When one lamp lights many lamps all shine with equal brilliance: The Paramjyoti (the One Supreme Effulgence) is the origin and source the Jivan jyoti is (Particularised effulgence) is only ‘One’ without a second. The same wind is referred to as breeze, whirlwind, storm, typhoon, hurricane etc. The same God is referred to by different Names. This is the very foundation of our culture.
So, your duty is to emphasise the One, to experience the One in all that you do and speak. Do not give any importance to difference of religion or sect or status or colour. Have the feeling of Oneness permeating every act of yours. (SSS Vol.9, p. 170)
Indian culture is the very basis of human progress. It will uplift humanity by promoting brotherhood, upholding righteousness, and saturating every thought, word and act with reverence and humility. This culture will stand unshaken so long as the Ganga flows; no attempt to suppress or destroy it can succeed. It can disappear only when the Ganga goes dry! (SSS Vol.7, p. 202)
The holy culture of this ancient land has been spoilt by just one impurity; intolerance, intolerance of another’s success, prosperity or progress. If you cannot help another, at least avoid doing him harm or causing him pain. That is itself a great service. What right have you to find fault with another or to talk evil of him? When you say that nothing can ever happen on earth without His Will, why get annoyed or angry? Your duty is to cleanse yourself and engage in your own inner purification. That endeavour will bring you the cooperation of all good men and you will find strength and joy welling up within you. (SSS Vol.1, p. 75)
Women have been the custodians and preservers of Bharatiya culture,Samskriti. The word culture and civilisation, is derived from the word,samskara, which means the dual process of removing the dust and dirt of vice and planting the virtues of Satya,Dharma,Shanti andPrema. Samskara is also the name for certain obligatory rites of initiation and purification prescribed by theVedas, for the spiritual upliftment of man. Their number is forty-eight in all but they could be reduced to ten and; if needed, even to one: the final and fulfilling ‘One’, of recognising one’s identity with Madhava or Shiva orBrahman. Nara is butNarayana, Jiva is Brahman, seen through the limitations of primal ignorance. (SSS Vol.4, p. 78)
Indian culture teaches that all beings attracted by the same Divine power, are blessed by the self-same divine grace. So, Love all. Do not cause pain to anyone, do not harm or injure anyone or hurt another’s self-respect. Cultivate tolerance and spread brotherliness. (DA, p. Inside back cover)
You hear people talking about culture and Spirituality, as if they are two different things. In My view, Culture is only the essence derived from Spirituality. Just as Sugar is common to all varieties of sweets, which are seemingly different from one another, spirituality is common to the seemingly different cultures of all lands and nations. In short, you should recognise that culture is a part of all the all- inclusive spirituality. You must cultivate ands develop this all-inclusive unitary vision. The various organs and limbs of the body are not different from the body.Vishvam-the-universe- is not separate fromVishnu-God. Likewise, you have to recognise that what you call ‘secular’ and ‘sacred’ or ‘worldly’ and ‘spiritual’, are not two discrete and unrelated things, but only two facts of one indivisible, Reality or Troth. This fact can be easily grasped by you, if you consider the example of a bean seed, which consists of two cotyledons covered by a common seed-coat. When the bean seed is sown in the field, and when it germinates, you can see the sapling consisting of the two thick cotyledons with the plumule in between them. The seedling grows, deriving its nourishment from both the cotyledons. So also, the seedling called human being requires for his growth and full development both the secular and the sacred aspects of life. These two aspects of life neither exist nor can they thrive independently in isolation from each other. They are both intimately and inextricably related. The sum-total of these two aspects is what you call Culture’. People lacking in such broad-minded unitary vision see the apparent and even imaginary differences between the culture of one nation and another. True wisdom lies in discerning and discovering the fundamental unity behind the superficial differences in the world culture. The same thing applies to the religions too. To say that Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam etc are different religions betrays not only narrow-mindedness but also the lack of understanding about the meaning of ‘religion’. ‘Religion’ means Realisation’. Since realisation is one and the same, irrespective of whatever religion is professed by different men, it logically follows that basically all religions are one, or to be more accurate, there is only one religion. (ICS , pp. 66-67)
‘You hear people talking about culture and spirituality as if they are two different things. In My view, culture is only the essence derived from spirituality. Just as sugar is common to all varieties of sweets, which are seemingly different from one another, spirituality is common to the seemingly different cultures of all lands and nations. In short, you should recognize that culture is a part of the all-inclusive spirituality.’ (Dyn, p. 29)
The real meaning of the word culture lies in giving up bad thoughts and bad actions and cultivating sacred thoughts and noble deeds. (DD on 26-07-1999, p. 2)
Health is very important for a fully disciplined life. Health means wholeness, fullness. The senses and the mind have to be controlled and regulated, so that man can win the battle of life. Self-control is sense control, mind control. This is, otherwise called samskriti (culture). Culture must be evident in every aspect of life while studying, eating, sleeping, playing games etc. Culture expresses itself as discipline. You must ensure that living is a purposeful process. Without such a faith, life is rendered wild and wasteful. With it, you can attain Divinity. The faith will induce a regulated and disciplined life. (SSS Vol.17, pp. 45-46)
The Culture of Bharat says: satyam bruyat priyam bruyat na bruyat satyam apriyam
priyam ca nanrutam bruyat esha dharmah sanatanah (speak the truth, speak sweetly and softly and never utter truth in an unpalatable way). Satyam Bruyat is the moral value. Priyam Bruyat is the social value. Na Bruyat Satyam apriyam is the spiritual value. So, the moral, social, and spiritual values are all contained in the above statement. The Ramayana teaches these values in the simplest way. But, man has forgotten the message of the Ramayana and is leading the life of a Ravana. Ravana did not understand this principle of divinity. There was no transformation in him though he had acquired all forms of knowledge and had done severe penance. He ruined himself on account of excessive desires. Before his death, he gave a message to the people: ‘O people, with all my skills and expertise in different forms of knowledge I became a victim of desires. I lost my sons, ruined my clan and burnt my kingdom to ashes, as I could not control my desires. Do not become a victim, of desires like me. Follow the path of truth and righteousness and be like Rama. Experience divinity.’ (SS May 99, p. 114)
Elliot studied culture and wrote volumes on it. In the end, he said, ‘Culture is the way of life.’ One should lead an ideal life and even after entering the jobs in the practical world, one should continue to keep good habits. (M, p. 88)