam and you must seek great persons, go to them only and have
your doubts cleared. In your conduct, you must conquer all your
weaknesses. You must realize values and recognize higher values. What is
permanent in life? What gives you utmost satisfaction and happiness?
Where does the key to success in life lie? What is termed success? Power,
fame, wealth what are these things? One in power today will not be there
tomorrow. Fame, wealth all is unimportant.

Success in life is to overcome all weaknesses. Success is to remain

unperturbed even if the sky falls. Remaining strong like a rock is success.
Keep your bearings and have your moorings in place. The quest for truth
should be your goal always, right from the beginning.

Cultivate self-control right from now. A plant bends easily only in the
early stages. A full grown tree does not. Self control and strength of
character are the vehicles which take you forward in your search for
knowledge.
 What you get from books is only information. Any amount of reading
can only give you information. Knowledge is so very different. It is wisdom.
Knowledge is that by which you can infer the course of events even before
they occur. Knowing things by reading an encyclopedia is only information.
Truth has to be experienced. Experience has no language and language
has no experience.

Clearly formulate the do’s and don’ts and firmly stick to them. Go
up the ladder and revise them as you become wise. Wisemen are those who
know how to live. Keep your mind open. Do not use your intellect to realize
the truth. Truth cannot be realized through intellect. You have to be
guided to your goal. Just desire, have a strong urge for the ultimate truth.
Then some force will reveal itself to you. If your desire is strong, it will be
revealed to you in your own lifetime, perhaps even earlier. Listen to
everyone and everything, keep them in a corner of your mind and take
decisions using your discretion.

It must be clear to you that you will be guided by some force if your
desire is strong enough. Let us call that force Master. Master is Gnana. It
is very difficult to understand Master. Even the greatest of devotees have
understood only 10% of Master. For example, take a bamboo stick, which
was a bamboo tree previously. It is now cut to size. A part of the tree is not
serving a different purpose. Similarly, man has a purpose. After the
purpose is achieved, the goal is fulfilled.

One should not have a firm idea that God does not exist. One should
not analyze whether there is God or not. One should start with the idea
that He might or might not exist.

Confidence is another important aspect. You should not rely on

other’s words. You should be confident about your goal and find the truth.
If someone says that a wall will break if you beat your head against it, will
you believe it? The truth must be found out. Man is a slave to weakness.
He is distracted even by a small thing and caught up in the weakness for
fame and wealth, which do not yield to us. These are binding, which is why
we must be far away from them. Let nothing tempt you!

The Vedic Karma is said to be for Chitta Suddhi (purification of

consciousness). We must prostrate to elders for self purification. It does
not matter even if you do not do it, provided you are in search of truth. One
should be aware of his surroundings and not throw himself out!
(After the talk, the boy prostrated at the Master’s feet)