1. Attitude of parents
Parents, you are not just a parent of a child, but the parent of the whole Nation. Today we can clearly see that our society and nation are in a very disgraceful condition. The main reason for this is that as a parent we have failed to give the nation a well-cultured generation. This dismal condition of the nation can be changed if every parent tries to give a well-cultured generation. Every parent should have the attitude that he is not just moulding his own children, but is moulding the whole nation. A properly moulded person moulds a society and it will, in turn, mould the nation. Therefore, every parent should have a wider outlook that I am moulding a pillar of the nation. A child should be educated with this end in view. Remember that you can experience bliss only if your outlook is expansive; otherwise you will always be under stress.
Today, as a parent, we have developed a very narrow outlook and as a result, our life is full of stress. We raise our children with the expectation that when they grow up they will earn lots of money and support us. We expect that when our children grow up they will live a happy life, glorify our name and take care of us. If you have such a narrow outlook towards your children’s future, then the relation between you and your child will not be joyful and the reason for keeping such expectation towards children is your ego itself. We should have a broad outlook that when they grow up our children should become well cultured, should protect Dharma and the Nation and should work selflessly and sacrifice everything for the welfare of the society and nation. Today’s generation has become selfish because of the narrow mind of parents. Children have not been taught about the principle that, ‘sacrifice gives us bliss, whereas just having worldly enjoyment leads to sorrow’.
2. ‘The virtue of sacrifice is the foundation of life’
Today we are readying a generation which has developed a view that getting good marks in the exams and earning lots of money are the only aims of life. They are completely selfish and think only about themselves. Hence, today we can see that corruption is rampant in our country. The root cause of corruption is selfishness. Today’s generation has developed the attitude of ‘Only I, me and mine’. The virtue of thinking about others has completely vanished. We must teach our children the virtue of sacrifice. Anyone can live for oneself, but real bliss in life can be experienced by living for others. This should be taught to children by the parents through their own actions. This generation has become so selfish that after growing they will keep their parents in the ‘old-age home’ for their own happiness. Thus, as a parent it is your duty to teach your children that ‘sacrifice is the foundation of life’. Comprehensive soul will be happy and will spread happiness to others too.
– Shri. Rajendra Pavaskar (Guruji), Panvel