“SHAREER GAYA, toh kuch gaya … CHARITRA GAYA, toh sab kuch gaya…You lose something when your health remains poor and your body starts failing you … but you lose everything once your name or character is tarnished.”

Swamiji says …

“The gross body in which the soul is robed…and with which we associate ourselves, is prone to ailments, sickness and disease. Each one of us falls prey to some illness or the other as we traverse through our journey of life. These bouts of illnesses leave us weak, drained and helpless. We are affected, undoubtedly, both physically and mentally by the suffering that the body has to endure. We fret and worry about the nature of the disease, the mounting medical bills…and lose mental peace as we start believing that we have lost and, maybe, will lose everything. The only ray of sunlight during such days is…the hope and optimism that our near and dear ones, friends and acquaintances bring alongwith them, when they come to cheer us up and offer their support in any which way.”

“We must understand clearly that, actually, this is not the case. Yes, we do lose ‘something partially … fractionally … in a small measure as our body does suffer. We think that time has been wasted in being unwell… recouping and convalescing from a dreadful disease, later on. Time, that you think could have been used in a more fruitful manner, like striking a lucrative business deal. We think that a financial loss has been incurred by us in paying for our treatment. We assume that we have lost a lot…But we are wrong when we think on such lines.”

“On the contrary, you only lose ‘everything’ when you do ‘something’ that makes you a suspect in the eyes of others… that make people question your ‘character’…
‘tumhara charitra’…and doubt your integrity…as is it your ‘character’ that is the actual jewel in your crown…your true possession. This is the truth. You must be extremely cautious before doing ‘anything’, I repeat ‘anything’.. ‘wrong, incorrect’…that is against ethics and core moral values.’ Why do you indulge in corrupt activities, mal-practices,
immoral acts like extra-marital affairs? Visualise the moment when your nefarious activities see the light of day! You will have to hang your head in shame. How will you out-run your humiliation? Your reputation will be blown to smithereens … and you will be a target of ‘character assassination’ by all and sundry. The reputation and name that you had made for yourself will bite the dust within seconds. The same people who had comforted you when you were unwell, avoid you like the plague, now, as they are wary of being associated with you and refuse to acknowledge you.”

“Remember , it is your character alone that makes you or breaks you. It is time to do some soul-searching and opt to live a simple, uncomplicated life.”