Na sreyo niyamam vina - No progress without constraint! Control heightens power; regulation puts it to the best use. (SSS Vol.7, p. 397)

This is the kind of progress that the world has made.

Biting the hand that feeds,

Reviling the preceptor who imparts knowledge,

This is the progress in education today.

People seek a good life, position and wealth.

But they will not seek good qualities,

Right knowledge and right conduct.

Wealth has become all-important

And righteousness has receded.

This is the progress in education today.

Character and morality are confined to books.

The mind is totally polluted.

All actions are based on selfishness.

This is the progress in today s education.

Can this be real ‘progress’ at all? Are these the things that should be learnt by anyone? All that is learnt today serves only to pollute the heart. Education is confined to what promotes selfishness and self-interest. What ought to be learnt is how to be helpful to others and how to realise the Self. Education should make one realise the unity of all beings. (SSS Vol.24)

It is the decline of human values that accounts for the degradation of human beings in the country today. Technology has made great strides in modern times. The advance in other fields needs no mention. The revolutionary advances in technology have brought about many changes in national life. The most important change is the decay of morals. All spiritual and ethical values have been undermined. Moral standards have collapsed. Hence, students today should be more concerned about good qualities than about knowledge. Society can progress only through men of virtue. (SSS Vol.28)

You must realise, by constant contemplation, that the world is the body of God. And, you are the cell, in that Body. The prosperity of the world is your prosperity; feel so, act in that spirit; think in those terms. That is the real spirituality. The sadhaka cannot cut himself away from the world and escape in solitude, for, the world will follow him into the deepest cave or the darkest forest. The sadhaka can claim progress only when he has established in himself Faith in the Oneness of Humanity. (SSS Vol.20, p. 62)

What is our progress? In which direction have we progressed? By merely providing food and shelter, we have not progressed in daily life. We have progressed in the worldly sense. Man has occupied exalted position in science and technology, but he has forgotten the moral aspect. The moral values are declining day by day. So we must make an effort to develop moral values first. Though there are 90 crores of sons of Bharat, we are not able to make our motherland happy. What is the use of these sons of the soil if they cannot relieve the misery of the motherland? What for is this life if you cannot make her happy? So, you must proceed on the right path as far as to make everybody happy and not to hurt anyone. It is only Bharat that passes on the ideal ancient heritage. Bharat teaches all types of sacred things to the rest of the countries of the world.

Just enquire into the progress of modern education. It will harm the very person who feeds you. The modern education makes you harm the very one who helps you. It will make fun of the teacher who teaches you. This is the progress of modern education. (DTB Vol.7, pp. 4-5)

When one has obtained the state of realising the divinity in every being, when every instrument of knowledge brings the existence of that Divinity, when it alone is seen, heard, smelled and touched, man becomes undoubtedly a part of the body and lives in Him and with Him. When this duty to your own progress is taken up, you will get a new strength at every first step; you will thrill to a new, a purer joy; you will taste the fullness of bliss; you will be refreshed by a new holiness. (WLMG, p. 336)

Morality and character are confined to books.

The hearts are filled with foul things.

The hands are used for selfish purposes.

This is the progress made in education today.

One repays with harm the good done to him.

One betrays the man that feeds him.

Students mock at teachers.

This is our progress.

(SSS Vol.27, p.166)