Giuseppe Mazzini was an inspiring personality whose lifelong struggle for freedom of Italy sowed the seeds of independence in several young minds of Indian freedom struggle too. To free his country from the bane of foreign rule, he formed an organization called 'Young Italy'. He termed all its activities as national duty. 'Young Italy' had no formal office. All its workers would be on the move day and night. They would collate all the information received from passengers coming from Italy and then print pamphlets describing the harsh injustice suffered by Italians. These pamphlets would then be distributed to rural regions of France and within Italy too. Mazzini spent most of his life in exile in France and England, in dire economic conditions and misery. Interestingly, despite such tough circumstances, none of his colleagues ever deserted him and the just cause they had taken up. This extreme sacrifice by Mazzini and his lifelong effort to popularize the concepts of national responsibility played a major role in leading Italy to freedom.

Knowledge is useful only when put to practice

Dharmakirti, son of Dhanpati, returned home from Maharshi's hermitage after a long studentship of 20 years. None before him had acquired so much knowledge in the whole town. Dharmakirti received a very warm welcome and was felicitated by the whole town.

Dhanpati was very proud of Dharmakirti. He decided to hand him over the family business. Several respected people in the town also began to send marriage proposals for him. When Dharmakirti came to know of these plans, he simply told his father that neither would he join the business nor would he marry. He explained, "I have understood that this body is not permanent and would perish. All its relationships would perish too. I do not want to do business, I want to take up a profession that would lead me to Moksha (deliverance)."

Dhanpati was shocked to hear this. Despite his best efforts he could not convince his son to not to run away from his social responsibilities so early in life. With a sad heart he went to Maharshi and told him about his son. Maharshi asked Dhanpati not to worry and send his son back to the hermitage for a few days more. Dharmakirti happily returned to his master's hermitage.

One day Maharshi asked Dharmakirti to go and pluck some flowers from a nearby garden. While he was plucking flowers the owner of the garden happened to pass by. Seeing him pluck flowers from his garden, the owner got wild with rage. He picked up an axe in his hand and ran after Dharmakirti to punish him.

Dharmakirti was overcome with fear and he ran for his life, with the garden owner in an angry pursuit. Dharmakirti fell to the feet of Maharshi totally out of breath, and narrated the whole incident. Maharshi was amused and said, "Dear boy, why did you run away? You very well know that body is perishable. The garden owner would have harmed your body only, he could not have touched your eternal soul. Why did you get so scared of him?"

Dharmakirti could not speak a word. He just stood there dumbfounded. Maharshi told him, "Son, the soul is true, but this physical body is also true and so are its responsibilities. You have to learn to skillfully meet the requirements of both. And this can be done only by being in the world and not by running away. Till you enter the water how would you learn to swim? The knowledge you have earned is valuable only when it can be put to practice. Among all flowers, lotus alone is so revered because it grows in marsh and yet stays above and remains untouched by the dirt. Go back to your parents and fulfill your social responsibilities."