Hari Om Parents,
We began with the Opening Prayers. We continued to learn to chant Bhagavad Gita chapter 2 verses, Swamiji's video – Verse 13, 14; 15 & 16 was shown. We continued to learn Lingashtakam.
We briefly reviewed last class teaching - Satyam Vada or Speak the Truth. Truth always wins! Satyameva jayate! If I want to be a winner in life, I must speak the truth. Taittiriya Upanishad also commands that - dharmam cara - follow dharma; do your duties. Dharmo raksati raksitah. Dharma protects the one who follows it. If we do our duties we will be protected by our own actions. We talked about how Mahatma Gandhi by following the values of Truth and Non-violence was able to bring down the mighty British Empire. His life is a clear example how by holding onto one value all the other values automatically follow and became a part of our lives – his autobiography itself was titled 'My Experiments with Truth'. We also showed two clips from Gandhi movie (1982) showing how he lead people by example on path of non-violence.
The term Dharma has many connotations. Follow Dharma means do your duty.Another meaning is being just or fair. In today's class we will see the greatest Dharma which is
Ahimsa or non-injury or non-violence. Ahimsa Paramo Dharma states Mahabharata in Danadharmaparva. The highest form of duty is Ahimsa. When we say non-violence, we think of non-violent actions, peaceful actions. So, what other forms of non-violence can there be?
How else can one commit himsa or injury to another? Yes, through speech - saying harsh words, bad words, lies and complaining or blaming others, are sins committed by speech. Words can hurt people. But in anger and frustration we say unnecessary words that can hurt and destroy others. Another form of himsa is by mind! Thinking ill of others, having ill-feelings, or conspiring evil actions, or hatred, come under sins committed by mind. When does the mind have evil thoughts or ideas? When there is jealousy, greed, competition, selfishness and having no faith in the law of karma.
So remember AHIMSA is Avoidance of
Harm
Intended by
Mind
Speech
Action
There are stories to show where Ahimsa wins.
Whose Baby? Two ladies fighting over a baby in King Solomon's court, gets settled by a clever minister who decides to cut the baby into two halves so each mother can have one half. The real mother did not agree for the baby to be cut and was willing to give her baby away to the other women. Thus the minister finds out the real mother and she gets her baby back. The motherly love prevented the violent action.
Prince Siddhartha - he nurses an injured bird which had been shot by his cousin Devadatta and gives life to the bird. Though the cousin claims the bird is his since he has shot it, the prince gets to keep the bird because he saves the bird. When there is compassion, one lives by ahimsa.
King Sibi - this is another instance where a king, Sibi Chakravarthy, protects a bird from an eagle by offering to give his own flesh equal in weight of the bird as food. Being a king it is his duty to protect whoever surrenders to him and King Sibi does that.
Therefore, if we live by Dharma we will do the right actions. If we are happy, our thoughts and speech will be pleasant and not hurtful. So remember this prayer which we all recite at the end of class.
Om, Sarve bhavantu sukhinah……….
May all be happy may all be healthy, may all enjoy prosperity and none suffer. Om Peace, peace peace
Once an old man was living in a village, unfortunately after his wife died his three sons and family did not visit him often, he was feeling very lonely. So he bought a huge trunk, poured broken glass in it and placed a large lock on the trunk. He kept the trunk ina visible place in the house, so when one day one of his sons came to see him he saw the trunk and thought that his father had big savings. He informed his other brothers, after that all the three brothers used to routinely come and visit his father along with their families. The old man was able to spend good time with his family and grandchildren. Eventually he passed away. Sons gave him a respectable funeral. After that they opened the trunk and the lock only to their dismay, see broken glass pieces! Once they emptied the trunk at the bottom of the trunk there was a note saying "respect thy father and mother". The brothers learnt their lesson.
Taitraiya upanishad says – matru devo bhava, pitru devo bhava, acharya devo bhava and attithi devo bhava. Treat your mother, father, teacher and guest as God. We asked students why they hold treat mother, father, Acharya and guest as God? We all acknowledge the very important role that mother and father play in our lives - in grooming, teaching, nourishing and guiding us. How can we be thankful to them - by making them proud with our accomplishments and by being a good person. But it is very important that we take care of them when they are old when they need us most. We should not have any judgment towards her parents. Sri Rama respected mother Kaikeyi as much as he did his own mother Kausalya even though she was responsible for him going to the forest. Similarly Yudhistira after the war treats Dhritharastra and Gandhari as his own parents and cares for them. So no matter what we should always take care of our parents especially when they are old and need our assistance.
Acara means conduct. One who conducts in line with the instruction of scriptures and teachers it to the other is Acharya. We need to be ever grateful to our teachers especially to Sad Guru who revels the knowledge hidden in scriptures and guidance us towards divinity. How can we ever repay His teaching, we never can, but we should strive to leave by the values shown by Him and follow the path shown by Him.
Atithi is one who comes to her home without a tithi - meaning without any appointment or date. It is important to treat guest as God and respect them. Even if they come unannounced, for we should see the presence of God in everyone. Shiridi Sai Baba used to live in South India, one of his devoted us Upasani Maharaja. He did not stay with Sai Baba but used to visit him every day and bring food. He used to ask Sai Baba to come to his home, Sai Baba would say he will come at point. One day while Maharaj was bringing food to Sai Baba a black hungry dog crossed his path but he did not give food to the dog. Later he came across a beggar asking for food, but he did not give any food to the beggar. Finally he reached Sai Baba and gave the food to him. Sai Baba said you did not give it to me when I came to your home why are you giving the food to me now, Maharaj was very surprised with this answer. Sai Baba explained that the dog and the beggar was him that he met on his way! So we need to have equal vision and recognize Him, know Him and serve Him in all.
Pranam,
Rukmani Sriram
Devender Akula
