Gurudeva answers a question about strengthening the bonds between parents young adult children who marry outside the race and religion. Gurudeva discusses the "Westernization" of Hindu youth and says that he holds the parents responsible, as they have given the child over to Vishva Guru Maharaja (aka the World).

Unedited Transcript:

The question is from our island congregation, sitting here before me today, "How can we strengthen the bonds between the parents and the children? The parents send their children to a foreign country for education and they marry outside of their race, outside of their religion. And this creates great tension, with the parents on both sides - the girl's side and the boy's side, as well."

Well, I am always reminded of a very insightful statement of a 16-year old young man, who was being scolded by his mother, for his western ways. He said, "Mother, if you didn't want me to become an American, why did you bring me to the United States?"

The mother and the father are the first guru. I would be the second guru. But, there is another guru also, who is a partner to me, Vishva Guru Maha Maharaj. We work very closely together. If the mothers and fathers send their children to Vishva Guru Maharaj, which is the world, then what can they expect, but the world to take over their child? We hold the parents responsible. They should not complain.

Only recently, a young man who is rather distant from us, wanted to marry a girl that nobody knew. Both families objected and they asked my opinion. Vishva Guru was managing this whole affair and the boy was sent away, off to school. I said, "I love you. Therefore, I love who you love." That should be the attitude.

Before the First World War, in the United States, parents would send their children to University. They would also sell their house and property and buy another house and move close to the University. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was served at home and they could supervise and raise their children properly. We would hold the parents responsible. They should have no complaints.