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A
child is like a sapling. In the
beginning, as he establishes a
foothold in this world of adults
he spreads his branches out
wide in all directions. He
questions about and everything.
‘Why this?’
‘How does that work?’, ‘What is
over there?’. He does so hoping
to reach the sky which of course,
is the answer to everything.
In his innocence he doesn’t
realise that the sky is still well
beyond his reach. If his questions
are not answered with love and
patience, we make break his
tiny, fragile branches, and his
eagerness to learn about life and
understand ‘Why?’.
With a broken spirit the
child grows up to be a man with
little eagerness in life. He has no
branches, thus disabling him
from reaching out to others, and
most important, he has no shade
to protect the next generation of
saplings from the scorching sun
which is the bad in our society.
Swamishri always has time for
children. Not just to play with
them, but also to guide them
and teach them. His answers
reflect patience and concern.
He takes them seriously
because he takes thefuture
seriously. And so, through his
answers we can see him -
‘Sowing the seeds of our future...’
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| Swamishri
With Children |
| Question
15 |
| American
culture is based on the need to know ‘What?’ and ‘Why?’.
Children are encouraged to ask questions, to explore and to find a
reason for everything. However, religion is something which cannot
be understood by logic alone. Thus Satsangi children face a dilemma,
for they have to live according to a culture which they know very
little about and in which many things do not have logical explanations.
Despite not understanding ‘What?’ or ‘Why?’, these
children still have a strong connection with Hinduism, through their
love for Swamishri. This alone is what keeps them attached to a culture
which would otherwise be alien to them. However, problems do arise,
as the children are torn between two very different cultures, often
causing conflicts between family and friends. But no matter how strong
the pull towards an American lifestyle, the children cannot let go
of Swamishri... Here children pose questions to Swamishri during special
assemblies with him. |
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Atlanta Balaks : What is bhakti?
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Swamishri : To love God and only God.
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When was your first experience of Akshardham?
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Swamishri : When I met Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj. By
their darshan I experienced Akshardham.
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How long does this feeling stay with you?
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Swamishri : All the time. It’s not as if it comes for a while
and then goes again. Because we keep God with us all the time, and
in whatever we do we remember God, the feeling always remains. All
day we talk only of God, do only His bhajan and sing His kirtans
only, so it stays.
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With which thought do you not become egoistic?
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Swamishri : The thought that we want to please God. And the thought
that God does not like ego.
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How can you work here and in Akshardham both at the same time?
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Swamishri : It’s God work. God does everything. What are we
capable of? It’s a case of here but also there, and there but
also here. God works through us.
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Rashmi Parikh : What is Yogiji Maharaj doing right now?
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Swamishri : He is sitting right here talking to you!
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(26 June 1994, Atlanta)
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