Shree Hari
Beneficial Advice for Children
- Immediately on waking up, one must remember God and praise the glories of God by reciting -
tvameva mata cha pita tvamev; tvameva bandhuscha sakha tvameva |
tvameva vidyaa dravinam tvameva; tvameva sarvam mama devadeva ||
You alone are my mother and my father, You alone are my friend and my beloved companion,
You alone are my knowledge and my wealth, O Supreme Lord, you alone are everything for me.
3. One should offer obeisance (pranaam) to the elders.
4. After toilet and shower, one should do exercises, running-boxing and various bodily fitness activities, yoga postures and breathing exercises (pranayam) and various other physical fitness activities.
5. Every morning, one must with certainty do minimum one round of holy beads of the Mantra ‘Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.’ And he who has completed the thread ceremony, must before sunrise do ‘sandhya’ and minimum one round of holy beads of the Gayatri japa.
6. Minimally one must recite one chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita with meaning daily. Here it would be good to establish a system of reciting the first chapter on ‘pratipada’ (first day of the increasing or decreasing moon), second chapter on ‘dvitiya’, third chapter on ‘tritiya’ etc. Continue one chapter a day until ‘Ekadashi’ (eleventh day). Now ‘Dwadashi’ recite Chapter 12 and 13, and on ‘Trayodashi’ recite Chapter 14 and 15, on ‘Chaturdashi’ recite Chapter 16 and 17. Then on ‘Purnima’ (full moon) and ‘Amaavasya’ (no moon) recite Chapter 18. In this way, every 15 days, you will complete the recitation of the 18 chapters of Gita, whereby in a month, you would have recited the entire Gita twice. If there are lesser day in the fifteen day moon cycle, then 7th and 8th chapter should be completed on the same day, If there are more than 15 days in the moon cycle, then Chapter 16 and 17 should be read separately on different days.
7. Children must reach the school on time and pay great attention to the lessons and lectures as you would do to remember God. Do ‘Naam Japa and remember the Lord’s Divine Form, remaining silent, without much hustling, on the way to and fro from school.
8. You must be present at the time of the morning prayer and praises of the Lord, and these must be done with love and attention; because the time simply goes by, and when the mind is not engaged in God, one does not benefit.
9. It is good to remember-recollect what you have learnt previously and learn and remember what is taught on the same day as it was taught. By doing so, there will be enthusiasm to study at all times.
10. Studying should never be seen as difficult.
11. You must try to be the best in your class.
12. One should become very pleased, on seeing some other student further ahead in their studies, and the sentiments should be one of, that this person is surely progressing, and seeing him, I too will get encouragement to study and further my opportunities.
13. One should not be envious of his peers, nor wish that someone else remain weaker in studies, so that he is regarded by others as better.
14. Seeing any knowledge or skill, one should enter it will great enthusiasm and interest and try to grasp it; because eagerness to know and learn is a quality of a student.
15. One should not have any pride, believing one’s self to be a highly knowledgeable, because this will be a major roadblock to one’s progress.
16. Regularly one must do some service or the other for the elderly and for those who are poor and suffering.
17. One must not laugh at seeing a handicapped, suffering, deaf-dumb person, committing mistakes.
18. On receiving sweets, fruits or any edible things, one must share with others.
19. Only those things that are acquired ethically must be put to use.
20. One must want to not take anything from others, even though it is given by others.
From book in Hindi 'Jeevan ka Kartavya' by Swami Ramsukhdasji