Of the four Purusharthas, (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) Dharma is the most important. What is this Dharma? It is essentially Trikaransuddhi - purity in thought, word and deed is the mark of a Mahatma (high-souled being). Without unity in thought, word and deed, there can be no fulfilment of life. It is the duty of every man to achieve such fulfilment by leading a life of triple purity as Dasharatha did. The consummation of all Sadhana (spiritual practices) is purity of heart. (SSS Vol.23, p. 42)

There are three things which are immensely pleasing to the Lord. A tongue that never indulges in falsehood, a body that is not tainted by causing harm to others, and a mind that is free from attachment and hatred. These three constitute Trikaranasuddhi (triple purity). Refrain from uttering falsehood, inflicting pain on others and entertaining ill-will towards others. Practice silence as a means of preventing the tongue from straying away from truth.

Turn the love that arises in you towards God. Dedicate your body to the Divine. This is the true mark of devotion. There are three constituents in every human being: the mind, the power of speech and the body. These three are called Trikaranas - the three active agents. It is when all three are used for sacred purposes, man becomes sanctified.

Every human being needs to cultivate the spirit, irrespective of his beliefs. All need devotion. It is only spirituality that can purify the heart and mind of man. The second requirement is morality. Morality helps to purify Vak (speech). The third is Dharmikam. All righteous deeds done by the body or hands sanctify a man. It is through spirituality, morality and righteousness that the three instruments get purified. Only the one who has achieved this triple purity can realise the Divine, If any of these instruments are impure, he cannot realise the Divine. (SSS Vol.29)

The need for triple purity

Students should bear in mind that for achieving anything worthwhile in life a healthy body and a healthy mind are necessary. To realise such a doubly healthy state, purity in thought, word and deed is essential. In Vedantic parlance this is described as ‘Trikarana suddhi’ (purity of the three instruments of mind, speech and hands).

The Vedas are divided into three Kandas (sections): the Karma Kanda, the Upasana Kanda and the Jnana Kanda. These are associated with three types of yoga: Karma yoga (the yoga of action), Bhakti yoga (the yoga of Devotion) and Jnana yoga (the yoga of knowledge or Wisdom).

First there is Karma yoga. For performing any action you need hands. All the actions you do with your hands should be sacred, pure, helpful to others and purposeful. The hands become sanctified with such actions. Hence, the first step is to make the hands pure and holy. By pure actions the mind also gets purified. But mere purity of mind is not enough. The mind has to Develop concentration. For cultivating concentration, Bhakti (Devotion) is of great value. Bhakti means getting rid of the separation from Bhagavan. There must be the realisation that the Divine is omnipresent and that you cannot separate yourself from God. To remember the omnipresent Divine, to chant His glories and adore Him, you need the tongue (the power of speech). Jayadeva hailed the tongue as the God-given instrument for glorifying the Lord. This sacred instrument should not be misused in any way for speaking ill of others or causing unhappiness to them. As enjoined in the Gita, you should avoid unpleasant speech and use only words that are true, comforting and good. Harshness in speech should be avoided. Only when the tongue is used in this way can it become pure and sacred. When your speech is sanctified your life itself becomes sanctified. (SSS Vol.22)

After the hands and the tongue, you have to learn how to purify the mind. The mind is said to be constantly wavering and getting out of control. But when it is directed in the right way, it will be in the proper state. The rectification of the mind is Jnana Yoga. You have to aim at achieving the Trikaranasuddhi (triple purity). This will enable you to get rid of all evil qualities and make you unselfish. Today you seem to be self-centered even with regard to simple matters like looking at a group photo or seeing the examination results. You are concerned only with locating your picture in the group or your number in the results. You must develop a broader outlook and derive joy from the success of others instead of being concerned only with your result. Our Institute Students must learn to transcend such narrow attitudes and develop a wider outlook. (SSS Vol.22)

Whatever happens to you, take it as a lesson to harden your character and toughen your nerves and heighten your vairagya (non-attachment). That will give peace and joy. (SSS Vol.2)