October 6, 2026
In Rishikesh there are so many ashrams presided over by enlightened masters. Daily we are privileged to sit at the feet of these masters and they speak to us, individually or collectively. Or do they?
When these great masters talk to us, do we understand? No doubt, we understand the words, because we have installed, on the pedestal of our brain cells, images which correspond to these words which are used. But this is useless! There is no understanding! It is jugglery of words or transliteration (not even translation).
These are days when religious organizations all over the world are being besieged by calls for vernacularization of prayers and explanations of doctrines. What follows is not to be treated as a doctrine to be debated, but to be seen for what it is - a mere statement or plain truth.
A 'pastime' is euphemism for 'dangerous abuse of time'. The worst of pastimes is polemics. It is futile, but its refutation is worse still. Hence I do not indulge in polemics. But can we, each one of us, endeavour to understand why religious instruction has so far failed everywhere in the world? Why is it that people who understand the words understand nothing.
The teaching concerns truth. Your mind is filled with thoughts concerning health, wealth and filth. How can such a mind understand or respond to such sublime teaching? But then the trouble is you think you understand. You praise the teacher. He ought to be surprised to hear that the student could understand what he himself has not understood! But if he is as foolish as you are, then he thinks that he is a great teacher. And so goes the circus.
Even if God Himself stands in front of you to teach you in your own mother-tongue and in your special dialect, you will understand nothing if you are not properly tuned to the teacher.
Have you noticed how mothers, in order to pacify their babies, give them a sucker? In the same way, when we start weeping, someone gives us a philosophy or religion, and pretty soon we're sleeping and not finding the truth!