Chapter 2

We have to pour the medicine down the throat of a kicking and refractory child!

We have just to help people to regain their faith and vitality, then they will grapple and solve their problems on their own.

Let us call and call till the sleeping gods awake. We have to tell it to the men who are weak and persist in telling it: ‘you are the pure one; awake and arise, O mighty one, this sleep does not become you. Awake and arise, it does not befit you. Think not that you are weak and miserable. Almighty! arise and awake, and manifest your real nature! It is not fitting you to think of yourself as a sinner, a weak.’ Awake, arise, sleep no more; within each of you there is the power to remove all wants and all miseries. Believe this and lo! that power has been manifested.

At present in our country, it is a case of rousing man that are as if dead. It will take time, but if you have infinite patience and perseverance, success is bound to come. We may not live to see the outcome, but as sure we live, it will come sooner or later. There is no mistake in that.

He, who has infinite patience and infinite energy at his back, will only succeed.

Things have got to come round – the seed must die underground to come up as a tree. Do not be afraid of a small beginning, great things will come afterwards. Have courage, be unselfish and work unto death. Even the longest journey begins with a single step.

Purity, patience and perseverance overcome all obstacles. All great things must of necessity be slow.

If there is any seed of truth in your ideas, it will come to life. Sun rises but heating takes time.

Great work requires great and persistent efforts for a long time. Neither we need to worry ourselves, if a few fail. It is in the nature of things that many would fail, that troubles would come, that tremendous difficulties would arise, that selfishness and all other devils in the human heart would struggle hard when they are about to be driven out. It is a wonder that so many succeed, no wonder that so many fail. We have to work through a thousand stumbles. We will hold the ideal a thousand times, and if we fail a thousand times, shall make an attempt once more. One who struggles is better than he who never attempts.

‘It is not the work of a day, and the path is full of deadly thorns. But when Parthasarthi is ready to be our charioteer, what to fear! In His name and with eternal faith in Him, we shall set fire to the mountain of misery that has been heaped upon India for ages – and it shall be burnt down. It is a grand task. But we are the sons of light and children of God. Glory unto the Lord, we will succeed. Hundreds will fall in the struggle, yet hundreds will be ready to take it up. Faith, sympathy – fiery faith and fiery sympathy! Life is nothing, death is nothing, hunger is nothing, cold is nothing. Glory unto the Lord, we shall march on. The Lord is our General. Do not look back to see who falls – forward – onward! Thus and thus we shall go on, one falls and another takes up the work’.

‘Be not in despair though the way is very difficult like walking on the edge of a razor; yet despair not, arise, awake and find the ideal, the goal.’ Faith in ourselves will do everything. It is faith which makes lion of a man.

He, who can become mad with an idea, can only see the light, not one who nibbles here or there. Take up one idea, make it your life, think of it, dream of it, live for it. This is the only way to success. To succeed one must have tremendous patience, perseverance and will. One should have that sort of indomitable resolve backed with action, before which mountains will crumble.

Though the duties of life are sore indeed and its pleasures fleeting, yet wade through the dark brave heart with all your might and main, not a work will be lost, no struggle will go in vain, though hopes be blighted, powers gone but no good is ever undone.

Whoever works at a thing with his whole heart receives help from God. He will arrange all – army, arms and armour.

Remember, there is no force on earth or in heaven which can prevent you provided you have a strong desire and firm will to work for a right cause with faith in God. All the forces of universe will support your mission. Not even the slightest effort ever made goes in vain. So, even when things seem adverse, don’t give up but continue your efforts. Nothing is really over, till you stop trying.

If the cause is great and motives pure and unselfish, all necessary things will automatically be drawn towards you by a mysterious divine process, as the saying goes, ‘you do the thing and you will have the power’. So the correct approach is that if you really want to do any great thing, start with whatever little resources, powers and knowledge you have. You will see as you proceed that all necessary things will automatically be drawn towards you gradually as per your need. Wait with patience, love and strength, if helpers are not ready now, they will come in time. All great works start almost unperceived.

You arrive on sea-shore, bridges will get ready like the bridge to Lanka (by Ram).

Every righteous action will always have the Divine support. To make yourself eligible for it, the only requirement is that you have to mentally feel yourself connected to God and have to have total faith in His benevolence and protection. God may choose any physical medium to help you. You should only see the inspiration of God in the help being provided to you by your relatives, neighbours or friends.

Constant defeat, shattering of little self, hope, name and fame, let them not unnerve you. Believe you can do everything. Know that the Lord is with you, and so, onward, brave souls!

Have faith that you are all brave lads, born to do great things! Let not the bark of puppies frighten you – no, not even the thunderbolts of heaven – but stand up and work!

The Lord’s blessings is on you all – I believe it is already. Wake up! Stop not till the goal is reached. Up! Up! The long night is passing, the day is approaching, the wave has risen, nothing will be able to resist its tidal fury.

Work with undaunted energy! What fear! Who is powerful enough to thwart us? We shall crush the stars to atoms and unhinge the universe. We will move the world to its foundations!

Don’t look back – forward! Infinite energy, infinite enthusiasm, infinite daring and infinite patience, then alone great deeds can be accomplished. We must set the whole world afire. Hurl yourselves on the world like an avalanche – let the world crack under your weight!

Towards this, I direct my attention to the individual, to make him strong, to teach him that he himself is divine, and call upon him to make himself conscious of his inherent divine strength. The salvation of India depends on the strength of the individual and the realization by each man of the divinity within.

A handful of strong men, knowing the self and living in its light will revolutionize the world even today, as has been the case of a single strong individual before, each on his day. That is why I direct my attention to the individual.