Searching Questions And Fulfilling Answers

A child is like a sapling. In the

beginning, as he establishes a

foothold in this world of adults

he spreads his branches out

wide in all directions. He

questions about and everything.

‘Why this?’

‘How does that work?’, ‘What is

over there?’. He does so hoping

to reach the sky which of course,

is the answer to everything.

In his innocence he doesn’t

realise that the sky is still well

beyond his reach. If his questions

are not answered with love and

patience, we make break his

tiny, fragile branches, and his

eagerness to learn about life and

understand ‘Why?’.

With a broken spirit the

child grows up to be a man with

little eagerness in life. He has no

branches, thus disabling him

from reaching out to others, and

most important, he has no shade

to protect the next generation of

saplings from the scorching sun

which is the bad in our society.

Swamishri always has time for

children. Not just to play with

them, but also to guide them

and teach them. His answers

reflect patience and concern.

He takes them seriously

because he takes thefuture

seriously. And so, through his

answers we can see him -

‘Sowing the seeds of our future...’

Seven year old Nilkanth Parekh asked the following questions whilst Swamishri was walking on the terrace of the Bombay temple...

Nilkanth : A saint like you will even resort to hitting us with shoes to guide us to Akshardham.

Swamishri : Really? If I throw shoes at you, will you stay here? Or will run to your father and tell him that ‘this Saint is hitting me’?

They who know that you are only hitting us with shoes so as to guide us to Akshardham, they won’t mind.

Swamishri : Really! Your understanding is very good.

Swami Bapa! When I get bad thoughts how can I get rid of them?

Swamishri : If we keep bad company or read bad books or look at bad things, then naturally we will get bad thoughts. But if we look at good things, read good books and go to the temple then we will get good thoughts.

You were very pleased with my uncle Hiteshkaka. How can I please you like that?

Swamishri : If you do bhakti, obey agna, keep the company of sadhus and come to the temple regularly, we will be pleased with you too.

Gunatitanand Swami says, ‘We must have one aim. To go to Akshardham.’

Swamishri : That’s right! This talk is the highest of the highest! One who has this aim will succeed. If we have just one aim to study, then we’ll go to school everyday. Even if the teacher hits us or scolds us, still we will go. Similarly, no matter what difficulties we face, we should still go to the temple... If we do that, our aim will be achieved.

(20 May 1986, Bombay)