Speech delivered by Shri Mataji at the site of the proposed School at Chowk (near Khopoli) Maharashtra on Saturday, the 11th December, 1983. (Marathi advice translated by Sahaj yogi Shri T.Y. Chaudhari) In the past many great Saints and Sadhus were born in Maharashtra. They have shown the correct way to us. They taught about religion and of the practice of religion. They spread the knowledge of the soul and always emphasised that without realisation of the Self, everything in this life was unstable and unreal. Everyone of you have come to Sahaja Yoga and got your Self realisation. You are realised souls. You are Saints and Sadhus. The Saints and Sadhus of the by-gone days may not have assembled together as you have done here today. This land has been sanctified by your presence. On two sides of this land are the abodes of Shri Ganesha. In the front there is a temple of Shri Shankar known as Vaijnath, and at the back there is the abode of Shri Dattatreya. The thought of having a school in such beautiful surroundings has been engaging my attention since long. Now Shri Bharwani has graciously donated this land, I feel that the school project should come up at an early date. The Sahaja Yogis are industrious and hardworking. They cannot sit idle. They have to work for this school. Even in the Trust Deed (of the Life Eternal Trust) it has been mentioned that we shall establish and run schools. There is a great difference between a Sahaja Yoga school of our concept and the other schools. Our school will lay stress mainly on religion. It is not that in our school we will merely explain what is the Hindu religion or what is Muslim religion etc. Our school will teach the true religion. Not only that but the people should be convinced and imbibed with the true religion. You understand many things about discipline, moral etc. without specifically being taught. In the schools the teachers have to threaten the use of cane and only then the students learn matters of importance. In Sahaja Yoga it is entirely different. Many newsmen wonder and ask me as to how Sahaja Yoga has produced so many scholars. They say whenever they discuss with any sahaja yogi, he talks like a pundit. They are surprised as to how you are all transformed into the image of Sant Kabirdas. The answer is simple. In Sahaja Yoga the intellect becomes sharp and pointed like the needle. Not only that, but the whole store of knowledge itself is wide open before you. If so, someone may ask what is the necessity for a school ? I will give an example. A person may have. no knowledge of painting. He can even then tell you the different colours or the colour combination in the painting. But unless you have the special skill, you cannot produce the different combinations and give form to the painting. You may call it the technique. Unless you know that technique, you cannot give proper shape to your work. Without the technique it remains without any shape. Therefore, in order to give your work the proper shape, you ought to know the technique, The students of our school will be thought the proper technique. In the first place, the knowledge of Shri Vidya or pure knowledge will be imparted to the students of this school. Pure knowledge means knowledge which enables you to stabilise the Kundalini, the knowledge of giving bandhans, as also the knowledge of giving self-realisation to others, such knowledge will be imparted here. You may be surprised that many realised people and great Gurus I have met, are not aware of Shri Vidya. They are great realised souls and yet they are unaware of Shri Vidya. They do not even know how to raise the Kundalini. They do not know the Chakras or the process of cleaning the chakras. The vibrations do their work. What is however necessary is the control over their movement or the manoeuvring. This will be the principal subject in our School. This knowledge will be imparted to every student of the school from his early childhood. In the second place education is necessary for earning a livelihood. In Sahaja Yoga there is no sanyas or renunciation of worldy ties. You have to achieve your object while leading a normal life. There has to be non-attachment to worldly pleasures while leading a normal life. Therefore, education is also necessary for leading a wordly life. Moreover, in order to convey your knowledge to others, you must know the science of the alphabets and the language. Therefore, arrangements for imparting such knowledge are also to be made. Taking all these matters into consideration, we are going to establish a highly cultured school. For that purpose after reverential bowing to the eldest brother Shri Ganesha, let us worship him. It is Shri Ganesha who gives wisdom to all. It is Shri Ganesha who shows the way to use that wisdom and to remain immersed in that wisdom. Therefore after the worship of Shri Ganesha is over, you may consider that we have started the school today. There is a great demand for the School. People staying in foreign countries are very anxious to send their children to this school. Then there are Indian students also. In the case of local students the fees to be charged shall be at a lower rate. In the case of foreign students the fees may be kept at some higher level in proportion to the higher earnings of their parents. Of course, there will not be disproportionately high fees. We are not here for business. One thing to remember is that nobody shall make any recommendation for admission to the school. This rule should be strictly observed. So also any interference in this behalf on the ground that the student is the son of your aunt or your nephew or such other relation, would not be tolerated. Someone may say he has paid so much money and therefore his son should be admitted. This reason will also not be accepted. Admission will depend on merit. How is the boy ? Are there any vibrations? Is he pair (realised)? How is his conduct ? The answers will determine the issue. We are going to admit students who are pure and innocent. Whether they are children of the rich or of poor, will not make any difference. The main consideration would be innocence of the student, his innate goodness, his humility and his willingness to learn. A careful scrutiny of the parents would also be made. What is the use of admitting a student whose father is a drunkard and mother a quarrelsome woman? Such a student will follow his parents and even if admitted, he will have to be returned to his parents the very next day. Therefore, it is in their interest that the parents come to Sahaja Yoga and get self realisation. No person who is imperfect or silly has any place in Sahaja Yoga. Then how can such students be admitted ? The parents also will have to come up to certain expectations. It is immaterial whether they are farmers or labourers. They should be gentle, pious and religious-minded. I am again telling you that any recommendation for admission will be considered as a disqualification. We are going to admit students who possess the purest mind. We are not here for politics or for fighting an election. We are going to extend the best possible help only to deserving students. Those who are poor will be helped and nobody would know about the help. Man becomes great by his character. Keep this in mind always and work with unselfish and pure motives. Even some of the parents will have to be given Sahaja Yoga treatment. Otherwise we will have to work again and again on the students every time they return to the school after visiting their parents. The work will continue day and night. Another thing I want to impress upon you is that the use of a cane in the school shall be totally prohibited. Tell the teachers who are habituated to use the cane that this school is not the proper place for them. The emoluments here will be good; so also the other conditions of service. The teacher here shall in no case use the cane or shout at the students to make his point. He should rely entirely on love for his work and not violence. If any erring student does not mend or behave properly, his name shall be removed. But in no case should the teacher beat the students or shout at them. The attitude towards the students should be one of respect for them. If you extend to the student courteous behaviour as you would towards a Maharaja (Great King) or a Maharani (Great Queen), the students would start behaving likewise. If you behave with courteousness and respect, the students will behave accordingly. What is wanted is the development of the students and you have to be careful about that. You cannot expect all the students to reciprocate the behaviour. Some of them may try to vilify others. Many have this habit. If any mother ridicules the father, the child will have no respect for his father. So also if any man ridicules his wife, then the children will have no respect for the mother. The people coming here will. of course, be having deep roots in Sahaja Yoga and highly cultured ones. I know that. But those of you who are Sahaja Yogis should not behave in a trivial manner or jokingly. All work should be done with due solemnity and in a thoughtful manner. Any person devoid of these qualities will not be eligible for Guruhood. For Guruhood you shall have to inculcate graveness and solemnity. You should then pass on the qualities to the students. But in no case should the element of fear or awe be introduced to achieve this objective. We are going to provide here an ideal and altogether unique system of education. The students are going to be model citizens of tomorrow of this and other countries. We will make every effort to provide the requisite facilities on this land. If necessary we will arrange for additional land. Where the students study in those pleasant surroundings, there will be noticeable change in them. The residents of the village Chowk will also feel the improvement. They will get jobs. They will become orderly and systematic. Not only this, but they will also experience the power of God. Once our school is established in Maharashtra, it will have repercussions everywhere outside. Let us first start the school here first. All other projects will be started later on. Many people have given donations for this school. The money should be utilised with the greatest care. It is meant for the work of God and not one paise should be spent without due consideration. The continuous work should be neat and nice. It should be done with great care and attention. Our children behave as we do. We say that there is corruption everywhere. But the origin thereof is in the home, in the school and it then spreads elsewhere. Therefore the school should be constructed and run so that the students develop a sterling moral character. it should be noticeable in them. We do not desire to produce businessmen or politicians. We want good children here. It is these children who will rule over the world tomorrow. You go and tell the people in the surrounding villages to help us in this project. Assure them that we intend to help them. We will educate their children, particularly those of the Chowk village. They have a right. to be admitted to this school. They are connected with this land. You shall also keep the rights of all others in view and do this work thoughtfully and with love. Many experienced teachers have offered their services to this school. Two of them are from Singapore and one from Australia. There is one Head Mistress of International fame, who has also shown her willingness. They will come here to guide the school in tile beginning. You see how they work. They are very strict about cleanliness. They may not be as loveable as you are; but their sense of cleanliness is such that you cannot but admire. They are very straightforward about money matters. That quality is rather difficult for us to acquire. This is one good thing you can learn from them. Everybody, therefore, should offer prayers to Shri Ganesha-"That our school shall be established and conducted on the lines of the ideal pattern as desired by Shri Mataji; that the school shall be blessed with ideal students, ideal teachers and also ideal parents of the students and that the school should gather such students and teachers and parents from all over the world". This should be your prayer to Shri Ganesha and when He sends all this, a great work will have been accomplished. We want to establish and run an ideal school which will be the only school of its kind in the whole of the country. Everybody should pray to Shri Ganesha with complete devotion.