Hari Om Parents,
Following was discussed in the e Balavihar class on April 9.
1. Class was conducted again using Zoom conferencing technology – thanks to all the hard work by the coordinators/administrators.
2. Initial prayers.
3. We chanted 30 verses of Bhagavad Gita chapter 1. Bhagavad Gita Chanting was led by Ishaan.
4. Udgita led the class in chanting all the six verses of Tapovan Shatakam.
5. We continued with the values taught by Sri Krishna in Chapter XII of Bhagavad Gita, where He enumerates 35 virtues or gems for us to live by. Bhagawan says he is showing us these gems so that we can make use of them and be happy. He says "anyone who lives by these virtues is My darling". Verse 13: Gem 1 – Hate None (advesta sarvabhutanam): Gem 2 – Be Friendly; Maitrah; Gem 3 – Be Compassionate; Karunah; Gem 4 – Free from attachment, Nirmamah; Gem 5 – Free from ego, Nirahamkarah. Today we discussed two other values – Equal minded in pleasure and pain and Forgiveness.
6. We questioned the students as to who is a true devotee? How can one be a true devotee? Are there any external signs? It was pointed out to them that we can get fooled by external appearances. Some can pretend to be a great devotee by their external appearance, but inside their value system is all messed up. The dress one wears, external marks or erudition in sastras are not essential markers of a true devotee. That is why Lord is himself pointing out here in Bhagavad Gita what values a true devotee has, and we are learning now those values now. By cultivating these values we can also become a true devotee of the Lord.
7. Discussing the prior values we went back to discuss detachment and attachment. Students were asked to give examples if they have ever practiced detachment and attachment; subsequently we discussed the current situation with coronavirus. When the coronavirus was in China and people were dying there, none of us here in US were affected that much, we carried on with our own lives without getting too worried - this was our detached attitude. Once coronavirus has been here in US and a lot more people have gotten infected and people are dying from it, we are now very worried and practicing 'stay home and social distancing' - this reflects our attached attitude. Attachment came only when it became my problem. Whenever there is 'I' and 'mine' involved attachment arises; again as an example if the neighbor's dog dies we may not be that sad but if our dog dies we are very sad – because it was 'my dog'. So it was pointed out to the students that we practice this detachment and attachment all the time. When we learn to detach from lower values and start attaching ourselves to higher values and higher ideal, we will be able to lead more happier and productive life; opening up a pathway for higher possibilities. By practicing these values we are trying to chip away the negativity within our personality so that the beauty inherently within us can shine forth. When we want to get rid of the moss in a tank all we need to do is fill up the tank with water and eventually the moss will overflow and water will become clear again. Similarly if we continue to cultivate positive values and ideas in our personality, the negative values slowly but steadily will get sublimated and eliminated. It is like removing the impurities around the diamond, when it is done successfully, the natural beauty of the diamond shines forth itself.
8. Gem 6 - Equal minded in pleasure and pain; samaduhkhahsukhah.
One needs to be balanced in our responses to various situations we encounter in our daily lives. Balance mind does not mean living like a statute. Normally we get very happy when we get things that we like or if persons behave according to our liking. We are unhappy when we get what we dislike or if circumstances are not conducive to our liking. What we need to realize is strong likes and dislikes make us unhappy. For example I must sit in my favorite dining chair to eat my food, I must eat pizza every Friday that to only from Pizza Hut, I cannot eat pizza without Coke or I get upset if I do not see my favorite TV show. We should avoid such strong likes and dislikes which will inevitably make us unhappy. Instead if we have a balanced mind we will be more peaceful and happy. Likes and dislikes depend upon background and environment. When we put finger in ice water for a few minutes and then put the same finger in warm water it will feel very hot. When the finger is put in lukewarm water, then put in warm water the water will not feel that hot. So to all our feelings are relative. Our likes and dislikes are conditioned both by circumstances and environment. We discussed the movie "Gods must be Crazy", in which all tribal people fight for a magic God-given instrument which was a coke bottle that was accidentally dropped in their village from the plane. Since the villagers never saw any coke bottle before, they thought this was a God given gift, which had many utilities. But ultimately the peace and tranquility that was in the village got destroyed as everyone wanted to possess the coke bottle with "special powers." Finally the tribal chief throws the bottle away in a valley and then peace returns to the village. Shows that our likes and dislikes are not absolute; moreover they will be different between people. Pujya Gurudev says – if we can give up our likes and dislikes, world will become double its space. As we will stop chasing what we like and running away from what we don't like. Everything in the world changes, if we come across difficult situations and circumstances we have to keep the thought in the mind that "even this will pass". Knowing that nothing is permanent we need to keep a relatively balanced mind.
9. Gem 7 - Forgive, Ksami.
God is all forgiving. All we need to do is pray and ask for his forgiveness; He immediately responds. There are numerous stories in our Puranas which show the extreme kindness of the Lord. Shri Ramji did not even entertain any thoughts of hatred towards mother Kaikeyi; despite her asking boons to send Shri Ramji away to forest for 14 years. Students where were astute in pointing out from Mahabharata story that Yudhisthira was also very kind and forgiving towards Dhritharastra and Gandhari after the war and treated them with love and respect. Similarly when Jesus was being crucified he prayed to God to forgive these people as they did not know what they were doing. Pujya Gurudev gives example of sandalwood which gives perfume to the very axe that brings the sandalwood tree down. The more we rub Sandalwood to the stone more fragments it gives. Such is the beauty of forgiveness and life. Once a holy man was invited to a town to judge wrong doers to see what punishment they can be given. The holy man entered the town dragging behind a basket full of holes filled with sand. People did not understand his behavior. The holy man replied - like this sand my sins are running behind me. I do not see them but I have coming here to judge others. It only means that what right we have to judge others. Just as we forgive and overlook our own sins, we should learn to forgive others. When we forgive people, it is we who benefit more than the person whom we have forgiven. We need to forgive and forget. A lot of times people say they have forgiven a person, but every time they meet the person they'll remind him about the incident. It is important that we forget the hurt that incident caused even if we can't forget the incident. Forgiving somebody despite the harm or ill that they have done to us is what we should strive for. We should forgive everyone without exception, maintaining grudges against one or two persons will still poison our mind. For example one may say I forgive everyone except my in-laws, this is not good enough. Forgiveness should be complete. "To err is human, to forgive is divine." – Alexander Pope. "It is by forgiving that one is forgiven." – Mother Theresa.
10. Finally Prayag led the class in prayers and Pavitra led the pledge.
Pranam,
Mekhala Girish
Devender Akula
Sun AM 8th Grade Teachers
