Day: February 22, 2025

Swami ji said…

“My son is studying in the US…” ” My daughter has been accepted at Oxford …” The pride with which parents talk about their children’s education is unmistakable – as they discuss at length about where they could be studying at the moment or plan to study in the future – be it in the country or abroad. And, if we were to be honest about it, then we too would say – “Why not?”
After all, it is the reward of years of preparation, focus and perseverance, that makes it possible for one to turn his dreams to reality. Holding a prized, coveted degree is the culmination of the aspirations of many a children and parents…” क्यूँकि अपनी मेहनत को सफल होते हुए देखना; अपने सपनों को साकार होते हुए, पूरा होते हुए देखने पर- सब को बहुत ख़ुशी मिलती है…” But, at times, rather than just getting carried away by the ‘brand’ from where one is or could be receiving education – we also need to pay attention to the ‘qualitative’ changes and improvement that our childrens’ education is bringing about in their impressionable minds.

” ‘विद्या’ के अर्थ को पूरे तौर से, पूर्णता में समझना – बच्चों और युवाओं के लिए बहुत आवश्यक होता है…” The younger lot must ask themselves that apart from enabling them to stand on their own feet tomorrow and equipping them to become experts in fields of their choice; has all that has been taught to them – brought about that very essential degree of ‘self awareness’ in them? Do they refect on the new and positive changes that have been brought about in them by ‘learning’ in the most prestigious institutions or elsewhere ? Do they analyse once in a while at least – “मैं पहले कैसा था और मैं आज कैसा हूँ ?”- and at the end of their analysis can feel the difference in how empowered and enriched they are today? Do they realise that their ‘gains’ are far greater than their ‘losses’?

Are they able to ask themselves – Are we brave enough to be critical of ourselves – as well as accept the flaws that are pointed by others in us ? Are we able to get along with others, in a way better than before ? Does a more open, flexible and tolerant mindset makes us aware of our foolishness in creating a mental class divide? Has our education helped us evolve into self – reliant and more organised individuals? Are we a more refined and cultured version of ourselves today as compared to what we were in the past? Are we in a better position to understand today that resilience finally pays in the long run? Do we understand that short cuts will not let us grow to our optimum? Have we understood that failure doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a dream – but serves as a reminder to work harder – and that success will not be too far away ? Do we accept the simple reality that success today doesn’t mean that we will never fail in the future ? Are we becoming better by the day at following a routine ; managing time in a manner most rewarding? Have we developed the ability to solve the problems that come out of nowhere in our daily lives – and feel satisfied on seeing that our success ratio at doing this has improved greatly?

But, if, just for a minute, we were to move away from all the external objectives that, we feel, have been met in a manner most satisfactory by the education that has been received by us; and now turn our attention to whether we have encouraged and allowed the most essential ‘qualities’ to grow and flourish within us. Let us now see where we stand … “क्या हमने अपने भीतर ‘विनम्रता’, ‘सहजता’ और ‘सरलता’ को उत्पन्न होने दिया है ? ” Or has the good fortune of receiving education at a world renowned university gone to our head and made us high headed and feel that we are much above others and can look down on the less fortunate ones with disdain? Is it easy to be contemptuous, rude and arrogant now? Do we feel that just because we are educated we have the license to say whatever we want to anyone and treat anyone the way we want to? Have we become less empathetic to the problems and sufferings of others – as maybe in a ‘hard – hearted’ way we feel that the ‘poor’ things were meant to suffer. Has our ‘patience’ of old given into ‘impatience’ – as we feel that time is running fast and there is no time to be lost. Once we are on the path of success – do we find it difficult to express our gratitude to God and others who made it possible for us to be where we find ourselves today ? In case we find ourselves anywhere close to harboring any such newly found traits it is time for us to understand that – “अगर हम में ‘विनम्रता ‘, ‘सहजता ‘ और ‘सरलता ‘ नहीं है- तो हमने जो ‘विद्या’ प्राप्त की है – वह व्यर्थ है …”