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   Bhagavat was Panditji’s favorite scripture. He used to discuss the subtleties of the subject at all times – be it during the Katha-pravachan or otherwise. There was always a group of scholars at his residence holding discussions. Even in small gatherings, he would quote shlokas from Bhagavat and offer solutions to a variety of problems. Even when he was out on tour, people used to visit his home for seeking his sagely counsel. It goes without saying that whenever he was at home, people would flock around him. In those days, Taiji would hand over 3-year old Shriram to his father’s care. When Panditji was talking to people or solving their problems, child Shriram would also be present in the same room. The child would either be involved in his own games or sit quietly and listen to the proceedings. Although it was difficult for a 3-4 year old kid to understand the discussion on scriptures, philosophy and other profound topics, but he did absorb the samskaras created in the atmosphere by those discussions. The child was definitely resplendent with good samskaras from past lives. We can also say that he was not in need of any more new samskaras. But the atmosphere could indeed help in blossoming forth of those samskaras.

Whenever his father initiated discussions on ‘Significance of Bhagavat’ as given in Padma Puran or about the 11th Canto of Bhagavat, Sriram would sit there quietly and stare at his father’s face. Taiji used to tell that whenever Shriram heard about the dialogue between Bhakti and Narad, he would become very sad. In this episode, Bhakti is seated forlorn on the banks of river Yamuna. Two aged persons are lying unconscious near her. The lady who is trying to bring them back into conscious state is looking out for someone to help her. Some women are coming to console her. As a happy coincidence, Devarshi Narad reaches there and asks the lady to introduce herself.

The lady says, “My name is Bhakti. Gyan and Vairagya are my two sons. They have grown very old with the passage of time. The women present near me are the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna etc. who are serving me. In spite of their efforts, they are not able to alleviate my grief.” Bhakti further told that she has been ill-treated by people and hence been rendered weak and fragile. Deceit, fraud and misbehavior have made her diseased and feeble. After coming to Vrindavan, her situation has improved but her sons have not been freed from old age. Saying thus, Bhakti begins to weep. The story moves on and Narad conveys the message of Bhagavat to Bhakti.

Hearing about Bhakti’s grief, the young child (Shriram) would get soaked in tears. His father continued the talk. Bhakti’s condition became better after listening to Bhagavat and her sons also were restored to their original youthful form. In this talk, his father would emphasize that Bhagavat is the essence of all scriptures and spiritual texts. The sanatana dharma that we practice today has come from Bhagavat. Knowledge, education, tradition, avatar, devotion, action, mantra, yog, sadhana, history, Puran etc. are all assimilated in Bhagavat. Looking at the countenance of his father, Shriram would then feel safe and secure and hence resume his playful activities.

Ga for Gayatri

The discussions that were held in his mansion-house marked the beginning of his education. The traditional ceremony of vidyarambh took place after his fourth year. If Panditji wished, he could have himself taught Vedas and scriptures to his son. But he believed that a person should definitely obtain knowledge under the guidance of a teacher. There was a teacher by name Pandit Roopram in that tiny village who used to run a school at his residence. Panditji handed over his son to the teacher. Taiji used to tell that after a small worship the teacher handed over a patti (wooden board). It was painted white. There were no slates and slate-pencils during those days. There were different ways of teaching alphabets in different regions. Pandit Roopram used geru (red clay soil) dissolved in water as ink and a pen of reed for teaching alphabets to the students. On the day of initiation, Roopramji dipped the pen in geru solution and gave it to Shriram and, holding his hand, wrote ‘ga’ in Hindi on the patti and spelt it. Shriram immediately imitated his teacher and before he could utter any words to introduce the alphabet, Shriram said “Ga for Gayatri”. The teacher was dumbfounded because he never imagined that a child of  three years of age could identify and define an alphabet and that too, in his own way.

He typically introduced the letter ‘Ga’ with word ‘Ganesh’. He believed that by introducing ‘Ga’ for Ganesh, it would lead to intellectual blossoming of the child. Ganesh is the presiding deity of intellect and hence was considered as a good beginning to the learning process. When Shriram uttered ‘Gayatri’ without being taught about it, the teacher and all those present there were astounded. Later the teacher asked Shriram about who taught him that ‘Ga’ stands for Gayatri. The child replied that nobody had taught him this and that he had just heard it at his home. He also said that his father spoke about Gayatri in the Bhagavat Katha. Teacher Roopram and father Roop Kishore were extremely impressed. Both of them caressed the child as a token of their blessings and affection.

In those days, parents felt that it was good to let the child stay with his teacher. More the student stayed with the Guru, more he learnt from him. 15-20 students stayed in Pandit Roopram’s school. There were students who came from neighboring villages also. The number of students who came to learn from him was two times more than the number of residential students. At times, even day scholars would end up sleeping at the school instead of going home. Guruji used to treat all the students with loving care. One could easily see the discipline exhibited by students in studying, eating, sleeping and sitting. But this was not enforced on them. This was evoked in the hearts of students with love and affection. For example, guruji would personally wake up the students who slept in his house. It is normal for children to sleep till late hours in the morning even though they may not be tired. It gives them lot of pleasure to laze in the bed. In such situations, the teacher himself would cajole them out of the bed and offer them morning refreshments and make them sit for study after giving them a bath.

Gayatri is Brahmin’s Kamadhenu

Shriram used to sleep in his own house. He would reach school by seven in the morning and study in school till late in the evening. This routine continued for 5-6 years and after that he went on his tour to Kashi with his father. It was decided that during the inaugural ceremony of Kashi Hindu Viswavidyalaya, Sri Malaviyaji will himself invest Shriram with the sacred thread. With this plan in mind, Shriram’s father had not conducted his “Thread ceremony” even at the age of 8. On reaching Kashi, Shriram was invested with sacred thread in a simple ceremony held at Malaviyaji’s residence. During the samskar ceremony, Malaviyaji taught him that Gayatri is the deity of all the Vedas and is the embodiment of Brahma –the Supreme Spirit. These words kept echoing in the ears of Shriram on his way back from Kashi. For a boy of 10-12 years, these teachings were occult in nature and not easily comprehensible. When comprehended a few years later, they defined and determined the direction for the entire life.

Based on his level of understanding, Shriram asked various questions from his father about what Malaviyaji taught him. Why is Gayatri called as a Brahmin’s Kamadhenu? Who is a Brahmin? Who can realize Gayatri? If a Brahmin can realize Gayatri, what is the reason for the sad state of affairs of this caste? Who cursed Gayatri? How could one revoke the curse? All such questions were answered in the return journey itself.  Later Gurudev wrote about the answers that he received from his father. They give a clear explanation about the secret of Gayatri Sadhana. Continuing the story, after the Yagyopaveet Samskar, Shriram began to do Gayatri Jap at dawn and dusk. It was lodged firmly in his mind that not doing sandhyavandan violated Yagyopaveet and led to the downfall of the person; also that the new life that was bestowed during Yagyopaveet would come to a standstill and he would lose the privilege of calling himself a Dwij (Twice-born).

After returning from Varanasi, Shriram selected a room in his residential mansion for doing japa and dhyan. He used to go into the open area for doing sandhyavandan. The venue for that was either the terrace of his house or a holy shrine of Shiva on the outskirts of the village. He also used to do sandhyavandan beneath a banyan tree in their field. His father felt extremely happy on seeing his son engrossed in jap and dhyan. He used to say that Shriram would prove himself to be a true Brahmin and will make his family and all upasaks (worshippers) of Gayatri proud of him. Whenever his father uttered the word ‘Brahmin’, he never meant someone born in that caste. In plain words it meant one whose actions were pure. Brahmin is one who fosters an intense desire to know about the Brahma.

He used to wake up at five in the morning and sit for sandhyavandan after completing his morning chores. His Gayatri Japa, Sandhyavandan and meditation on the golden rays of the Savita would continue until the Eastern horizon was lit with the golden rays of the Sun. His morning rituals would conclude with the following words – Anena sandhyopasanena karmana sri parameswarah preeyataam na mama. Om tat sat Brahmarpanamastu. With these words young Shriram would offer the fruits of his japa and dhyana to the Lord and return home. He would get ready and reach his classroom by 7.00 AM. In addition to regular studies, they were also imbued with noble character and conduct. Evening sandhyavandan would begin just before sunset. By the time stars peeped out of the evening skies, Shriram would finish his prayers. This routine continued for 4-5 years.

Scriptures proclaim that those who do regular Gayatri Japa in the prescribed manner, with unwavering faith, will scale great spiritual heights. It has been said that Gayatri is Kamadhenu; hence it should be taken as the truth and followed in thought, word and deed. Faith in scriptures, teacher and sadhana safely leads the seeker on the path of spiritual attainment.

The game of Sadhana

Young Shriram used to practice meditation during the day, in addition to his regular sandhyavandan at dawn and dusk. Meditation was his favorite play at school. Whenever there was a short break from class-work, he would sit for japa and meditation while other students went to play. Some of his friends showed an inclination for his unique play. These 3-4 children designed a new game and named it ‘Sadhana’. In this game, the player sits with closed eyes. He is asked to visualize the resplendent sun amidst the eyebrows. It is not sure how many students understood this game; nevertheless they sat quietly and replied that they were enjoying the game. In the next phase of the game there would surface discussions about Gayatri, Himalayas, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, sages and other great people. There would be no arguments during these discussions. They would speak about 8-10 sentences and continue the game for half an hour or so and then disperse. After a few days, Shriram began to go to a nearby forest along with 3-4 friends. The game used to be conducted there under the shade of a huge tree.

One day, Shriram went to the forest alone and came back in the afternoon. The teacher assumed that he must have gone home owing to some work while Shriram’s family thought that he was at school. Hence no one went in search of him. Those friends who had developed a liking for his ‘sadhana’ game began to search for him. When Shriram appeared in the afternoon, they questioned him as to where he had been. Shriram replied that he had found a solitary cave in the forest and that they could meditate undisturbed in that cave. The next day, he went to the cave along with his friends. His friends had somehow managed to accompany him upto the entrance to the cave, but no one had the courage to enter it. They were afraid and stayed out while Shriram entered it. His friends were in a dilemma. They neither had the courage to go inside nor to go back to school. They waited for their leader to come back and stood outside the cave.

Shriram came out after an hour and his friends told him that they would not join in his game thenceforth. Shriram was not affected by his friends’ refusal. He continued to mediate in the cave whenever he found time from school-work. When he began to frequently miss his classes, the teacher questioned the students about missing Shriram. One of the boys named Gopaldas told the whole story. Then the teacher asked him to go and tell these things to Shriram’s parents. In this way Taiji got to know about his meditation sessions in the cave. She summoned Shriram and scolded him. She told that there are wild animals in the jungle that will not spare him. Shriram gave his silent consent that he would never go to the cave. His mother immediately hugged him and pulled him close to her heart.

After this, there was not a single incident in which he missed his classes unless he was sick. He used to go to school on time and when he could not go to school, a message would be sent to the teacher that Shriram would be unable to attend the classes that day. One day neither the notice came nor Shriram came to the school. Pandit Roop Ram thought that they might have forgotten to send the message for some reason and hence did not pay much attention to Shriram’s absence. That same evening, he got a message from Shriram’s house that he had not yet reached home.

Then it dawned on the teacher that the student left home for school and got diverted elsewhere. First hunch was that he must have gone to the cave in the forest. Taiji told that she had asked him to stop going there and hence that was out of question. In spite of this some people went in search of him there. It was the eighth or ninth day after full-moon and hence the path could easily be seen in the dim light of the Moon. Even then, the search-party arranged for torches and went out looking for Shriram. 

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