48 - Great Teachings

It was the auspicious day of Shrihari Jayanti (Manifestation day of Shreeji Maharaj). Bapashri went to the temple for the Darshan. Small children were also there in the temple. The children bowed down to Bapashri.

Bapashri instructed, ‘All of you, sit down.’ Children requested, ‘Bapa, today is the birthday of God. Please, tell us the stories of God.’ Karsan requested, ‘Bapa, please tell us how to behave.’ Bapashri informed, ‘Today I will teach you how to please God.’

All the children were excited, ‘Yes Bapa! Tell us, please, Tell us.’ Bapashri began to explain, ‘Everyday we should get up early and have bath. Then we should remember God. We should worship Him attentively and then we should meditate upon Him. Right from the childhood, we should cultivate the habit of worshipping God. Thus, God is pleased.’

Karsan asked, ‘If we woship God whole day, would he be pleased?’ Bapashri explained, ‘We should not sit at one place the whole day and worship God. While performing all our duties, we should remember God.’

Khimji also had a doubt, ‘While having bath and while eating also. Should we remember God?’ Bapashri confirmed, ‘Yes, we should never forget God, even while performing any activity.’

Nathaji informed, ‘Bapa, Daily I remember God before having food.’ Bapashri congratulated, ‘Very good! Everyone should do that. Before consuming any food or drink, we should always pray to God.’ Ruda inquired, ‘When we go to school to study, how can we pray there?’

Bapashri explained, ‘When you go to school, you should visualize that God is accompanying you. If you study as if it has been assigned by God then it becomes a prayer. If you study properly in the school, it is as good as worshipping God.’

Ruda asked again, ‘If we study properly, does it please God?’ Bapashri reassured, ‘If you study with the remembrance of God, it certainly pleases God. When you go for the exams you must pray, ‘Maharaj! Join me for the exams.’

While Bapashri was teaching, two kids began to fight. Bapashri asked, ‘What happened? Why are you fighting?’ Laxmi complained, ‘Bapa, he ate up my dates.’

Bapashri caressed Laxmi’s head lovingly and said, ‘Laxmi! If we share our food, it also pleases God. If we eat alone then we are called selfish.’

Bapashri came to his seat and taught the children, ‘Children! We should never be selfish. We should always be kind. We should always be ready to serve. We must serve the saints.’

Teja said proudly, ‘Bapa, I do all these things.’ Bapashri explained, ‘It is very good. But we should not be proud of it. We should not praise ourselves. It does not please God.’

Bhima informed, ‘Bapa! I serve the saints everyday.’ Karsan complained, ‘Bapa, he is lying.’ Bapashri continued, ‘Son! We should never tell lies. Always speak truth. Even when we have committed mistake, we must tell the truth and accept our fault.’

Karsan asked, ‘Bapa, can we eat the stuff sold in the market?’ Bapashri explained, ‘They use garlic and onions. They do not clean the grains properly. They do not cover it properly. Such impure eatable sold in the market should not be eaten. If we eat them, we fall sick.’

Khimji asked, ‘If we find something lying on the road can we take it?’ Bapashri explained, ‘Shreeji Maharaj has forbidden in Shikshapatri. We should not take the things which do not belong to us and should not even touch them!’

Children were listening to the statements of Bapashri attentively. Bapashri concluded, ‘If we always remember God and follow his instructions then Maharaj would be definitely pleased.’

Difficult words:
Cultivate - To develop
Consume - To eat or drink
Forbidden - Not allowed

Points to ponder:
- Here Bapashri teaches us how to please God.
- We should learn to worship God right from our childhood.
- Maharaj is pleased, if we follow the instructions of Maharaj as explained in Shikshapatri.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. On which day everyone gathered in the temple?
2. Which story did the children want to listen?
3. Which narrative (story) did Bapashri suggest to tell?
4. During which activities Bapashri has mentioned to remember God?
5. How should we eat any eatables?
6. How can we worship God while attending the school?
7. How should we go to appear for the exams?
8. Of what qualities we should not be proud of?
9. What kind of speech should we always speak?
10. What eatables should not be eaten?

Fill in the blanks:
1. Bapa, today is the birthday of ____________.
2. I will teach you how to _____________ God.
3. Children we should never be ___________.
4. We must serve ____________.
5. We should not praise ourselves, it does not ___________ God.
6. The things which do not belong to us should not be _________ and not even __________.

Who speaks the following statements?
1. Should we remember God even while having bath and while eating?
2. When we go to school to study how can we pray there?
3. Laxmi! If we share our food it also pleases God. If we eat alone we are called selfish.

Arrange in proper sequence:
1. performing while our we all should duties remember God.
2. Certainly study if with you the it remembrance pleases God of God.
3. Tell must we accept even we when have mistake our commited fault truth and the.