Lose those who don't like you. Make their words into lies. To make that lie happen, you must succeed. Keep that stubbornness in your heart, kindle that fire within your soul. Burn them to ashes, reduce them to nothing. The further you advance, the more they'll burn. Let them burn! The further you fall behind, the more joy they'll feel. Why should you give them that pleasure!
You know, we Bengalis have ruined ourselves thinking "What will people say!" We think and keep thinking—who said what, who didn't say what! Yet look, you don't eat from their plate, don't wear their clothes! But you overvalue people, you step forward keeping their opinions in your head. If you heed everyone's words, you'll never accomplish anything in life.
Those who are speaking now—the neighbors, friends, relatives spouting all sorts of nonsense—when you become successful, these same people will say, "Oh yes, I was the one who gave him that advice. He became successful by following my counsel." Yet you'll see, they never said anything good. "I knew he had it in him. I always said this, told his father, told his mother." But that person never said any such thing. They spoke negatively about you, stayed silent, never said anything positive. After success, there's no shortage of such friends and well-wishers.
When I was in hardship, I remember very clearly the faces of those who spoke two kind words for me. You know, when we're in sorrow, when we're going through terrible times, we rarely find anyone willing to spare two compassionate words for us. We don't ask anyone for anything! We don't ask anyone for money, we don't ask for any favors, nothing at all! We ask for only one thing—say two good words, speak to me with some respect, speak with some affection, with some love and tenderness! People are so miserly, they won't even give that much! No one says two kind words to anyone! Instead they speak ill, spread hatred.
Here I am, fallen on the road, without even the strength to stand up, yet no one extends a hand saying, "Brother, get up!" Instead everyone says, "Hey, move, move, move...! I need to walk! Make way, move...!" Then no one will extend a hand! In my bad times, in my days of suffering, I can count on my fingers those who spoke two kind words to me. One! Two! Three! Four! Five!...or maybe even fewer! I can't count any more! I can't find anyone else! Those who stand by us in times of trouble—they alone are our loved ones; the rest are at best necessities.
Yet look, now many people are beside me. Many people claim to love me. I understand that hardly any of them actually love me. Their words: "Brother, I love you very much. Please help me with this." I watch these schemers quietly and smile. I understand that if I lose my job tomorrow, none of them will stand by me! I understand that if I fall ill tomorrow, none will come near! I understand these things very well indeed! Don't think I don't!
You're thinking, "What will people say!" Various people are saying various things, and it's reaching your ears! None of them feed you or clothe you! You don't eat from their plate, don't wear their clothes! So there's no need to listen to any of them. They're speaking now, and when you become something, they'll speak then too, they'll keep speaking! And they can never accomplish anything themselves. Remember, those who chase after others can never accomplish anything. They're chasing after you—that means they've admitted they can't get ahead of you. Because they'll always remain behind.
Good! Let you move forward! No problem at all. And if you give importance to their words, you'll suffer pain and the bad things they're saying will come true! Remember, what they're telling you today—that you can't do anything, can't achieve anything—I too have heard such words for a long time! Yes, I heard these words for a long time! Then it seemed to me that the most joyful thing in this world is to accomplish that work which the whole world says you cannot do. If you can ever prove them wrong, no one will be happier than you that day. If you cannot accomplish that work, then those who are saying all sorts of things today—saying you can't do anything—their words will indeed come true. There's great peace in making worthless people's words into lies.