Hari Om Parents,
We began with the Opening Prayers. We continued to learn to chant Bhagavad Gita chapter 2 verses, Swamiji's video – Verse 10 & 11 was shown.
Initially we discussed and did practice for our monthly program. We showed Gurudev's video and him telling story to children. Also Swami Supriyanandaji's youtube video on destiny was shared with class today.
Last class we saw how our scriptures explained the Caturvarna - classification based on Karma (action) and Guna (qualities) and how we all exhibit combinations of these four varnas and three gunas. Though we all have Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika gunas rolled in one, the goal should be to elevate ourselves to become more Sattvika. So, we are going to look at rules of conduct given in our scriptures that are immortal. Taittriya Upanishad says, First and foremost rule is:
Satyam Vada or Speak the Truth. This is known to us all. But do all of us "Speak the truth"?
A brief discussion followed. Here is an activity to illustrate our behavior: We displayed six masks one by one and asked the students to express what each mask conveyed.
Clown face mask - silly, funny
Thug face mask - arrogance, a bully
Robber mask - deceit, cheating
Owl mask - wise, sensible
Lord Ganesha mask - loyal, faithful
Lion mask - powerful, bossy, superior
Do we wear these masks in our daily life? Is it proper to wear a mask? Why does one wear a mask? Sometimes we do, because we lack courage to speak the truth, or we lie to hide the truth, or to escape punishment. But can we actually escape from the consequences of wrong actions. No. So, it is better to speak the truth. Because Truth is powerful. It is a powerful virtue.
Here's a story to show how a thief helped himself by speaking the truth.
A seasoned thief decided to speak the truth after listening to a lecture by a saint on power of truth. He colluded with another thief, who was a real king in disguise and together they stole four big diamonds out of five from the Royal Treasure. The next day when the theft was revealed by the palace treasurer that all five diamond pieces are missing, the King understood that the treasurer was telling a lie. The thief was summoned, and he confessed about the theft – that two of them took four diamonds. It was proven that the treasurer had stolen the fifth diamond and was punished. The thief was rewarded with a job in the palace, for his honesty, as the treasurer. Thus the virtue of telling the truth earned him an honorable job. Truth always wins! Satyameva jayate!
If I want to be a winner in life, I must speak the truth. The national emblem of India is an adaptation from Saranatha, capital of King Ashoka. The original had four lions mounted on an abacus with elephant, galloping horse, bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels and crowned by wheel of law, Dharma chakra. This was adopted by Government of India as state emblem on January 26, 1950. Only three lions are visible forth one is hidden. With the bull and horse inspiring us to slog on the path of dharma like a bull yet remaining swift as a horse. Dharma chakra is also noted in the center. The words Satyameva Jayate, from Mundaka Upanishad - meaning truth alone triumphs, are inscribed below the abacus. King Ashoka, son of King Bindusara, was a cruel and angry man. After he became king he ruled the kingdom for 12 years-year-old with cruelty and conquered many kingdoms. His last war was at Kalinga. During that war seeing the battlefield full of dead bodies King Ashoka's heart changed and he stopped the war. His heart was filled with pity. He realized that kingdom of hearts of people was greater than kingdom of land. He tried to show the path of truth, sacrifice and austerity to his people. The symbol of his kingdom was dharma chakra with four lions, which later became India's national emblem. In modern times life of Mahatma Gandhi is a striking example which clearly shows that truth alone triumphs. He has shown in his lifetime how he always stood for truth and nonviolence, despite facing personal hardships and won over the hearts of the people, even his enemies!
Taittiriya Upanishad also commands that - dharmam cara - follow dharma; do your duties. Francis Bacon has said if we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us. It sounds very familiar to an old saying in our scriptures dharmo raksati raksitah. Dharma protects the one who follows it. If we do our duties we will be protected by our own actions. We should not neglect our duties or dharma. When we do not do our duties, we really are doing himsa because we may be encroaching upon someone else's rights. For example when we waste food we are harming plant kingdom; when we eat junk food we are committing himsa to our body; when we don't keep our room clean then it gives more work to our mother, that is committing himsa and when we waste paper we are hurting trees.
Activity: What are my duties?
Students were asked to come up with their duties in relation to the pictures shown.
Each picture depicted these :
My Duties at home
My duties to Chinmaya Mission
My duties to Mother Nature
My duties to animal kingdom
My duties to Motherland/my country
My duties to place of worship
My duties to Red Cross
My duties to myself
For most part everyone was clear about their duties towards all these various situations. It was stressed that it is important for us to take care of ourselves, and we should study and work hard, exercise keep healthy, not eat junk food and indulge in wrong things - these are some of the duties towards myself. Students have to introspect if they are doing these duties – if not why? Because we are lazy? Misinformed? …to be continued…
Pranam,
Rukmani Sriram
Devender Akula
