The real preacher

If there is no truth in you, you may speak a thousand times, even show a thousand tricks, pretend in a thousand ways; still the light of truth will not effulge in your mind, character and words. If there is no Sun, a million lamps can’t take away all the darkness. Propagating a truth, who speaks about his greatness, who is always busy with himself, who tries to show himself beautiful by various tricks and whose pride bursts forth in every movement – in love, in words, in reliance – however vastly learned he may be and however much he may speak about wisdom and devotion – he is a hypocrite for sure. Stay far away from him. Don’t listen to his words. There is no truth in his heart. How can feeling appear if there is no truth in mind?

Vanity in preaching is a hindrance to real preaching. A real preacher doesn’t, even by mistake, speak of his own greatness, observes Truth in deed, and charmed by the honest thought in his mind, speaks about it according to his own conviction. Whenever you’ll find anyone is speaking about Truth with the pride of conviction, has become restless with pleasure and humility while speaking about kindness, is calling and embracing all with love and emotion, and instead of yielding at the moment he is told of his own greatness, becomes pale, humble, and crest-fallen as it were – know it verily – there lies blazing Truth in him and there you will find in his normal character too that Truth is ablaze.

Do light the lamp of Truth with the wick of wisdom soaked in the oil of devotion! You will see how you will be surrounded by so many grasshoppers and insects, so many beasts and men. He who thinks of the Source of Existence only, speaks of the Source only, and loves Him only is the real preacher. If there is no deep faith in the Ideal, there is no constancy, no devotion. And if there is no devotion, how can there be realization? How can there be wisdom? What will be preach? The pride of a real preacher is his Ideal. The pride of a false preacher lies in self-preaching. When your heart will heave up with bursting zeal to speak what you know as good, what you know as Truth – with the mind unaffected by what people say about you, but feeling pleasure if you find men inclined towards Truth – that is preaching. Without real faith, constancy, and devotion, you can never be a real preacher.

He who preaches himself deprives himself. He who, enchanted with the Ideal, speaks about Him does really preach himself. The real preacher alone is the true well-wisher of the world. Limitless is the number of creatures that may find self-elevation through his kindness. Be charmed with the Ideal. Feeling will swell up in your heart spontaneously, and there is no knowing how many people will progress, being inspired by that feeling. Don’t desire to be the Master; rather, try to be an adherent to Him. And one adhered to the Master is the real savior of lives.