The change must start from our hearts
Extract from a lecture by Dr. Harbhajan Singh, Jan. 2nd, 1993
Dear brothers and sisters,
How does unity arise? Two things are of great importance: one is love, and the second is non-violence. These two are the two most important pages in the holy book of our life. Love and non-violence is one and the same. One who is non-violent will not criticise anybody, he has no fear, and he is very broad-hearted. One who bears this love will also be non-violent. In fact, these two qualities are the same, we cannot differentiate them. They are the main force in the world. If these two qualities are put together in the world, then unity is there. This unity exists already, but due to (losing) these two qualities, we have forgotten it.
The problems of the world are not of political but spiritual nature. If our political and religious personalities know, then all problems can be removed because no problem is in itself of political nature.
Some people who were affected with great miseries realised that the spiritual contact is the only possibility to create unity of man to man and nation to nation.
Everything appears, disappears, or reappears with the change of our heart. This is rather a law in the creation, in the universe. You can see this even with animals. Just a little example: a cat carrying its kittens from one place to another with the help of its teeth does not harm or injure them. But when it catches a mouse, it crushes it with the very same teeth. You may say, it depends on the state of mind, on the change of the heart.
So Unity of Man means we have to bring about a change in people’s heart. This is the only way to create unity in the world. Everything is there in man, all possibilities are there in him. He has feelings and emotions, he has heart and head.
When China attacked India, Pundit Nehru was Prime Minister of India. He was a very lovable Prime Minister. He believed in non-violence. Once he even intended to discard the army and use it for other purposes, in order to develop the nation. What did he declare later on after the attack? He said, “There is no other way out than the spiritual contact. With the spiritual link we can have this inner connection and by this we can bring this unity into the world.”
Regardless of what had happened to India, how great India’s loss had been and how many people had died, he thought in the very right direction. He said, “Yes, this tyranny and murder is there, but in spite of that there is only one hope: that there should be a spiritual link from man to man, from nation to nation.”
But who will do that? Without a spiritual person, without the help of God this is impossible. When we are able to bring this idea of spiritual unity into the heart of many people, there will be a wide-spread change in the heart of the people.
What are the main hindrances? There is fear, and due to fear some people create problems. They think by themselves, “I must be conscious.” They are afraid and they are conscious of this fear. Only the right way of life, the spiritual aspect of life can help us on, this is the truth. All other ways and means are false. Truth knows no fear, it is devoid of all fear, whereas falsehood is full of all kinds of fear, doubt, and criticism. The same (phenomenon) you can also see in the entire creation.
Once Master said, “People are afraid of the lion. But if you very lovably look into his eyes, he will not kill you. We get killed because we are afraid.” This is the only reason. Another simple example: If you give bread to the dog, who is very faithful, you give it with love. So he is wagging with the tail and is very happy because you have given him this bread out of love. But if he steals the bread from the kitchen, he will not wag (with) his tail. He will have fear in his mind, in his heart, he will conceal the bread and run away. So there is a “bread of love”, which we get as a gift, and there is a “stolen bread”. There is a great difference between the two.
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