The Need For Spiritual Regeneration-3.

Great masses of mankind have to be weaned from the unfortunate hedonistic tendencies of thinking, feeling and acting with the grossness and greed of the mere beast. This is not an impossible proposition, for the Divine exists in all beings and it is an integral part of every individual consciousness. The method to draw it out is right and true education.

This task of gradually, yet surely regenerating the nature of the masses has to be seriously undertaken in all earnestness and worked out in the educational and the domestic spheres, in particular, and the wider social sphere, in general—if the hope of creating a new generation and bringing into existence a new humanity who will elect and manage the future governments of nations in the best interests of all is to be fulfilled.


I know this is a difficult task; but no great thing is ever done as if by magic. All constructivity implies hard work and more so much a creative and constructive task of world-wide nature. The results may not be immediate. To a large extent the fruit of such work will be for the posterity, while the tempo and the sincerity of the movement will set the elders a thinking and gradually transform them as well.

Just as a farmer who wishes to reap a rich harvest of healthy and luxuriant crop does not so much attempt to change and improve the existing crop that is already standing in the field—though he exerts to safeguard them from rot and pestilence—but rather starts to treat the soil in which the seeds of the next harvest are lying and germinating in silence, even so, all those who are to work for future peace and universal well-being should first of all strive to create a right and ideal condition that will ensure the four freedoms in order to enable the future generation to fulfil the hopes and ideals that we cherish today.

If the world is to have peace, there has to be less of hypocrisy, less of prejudice and fear-complex, less of slavery to outdated traditions and exclusive material values. Above all, the ideal of righteousness to live and to let live and to consider the other man’s rights, necessities and self-respect as much as our own should have to be realised first.


That act or exertion which does not do good to others, or that act for which one has to feel shame, should never be done. That act on the other hand, should be done, for which one may be lauded in society. This is a brief description of what right conduct is. To speak the truth, to practise Ahimsa, not to hurt the feelings of others in thought, word and deed; not to speak harsh words to anyone; not to show any anger towards anybody; not to abuse others or speak ill of others and to see God in all beings is Divine Life.

Swami Sivananda
To be continued.....