Acharya Tulsi
Man has an infinite wealth of faith within himself, but he does not put it to use. He has within him boundless joy, but he does not experience it. He has within him abundance of powers, but he has not been able to discover them. He has within him limitless lustre but his eyes have not been able to see it. He stands in darkness. He is surrounded on all sides by the thorny bushes of doubt, fear, want, pain and tragedy. He stands encircled by illusions. His mind is not sure not only about any person, but also about any idea. That is exactly why he becomes defenseless and is without protection.
In this age of distrust and doubt, I have retained my faith in values deeply rooted. I am firmly convinced that limitations of time and place and the pressure of circumstances cannot reduce the significance of spiritual and human values. There is life only so long as spiritual and human values are alive. Those who live in the absence of these values can carry the carcass of humanity. They cannot live by it.
Are there more living or dead people in this world? It is possible to give a straight answer to this question, but I do not wish to do it. Living persons are those who live by spiritual and ethical values. Those people in whose lives these values have no place are dead even as they live. A poet has written.
Our days slide away like water in cupped palms or sand-in ‘the fist He who follows the path of religion during his life time, makes his life meaningful. But the person whose life is devoid of religion, is not living although he breathes like the blowpipe of a blacksmith.*
One's personality is shaped by faith or self-confidence. The personality of a person who loses faith becomes vague. This is not what is said in the scriptures, but it is known through experience. It is my wish that this becomes the experience of all people. From that point of view, I have constantly laid stress in my discourses, articles and discussions on preserving one's self-confidence. Literature can play a very significant role in brushing aside the ash eclipsing the flames of faith and making it aglow once again. Today the audio-visual media like Radio, T.V. V.C.R. etc. have rendered literature less attractive. Nevertheless its long-term impact cannot be denied.
In the midst of the overcrowding of magazines and journals of today, Anuvrat is a Hindi fortnight journal, upholding moral awareness. This journal constantly alerts to establish the importance of moral values. Through this medium, I convey my ideas to thousands of its readers. Sadhvi-Pramukha Kanakaprabha put those ideas together and compiled a book called Baisakhian Vishwas ki (Crutches of Faith). The readers of that book found in it immense strength to remain steady in their faith.
Those who proceed in life on the crutches of faith are at first in panic, when they find darkness before them. Such people have expectation for a lamp that would brighten their path. One lamp can light a thousand lamps. Inspired by such a prospect, she put together my utterances emanating from my faith and compiled this book entitled Diya Se Diya J ale in Hindi. I am sure that the readers who are inclined towards morality and spiritualism would light the lamp of their lost faith and enlighten the path of their life.
Ganadhipati Tulsi Jain Vishwa Bharati Ladnun 341306 (Rajasthan)20 June 1995
