To the young minds By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

“Human birth is rare, indeed! Adi Sankara says, “Jantu

nãm nara janma durlabham!” (of all births it is human

birth that is rare).Rare indeed it is to be born as

man says Owvaiyar (Saint and Tamizh poet).

 

There are innumerable creatures on this earth but we

have all been blessed with human birth. There are

creatures like the earth worm, invisible bacteria,

hare, goat, cows, horse, lion, tiger, elephant that

are below the level of man and pitrus, yakshas,

kinnars, devas and gods, above man. Human birth is in

the center of creation. This birth has been bestowed

for ‘Realisation’ of Bhagavan.

 

Man and animal carry on similar kinds of activities,

viz. eat, sleep, fight, play, etc. But man has been

blessed with an extra sense - the sixth sense - that

is used to acquire knowledge - ‘Vidyabyas’. It is only

humans who go to school to learn. It is only man who

has the ability to learn. We have been blessed with

brains to do ‘Vidyabyas’. If it were mere teaching

that could instill knowledge, then even cows and

buffaloes could be brought to school and taught! But

it is not so. We possess the extra sense to learn. It

is not enough if we learn only what is being taught in

textbooks. We should widen our knowledge by reading

other books, too.

 

In today’s world education has lost its real value and

is aimed only at producing money-spinners. Everyone

aims at doing well at school and college only to go

abroad and earn lot of money. The country, the society

has lost its moral values. A person, albeit his high

qualifications, has no moral values. One finds a

doctor - a highly respected profession - treating

patients with utmost callousness. He is highly

qualified, no doubt, but possesses no human values

that are the priority of his profession. This is not

so only with this profession but in all other fields,

too. Moral values should, therefore, be taught to

children.

 

Discipline, self-restraint and all good things should

be taught in one’s childhood. Only then does it come

to stay. Children are like soft clay. It can be molded

easily the way we wish. Therefore, schools should take

utmost care to instill devotion to the Country, Guru

bhakti in children. Teach them to lead an honest,

truthful, dharmic life so that they offer their best

to the Country and the society. There is no doubt that

one needs to be well educated and secure a good job.

But, it does not stop there. Education should be moral

based so that children who come out of school are of

utmost use to the society, in general and the Country,

at large. All of you must be aiming at high percentage

of marks to secure admissions for higher studies. For

this you should develop concentration. Only if you

have one-pointed mind can you achieve anything either

in worldly or spiritual life. Great scientists like

Einstein, Newton had one-pointed mind. They

channelised all their energy in one direction and that

is the reason for their success in their field. You

should listen attentively to what is being taught in

class. Swami Vivekananda used to say that it is better

to play football than practice meditation, for, at

play your whole mind is diverted to the movement of

the ball. This deepens your concentration. There is a

time for learning. Only at this young age can you

study. After 25 you will not be able to concentrate in

studies as well as you do at this age. Hence, make

best use of the time that you have at hand.

 

Have ‘Desa bhakti’ (devotion to the Country) and Guru

bhakti. Respect and love your teachers. Without this,

education will be of no use to you. However brilliant

you are, education will be a waste on you if you do

not respect and love your Guru at school. As Krishna,

Bhagavan learnt under the tutorship of Guru

Sandeepani. As Rama, the Lord received lessons from

Sage Vasishta. Even Bhagavan learnt from a Guru in his

Avatars and had utmost reverence to His Guru. Ekanath

was a saint who served his Guru with unflinching

faith. He expected nothing in return for the services

that he rendered towards his Guru. Drawn by his Guru

Bhakti, Bhagavan Himself, in the form of a Brahmin

youth, came to Ekanath and served him for 12 long

years!

 

Education should bring about overall development.

Children should, therefore, be taught to lead an

honest, virtuous and dharmic life. This must be the

‘lakshya’ (aim) and it is also the ‘lakshana’

(quality). In ancient days students stayed in the

Acharya’s (Teacher/Guru/Master) home all through their

period of study. Thus, they learnt humility,

reverence, patience, etc. practically. These virtues

were not taught separately/theoretically but were

learnt during the course of their lives. One may say,

“I am leading an honest, dharmic life but undergoing

untold miseries whereas the man who cheats, robs,

troubles others is doing very well in life. He is

wealthy and is leading a very comfortable and happy

life.” We cannot deny this, for, we do see such things

happening. One may say that one who is honest and

leads dharmic life will reach heaven and the other

hell. Let us not take up that subject that is not

‘pratyaksha’ (seen) for us at this stage. Let us set

that aside. You may feel that the other man who leads

an indiscipline, immoral life is comfortable and

happy. It is not so in reality. He may be wealthy and

financially comfortable but do not be sure that he is

happy. The truth is that he does not enjoy inner

peace. He is unable to sleep peacefully in spite of

his air-conditioned room and silken bed. Even though

you may have to face lot of trials and tribulations

while leading your life in a dharmic way, you enjoy an

inner peace. You are happy with yourself whereas the

other man is totally disgusted with himself. He does

not like himself. This is the truth and it cannot be

denied at all.

Everyone desires peace. But it does not come by

easily. Neither the rich nor the poor enjoys peace.

The poor man on the platform envies the rich as he

feels that wealth gives happiness. But the rich man

envies the poor man on the platform thinking that he

is happy, as he has no hassles attached to wealth!

Each feels the other is happy while the fact is that

none enjoys peace.

 

Srimad Bhãgavatam says, “Guroh anugrahenaiva puman

purnah prashantaye!” - (One who has the blessings of

the Guru enjoys peace). Krishna and Kuchela studied

together as children in Sandeepani Gurukulam. Krishna

became the ruler of Dwãraka while Kuchela led a life

of poverty. Under the insistence of his wife, Kuchela

went over to meet his beloved friend Krishna. Krishna

and Kuchela relived their wonderful school days.

Krishna then said to Kuchela, “Sudhama! I am

Dwãrakadeesa (ruler of Dwãraka) and Lakshmipathi (the

Lord of Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi). You are the very

personification of poverty. The whole world would

refer to ‘Kuchela’ as a symbol of poverty. But both of

us enjoy peace. Do you know the reason for this? This

is because when we prostrated to our Guru, at the time

of taking leave, He blessed us with the words, “May

you be blessed with peace!”

 

I pray to Bhagavãn to bless all of you to become good

citizens and be of great help to the society and

Nation. "

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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If you have any questions or doubts concerning

Spirituality, Mental peace or problems in life or

about dharma, please write to us by clicking here:

http://www.namadwaar.org/answers/askquestion.php

His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji personally answers these

questions for you and suggests prayers.

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