श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः|

Subbu had been quite actively involved in organizing the annual bhagavad gItA commpetitions when we were in Gurgaon. At that time, organizing these competition events, going to different schools to teach them the chants etc were quite engaging and meaningful.

Some situations that she encountered made us sit back and reflect on “in doing this, what are we really doing?”. What were these situations?

• Some of the school management said they will not participate in a particular year, because their students aren’t getting any prizes even though they were quite meticulous in participating in the competition year on year for the past few years.
• There were few kids who were quite prompt in attending our regular weekly shlOkA chanting and bhajan classes, just before the gItA competitions. And after the competitions were over, they can only be seen only the next year.
• Most kids learnt few shlOkAs of the chapter for that year that were allotted to them, which they eventually forgot after the competitions – Its like we forgetting (I for one can say for some exams, Want to forget!!!) the content of the exam the day after exam gets over. I reckon the only thing that the kids (and perhaps the parents too) remembered after the event is “if and what prize” they had got in the event
• Contiuning the first point, to “motivate” kids, we had to give a momento/ prize to every participating kid if he/ she got selected for the “grand finals”. We made many such momentos that have mere momentary value, invariably contributing to global warming in their own small way.

Our reflections led us to question, by so doing, are we really helping the kids and parents learn the essence of the gItA, or are we only adding to the opposite of that – running after results and achievements and victories. We only know that the gross content and event disappears fast, the underlying subtle gets quite etched in the subconscious minds of people.

Today, we do as a group of about 20 kids and parents join for an online session to chant the bhagavad gIta on the gItA jayanti day, not just few shlOkas of a particular chapter, but all that we have learnt, after meticulous practice of the pronunciation of each shlOkA. And most weekly classes, gItA chanting is part of the routine. The message to the kids and parents is very clear – Will you chant the gItA in this collective practice as an offering to the gItA, without expecting what will I get from this? We find that many parents and kids participate in this through the year yagnya quite enthusiastically, energizing themselves and one another and hopefully in subtly shaping the cultural context of the times today in our own small way.

May we continue to be worthy of receiving His Grace and guidance in every action of ours in this path; may we be challenged by questions from within and outside, on the dharmA of what we do.

हरि ॐ तत् सत्|