Children, spirituality is the knowledge of oneself. It is the realization of one’s true nature. There is no use being a king if he doesn't know that he is a king. Even if there are priceless gems underneath a beggar’s hut, he will remain a beggar for as long as he does not know about the treasure.
Most of us are in a similar situation. People hurt each other for the sake of wealth and sensual pleasures. They also destroy nature. In order to uplift such people, we must go down to their level.
Once, a strangely dressed sorcerer came to a village. The villagers started making fun of him. When the ridiculing increased, the sorcerer became angry. He muttered some mantras into a handful of ash, which he dropped into the village well. He cursed everyone who drank from the well to become mad.
Upon drinking the water, all the villagers went mad and started dancing, shouting whatever came to mind, and raising a ruckus. Only the village head remained sane, as he only drank water from his own well.
When they noticed that the village head was not behaving like them, they were amazed. His behavior was so different from theirs that they concluded he was mad. They tried to catch him and tie him up. The scene was one of total chaos.
The village head somehow managed to escape from their clutches. He thought, “All the villagers are mad. If I behave differently, they will not leave me alone. If I am to continue living here to uplift them, I’ve no other choice: I must behave like them. To catch a thief, one must dress like one.”
The village chief started to shout and dance like the others. The villagers were relieved to see that their chief had become “normal”. He had another well dug and encouraged the villagers to drink water from the new well. Slowly, they became sane again.
Mahatmas are like the village head in this story. They serve people without any expectation. People might ridicule them and even label them lunatics, but they are not bothered by such challenges, as they regard praise and abuse equally. They go down to the level of people and, through their example, teach them to serve without expectation and to love without desire.
The ancient Rishis proclaimed Uttisthata, Jagrata—Arise! Awake! What is it that awakens our true potential? We have infinite strength within. We are not candles that need to be lit by someone else; we are the self-effulgent Sun. We are not helpless little kittens crying meow, but strong, roaring lion cubs. Awaken yourselves with awareness.
A rainbow exists only for a few brief moments, yet during that short time, it brings joy to countless hearts. We should likewise cultivate a mindset of surrender and unwavering determination. When we put in sincere effort, all the forces of the universe will converge to support us. Then we will find that nothing is impossible for us.
Spirituality is not just believing in God or performing religious rites. If religion is to become a bridge connecting human hearts instead of creating barriers between people, we must go beyond outer customs and observances to assimilate the essence of spirituality. Only then will dharma, noble values, and the attitude of selfless service prevail in society.