Hari Om Parents,
We began with the Opening Prayers. We shared video of Guruji chanting Shiva Panchakshari Stotram bhajan – that we chanted along.
Significant portion of the class was spent to plan for our monthly program.
Towards the beginning of the year we learnt that students go to Gurukula after upanayana ceremony (first samskara) to stay and study with the Guru for many years. There along with scriptures students learn many branches of knowledge. Brahmacharya ashram is marked by end of studies of Vedas; now the student is ready to return home. Samavartana, means returning home is the second samaskara. Before student leaves the Gurukula, Guru gives a convocation address!! Yes we had convocation address even in our ancient times. Guru presents rules of conduct and ideas of living, which are enumerated in Taittiriya Upanishad. We have already spent previous lessons discussing lot of these rules and ideas, so briefly
1. Speak the truth – satyam vada – thought, word and action should be consistent.
2. Do your duty – dharmam cara – should perform duties towards themselves, relations and society.
3. Study scriptures – svadhyaya, self-study – should be done daily. Even to know what one's duty is, to know dos and don'ts we need to read scriptures. Daily prayer, japa, chanting of verses or reading scriptural text … can be pursued.
4. Pay your fees – in those days students studied for free. So when they become capable of earning it is their responsibility to support Gurukula so that others can continue to benefit from the teaching. This is same as the alumni contributing to their Alma mater now-a-days.
5. Never neglect your welfare – it is interesting to see that our Rishis emphasized individual welfare also. Students are asked to take care of themselves first, not with idea of self-aggrandizing. We should earn as much as we can, by following dharma, and then help others who are not capable.
6. Duties towards ancestors, parents, teachers and guests – what we are today is because of collective contributions of our ancestors. We should take care of them especially in old age and ill-health. Treat your mother, father, teacher and guest as God – Matrdevo bhava, pitrdevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava and atithidevo bhava.
7. Reverence for all men of cloth – one should have same respect and love for all teachers, just as one reveres one's own teacher. Must offer seat to teachers, worship them with acts of love and reverence.
8. Give charity – should be given with faith, modesty and sympathy. It should be given to the deserving person, at right time and right place.
9. When in doubt act like a man of knowledge – when we are not sure what we should do in a particular circumstance. We should conduct ourselves as a wise man, who are devoted to dharma, does.
These commandments should be followed by all of us. Thus we can achieve material success and spiritual unfoldment.
In the end we had to join combined zoom session to attend Grade 4 monthly program – depicting the 24 Gurus – as usually it was a terrific performance by the kids, who effortlessly chanted verses and explained succinctly what they learnt from each Guru.
Pranam,
Rukmani Sriram
Devender Akula
