What is the root-cause of all the disorder, chaos, crime, falsehood and violence that prevail in the country today? It is the behaviour of people contrary to the dignity of human nature that is responsible for the present situation. All the education that one receives has no relation to human values; whether it is in the sphere of political behaviour or social conduct, economic activity or spiritual pursuits, all one’s actions are based upon the tendencies of the mind. No change in any form of activity is possible unless the mind is changed. That is why the Vedas (ancient scriptures of spiritual wisdom) proclaimed that the mind is the cause of the bondage and the liberation of men. One who wants to change others must first change himself. The heart is like a lock and the mind is like a key. If you turn the key to the right, you open the heart to God; if you turn it to the left, you turn it towards attachment to worldly things.

There is no use blaming the government for all the evils prevailing today. The people are responsible for the injustice, the wickedness, the falsehood and the corruption prevalent in the country. The people cannot disown their responsibility for the actions of a government which has been placed in power by their votes. Whether a government is good or bad depends on the people themselves. There is widespread talk in the country about corruption. Many come and ask me: Swami! When will corruption end in this country? Who is responsible for this corruption? Is it the government? No. It is the businessmen who are directly responsible for this corruption. For their own selfish reasons and private gain businessmen have been financing those in power and making them more and more powerful. If you businessmen live up to your right principles, all this corruption can be ended in a moment. It is true that there is no one who does not desire wealth. An old Telugu proverb says that even a dying person will get up if he sees somebody offering money. It is not surprising if, when bribes are offered, officials do not refuse them. It is for businessmen to set a limit to their business and their profits and utilise their abilities for the promotion of public good. It may be difficult to combine business with morality. Therefore, the first requisite is to install morality in the heart and, with faith in the Divine, engage oneself in business. If this is done the nation will benefit from the business man’s efforts and he will be serving society.

Today everyone talks only about what he wants. He says: I want this, I want that. If he loses anything he bemoans his loss. The whole of life is spent in acquisition and losing and there is no peace of mind. Businessmen have to understand the basis of human relations and cultivate harmony and understanding. Unless such a broad-minded approach is developed, businessmen will not experience the bliss of the Divine.

If conditions in Bharat are to be improved, it is only businessmen who can do this. Businessmen can even reform the government. Businessmen can promote the world’s progress. They can also ruin the world economy. By their own right conduct, businessmen should try to set right the administration. (SSS Vol.17, pp. 67-70)