How can bhakti help our children in their careers?
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Transcript
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how does providing example guide example knowledge and personality how can we help our children to grow in their career the spiritual and the material are complementary the spiritual is not a substitute for the material the spiritual is the foundation for the material that means that at the start of the Bhagavad Gita Arjuna was bewildered did not know what to do he was confused he didn’t know what to do by the end of the Bhagavad Gita he knew what to do that was he knew I should fight he was inspired to fight at the start of the Bhagavad Gita 1.46 last verse of first chapter Arjuna puts down his bow Vishwamitra Shokasam Vigna Manasaha he is so dejected that he puts aside his bow saying I can’t fight at the end of the Bhagavad Gita 18.78 Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna Yatra Partho Bhanur Dharah Arjuna has picked up his bow and is ready to fight so Arjuna’s bow represents our determination The world’s complexities, perplexities, and adversities, they make us lose our morale. They make us lose our determination.
And hearing the spiritual wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita enables us to regain our morale. And with the boosted morale, we can go about doing whatever we need to do. See, Arjuna won the war at one level because he got the inspiration to fight from Krishna.
But another level, throughout his life, he had learned archery and he had mastered that. And when it came to the practical integrity of the war, it was his knowledge of archery that counted. So the Bhagavad Gita’s spiritual knowledge provided him the motivation by which he could use the material skill which he had acquired.
So similarly, in our life, our career is important and we need to endeavor for that. And we need to guide our children also to make healthy choices so that they can have a bright career. But the nature of life is, even when pursuing a career, one can become demoralized, one can become distracted, and one can get lost.
So the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita enables us, if we understand, that there is a loving God and He loves me. Everybody in this world may misunderstand me. Everything in my life may go wrong.
All my schemes, all my dreams may fall apart. But still, God will always be with me. He always loves me.
And then, that inspires us to keep moving onwards. In the Mahatma Gandhi said about the Gita, he says, when doubts haunt me, when disappointment stares me in the face, and when I see not a ray of hope on the horizon, I turn towards the Gita and I find myself smiling amidst overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will get fresh meanings from it every day.
So this is not just the experience which he had. Anyone who turns towards the message of the Gita, and especially towards Gita’s ultimate revelation of a supremely loving God, that enables us to face obstacles, no matter how far they come. The Bhagavad Gita reveals a vision of God who is not just up there.
Some people think God is causing my problems. Some people think God is just watching my problems, not doing anything for me. But the Bhagavad Gita reveals that God is not somewhere up there.
God is right in here. He is helping us face our problems. He will guide us with wisdom by which we can go through and grow through our problems.
So, the spiritual message of the Bhagavad Gita, if our children internalize it, if they learn this, then they will have the inner motivation by which they can go through the ups and downs that come when we are pursuing our career. This is not to be seen as a substitute to the career. There is necessary time, energy, thought that is required for pursuing the career.
But the spirituality will be the foundation for that. See, our ability to tap our ability is enhanced by our spirituality. Our ability means we have certain talents.
But if internally we are very unstable, then we cannot use our abilities. So, what the practice of Bhakti does is it stabilizes us internally. It strengthens us internally.
And by that, our ability to tap our ability is enhanced by our spirituality. So, if we are in a proper devotee community where there are senior devotees whom we can consult and take guidance from, then how exactly to balance the material and spiritual life, we will be able to learn that from them and we will be able to individually apply it according to our time, place, according to our situation. So, spirituality, spiritual and material are meant to go in parallel, complementarily in the devotee’s life.
Vidyam cha vidyam cha yastad vedo vayams. Vidya and avidya. Material knowledge and spiritual knowledge.
The material and the spiritual side can go harmoniously if we understand the Bhagavad Gita properly and learn to apply it in the community of those who are also applying it. Thank you. Any other questions?