SECOND CHAPTER

In this chapter, swamiji has given the vedic thoughts on education of children. Swamiji was of the view that education of a child starts months before his coming into the world. Personality of a child, besides owning his individuality, is very much affected by the bodily and mental health of his parents. As such, swamiji has written as to what sort of things should be eaten by the parents and what sort of thinking and behavioural pattern should be of the parents.

There are many wrong notions prevalent in the Indian society regarding birth of a child, which need be replaced by the true ones. One such notion is- making of ‘janam patri’, that is, horoscope of the child by ‘future-tellers’ and on the basis of such ‘janam patri’, to make estimates of the future of the child. This type of thinking of the parents has increased the importance of future-tellers, who make money by playing with the feelings of the parents through making multi-colored ‘janam patri’ of the new born babies.

Besides these, there are wrong notions regarding ‘bhoot’ and ‘pret’ in the Indian society, because of which, in many cases, when children are suffering from certain diseases, they are handed over to the persons, claiming cures from ‘bhoot’ and ‘pret’ , instead of proper medication. Many children die because this type of notion of the parents. Accordingly, swamiji has advised the parents to beware of such selfish and money minded people.

All such type of shortcomings generate because of lack of proper education. Education aims at removing un-knowledge, that is, lack of knowledge from the society. As such, swamiji has written that it is the duty of the ruler to arrange for proper education of the children and the parents, who do not make necessary provisions for education of their children should be penalized.

In the view of the swamiji, education of sons and daughters should be same.

WORDS OF SWAMIJI

– Child, whose parents are religious is very fortunate.

-All the celestial bodies including the Sun et cetra are non-living like this Earth. These cannot do anything except giving light et cetra.

-‘Janam (birth)-patr (paper)’ should be named as ‘grief-paper’. Because when a child takes birth, every one becomes happy but this happiness gets converted into grief on listening about the effects of celestial bodies on the future of the child based on his ‘janam-patr’, that is horoscope.

-Can anybody save one from death, laws of God and principles of ‘karamphal’ philosophy?

-The teachers and parents, who scold, criticise and beat their children or pupils for their betterment are actually their well-wishers in the true sense and the teachers and parents, who yield to all the demands of their children and pupils out of attachment destroy their future.

-To make their children physically and mentally strong, to make them good citizens and to educate them well is the only duty or dharam of parents.

-Parents and teachers should always give their children and pupils truthful teachings only. They should also advise them to imbibe their truthful qualities and behaviour and at the same time discard their untruthful qualities and behaviour.