“Should I go into politics?” a youth asked Swamishri.

“What do you want to be?” Swamishri enquired.

“A minister,” the youth replied confidently.

“Not a minister, but a Prime Minister,” Swamishri added tellingly. “If you become a Prime Minister then it would be worth the while. Because when you become a minister, no one may respect you or ask of you later. So if you want to be a minister then be a Prime Minister.”

“I want to be a Health Minister,” the youth trumpeted further.

“First, study properly and then think about becoming a minister. But bear in mind if you are going to extort money then don’t go into politics. Never take another’s money (by corruption). Earn through your own sweat and toil, but never through deceptive or corruptive ways.”

Swamishri agreed to the youth’s wish, but with the requisite of being honest.

When the youth left, a satsangi youth, Jitu Patel, went to Swamishri and enthusiastically said, “I want to be a great, big sevak.” Jitu thought that Swamishri would be happy at the idea of becoming a sevak (humble servant). Swamishri perceived the resonance of ego in the youth’s words and answered, “There is no question of becoming ‘great’ at all. One should always become the smallest of sevaks. By saying a ‘great’ sevak, it reflects one’s ego.”