Acharya Tulsi
An ambitious young man prepared a detailed outline of his future life. He went to his guru, after making several plans for his progress. Handing over his file to the guru he said, "Respected guru, I have decided the programme for my future. I have come to you for guidance. What should I do by way of preliminary preparation to put my plans into action?
The guru hurriedly went through his disciple's plans. Returning the file to the disciple, he said, "There is no mention of the very first plan in all this. So long as that plan is not carried out, it is futile to think about anything." The disciple felt disheartened. He asked, "Respected guru, what is that plan?" The guru said, ‘That plan concerns shaping your nature and character. Unless man's nature and his character are not shaped well, he cannot become great."
The greatest trouble in the present age is that man desires to be everything but does not think of becoming human. He makes new plans every day, but he has no time to make plans for character-building. He wants everyone living around him to change, but he never resolves to change his own nature. He cherishes dreams of making everyone fit into his own pattern, but does not develop an attitude of adjusting himself to anyone. If such is the case, how would he be able to attain fixed goals?
Character-building is the basic task in life. For that purpose; it is essential to have contacts with people of sound character. It is necessary to understand the programmes for building a generous character and to actively participate in them. But the problem is to find time. Today's lifestyle is so tightly packed that there is no time left for discussing character or practising in that direction. Granted, man is busy. But who is not busy? Every man has twenty-four hours for himself. For every man, the year consists of three hundred and sixty-five days. That is all the time everyone has. The question is of apportioning it. If man can make regularity of time his ideal, great many of his unfinished jobs can be completed.
Anuvrat is a movement for character formation. Its aim is to turn out good human beings. Balance would have to be struck between activity and resignation, between thinking and not thinking, between speech and silence. Balance would have to be maintained between necessities and aspirations. Self-restraint is the basis of maintaining balance.
