Don’t You Want To Give The Best Gift To Your Child?
H H Maa Purnananda
Founder Chairperson
Sree Guru Swami Chinmayananda Sewa Nidhi ®
“……Ananya Chetaah Satatam Yo maam Smarati Nityashah; Tasyaaham Sulabhah Paarth Nityayuktasya Yoginah .” – (Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 8/16)
As more and more seekers began to join in for various discourses and auspicious occasions held at SISS and elsewhere, under the auspices of our Trust SGSCSN, we found it important to guide the upcoming young children of those associated with SISS, for a better life. The attendees, at the Spiritual Retreats held here, began to bring along their children as they found the lush and serene environment here to be most conducive for their young ones too. The great benefit indeed for the children to get such an environment at a young age; it has changed the very view towards life for most of those fortunate few.
Soon it was decided to start regular sessions for children and by the grace of the Almighty, some SISS associates took the initiative for the dedicated service to this great noble cause of educating and nourishing the children with the rich and unmatched Vedic culture and tradition at their homes. These sessions held once in a week are named Balsatya and conducted voluntarily, regularly and sincerely by them.
The effort put in by the Volunteers soon started getting translated into the well-nourished internal growth of those children who attend regularly; more so, of those children whose parents also have keen interest in the Vedic culture and Indian ethos. Children can be moulded for being a better human if they are groomed with such cultural and spiritual values that are imparted in Balsatya. For which, support of the parents is a must for Balsatya children, because, unless and until the children have similar support at home as well from the parents, the children get demotivated to practice what they learn in Balsatya.
For example, the child is told to take bath early in the morning, pray to the Almighty for being
a good and bright student, eat breakfast and thereafter go to school every day. But if at home, the parents do not help out the child to do so every morning, then the Balsatya Volunteers cannot provide any further help to the child anyways. So, the child can be told about the good practises and good conduct, but cannot be supported for the same by the Volunteers apart from while they are in a Balsatya session.
For this, even though they appreciate such values, the children cannot decide on their own to practice them. After all, they
For this, even though they appreciate such values, the children cannot decide on their own to practice them.
After all, they are dependent on their parents. If the mother has no time to cook and pack tiffin for the child, the child helplessly has to eat junk food and later, get caught into the habit of eating it; though, the child would have learnt to offer food to the Almighty before eating!
are dependent on their parents.
Children follow the parents. If the parents do not conduct themselves in a sober and cultured manner, it would not be possible for the children to chant at home, the Stotra-s and Mantra-s learnt by them in Balsatya. Hence, some of the children find it difficult to memorise these elevating verses from various scriptures. They do chant well while in Balsatya sessions, but as soon as they go home, they forget most of what they learn in Balsatya! In fact, the parents need to encourage their child to sing, chant and remember the glory of God all day long, rather than pushing their young ones into harmful activities that make the vulnerable minds of innocent children violent, vulgar and uncultured.
In the given Shlok from Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, the Lord himself explains about the importance of constant remembrance of the Supreme Divinity in life, with faith, understanding and complete focus, for such outcome of man’s effort in day-to-day life, which would be noble, highly beneficial for himself as well as the world. Why so? Because, the very thought of the Supreme Divinity elevates the individual’s mind to purer intents and nobler thoughts, preventing him from violence and dullness.
In spite of several requests and reminders to the parents of Balsatya children, some parents do not take interest in attending the activities of SISS that are conducted with the sole purpose of bringing out the Divine potential in individuals, in the way ourVedic culture has established. The common excuse put forth by most of them is that they are preoccupied and are left with no time for this highly elevating and noble activity! Mere appreciation of higher values and good conduct does not help anyone; it is the learning, practice and implementation of these in life that do good to the humans.
Every parent loves one’s own child and wants to give one’s best to the child. It is high time that at least the parents of Balsatya children, who send their children to the Volunteers for learning virtues and higher values, understand the value of such elevating sessions conducted selflessly by dedicated Volunteers for the benefit of the young budding flowers of tomorrow’s human society; and do not miss the golden opportunity of bringing peace and harmony in their family, by themselves participating wholeheartedly in SISS activities and support their children at home by living an exemplary life to encourage them for inculcating higher values. It will be the best gift to the upcoming generation. Do not deprive your child of the best!