THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES:- O fritnd, where are you going” Where have you come from, and what are you supposed to do? You belong to the supreme Truth, but you have forgotten your origin. Now it is time to get back on the main road. Today the world is said to be making more & more progress, but in what way has it become greater? Murder, thievery, fighting, and destruction are on the rise everywhere. All over the world there is hatred among nations, hostility among political parties, animosity among societies, and enmity among reces and classes. People talk about innovation nad reform but in the name of these things they have succeeded only in destroying the environment, in wrecking family life, and in increasimg selfishness and hostility. In such a world there is only one thing we need, and that is the true understanding of humanity. Yet that is exactly what we lack. Why does a human being behave as he does? Why does he create barriers between himself and others? Why does he live with enmity and competition instead of a feeling of brotherhood? He does these things because he lacks true understanding about himself. He does not know the greatness that lies within the human heart. He imagines that he is false, ordinary, and weak and that he will simply pass through this world and die. Yet if he were to look within himself, he would realize that he contains the divinity of the entire world. The Freedom to Become:- A human being has the freedom to become anything. By his own power he can make his life sublime or wretched. By this own power he can reach the heavens or descend to the depths. In fact, the power of a human being is so great that he can even transform himself into God. God lies hidden in the heart of every human being, and everyone has the power to realize that. But what does a person do? Instead of trying to know the greatness within himself, he spends his life eating and drinking, fighting with others, and chasing after the pleasures of the senses. He makes two or three children, takes care of his family, and thinks he has fulfilled the purpose of his life—but even animals do these things. Every creature in the world eats and drinks; every creature in the world has a family life. An animla goes into the jungle, does his work, and comes back to enjoy his animal mate and offspring. In the same way, a human being goes into the world, attends to his business, comes back, and enjoys his family. Just as the progeny of human beings contiune to increase, the number of dogs, donkeys, elephsnts, camels, horses, & birds also continues to grow. This is why Phooli, a great woman saint, said, “If you do not attain your own Self, if you do not experience supreme bliss, then what is the use of living? Don’t dogs and pigs also live? Don’t trees also live? Don’t rocks also exist in this world? THE SOURCE OF ALL OUR JOY:- Nothing in the world is greater than the Self. All our joy, all our inspiration, and all our strength come from the Self. In fact, the Self contains everything in the universe. You will experience this when you turn within & see it in meditation. Yajnavalkya was one of the greatest sages of ancient times. He had two wives: Katyayani, who was old, and Maitreyi, who was very young. One day Yajanvalkya called both wives and told them, “I am giving up this household life & going into the forest to live as a renunciant. I have divieded my wealth into two shares, and I am giving one share to each of you.” The older wife accepted her share, but Maitreyi asked, “Why are you giving up your wealth & going away?” “Because the Self cannot be satisfied with wealth,” Yajnavalkya replied. “Will this wealth give me immortality?” she asked. “No,” said Yajnavalkya. “Your life will be like that of the rich. No one can possibly hope to attain immortality through wealth.” “Then I do not want it,” said Mairreyi. “I married you in your old age not for the sake of your wealth, but for the sake of your knowledge. I want to attain the Self.” THE POWER OF THE SELF:- If we truly want to deal with the problems of the mind, we must turn within & awaken our own inner power. Then the mind will come easily under our control, and very naturally we will experience the Self. It is said that the Self is attained though knowledge, yet the knowledge that reveals the Self is not the worldly knowledge we acquire from books or in school. It is the inner understanding of unity, the realization that we & the Absolute are one and the same. How do we obtain this knowledge? It comes to us spontaneously when our innr energy awakens & unfolds within us.