The Bhagavad Gita and Children
Eklavya School, a small but very forward thinking and progressive school in Ahmedabad, India, gave students an assignment to write poetry based on the Bhagavad Gita.When Swamini Vimalananda, Director of Chinmaya International Residential School Coimbatore, found out about this project, she wrote a letter to the program manager of Eklavya School encouraging such a project.
In the next three issues of Desh-Videsh, we will present the top three poems submitted. Poems and excerpt from Swamini’s letter printed with permission.
Indian scriptures say that parents should indulge their children in infancy, discipline them in their childhood and adolescence, and befriend them from their youth onwards. When they are over-indulged in their childhood and adolescence, thereafter to inculcate discipline when they are in youth is extremely difficult.
Swami Chinmayananda would advise parents “Don’t just invest on the child. Also invest in the child.” Most only fulfill only the former by giving good secular education, supplying food, clothing, shelter etc. but fail to empower the child with a strong character and holistic development of the head, heart and soul. Investment ‘on’ may give an outer prosperity which may get destroyed without the inner strength of values. Whereas investment ‘in’ will foster inner unfoldment and lasting outer prosperity.
“Knowledge always flows best through us to the world around us. As parents let us bring about a meaningful, creative and sensitive change within ourselves and in our children.”
When asked, “Do you want your children to be good or smart?,” most parents say, “Both.” Strangely parents want their children to be smart with others but good to them. We often hear them tell their children, “Don’t act smart with me. Show it to your friends.” Since we want them to be good, should we not put efforts to consciously inculcate goodness?
Change is the very nature of the world. When change happens inadvertently, the process is called vikara, when it is consciously brought about, it is called samskaara. For example, when we unknowingly sit on wet paint, it leaves a dirty patch on our clothes. But when an artist dabs paint with a brush in a piece of cloth, it is called a design or painting. Such paintings adorn the surroundings and add beauty to life.
Knowledge always flows best through us to the world around us. As parents let us bring about a meaningful, creative and sensitive change within ourselves and in our children. As parents let us bring about a meaningful, creative and sensitive change within ourselves and in our children.
Swamini Vimalananda
Director
Chinmaya Vision Programme
Chinmaya International Residential School Coimbatore
On Bhagavad Gita
By Ekta Asnani
Work is worship,
Sail in workship,
Make a friendship
With the Lordship!
Everyone has good and bad:
Let us be not sad,
See the positive,
Make them relative.
It is very clear,
Have no fear:
You will be near
To the Dear (God ).
Attachment causes pain,
Do not walk on that lane,
Believe in the inner beauty
That’s the only duty.
Do not copy others,
Let be your brothers,
Walk on your path,
With your self’s saath.
Renounce the fruit,
For which there is a loot,
And that is the cause root,
For all the Dukh.
Have no fascination,
Towards the destination,
Do the action,
With full concentration.
Work is worship,
Sail in workship,
Make a friendship,
With the Lordship!
