What really is freedom or independence? On the occasion of the Indian Independence Day, Bhagawan explains the concept of true individual freedom.

Man today wants limitless freedom. What exactly is freedom? The end of wisdom is freedom. The end of culture is perfection. The end of knowledge is love. The end of education is character. Man’s humanness is on the decline because he is losing all these four qualities day by day. What is svechchha (self-will)? It is individual will, but one should accept victory and defeat, success and failure with equal-mindedness. Aspiring success and detesting failure does not constitute svechchha. Real freedom lies in considering happiness and sorrow equally. The same truth is propounded in the Bhagavad Gita: Sukha Duhkhe Samekritva Labhaalabhau Jayajayau (one should remain equal-minded in happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat). Suppose you have invited a friend to your house, can you allow only his face, and ask his feet to get out? Humanness lies in the equality of both. Welcome both good and bad, success and failure, fame and disrepute with equanimity. This is the right way of experiencing svechchha.