Those who set up industries and accumulate wealth should not rest content with this. They must have the spirit of sacrifice. People who give advice to others, but do not practise what they preach are hypocrites. It is a travesty of language to call such persons as leaders. Give up selfishness. Have the nation’s well being in view. Develop character and morality. When one sets the example of man who adheres to morals and who loves God and fears sin, he will be able to elevate the morals of the society. (L - p. 181)

Mankind needs rulers inspired by the spirit of sacrifice and people filled with love of God. The history of Bharat is full of stories of sacred lives. One such is the story of Karna, a hero of the Mahabharata war. When Karna lay wounded on the battlefield, Krishna was grief-stricken, although the Pandavas had reason to rejoice over his fall. Krishna told Arjuna that the passing of Karna would be a great loss for Bharat. No one could excel him in giving gifts. Bharat has always given the first place to the quality of sacrifice. Krishna assumed the role of a Brahmin to prove to Arjuna the readiness of Karna to make the highest sacrifice even while he was bleeding on the battlefield. Karna knocked out one of his gold-filled teeth to offer to the Brahmin the gold he wanted for making the mangalasutra (marriage pendant) at his son’s wedding. When the Brahmin refused to accept it as it was taken from his mouth, Karna cleansed it by producing pure water from the earth by aiming an arrow at the ground. Arjuna felt humbled by this demonstration of Karna’s unrivalled magnanimity and prowess. Krishna extolled Karna’s devotion and large-hearted generosity and revealed His Divine form to Karna. He told Krishna that having seen the Divine form he had no other boon to ask before he passed away’.

Every Bharatiya should develop the spirit of sacrifice, which has been the hall-mark of Bharatiya civilization. Go can only be realised through sacrifice. All the scriptures all epics have extolled the supremacy of sacrifice. All religious practices without sacrifice are artificial rituals alone. God examines your feelings and not your external observances. Divinity can be experienced only when worship of God is done with pure heart and all one’s activities are godly.

Whatever form of worship one may adopt, it has to be done wholeheartedly. There must be complete harmony between thought, word and deed. True humanness consists in the combination of three H’s – Heart, Head and Hand. (SSS Vol.30, pp. 201-202)