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170
THE WAY OF LIFE
and to commend impure habits and conduct. It has become a fashion for people to indulge in impure habits and conduct. We have to give "company" to those with whom we live and move about. If we do not give them "company" they will make fun of us. We will be lonely and isolated. Some people give this kind of false arguments. That is also true because it is not easy to bear with ridicule.
Question : If we send our children to college, their culture may be upset but if we do not send them to colleges and give them college education the boys will not get jobs; and it may be difficult to find bride-grooms for girls. What are we to do in this situation ?
Answer: Everyone's life is governed by his fortune or destiny. Why do you forget this ? Everyone is born with his good and evil Karmas, and they determine whether he should be prosperous or not. Even if a person does not possess degrees, he may become a millionaire, if he has good fortune; and if a person is not fortunate, even if he is "a double-graduate" i.e., even if he holds two degrees, he may have to dwell on the foot-path. Of course, children must be educated but they should be educated in a place where their culture will not be undermined. Girls can be sent to school upto S.S.L.C. level; and then if necessary, they may be given private tuition, at home, if you do not have any financial problems. It is enough if you educate your daughters upto S.S.L.C. The bride-groom that a girl gets depends on her fortune or destiny. You have faith in the philosophy of destiny.
I know that this matter is not entirely in the hands of parents. There is no possibility of any reformation until boys and girls realize the importance of safeguarding their character. We have to consider defects as defects. We have to realize the importance of virtues. We do not have a system of education in which such ideas are taught. Education to-day seems to be concerned with Artha (acquisition of wealth) and Kama (the fulfilment of worldly desires). A formidable problem has arisen.
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