(...contd. from previous post...)
We invoke the grace of Isvara on this day in order for people to see that for God's sake one cannot go against God because dharma itself is another manifestation, a critical manifestation, of God for human beings. So you cannot say I am doing this for God's sake. The end is God; Dharma is God. If you want to make somebody's life holy, make that person recognize that is holy because it is a manifestation of Isvara. So you not only make your life holy but you make another person's life holy if you can make that person see that the values are a manifestation of Isvara. We don't create values. They are there. We pick them up in terms of knowledge. It is centered on the urge to live. Ahimsa is our own urge to survive. As a human being, I recognize that attempt to survive on the part of every living being, including a mushroom. Every one of them wants to survive, and as a human being I know that. Animals do not know that, but they want to survive. If a cow finds that it is in danger, it will attack; and if somebody that it was afraid of dies, it is not going to have any guilt or regret. It just goes away. Nor can you take it to court, even in this country; but the owner of the cow, of course, will be taken to court, and there will be a jury trial. This is the truth about a human being. You know that you want to survive, and you know that everybody else wants to survive. With that knowledge is born a universal value. A universal value is inborn.
There are many ways of harming or of hurting another person. That is Himsa. If you deceive a person, that is harming that person. How can you deceive? When you want to start a school, you should simply say, "I am starting a school," and there should be nothing more that educating the children, period. If you are doing it for a profit, please say that. If you are doing it to bring people to your religion, then please say that. Then the Hindu parents have the privilege of choosing you. Tell that; otherwise, don't start school. Why should you start a school? This is a very important thing on this day. We recognize that values are universal and that values are the same whether a Muslim, a Hindu, or a Christian. Even if one doesn't follow any religion, values are the same; and values are Isvara, one critical manifestation of Isvara. This is the message that should go to everybody. This is also the message that should rule our lives, and we should help others understand this. Then it is easy. Any system will work, even autocracy will work. If that autocrat is automatically dharmic, then there will be no problem. It will work. Dharma should rule us, and we should help others recognize that. If everyone makes one or two other people recognize that, then it will be a great contribution for the well being of humanity. AUM