CHILDHOOD

  
 

“Child is the father of the man”. ‘Poot ke paanw paalane me’. ‘Honhaar virvaan ke hot chikane paat’. The meaning is clear.  The seed is the root of a tree. If the seed is good, tree will automatically be better. Similarly, a good child becomes a good man. If primary education is bad, man will naturally be bad. Good education in the childhood makes a man great scholar where as bad habits produces criminals, robbers, murderers etc. The children suffering from malnutrition cannot have robust health in future. When they take nutritious food in youth period, only stomach develops, not the whole body. Proper food, medical aids, education, habilitation etc. is urgent need for appropriate development of a child.

                                         I want to bring attention towards these points. What is the fault of a child if he has taken birth in a very (economically/socially) poor family. Why should he not be given equal opportunity to develop? If equal atmosphere is provided, I don’t think that there would be more differences in grown up stage.

                                       Till a few years back, girls were not allowed to come out and have proper schooling. Presently when they have started proper studying, they have surpassed the boys. Similarly, if suitable and equal opportunity is provided, there is no cause of far differences.

                                        I want to give some suggestions. According to population, every village should have child care centers. From the very pregnancy period, mothers should be kept in proper supervision of the care centers. The centers should have all facilities like food, lodging, medical aids; education etc. till the child is grown up. Every child irrespective of cast, creed, wealth etc. should be kept in those centers. There should be common schools, colleges for all children. The cost should be borne by the government. No private school, private coaching should be allowed. Surnames, castes should not be mentioned anywhere. I think, if above suggestions are followed, a caste less society with equal status of all will be created automatically. The problem of malnutrition, child labor etc. will be abolished.   

गणेश चतुर्थी

GANESH

On the auspicious day of Ganesh chaut I want to give a brief introduction of lord Ganesha. It is celebrated on Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthee. This year, it is on Thursday, September 17. The festival is celebrated in the honour of the elephant headed god. The story, how the lord got elephant head is very interesting. Maa Parvati, the wife of lord Shiva, made the shape of a child of sandal wood paste and put life in it. She ordered the child not to allow anybody to enter while she was taking bath. In the meantime lord Shiva came. The child stopped him. He became angry. The child started to fight. In the heated mood he severed the head of the child. In the mean time Maa came out. She saw the scene and started to weep. She became too much enraged. Shiva promised to make the child alive. Devas (gods) were ordered to bring the head of a person whose head might be towards north and opposite to his mother. They found only an elephant child in the position and chopped its head. Shiva fixed the head on the child’s body, gave life and named the child Ganesha (gan+isha= lord of Ganas).

                                                         Ganesha is god of wisdom, knowledge and new beginnings. He is also Lambodar (lamba+udar= long belly). His mount (vahana) is mouse. We should not be confused seeing the big size and weight of the lord and so small size of his mount mouse. The mouse may be of bigger size to take the load of the rider.

                                 He is first worshipped on every festival due to his intellect and vghna harta (remover of troubles). Once the question about who should be first worshipped arose. It was decided that the person who came first in the race to go round the universe would be worshipped first. All gods took part in the race on their faster mounts. Ganesh sat on the mouse and did three pradakshina (moved around three times) of his parents. He was declared first on the logic that parents are similar to the universe. Thus even having very slow mount he became first in the race due to his intellect.   

गणेशजी प्रथम पूज्य हैं। ये विघ्नहरण हैं। इनकी वुद्धि  अति तीक्ष्ण है। इसी के बल पर इनकी प्रथम पूजा होती है। 'वुद्धिर्यस्य बलं तस्य निर्वुद्धेस्तु कुतो बलम्'।  

RAKSHAABANDHAN

Rakshaabandhan

‘Jen baddho bali raajaa daanvendro mahaabalah; Taan twaan pratibadhnaami rakshemaachal maachalah’. Bali was king of demons. He defeated all gods and became able to dethrone lord Indra. Indraanee, wife of Indra, tied the thread of raakhee on Bali’s wrist and made him her brother. Bali asked her to ask for anything she wanted. She asked not to dethrone lord Indra. Thus, she saved her husband’s throne. 2^nd storey is Lord Baaman and Bali. Bali had ego that no one in the universe is greater doner than him. Lord Vishnu came in the guise of Baaman (Dwarf person). He took promise from Bali to gve him three step of land. Bali saw him a dwarf and accepted. His guru Shukraachaarya forbade him to do but he didn’t obey him. Having Bali’s acceptance, Baaman increased his body and made it tall as heaven. He measured the entire universe (above and below) in two steps and asked where to put his third step. Bali offered his head. When he was asked to ask anything, he requested Lord Vishnu to be his guard. Goddess Lakshami became very grieved. She tied the thread (Raakhee) on Bali’s hand. Thus, she made Bali, her brother. When she was asked to ask any thing, she asked to free her husband. Thus, she again got her husband.

                                                                    There are so many stories about Rakshaabandhan. It is celebrated as a function of brother and sister. Sister ties the thread on brother’s wrist and brother gives blessing to protect her from every trouble. At present, we have become enemy of our daughters. We have started to kill them in the very womb. Can anybody imagine a society where there is no female? Thus, indirectly I have started to demolish our own existence. When a male gets married, he forgets his sisters. But, sisters never forget their brothers. There are sisters who have helped their brothers even quarreling with their in-laws and even with their husbands. Daughters bring my life charmful. They are far more loyal than boys. A son is son till his marriage but a daughter is daughter till the whole life. Where there are only boys, only quarrel will come. We have to swear to protect girls from every trouble.   

                                                                                   Rakshaabandhan means ‘fastening a thread for protection’. In some places, people tie the thread around a tree to protect environment. This is symbolical to protect everything which is helpless. On this day, we should take oath to save the nature, help every weak creature which needs help. This will be the best way of celebration of this pious day.

कृष्णाष्टमी

आज कृष्ण का जन्म दिन है। उन्हें योगीश्वर कहा जाता है। उनके प्रत्येक क्रियाकलाप के शूक्ष्म भाव हैं।  केवल स्थूल भाव देखने पर व्यक्ति भ्रमजाल में फंस जाता है। उन्हें संदेह होने लगता है कि ऐसा करना कैसे संभव है। कहीं पर वे रास रचाते रहते हैं तो कही गीता का प्रवचन देते दिखाई पड़ते है। कभी दुर्दांत कंस आदि अनेको आततायियों का बध करते दिखाई पड़ते हैं।