11-7-1996.
After yesterday's Youth Day, many youths decided to take special vows. 

This morning some came before Swamishri. One youth promised, "I'll never go to Navratri." Pleased, Swamishri patted his back. "Now also discourage others. We should all enjoy the bliss of God, not worldly pleasures."

Another teen said, "I'll stop eating eggs." "That's good," replied Swami, "but what about partying?"

He innocently replied, "I thought we were only supposed to take one vow!"

"Not partying is a major vow. Your family are staunch satsangis. Your father, his father, and even his father performed great services to Satsang." So saying Swamishri mentioned family names running back three generations! "Now please stop partying..."

The teen readily agreed, "O.K." His father came up. Asked Swamishri, "Do you go to garba?"

"Yes, but only for fundraising..."

Swamishri cut him off in mid sentence, "If you go then these young people are sure to go! Where people are dancing and jumping out of all discretion we cannot even step into."

"But Bapa, only for fundraising..."

"There is no need for such funds. Adhere to Dharma. Money can always be earned. Should you lose your Dharma in greed of money? Dharma is greater than money."

Both father and son took common vows.

Swamishri asked another youth, "Do you party?" Before he could answer, Sanchalak Manishbhai said, "Swami, he doesn't know how to dance."

Swamishri returned, "Where is there a need to dance? During parties people enjoy something else... throwing your arms around another and skipping up and down, no sense of music, no step, no self respect, no modesty... nothing!"

There was no scope for argument. Swamishri spoke with a conviction founded on years of experience helping to solve self-created problems.

It is very difficult to believe that little children, thousands of them, experience the affection of countless mothers from someone who stands at the highest peak of renunciation, from a person who has direct experience of God, from someone who is totally aloof from women and wealth. These youths eagerly accept his every word, and to please him they will endeavor to bring the sky to the earth.