13th February, 1936

Talk 161.

An elderly man from Ananthapur, after hearing the Vedas recited in the hall, stood up and asked:

"It is said that the non-Brahmins should not hear the recital of the Vedas."

M.: Mind your business. Take care of what you came here for. Why do you waste your time in these matters? "I heard the recital," you say. "Who is that `I'? Without knowing the `I' you are using the word. If its significance be known there will be no doubt. Find the `I' first and you may afterwards speak of other matters."

Continuing, Sri Bhagavan said:

"The smritis say something. They are not appropriate now. I will reform the world, rewrite the smritis." Saying so, people are cutting capers in the world from time immemorial. Such reformers have come and gone; but the ancient smritis still stand. Why waste time over such matters? Let each one mind his business. All will be well.