At the invitation of Sri Sankara Higher Secondary School, Tambaram, Sri Swamiji blessed the teachers and students with ‘anugraha bhãshana’.

There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãsam’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamiji.

Sri Swamiji,

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

" Human birth is rare, indeed! Adi Sankara says, “Jantu nãm nara janma durlabham!” (of all births it is human birth that is rare) ‘aridu aridu mãnidarãi pirathal aridu’, (rare indeed it is to be born as man) says Owvaiyãr (Saint and Tamizh poet).

There are innumerable creatures on this earth but we have all been blessed with human birth. There are creatures like the earth worm, invisible bacteria, hare, goat, cows, horse, lion, tiger, elephant that are below the level of man and pitrus, yakshas, kinnars, devas and gods, above man. Human birth is in the center of creation. This birth has been bestowed for ‘Realisation’ of Bhagavãn.

Man and animal carry on similar kinds of activities, viz. eat, sleep, fight, play, etc. But man has been blessed with an extra sense - the sixth sense - that is used to acquire knowledge - ‘Vidyãbyãs’. It is only humans who go to school to learn. It is only man who has the ability to learn. We have been blessed with brains to do ‘Vidyãbyãs’. If it were mere teaching that could instill knowledge, then even cows and buffaloes could be brought to school and taught! But it is not so. We possess the extra sense to learn. It is not enough if we learn only what is being taught in textbooks. We should widen our knowledge by reading other books, too.

In today’s world education has lost its real value and is aimed only at producing money-spinners. Everyone aims at doing well at school and college only to go abroad and earn lot of money. The country, the society has lost its moral values. A person, albeit his high qualifications, has no moral values. One finds a doctor - a highly respected profession - treating patients with utmost callousness. He is highly qualified, no doubt, but possesses no human values that are the priority of his profession. This is not so only with this profession but in all other fields, too. Moral values should, therefore, be taught to children.

Discipline, self-restraint and all good things should be taught in one’s childhood. Only then does it come to stay. Children are like soft clay (‘pachhai mann’). It can be molded easily the way we wish. Therefore, schools should take utmost care to instill ‘Desa bhakti’, Guru bhakti in children. Teach them to lead an honest, truthful, dharmic life so that they offer their best to the Country and the society. There is no doubt that one needs to be well educated and secure a good job. But, it does not stop there. Education should be moral based so that children who come out of school are of utmost use to the society, in general and the Country, at large.

All of you must be aiming at high percentage of marks to secure admissions for higher studies. For this you should develop concentration. Only if you have one-pointed mind can you achieve anything either in worldly or spiritual life. Great scientists like Einstein, Newton had one-pointed mind. They channelised all their energy in one direction and that is the reason for their success in their field. You should listen attentively to what is being taught in class. Swami Vivekananda used to say that it is better to play football than practice meditation, for, at play your whole mind is diverted to the movement of the ball. This deepens your concentration. There is a time for learning. Only at this young age can you study. ‘illamayil kal’ says Owaiyãr. (Learn while still young). After 25 you will not be able to concentrate in studies as well as you do at this age. Hence, make best use of the time that you have at hand.

Have ‘Desa bhakti’ (devotion to the Country) and Guru bhakti. Respect and love your teachers. Without this, education will be of no use to you. However brilliant you are, education will be a waste on you if you do not respect and love your Guru at school. As Krishna, Bhagavãn learnt under the tutorship of Guru Sãndeepani. As Rama, the Lord received lessons from Sage Vasishta. Even Bhagavãn learnt from a Guru in his Avatars and had utmost reverence to His Guru. Ekanãth was a saint who served his Guru with unflinching faith. He expected nothing in return for the services that he rendered towards his Guru. Drawn by his Guru Bhakti, Bhagavãn Himself, in the form of a Brahmin youth, came to Ekanãth and served him for 12 long years!

Education should bring about overall development. Children should, therefore, be taught to lead an honest, virtuous and dharmic life. This must be the ‘lakshya’ (aim) and it is also the ‘lakshana’ (quality). In ancient days students stayed in the Ãchãryã’s (Teacher/Guru/Master) home all through their period of study. Thus, they learnt humility, reverence, patience, etc. practically. These virtues were not taught separately/theoretically but were learnt during the course of their lives. One may say, “I am leading an honest, dharmic life but undergoing untold miseries whereas the man who cheats, robs, troubles others is doing very well in life. He is wealthy and is leading a very comfortable and happy life.” We cannot deny this, for, we do see such things happening. One may say that one who is honest and leads dharmic life will reach heaven and the other hell. Let us not take up that subject that is not ‘pratyaksha’ (seen) for us at this stage. Let us set that aside. You may feel that the other man who leads an indiscipline, immoral life is comfortable and happy. It is not so in reality. He may be wealthy and financially comfortable but do not be sure that he is happy. The truth is that he does not enjoy inner peace. He is unable to sleep peacefully in spite of his air-conditioned room and silken bed. Even though you may have to face lot of trials and tribulations while leading your life in a dharmic way, you enjoy an inner peace. You are happy with yourself whereas the other man is totally disgusted with himself. He does not like himself. This is the truth and it cannot be denied at all.

Everyone desires peace. But it does not come by easily. Neither the rich nor the poor enjoys peace. The poor man on the platform envies the rich as he feels that wealth gives happiness. But the rich man envies the poor man on the platform thinking that he is happy, as he has no hassles attached to wealth! Each feels the other is happy while the fact is that none enjoys peace.

Srimad Bhãgavatam says, “Guroh anugrahenaiva puman purnah prashantaye!” - (One who has the blessings of the Guru enjoys peace). Krishna and Kuchela studied together as children in Sandeepani Gurukulam. Krishna became the ruler of Dwãraka while Kuchela led a life of poverty. Under the insistence of his wife, Kuchela went over to meet his beloved friend Krishna. Krishna and Kuchela relived their wonderful school days. Krishna then said to Kuchela, “Sudhama! I am Dwãrakadeesa (ruler of Dwãraka) and Lakshmipathi (the Lord of Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi). You are the very personification of poverty. The whole world would refer to ‘Kuchela’ as a symbol of poverty. But both of us enjoy peace. Do you know the reason for this? This is because when we prostrated to our Guru, at the time of taking leave, He blessed us with the words, “May you be blessed with peace!”

All of you are blessed to study in this school run by Kanchi Mutt that has the blessings of Periyava. None can get such an opportunity. I pray to Bhagavãn to bless all of you to come out in flying colours, become good citizens and be of great help to the society and Nation. "

"GOPIKÃ JEEVANASMARANAM
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!"

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyãs is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna