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In India, we say the highest religion, the best dharma, is service—sevā dharma, uchchadharma. Therefore, even God incarnates on this earth to help all. Helping hands have more value than folded hands. Help as much as you can—help the needy ones, the needy creatures, not only humans; do not make distinctions. As much as you help, your antaḥkaraṇa (inner instrument) will purify, and that purity will enter into your heart. You will give and give. Giving does not mean only money, food, or cloth; material giving is limited. But giving from the heart is what we call mercy, compassion. The great saint Tulsīdāsa, who wrote the holy book Rāmāyaṇa, said the root of all religion is mercy. Be merciful, be kind, be good. Have love for all people. The root of your religion is based in mercy. And therefore we say, "Merciful Lord." You know a lot about Jesus's life—how merciful he was. Even at the time of the crucifixion, he said, "Father, forgive them." Being a Christian, are we able to do these things? Do we follow the footsteps of our Lord Jesus? How much can I forgive? If you are driving a car and someone is driving slowly in front of you and stops to look at the road map, we become nervous and blow the horn. There is no understanding. No one will do it purposely, and if you blow the horn and the person is still there, you blow the horn again, he will open the door and say, "Yes, please, do you need something?" What will be the situation there? Jesus was Jesus. We can't compare with him. We shall only do what we say. Dayā dharam kā mūl hai, pāp mūl abhimānam. The root of religion is mercy; the root of sin is ego. Ego—many different kinds of egos. Ego of education, ego of wealth, ego of position, ego of age, how young I am, how strong I am, ego of beauty, and many, many, ... many different kinds of ego. Where there is ego, one is blind in the ego, and one makes such a mistake and does not know. Tulsī dayā na chhoḍīye jab laga ghaṭ me prāṇa. The great Tulsīdāsajī said, "Therefore, do not give up your mercy as long as you have life in your heart, for afterwards you do not know what will happen." Recording location: Australia, Melbourne, Swamiji's World Tour