Some people say, 'I am helpless. There is no one to take care of me', and some take pity on others, saying, 'Look, sir, this man is helpless. Please do something for him.' In this context, I will say that no one in this universe is helpless. Some people believe that money and wealth will greatly help them in life but they are mistaken because wealth and riches are limited. A finite entity comes and goes; it has a beginning and end. How can it help you? Thus, the physical body, wealth, riches and clothes cannot give you any lasting assistance. Only that entity which neither comes nor goes, which has an unbroken existence from beginningless to endless time, can be your permanent shelter.
Every entity, organic or inorganic, mobile or static needs a shelter. The Supreme Being is the only real shelter of one and all. God has devised a system for everyone in which there is provision for scolding and deterrent punishment. However, behind that lies His deep love and affection. This is why I advise human beings, 'Don't be afraid of any harshness or any difficulty whatsoever in the world. Don't be afraid of scolding or deterrent punishment. The Supreme One, who is the Creator, the most powerful entity of this universe, is with you, so spend your life in this world free from worry or anxiety. There lies before you the call of duty. The Supreme Being will provide you with the strength you require to respond to this call. You do not have to say any special prayer to Supreme Being for that because He will supply you with everything according to your necessity. This is His duty, it is a must for Him.
Some people pray to God, 'Oh Lord, please give me strength.' In my opinion, there is no need to ask God for strength. You should first utilise the strength that has already been given to you. Only when you are completely exhausted, when you have utilised all your energy, may you say, O Lord, I have used up all the strength you gave me. If You want me to do more work, give me more strength. If You don't require any more work from me, don't give me any more strength.' While you still possess the last remnants of the capacity given to you, while you still have the strength to move and the ability to speak, there is no need to ask God for anything. I have already said that it is His duty to provide you with the requisite strength. Is there any need to remind Him of His duty? You know that the Supreme Bieng exists in all the entities of the universe - the sun, moon, planets, satellites, nebulae and innumerable celestial bodies, the countless atoms and molecules - in His individual and collective association. That is why, as long as there is a speck of dust under your feet, as long as a single star twinkles over your head, you should remember that you are not helpless, that you are not alone. You need not have any fear or apprehension about this under any circumstances. Just keep moving along the path of spirituality.
The question then arises, why should you continue your spiritual practices? The answer is that you continue because God wants you to. Only in deference to that particular desire of God do you continue your spiritual practices.
During your spiritual practices you should ensure that Parama Purus'a is your mental object and you are His subject. It sounds funny that human beings become the subject and Parama Purus'a the object. In the absolute sense, God is the supreme controller of everything, the Supreme Subjectivity, with human beings as His object. Usually, human beings cannot make God their mental object. Therefore, when you repeat your is't'a mantra, or when you ideate, you should remember that, in fact, you are the object and God is the subject. That is, in meditation you do not see God , but He sees you. The actual idea in your mind should be that God has kept a close watch over you in the past, is keeping a close watch over you now, and will keep a close watch over you in the future. Under no circumstances are you alone or neglected. As long as you remember that the Supreme Being is watching, no power in this universe can oppose or harm you. Moreover, each and every entity, from the Supreme Creator of the universe to a single blade of grass, will cooperate fully with you. It is a divine decree that human beings should live in this world amicably. No one should exploit anyone, no one should perpetrate torture or exploitation. Everyone should utilise their inherent strength to the best of their capacity.
Fully utilise your strength and all the other qualities you have received from God. When you have exhausted them, when you have no strength, intelligence or spiritual power left in you, God will provide you with the things you need most. You should not waste your valuable time by entreating God to give you this or that. Remember, you are never alone and should never have any fear or apprehension. You should not sit down and lament, 'Oh, what will happen to me now?' Such thinking is totally absurd. God will certainly see the problem and take the necessary steps in all circumstances. Just as a small child never has to think about itself - its parents think about its well-being - similarly, you should not concern yourself about your own needs. Let God worry about that while you carry on your duty fearlessly and cheerfully. You will see that the Supreme Being will certainly do everything necessary to protect the interests of His affectionate and beloved children. You should not have any sort of inferiority complex in your mind - you are not inferior to anyone, nor are you any less significant than anyone. I have already told you that a father gives equal love and affection to his sons and his daughters: both are equal. Those who curtail other people's rights oppose the divine providential law, thus inviting trouble for themselves.
1 January 1979, Patna