Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Jayadeva, Gouranga, Tukaram, Tulsidas, Ramdas, Kabirdas, Saradadevi, Meera, Sakkubai, Mallamma - these had not mastered the objective commentaries and elucidations of the many sciences and scriptural texts; yet, this day they are adored by followers of all faiths, adherents of all creeds and natives of all lands. The reason obviously lies in their unshaken faith in the Atma, won through the purification of the mind. Vidya alone conferred on them the purity and the clarity.

Those holy persons spoke what they had in their hearts, exactly as they felt or experienced. Consider, however, the present day claimants of Vidya. Is it not a fact that not even one in a million among them speaks out exactly what he has in his heart? They perform puja to Sathyanarayana, Narayana or God in the Form of Sathya (Truth), one day in the year; the rest of the year, every day, they worship Asathya-narayana, the God of Untruth. The urge for objective scholarship is derived from this type of worship. Can this knowledge deserve to be called Vidya? No, never.

Food on the plate, when not consumed by us or given over to some hungry person but kept unused, becomes foul. So too, when our faults and failings are not corrected, either by our own efforts or by heeding the advice of those sympathetic souls who have succeeded in the cleaning process, imagine what the fate of our lives will be! Like the plate of boiled dhal kept aside too long, life will stink. It seems a father praised the accomplishments of his son and said in conclusion, "He has only two little faults. They are: (1) He does not know what his faults are and (2) He will not listen if others point them out to him." This happened in the past. But, today, not one son but each and every one is in the same predicament. It has become quite natural for every father to complain thus. Is this the value of the Vidya they claim to have?

But children are by nature very good; the fault lies in the system which confers Vidya on them. Of course, this fact is known to all, but every one shrinks from the task of reforming it. This is the major weakness. It is easy to advise in a million ways but not even one thing is practised. "The system has to be transformed from the primary school right up to the Universities" - this is declared and announced in newspapers; but no one can be seen who transforms it or even points out specifically what are the changes to be effected and how. No one highlights the defects of the system.