It is this attitude
of awareness of the divine presence that
should be protected for the next generation. In order to sustain it as
an unbroken attitude, the nAmasankIrtana, the reciting of God’s names, is prescribed.
And this, namely, the practice of nAmasankIrtana, is
the minimum activity that should be transmitted to the next generation and
therefore should be protected and preserved for them, and for their sake, for
the present generation. One should not have to resort to long recitations
without understanding the meaning. Instead,
parents and elders should only expect
that the children imbibe something that would be meaningful to them,
something to which they could relate and which would be of help to their moral
and spiritual boosting when the time comes in their life to look for such
solace. If today they are told that the various stotras of Hinduism (either in
Sanskrit or in the regional languages of India) would bring them intelligence
and good ranking in their studies and other activities, and bla-bla-bla,
this does not cut ice with them because the outside world is not in the habit
of attaching any values to such things. Any way the children think this is only
a ‘commercial’ prayer.
It is suggested therefore that only the essential minimum be attempted. No attempt
should be made to teach them things which are just mumbo-jumbo to them (and
perhaps to the teacher also). It may be hoped that the children do understand
however that there is a God above, and we should pray to Him with a sense of
thanksgiving and remembrance. This prayer should be taught to them in such a
way that they can match the meaning without much effort and time. Here comes
the aptness of two lines from the taittirIya-upanishad:
taM nama ityupAsIta,
namyante asmai kAmAH.
This means: If
you worship Him with the word ‘namaH’ then you will have ‘desires’ fall at your feet.
There is a slight play on the word ‘namaH’ in the text here. The word ‘namaH’ is a very important word,
pregnant with meaning, in Hinduism. A whole chapter in the vedas
is devoted to the repeated use of it with God’s names. This chapter called Sata-rudrIya is
considered to be supreme for recitation and repetition in all private and
public worship, rituals and the word ‘namaH’ is a very important word, pregnant with meaning, in
Hinduism. A whole chapter in the vedas is devoted to
the repeated use of it with God’s names. This chapter called Sata-rudrIya is
considered to be supreme for recitation and repetition in all private and
public worship, rituals and ceremonies. The word ‘namaH’ says not only that you
prostrate (before the Lord), but it also says that the prostration indicates ‘na mama’ or ‘not mine’, meaning, ‘Everything is Yours, O
Lord’. Desire is the greatest internal enemy of Man and he will never have
salvation, according to Hinduism, until he is rid of all his desires. The upanishad
says that God is to be worshipped with the word namaH on your lips and in your heart
(lips, because of the attitude of prostration, and heart, because of the
attitude of surrender of all proprietorship) and this would make all your
desires to be at your feet, instead of you falling a prey to your desires. The western tradition of giving thanks to
the Lord is built into and enlarged in Hinduism by the namaskAra way of paying obeisance
to the Lord.
Since we want Hindu children
of the next generation to have to do only the minimum possible
but
at the same time get the maximum benefit when it is time for them to reach out
for the divine,
the
following specific suggestion is made.
Copyright © V. Krishnamurthy