Fw: Duties of Children

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Hare Krsna.

 

Maataa cha kamalaa devi pita tavo janaardanah | Baandhawa Vishnubhaktaascha swadesho bhoovanatrayam ||

 

 

In

reality, Bhagwaan Lakshmi-Narayana is the mother and father of all.

With this perspective those who are our mother and father in this

world, they are visible and inevitably a manifestation of a form of

Lakshmi-Narayana. Thus, it is a son's duty to be engaged in the

service of mother and father. A true son is he who does not consider

this body has his own, rather considers it as mother and fathers', as

this body is created by the mother and father. Whether it be the

gross, subtle or causal body, on all of these, he considers the mother

and father as having all rights, not his own rights. Manu has said

that whatever auspicious work you do whether it be visiting holy

places, keeping certain `vrats' (religious rites and observances ) ,

worship and remembrance of God (Bhajan), smaran (contemplation) etc.,

dedicate it all to your mother and father.

 

Teshaamnuparodhen paaratryam yadyadaacharet | tattnnivedayettebhy o manovechanakarmabhi h ||

 

If

the parents are alive then quickly follow their advice-request. Take

delight in their inner happiness when they are alive, and when they

leave this body, then follow through with the appropriate rituals of

"pindh-paani" (offering of foods and water), shraadh-tarpan (ceremony

in honor of and for the benefit of deceased parent), visiting holy

places in their name, performing religious rites and observances

(vrats) in their name. By doing so you receive their blessings by

which both this world and beyond (lok-parlok) are benefited.

 

Shri

Vibhishan gave up his personal happiness and conveniences for the

benefit of his parents and vowed to remain a Brahmachari (celibate).

He gave up both "kanak" (material wealth) and "kamini" (women, sense

enjoyments). Father being happy with him, blessed him with a boon of

living until self-willed death i.e. dying only when he 'willed' himself

to die. Such capability he obtained due to blessings of his father.

Shri Ram carried out His father's orders, while giving up everything -

kingdom, glories, material possession, luxuries, rest and relaxation,

absolutely everything. In Valmiki Ramayan, Shri Ram Himself said that

I will even enter a fire pit, drink poison or jump in the ocean if so

ordered by my father. I cannot turn away or defer my father's wishes.

 

Aham hi vachanaad raajyahpateyamapi paavake |Bhakshayeyam visham tikshanam pateyamapi chaarnave || (Valmiki. Ayodhyaa. 18/28-29)

 

Shri Ram was not an independent thinker. He

was a follower of orders - in other words, what has father said, when

has he said it, where has he said it, in what state he has said it, in

what situation-circumsta nces has he said it without thinking about

any of these things, he simply followed through with his father's

orders and went to the forest. In other words, by following through

with orders of mother and father, Shri Ram became an exemplary and

ideal one for everyone.