(Photo: Celebration at the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine, Buckingham, Virginia.)
There is a great Vedic chant: “Samgachadhvam samvadadhvam samvomanamsi janatam,” which means, “Let us walk together very well, let us talk together, and let out minds be united to think together.” And this is the need of the hour. We have faced, and we are facing, the terrible consequence of having lived apart, of having talked in terms of differences, and of having divided people in all possible ways. And the whole world has understood the danger of it. We have divided in the name of caste, creed, color, race, religion, country, language, and what not. By such division where are we now? We are facing great crisis.
We have been sent into this world to live together, to enjoy the world, and to make use of the great potentiality of the nature. But unfortunately, because of these differences, we are making use of this very nature for our own destruction. In a way, this is the nature’s way of teaching a great truth. Unless we are tired of roaming around in the hot sun we won’t feel the need of the cool shade. Unless we are really thirsty, we will not be able to enjoy the real taste of clean water. So, (the nature is teaching us lesson.
It is Yoga that has brought us together and that is keeping us together and that will keep us all together always and in all ways. There is joy in being together, in living together, in talking together, in walking together, and in thinking together.
Live for the sake of others, eat for the sake of others, and breathe for the sake of others. That must be our motto. Come together, live together. Not that I say we should forget our differences, or we should not see them. Let them be there. Differences must be there. Enjoy the differences. A flower bouquet must have many colored flowers, otherwise it’s not as beautiful. A beautiful flower garden must have different kinds of flowers, different colors. So let us live like flowers in a garden. Let us all remember that we are all the flowers in that garden. Let this truth dawn in us and shine always. Let it not be clouded by our petty‑mindedness, by our egoism.
That’s my sincere wish, and I humbly request you all to do all what you can to bring the entire world together. We can’t live like this, all divided. And don’t think that someone somewhere will come and do this, or it is their duty, not my duty. It is everybody’s duty and you need not go out somewhere to do this. Right in your own home, make your neighbor a good friend. Start from where you are. Let us take that as a resolution today.
