Birth is a misery, old age is a misery, family is a misery, the moments are full of sorrow, hence Be Careful! Be Careful! (Telugu Poem)
One might consider oneself to be great. As of now, one might be enjoying name and fame. But what will happen when one is faced with misery towards the end of one’s life? Sankara wondered who would come to one’s rescue at fag end of one’s life.
Neither mother, nor father, nor relatives nor brothers, not even wealth or possessions will come to your rescue in the last moments. Hence be careful! (Telugu Poem)
In the earlier days, this was taught in the Gurukulas to the students by the preceptors. This ancient education system originated from absolute truth. This is what is Educare. It is also reflected in the letters ABC as Always Be Careful. Sankara preached the same principle. So, it is necessary to impart spiritual education along with secular education. General knowledge devoid of spiritual education is negative. General knowledge is the like bulb and spiritual knowledge is like the current flowing through it. Only when positive and negative meet, darkness is dispelled. So, we must develop positive along with negative.
It would be enough if we have the positive aspect alone. The divine power is latent in every being which is positive. Man today is accumulating the negative aspect in excess. Birth, growth, sustenance, and death are all negative.
He is the Eternal One with no birth and death,
He who is the Primordial One does not have a beginning or an end,
He is neither born, nor does He die, nor is He slain by anyone,
He is the Atma, which is the Eternal Witness. (Telugu Poem)
Hence, the path of spirituality forms the basis for all forms of knowledge. The fundamental knowledge, which comprises spiritual knowledge, is greater than both practical knowledge and general knowledge. So, this should be imparted along with the secular education. (SSS Vol.34, pp. 312-314)
In matters relating to the realisation of God, one has to be careful. Whatever inconveniences one may encounter, one must try to carry one’s Sadhana, without an beak or modification in the disciplines. One should not be changing the Name that one has loved and cherished and selected for Sadhana. Concentration is impossible, if the name is changed once every few days. The mind will attain one-pointedness. All Sadhana has this one-pointedness as its ultimate aim; so avoiding constant adoption and rejection of Names and Forms of the Lord, one single Name must be used throughout for Japam and Dhyanam. (Prema Vahini, p. 70)