Harih Om Parents!
The following material was taught to your child during Bala Vihar session on Sunday, May 15, 2022:
Beginning Prayers
Tapovan Shatakam: We re-iterated verses 1 to 4 and taught verses 5 and 6 this week. The following children chanted verses 5 and 6 on their own: Hasini, Kavin, Vickram, Anwita and Nitya
We continued with the 35 gems prescribed by Lord Krishna:
Gem 21: Renounce all undertaking – sarva arambha parityaagi
Means one who has renounced all desire prompted activities. Aaramba means beginning. To end all beginnings does not mean that we should not to undertake any new actions. It implies that we do all the activities without ego. We should renounce the feeling that I am solely responsible for any action that I perform. If we carefully analyze and dig deep into the meaning, we see that all our actions are controlled, regulated and governed by the world of things and situations around us. We are only a part of a long change of events that is happening in the world. No undertaking in our life in fact has an independent beginning or end. For example, when we decide to play a game of football, we get the football out and have some friends over; play the game, enjoy and have a good time. But to play the game we needed a football which we did not make, gravitational force that needs to bring the ball down, we did not invent or manufacture the material with which the ball was made, have other people around us to participate with us so that we can enjoy etc. So even for a simple game there are so many factors involved, hence we should give up the attitude that I am solely responsible for doing certain thing or performing certain action.
Gem 22 and 23 - Neither rejoices nor hates – na hrsyati, na dvesti;
We rejoice from a sense of fulfillment or satisfaction when we get a desired object. However, when faced with undesirable situations/circumstances we express hatred or dislike. One must understand that everything is relative. What one person may like another person might hate. Likes and dislikes depend on our prior experiences and tastes (vasanas). Just like without cold, hot cannot exist similarly joy and sorrow are different sides of the same coin. The mistake we make is to expect continuous happiness in world that is always changing. If faced with difficult circumstances, do not run away. Face it with full determination. One must fall a couple of times to tame the ego. Once we drop our strong likes and dislikes automatically the hold of ego will lessen. This enables more happier and fulfilling life.
Gem 24 - Grieves not – na socati;
One should not grieve unnecessarily understanding the impermanent nature of the world. To be filled with grief about things which are going to decay with time is meaningless. In addition, happiness or sorrow is not permanent. When sorrows come and try to overwhelm us, we need to constantly remember – 'even this will pass away'. Everything in this world is bound by time and space and with time, everything decays or changes. We need to elevate out thoughts to the higher ideal or God to help us come out of grief, sorrow etc. quickly. A true devotee constantly remembers the Lord and accepts everything – good or bad – as His blessings. Thus, he maintains a constant equipoise and meets all challenges in life with a smile on his face.
Gem 25 - Desires not – na kanksati;
Desires are never completely satisfied. Desires are endless. When we fulfill one desire ten other pop up. Just like a dying fire is revived by adding ghee (clarified butter) similarly, a desire fulfilled creates more desires. Fulfilling desires may give fleeting pleasure or joy but never lasting happiness or peace. Moreover, we must go through lot of struggles to fulfill over desires. In addition, there is no guarantee that we will get over desired object even after lot of struggles. The same object / person that 'gave us happiness' can become cause of our sorrow at different time. Hence our sastras say that all our pleasures are riddled with sorrow. Meanwhile a true devotee of the Lord, is always content, since his heart if full of joy. He has no selfish desires for the objects of the world. Nobody looks for a reservoir of water when the place itself is flooded. Similarly for the man who has known the Self, has no desires to obtain fleeting joys from objects of the world.
Gem 26 - Free from good and evil – subhaasubhaparityagi;
A devotee who has known the Self goes beyond mind and intellect, he remains unaffected by pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow. He completely gives up the concept of good or evil. The outside world causes sorrows and joys because of our attitude/attachment. The objects are by themselves neither good nor bad. Based on our prior experiences / vasanas we imagine situations to be good or bad. We have no control over what is happening in the world. My attitude should be that whatever happens to me is for my own good. Devotee accepts everything as His prasada.
Gem 27 - Be equal to friend and foe – samah satrau ca mitre;
We estimate our friendship with another person as a friend or foe based on psychological reaction. This reaction belongs to the heart. If we do not identify with our mind's judgement of who is foe or a friend, then we will be equanimous and can maintain a pleasant relationship with everyone.
Gem 28 - Same in honor and dishonor, in pleasure and pain – samah mana-apamanayoh,
A situation is judged by our intellect as good or bad based on our cultivated habits of thinking. We tend to respect honor and belittle dishonor. Honor and dishonor are due to evolution of the intellect and changes from time to time and from place to place. Both are the same for the person who has known the Self.
Gem 29: same in in cold and heat (samah sita-usnasukhadukhkhesu)
Pleasure and pain are experiences of the mind while heat and cold are experiences of the body. When one has given up identifying with the body, mind and intellect then cold and heat; pleasure and pain; honor and dishonor all are one and the same. What is pleasurable for one is painful for another. If happiness is the nature of an object, then it should give happiness to everyone and at all times! This is clearly not our experience. Happiness or sorrow depends on interpretation of our mind and intellect which in turn is colored by our past experiences.
Gem 30: Free from attachment: Sanga vivarjitah
The more we think about something, the more we yearn for it and the more we get attached to it. Continuously flowing thoughts towards an object create an attachment to it. If thought flow can be reduced, then attachment will be reduced. We need to redirect our thoughts toward Divine to get detached from worldly objects. As too much attachment only will lead to more mental agitations and less happiness or peace.
Pranam,
Mekhala Girish
Devender Akula