Why is ashanti (peacelessness) harassing the world? Because of raga, dwesha and moha
(attachment, hate and infatuation). These are born out of ignorance,
which causes delusion. Things seen in darkness cannot be clear; they are
mistaken for something else. A rope is mistaken to be a snake; a stump
is mistaken to be a thief. A piece of glass may be coveted as a diamond.
So, this mistaken notion, this indistinct light, must go. It can go
only if methods of discovering the truth are learnt. That is what the Shastras (scriptures) teach and what the Pandits
(learned scholars) are commissioned to instruct you. They will tell you
that the outward-seeking senses must be directed inwards; the inner
realm of impulses, instincts, habits, prejudices, attitudes must be
cleansed before God is reflected clear and bright therein.
- Divine Discourse, Aug 18, 1964.