You would have celebrated many Ugadi (New Year day) festivals in your life. Certain traditional practices go with every festival, such as having a sacred bath, wearing new clothes, cleaning the house and decorating it with buntings of green leaves. Greatness lies in purifying our thoughts, not merely the transient human body. The significance of a festival does not lie in wearing new clothes but in cultivating new and noble thoughts. The house should be decorated not merely with the buntings of green leaves, but with buntings of love. Share your love with everyone who visits your house. Only then would we be celebrating the festival in its true spirit. This is the beginning of Nuthana Samvatsara (New Year). Vatsara is another name of God. Time is God.

- Divine Discourse, 18 Mar 1999.