Worshipful adorations to the all-pervading presence of the ever-present Reality we call Brahman, God, Bhagavan, Allah, Ahura Mazdah, Supreme Tao, the Kingdom of Heaven. Worshipful adorations to that all-pervading Reality, the ever-present Universal Being in Whom we live, move and have our being. May the grace of the Almighty enable you to understand life and make it the means of liberating yourself forever from bondage, fear, sorrow and the darkness of folly.

Radiant Immortal Souls! Beloved sadhaks and seekers upon the path of divine life! Freedom is your birthright. Bliss and blessedness are your birthright. Fearlessness is the way. Dharma kshetra is karma kshetra.

We are not only what we think; ultimately our life is what we manage to put into practice, bring into action. A thinker once said: “Let not virtue wither away for want of its exercise.” We may have all the virtue in our heart, but if we do not actively express it in action, upon the outer field of our life, then we fail to reap the benefit of it.

There is a concept in the Upanishads: When a thought arises that you know is contrary to the Law do not act, postpone it, brush it away. Direct your mind elsewhere. Engage yourself in doing something else. When a thought arises which is in consonance with dharma, in accordance with dharma, do not wait, do it immediately. Do not allow any interval to lapse, to intervene between your good intention and its corollary, the corresponding good action. Do it immediately.

Great wisdom is behind this direction, wisdom deriving from experience. So in this trite saying, dharma kshetra is karma kshetra, a world of meaning comes into being. Anything contrary to dharma should not be translated into action. It should not take the form of karma because it will rebound upon you in the form of sorrow. Whereas when any dharmic impulse or thought arises, immediately it should be translated into karma. Dharma kshetra is karma kshetra.

Our actions, mental and verbal, decide our destiny or future. Great scope has been given by the Supreme Intelligence, Whom we call God, for the exercise of wisdom and of restraint. You should exercise both wisdom as well as restraint according to the direction in which you are propelled and impelled, from within and without. A constant wakefulness, a wise alertness and a promptness are ingredients of a devotee of the Lord, a sadhak upon the path, a Yogi engaged in yoga abhyasa, of one who aspires for perfection in life. Constantly think before you take a step upon the path. Reflect and act. This is the wisdom teaching.

The Kathopanishad brings it out very beautifully, very early in the renowned conversation between the Lord of Dharma and the brilliant young seeker, Nachiketas. Sreyas and preyas (the good and the pleasant) are the two paths that present themselves before man, before the individual soul at all times. One leads to lasting renown, to your highest good; the other leads to that which appears to be pleasant and attractive, but is only a temporary titillation of the nerves. The wise choose the former and turn away resolutely from the latter. That is the thesis, the declaration of the Kathopanishad.

Base your life upon the wisdom and direction of the Kathopanishad. Go forward in life with the ideal of the Kathopanishad. Above all, be absolutely fearless. Be absolutely fearless. Know fully that God has given you all the potential to overcome everything. That is His bestowal to you. “I am the Self within all, O Arjuna, seated in the centre of their being. I am their all in all.” This is His bestowal, that of Him which dwells within you as your own innermost Self. In that lies all potential for overcoming, all potential for the highest wisdom in daily life, the key to blessedness, the strength to overcome, the will to choose one’s direction.

Be absolutely fearless knowing that you have infinite strength within. The world cannot overcome you if you have courage. Your senses cannot overcome you if you know that you are strong. Nothing in this universe outside has the power to attract, ensnare and enslave you, if you are fearless in the knowledge of your own divine strength. You abide ever in that vast reservoir, in that inexhaustible source of divine wisdom and power. Fearlessness is the key to blessedness. Everything follows automatically if you are fearless and therefore strong.

“Tell me not in mournful numbers that life is but an empty dream. Dust thou art and to dust returnest was not spoken of the soul.” It means that “to dust returnest” was not spoken of you, because you are the Immortal Soul, the invincible Spirit Divine. For you everything is possible, achievable, practicable. That is the truth. That is the centre of the philosophy that has been inherited by the fortunate human race, thanks to our ancient sages and seers, thanks to the Upanishadic experience. Therefore the call: uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata (Arise, awake, reaching the wise become enlightened).

The great call of the Upanishads to all mankind is strength and fearlessness, the two factors that make for certain success, unfailing achievement. Nayamatma balahinena labhyah (This Atman cannot be attained by one who is without strength). And the central command of the Gita is: tasmat uttistha kaunteya yuddhaya kritanischayah (Therefore, stand up, O Arjuna, resolved to fight). Arise fully resolved, determined to engage in the necessary and right action, to initiate the action whose ultimate fruit and result will be your own highest blessedness, to attain which you have come into this arena of evolution which you call the planet earth. It is also called mrityu bhumi. It means this plane of death, which has a very beautiful, inner, esoteric significance also. It is this beautiful, wonderful plane where you can die to the little self and inherit everlasting life. Here alone it is possible, not even in heavens. Because here the inner spiritual process of dying to the false self and emerging into eternal divine life can be worked out if you are wise, fearless, strong and resolute.

That is the sadhana, that is the message, that is the teaching. That is the order, that is the command, that is the directive. They have left us in no doubt. Liberation is possible now and here. This is the ultimate conclusion, proven conclusion, based on direct personal experience. Therefore a sadhak ultimately works out his liberation, not in some post-mortem plane of existence, but here, now, in this plane of human life which is both the dharma kshetra as well as the karma kshetra.

Engage in the desired action and reap a divine destiny. Engage in the desired action and whatever you aspire for will be yours, is yours. This is the truth.