Sacrifice is not giving up activity or wealth. True sacrifice is giving up selfishness and self-interest. You should work without desire for the reward and with the feeling that you are an instrument in the hands of God.

Tyaga Jivan is doing all work with such a sacred feeling. In today’s world, it may not be possible to lead a life of complete sacrifice. Because of ahara-vihara sometimes you may get bad feelings like anger, jealousy, pride and despair. But we should go on developing purity gradually without getting deterred by the obstacles and do our duty competently. For example, your duty is just looking after students with love; you should also punish them when they commit any mistakes. There is no progress and happiness without discipline. You have to reward the students for their good actions and punish them for their wrong deeds. You should do both in the interest of the students. Actually you are not punishing them; they are undergoing punishment for their own wrong acts.

God also does not punish anyone. He is like a postman. He just hands over to you the results of your own actions. It is your actions that punish you or reward you.

Evil can be transformed into good by good company. Similarly bad company will turn good into evil. For example, a snake is generally killed because of its poisonous nature/ The same snake is worshipped when it adorns Shiva’s body. Even dust goes up when it joins the company of air; but if it joins water, it will go down.

A Tyaga Jiva is one who does not consider anything as his; he knows and feels that everything belongs to God. Feelings of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ lead to bondage. You should develop an attitude of surrender to God by submitting to Him, ‘I am Yours. Nothing is mine; everything is Yours!’ That is what a Tyaga Jiva should aspire for. Love is the basis of every noble aspiration and achievement. Having been born as a human being one should attain such love. True love can flourish only in a pure heart. (SSSDK, pp. 249-251)