Dear Parents!
Harih Om!
The following material was taught to your child on Feb 6, 2022
1. Geeta Chapter 2 chanting: verses 59, 60 were practiced. The following children recited it independently – Sattvik, Yashvi, Anwita, Venkat, Srividys & Shrey.
2. Manu smriti gives us ten values of life that characterize dharma and should be followed by all. They are eternal values or Sanatana Dharma. These are universally applicable to all – young or old; men or women; east or west; past or in future – hence they are Eternal values or Sanatana dharma. We continued teaching of these values.
3. Asteya: Not stealing: We do not have the right to deprive someone of their possessions because they have put sincere effort and worked hard for it. If we want those things we should be determined to work hard with sincerity and get it. Even the thought of stealing something from someone should not arise in our mind.
4. Saucha: Purity: There are two aspects to Saucha: the first one is Baahya or outer cleanliness which essentially refers to brushing our teeth, bathing every day, wearing clean clothes, maintaining a clean home and environment. The second aspect to Saucha is Aantara or internal cleanliness. In other words, we need to keep negative aspects like jealousy, anger, hatred away from our mind. Our interactions with each human being should be clean and without any ulterior motives.
5. Indriya Nigraha: mastery over organs of perception: Control over our sense organs controls what we hear, see, taste, touch etc. Moderation should be practiced in our interaction with objects of the world – otherwise both our physical and mental health get affected.
6. Dhi: using the faculty of discrimination. There are always two paths available to us. We must always choose the right path even though it may be difficult. When we choose the right path, Bhagavan automatically will give us clarity and determination to proceed in this path and will support us and help us. We should not take short cuts as this leads to short term fleeting pleasure but causes more long term harm to us.
7. Vidya: Knowledge: understanding that we do not need to seek happiness elsewhere or from outside and that happiness lies within us.
8. Satya: Truthfulness: always tell the truth because lying will lead to misery, ill health and un happiness. If we are honest then our conscience will be clear and we can lead a happy fulfilling life. If we lie, it will eventually catch up with us one day and we will be burdened throughout our life because of lying.
9. Akrodha: absence of anger: Anger is justified at times for instance a mother scolding her child to look carefully on both sides before crossing a road etc. Anger should not overwhelm our mind then we will become slave to it. We should have control over anger and show discrimination to know when and where to show anger. Anger brings misery and guilt while peace brings happiness!
These ten values must be followed and practiced all the time, every time!
10. Mind is like the hard disc of a computer – whatever we program into it; it will retain and bring out – so we need to be mindful of what we are exposing our mind to. Hence satsang – right things to do, to hear, to see etc. – is very important in programming our mind in a dharmic way so we can do – right thing, at right time and at right place.
11. If in any garden we let plant vegetables and not attend to them carefully – along with the vegetable plants weeds will also grow and a time will come when our garden is full of weeds. In the same way we need to carefully weed out the negative thoughts in our mind and replace them with positive thoughts – otherwise our mind will be full of weeds too! Following these eternal values is one way to keep the garden of our mind clean.
12. If we have to build a tall building reaching gigantic heights we need to first start with the very solid foundation. We don't need a deep foundation if we are putting up a tent. In the same way if we want to reach a lofty goal in life we need to have foundation of knowledge / hard work. Our scriptures say moksha/ liberation from the world is our highest goal – then to reach this lofty goal we need to build our life on solid foundation of values as enumerated by the scriptures above (10 common eternal values). If foundation is not solid obvious we will not reach great heights in our life. More to follow …
Pranam,
Devender Akula
Mekhala Girish