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Thought Power Creates Environments

It is often said that man is the result of his environmental forces. This is not true. We
cannot believe this, because the facts always prove the contrary. Many of the world’s greatest
men have been born in poverty and in adverse circumstances.
Many who have been born in the slums and filthy surroundings have risen to the highest
status in the world. They have won laurels of fame and distinguished themselves in politics,
literature and poetry. They have become brilliant geniuses and beacon-lights of the world. How
do you account for this?
Sri T. Mutthuswamy Aiyar, the first Indian High Court Judge in Madras was born in
absolute poverty. He had to study at night under municipal lanterns. He had not sufficient food.
He was clad in rags. He struggled hard and achieved greatness. He rose above the environmental
forces by his strong will-power and iron-determination.
In the West, sons of cobblers and fishermen have risen to very high position. Boys who
did polishing of boots in the streets and who were selling beer in bars and were cooking in hotels
have become famous poets and able journalists.
Johnson was placed in quite adverse environments. Goldsmith was “passing rich with 40
pounds a year.” Sir Walter Scott was very poor. He had no place to live in. The life of James
Ramsay Macdonald is worth mentioning. He was a man of great Purushartha. He rose from
poverty to power—from the field of labour to the status of Prime Minister of Britain. His first job
was addressing envelopes for 10 Shillings a week.
He was too poor to buy tea; so he drank water instead. His main meal every day for
months was a three-penny beef-steak pudding. He was a pupil-teacher. He took great interest in
Politics and Science. He was a journalist. He gradually through right exertion (Purushartha) rose
to the position of a Prime Minister.
Sri Sankaracharya, the exponent of Advaita philosophy, a spiritual giant and a brilliant
genius was born in poor, unfavourable environments and circumstances. There are thousand and
one instances like these. It is quite obvious, therefore, that unfavourable environments cannot
annihilate the potential greatness and excellence of the future geniuses and that one can outgrow
environments by diligent application, patience, perseverance, truthfulness, honesty, integrity,
sincerity of purpose, iron-will and strong determination.
Every man is born with his Samskaras. The mind is not a tabula rasa or a blank sheet of
paper. It contains the impressions of thoughts and actions of the previous births. Samskaras are
the latent potentialities. These good Samskaras are valuable assets for man. Even though he is
placed in unfavourable environments, these Samskaras give him protection from extraneous,
undesirable, hostile influences. They help his growth and evolution.
Miss not any opportunity. Avail yourself of all opportunities. Every opportunity is meant
for your uplift and development. If you see a sick man lying down on the roadside in a helpless
condition, take him on your shoulders or vehicle to the nearest hospital. Nurse him. Give him hot
milk or tea or coffee. Shampoo his legs with Divine Bhava.
Feel the all-pervading, all-permeating, interpenetrating indwelling God in him. See
divinity in the glow in his eyes, in his cry, in his breath, in his pulsation and motion of his lungs.
God has given this opportunity for you to develop mercy and love, to purify your heart
and to remove Ghrina, hatred and jealousy. Sometimes if you are very timid, God will place you
in such circumstances wherein you will be forced to exhibit courage and presence of mind by
risking your life. These world figures who have risen to eminence have utilized all opportunities
to the best advantage. God shapes the minds of human beings by giving them opportunities.
Remember that in your weakness lies the strength, because you will be always on your
alert to safeguard yourself. Poverty has got its own virtues. Poverty infuses humility, strength,
power of endurance and luxury begets laziness, pride, weakness, inertia and all sorts of evil
habits.
Do not grumble, therefore, of bad environments. Create your own mental world and
environments. That man who tries to evolve or grow in adverse environments will be a very
strong man indeed. Nothing can shake him. He will be of a sterner stuff. He will have strong
nerves.
Man is certainly not a creature of environments or circumstances. He can control and
modify them by his capacities, character, thoughts, good actions and right exertion (Purushartha).
Tivra (intense) Purushartha can change the destiny. That is the reason why Vasishtha and
Bhishma have placed Purushartha above destiny. Therefore, dear brothers! Exert. Conquer nature
and rejoice in the eternal Satchidananda Atman.