Addressing a spiritual gathering in Mathura, Swami Premanand Maharaj delivered a candid sermon on the challenges of spiritual growth in contemporary society, drawing attention to moral decay, human responsibility, and the deceptive power of maya (illusion). Referring to India’s vast population, the saint remarked, “Out of over 1.4 billion people, how many truly walk the spiritual path? And among those who try, how many succeed?” He likened the human tendency to settle in moral darkness to a worm finding comfort in a drain, unwilling to leave even when offered nectar.
Swami Premanand took an aim at modern lifestyles, especially among the youth, urging them to give up bad habits such as substance abuse and frivolous relationships. "Those who indulge in immoral behaviour feel offended when given the right guidance," he said.“If you see this guidance as bitter, how else will you know what’s right without the words of saints and scriptures?” he asked. He warned that wrong conduct, if unchecked, leads people towards destruction and even jail.
Explaining the nature of maya, Swami said, “Maya is that which doesn’t truly exist, yet it appears real and misleads us. It’s not outside — it’s in our wrong actions and distorted relationships.” He stressed that meaningful conversations, focused on bhakti (devotion), elevate one spiritually, while gossip and negativity drag a person into illusion.
Drawing a parallel with a marketplace, he said, “Just as a good market offers everything, sweet and spicy, God created this world with all choices. It is up to us whether we choose dharma or adharma, virtue or sin.”
He concluded that being born human is a divine opportunity, not a random occurrence. “We can't achieve higher consciousness as a dog or a pig — only as a human, through right action and devotion. God created maya not as a flaw, but as a tool. Now it’s on us to rise above it.”
The discourse highlighted the importance of conscious living, free will, and the rare gift of human birth in achieving spiritual liberation.
