2nd Dec : Shrimad Bhagwadgita Jayanti

[Subodh Joshi]

Once a school teacher taught his students Srimad Bhagvat Gita after teaching them the regular subject. 

ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां ह्र्द्देशेSर्जुन तिष्ठति । 
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यंत्रारुढ़ानि मायया ।।

Expounding upon the verse the teacher said, "God resides in the heart of every being. Not Knowning God, deluded by his Maya, humans wander as through mounted on a machine. 
God is omnipresent. He is the enternal witness in all hearts. Meditating on Him sanctifies the body and fills the mind with cheerfulness. Purifies the intellect and blesses us. Fortunate are they who believe and know God to be omnipresent, and obtain the boom of His compassion, peace and sweetness in their hearts.”    
This verse had a profound impact on the mind of a pure-hearted student, a poor farmer's son. And by repeatedly reciting and contemplating over the verse, he would derive maximum benefit from it. One day his father said, "Come and assist me at work in the fields." 
 
The son accompanied his father. Although he was young in age, his understanding was mature. He had imbibed the knowledge from his teacher that God resides in all hearts everyone's doing and is the witness to all being's.    
If one receives true knowledge in his childhood, if one commences meditation from early age, it propitiates one quickly.    
A clean white cloth can be easily dyed whereas a dirty cloth cannot be so easily dyed. Therefore the pure innocent heart of a child can easily be dyed with divinity, whereas the hearts that have become soiled through indulgence in deceit in samsara cannot be so easily dyed. 
 
Not entering his own field, the farmer entered the neighbour's field and told his son, "Stay vigilant against anyone coming to us from any direction. I will collect grass for the cows from this field, and if there is any excess, we will sell it." 
 
The son now got an opportunity to politely illuminate his father. His father must have kept the company of liars, dishonest and deceitful friends in his childhood. Therefore even at an advanced age he was living a life of lies, deceit, and dishonesty and stealing, and paving his way to hell. 
 
But the son had the good fortune to have an erudite, sincere teacher who impacted not only the worldly knowledge but also the knowledge of Gita. 
 
The poor student would carefully listen to the precepts of his teacher and make efforts to bring them into practice. He used to arise before dawn and absorb himself in meditation divine peace.
Pure hearted that he was, the child realized that his father was committing an impropriety. But how could he stop him? However when his father himself made enquiries, he got the opportunity to be beneficent, to enlighten him. 
 
The son replied," Father! there is no one watching from outside .You and I, just the two of us are present here. Yet someone is watching."
His father was startled and enquired, ”who is watching us?” 
The son replied," Father! Only the two of us are here. There is no one around for quite distance. Still someone is watching us" 
The son's humility mellowed down the father's heart. His father enquired, "Son, if only you and I are here, then who is the third one watching us?" 
The son answered, “Father! God residing in both you and I is observing us. Since we are committing a crime, your heart is palpitating and my inner tranquility is also getting disturbed. Even if no one is watching, he who is omnipresent and resides as the soul in all hearts is observing everything,” 
 
The consciousness that enables birds to chirp belongs to God. Trees derive the power of absorption of the sap from that supreme Lord. Through mother, none but the supreme self loves the child. Through father, none but that almighty disciplines the children. The Lord of the heart is beating our hearts. If we are altruistic, it is He who infuses gratitude and bliss in our hearts and if we act maliciously, it is He who reprimands us from within is He who is watching us from within is He who is watching us right now.” 
Hearing to his son's words, the father's hand began to tremble, and the sickle fell from his hand. He embraced his son and said, ”Son! You have opened my eyes today. I was being distanced from Him by stealing grass worth nothing. In the worldly sense, you are my son and I am your father, but as far as philosophy goes you are my father. Who imparted such knowledge to you?” 
The son said, ”My teacher visits his Sadguru and engages himself in assimilating his Guru's experience. He is also taking us on the sacred path. I have received this knowledge from him.”
 
The father became blessed on account of these mellifluent words of his son and he abandoned his old habit of stealing. The father who previously kept bad company now began to keep good company by attending satsangs.
 
Children who read the Gita are indeed blessed, even their parents are blessed for having given birth to such children. Read the Gita yourself and encourage others to do so as well. 

GITA IS THE NUMERO UNO SCRIPTURE

From a comprehensive all round advancement, Gita is unparalleled amongst scriptures, It has been translated in 578 various languages spoken in the world. In each language thinkers, philosophers, devouts and intelligentsia have analysed and written commentaries in the past are currently in the process and will continue to do so in the future. That is so because this scripture pertains to the upliftment of mankind of all countries, religions and traditions. All of us should attempt to imbibe the knowledge of Gita. It will help develop and enhance prosperity, drive for emancipation, purity and fearlessness and such is the unique, sui-generis amongst all the world's scriptures.