Harih Om Parents,
1. Following was discussed/taught to the children during Bala vihar class on April 3, 2022.
2. Initial prayers.
3. We learnt Aavo Gurudev Dharshan Deejo Bhajan
4. We are teaching the values taught by Sri Krishna in Chapter XII of Bhagavad Gita, where He enumerates 35 virtues or gems for us to live by. Bhagawan says he is showing us these gems so that we can make use of them and be happy. He says, "anyone who lives by these virtues is My darling".
5. We questioned the students as to who is a true devotee? How can one be a true devotee? Are there any external signs? It was pointed out to them that we can get fooled by external appearances. A person can pretend to be a great devotee by his/her external appearance, but inside their value system may be all messed up. The dress one wears, external marks (example vibhooti) or knowledge of Shastras alone are not essential markers of a true devotee. In the Bhagavad Geeta the Lord Himself points out the qualities He values in a true devotee. By cultivating these values, we can also become a true devotee of the Lord.
6. Verse 13 of Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Geeta is where these gems are enumerated:
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्र: करुण एव च |
निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: समदु:खसुख: क्षमी || 13|| chapter 12
adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha
nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī
He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compassionate towards all, who is free from attachment and egoism, who is balanced in pleasure and pain and forgiving
7. Gem 1 – Hate None (advesta sarvabhutanam): the idea here is to see everyone as one's own self. When our nose catches cold, we don't cut it off! Because it is part of me only – we tolerate it and start seeing the good side of it – it helps to breath. If we our finger accidentally pokes our eye, even though we may be in great discomfort – but we don't punish our finger. Similarly, if we understand that there is God in everyone, we all function because of His presence and that there is no one other than Him – if these ideas sink in deeply - then we will not hate anyone. If everything is God's expression, how can we hate anyone?
So the question arises: How can you not hate person like Hitler? Our response is you hate the action not the person. Everyone has some shortcomings; we all make mistakes and we all upset someone or the other, nobody is perfect. We should not judge the person just based on one action. Pujya Gurudev said love is the heart of all religions. Love is to human heart what the sun is to flowers. If you want to others to love you, be lovable.
Children like to eat cake, bake cookies – for which they need flour, sugar, oil, heat etc .. We did not make any of these ingredients. For example, to grow flour you need sun, rain, fertile soil, farmer to farm it, someone to harvest and transport it to the store for you to buy it! We did not do all that – so by stretching this logic we can see that we need everyone in the society for us to survive and live comfortably. Hence, we need to be grateful to everyone.
8. Gem 2 – Be Friendly; Maitrah – we should be friendly with all. Not choose only those to be friends who are popular/rich or famous. We have to remember what a needle can do a sword cannot – each has its own importance. A sword may be very powerful but cannot help in stitching like a needle does.
Pujya Gurudev said we have to cultivate friends. We cannot buy/pick or wish someone to be our friend. Nor can we compel anyone to be our friend. We must behave in a way to deserve friends. We must develop friendliness in us – be selfless, loving, and have genuine concern for others.
Story – Once in a forest lived a lion in a cave. One day a mouse crossed its path and the lion caught it. Mouse pleaded with the lion not to eat it and said that she will help the lion when right opportunity comes. The lion laughed at this suggestion that a tiny mouse will help him but took pity on the mouse and let it go. After few days the lion got caught in a hunter's net. He could not escape from the net. The mouse heard that the lion was in trouble, came running to the lion and cut the net. Lion was freed! From that day onwards they become good friends. Moral - Be friends with everyone. You never know whose help you will need at what time.
9. Gem 3 – Be Compassionate; Karunah. Be compassionate towards needy. We asked who was the woman, who was not Indian but served the poor & sick in Calcutta –Mother Theresa! Why is she so popular – because of her compassion. When asked to name who the top 5 richest people in the world were – kids came up with one or two right answers – shows what leads to real popularity.
Pujya Gurudev says – kindness is an attitude of sympathy cooked in compassion, honeyed with love and served on a golden platter of understanding.
Story – A king had two wives. Older was not happy at all as king gave all the attention to the younger wife. So, one day she decided to end her life by drowning in a river. As she started to walk towards the river, she initially came across a plant that was drying up – who asked for her help. The queen watered the plant and removed all dead leaves. After helping the plant, she started walking again – now she saw a cow who said, "please help me otherwise I will die". Queen cleaned the cow shed, got some grass and water for it. After helping the cow, she started walking again and saw an old saint in a dilapidated hut. She cleaned the hut, cooked food for him and went to the river to drown. There the saint stopped her asked her to look at her reflection – she was transformed into a young and beautiful lady. Queen started to go back to the palace happily – enroute the cow gave her milk and the plant her flowers. When she reached the palace, everyone was wonderstruck with her beauty, charm and grace – king started doting her again and gave her full attention. The younger queen heard her story and decided to go to the river herself so she can become more beautiful. Enroute the plant and cow asked for her help, not only she did not help them but also insulted them. She saw the old saint asked for his blessing to make her more beautiful. He said everyone gets what they deserve and asked her to take a dip in the river. After the dip the queen became very ugly! Saint said no one can either bless you or curse you. It is your own mind with blesses or curses you. She was not compassionate – was full of jealousy and hatred; hence her own actions and motives made her ugly. Saint advised her to lead a pure life and repent her wrongs. Moral - we should treat everyone with compassion.
This following situation was given to the children for discussion. You and your buddy are neighbors; both of you are good friends and go to same school. One day your friend called late at night stating that they had guests over; hence she could not do her homework. She wants to copy your homework and you allow it. Teacher realizes that both cheated – so she fails both of them! – What is the right course of action here? How do you maintain friendship? – we had good discussion – bottom line - in the end we all agreed that even if you are best friends you should not allow your friend to cheat / copy. Rather you can help in other ways to finish the homework. Being compassionate does not mean to facilitate wrong actions.
10. Gem 4 – Free from Attachment (Nirmamah), Without Mineness. The more one thinks of an object the more one gets attached to it. The less one thinks of a thing the less one is attached to it. Think more of the Divine to get attached to It; think less of worldly objects to get detached from them. We should live like a broken pot, a pot with holes, so that our mind remains ever empty. "Empty thyself, and I shall fill thee" is the eternal promise.
Pujya Gurudev has said that the concept of renunciation has nothing to do with have or have not in a physical sense; it means an attitude of non-attachment. Detachment from worldly objects is not possible unless we attach to higher or nobler. To attach ourselves to Divine is to detach from the undivine. Divinity is within ourselves!
Everything we have in this world was given to us by Bhagawan. We did not bring anything when we came into this world. Unfortunately, as we grow older; we start saying this is mine etc. – example of smartphone was used. Once we start having this feeling that an object is mine – then the worry starts to keep it safe and not lose it; if someone breaks it we get angry with them. All the trouble because we are attached to the object. The objects/persons were there before we came into this world and will be there after we leave the world. Let us learn to thank God who is giver of all and not get attached to these things. Excessive clingingness to various things should be given up. If a given object is there great, if it is not then, no problem life goes on – need to learn to be in the world but not of it!
We may be an excellent singer or musician etc. but do we realize how many people have their hand in our success. Our parents, teachers who taught us, people who made the musical instruments, electrician, people involved with the speakers …. the list can go on and on. When we thus analyze we become humble and develop detachment.
When asked, children were able to point out in Mahabharata story how Dhritharastra's blind attachment to this son & kingdom let to the downfall of Kuru dynasty. Even Duryodhana's excessive attachment to power and throne was another significant contributing factor for the Mahabharata war. Hence history teaches us that excessive and blind attachment will lead to our downfall.
11. We also watched following videos during class
Love Alone Enhances Love: Thinking About It | #ChinmayaMission | #Motivation - YouTube – Swamini
Spirituality and Virtues: Thinking About It - YouTube – Swamini
12. Venkat led Aarti and Satvik did pledge.
Pranam,
Mekhala Girish,
Devender Akula