8/13/2019 Krsna Consciousness Life of Parent

1/3

1

Krishna Consciousness of ParentsBy Aruddha Devi Dasi

The strength behind any gurukula or home schooling is the teacher. Srila Prabhupadatherefore emphasized the importance of good Krishna consciousness among all his teachers.In a letter to disciple he wrote:If Aniruddha is shaky in his Krishna Consciousness, how he can teach the children? Unlessone is firmly convinced about Krishna Consciousness, I don't think the children will learnproperly from such a person. Other experienced teachers may be called from other centers ifthey are required, that you should discuss with them.

The same principle applies for parents who are home schooling their children. If they want

good results parents must set a good example. Children learn mainly by good examples androle models. Srila Prabhupada said: Whatever the elder members are doing, the childrenshould do if possible. But for teaching the teachers themselves should be fixed up initiateddevotees, otherwise how the children can get the right information and example?

In todays public schools, we see that the academic qualifications of the teachers are carefullytaken into consideration but their personal behavior is often questionable. They do not followthe four regulative principles or have much knowledge of God. In Vedic culture not only werethe teachers learned in the Vedas, but they also had good character and qualities. They weredevoid of all greed and envy and could impart true knowledge that they lived by. Therewas love and trust between the teacher and student; the teachers were motivated to teach andthe students were eager to learn.

Srila Prabhupada emphasized that the teachers who live with the students (as they do inhomeschooling) should follow four rules: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no intoxication and nogambling. Then they will be real teachers, and because of their dedication to Krsnaconsciousness they can offer love and guidance to the children by helping them revive theirdormant love for God.In a Srimad Bhagavatam purport (5.4.8), Prabhupada writes: Sri Caitanya Mahprabhu has

said that in order to preach, one must live a practical life and show people how to do things.pani cari' bhakti sikhimu sabre. One cannot teach others unless he behaves the same way

himself. Rsabhadeva was an ideal king, and He took His education in the gurukula, althoughHe was already educated because the Supreme Lord is omniscient. Although Rsabhadeva hadnothing to learn from gurukula, He went there just to teach the people in general how to takean education from the right source, from Vedic teachers. He then entered householder life andlived according to the principles of Vedic knowledgesruti and smrti.Srila Prabhupda often emphasized good example over precept. Example is better thanprecept. You should all be personal examples. If you do not practice what you preach, butsimply force the children, that will not be very good. If every one of you rises early in themorning, so will the children. You shouldn't think, All this austerity is meant for the students,not for us. We are liberated now so we can sleep until 7:30. Both teachers and students mustperform devotional service.

Again, Srila Prabhupada says, If you actually follow strictly the rules and regulations andchant sixteen rounds, why they'll not follow? They'll follow.

8/13/2019 Krsna Consciousness Life of Parent

2/3

2

If you are not attending class, if you are not attending magala rati, if you are not finishingsixteen rounds, then that is bad example.Character formation is one of the main goals of the home schooling system, and it requiresthat the students have continuous and intimate association with parents who instruct them bythe example of their own conduct. This system naturally demands a high standard of behavior

from the parents. A child is dependent on his parents to show him how to develop strongcharacter, intelligence, and spiritual knowledge. With these he will be equipped to facethe challenges that arise when he tries to lead a disciplined spiritual life in today's world. Hewon't easily fall for the lures of drugs, illicit sex, and other things that would cause himmisery.We have to remember that home schooled children are acquiring not only an education butalso a simple and pure culture. Srila Prabhupda has said that students trained from thebeginning of their life should grow up to be the leaders of our country.

Home schooling Makes Parents Better Devotees

In Krishna conscious home schooling the parents see themselves as servants of Krishnaappointed by Him to teach their children without expecting anything in return. Homeschooling helps not only the children to become better devotees but the parents as well. Bycultivating a Krishna conscious atmosphere and an eagerness to make their children devotees,the parents also make spiritual advancement quickly.

From my own experience I can say that even though I was an initiated devotee, I did not havemuch knowledge of the scriptures and felt unqualified to teach my boys. However, as we allparticipated in the morning program, ate prasadam, did some Deity worship, celebratedfestivals, read Srila Prabhupadas books, and engaged in preaching activities, my faith andknowledge increased. Not only did the children grow spiritually, but we did too.

By reading Prabhupadas books with them daily, especially Srimad Bhagavatam, myconviction became stronger and I became enthused to teach them. My fears about my owninabilities went away and I became convinced about the necessity of a Krishna consciouseducation. Since I had to constantly preach to my children, I was eager to set a good exampleand that helped my own Krishna consciousness. In hindsight I realized that we may not havecomplete faith in Krishna consciousness or the qualification to home school but as we practiceKrishna consciousness and teach our children from the scriptures we will gain both. Also, Inoticed that as we were reading Prabhupadas books the children were becoming happy andpeaceful besides gaining knowledge in all spheres of life.

We learn as they learn. We grow as they grow. Of course, our understanding and growth inKrishna consciousness is deeper and more mature, so we become qualified to teach them.Sometimes I would use my mistakes or weaknesses as topics for discussion during classes sothat the children could learn from them. They could understand that being devotees does notmean that we are perfect but it is our effort to become perfect in our service to Krishna.Examples set by visiting sanyasis and devotees also became our guide for properbehavior and practice.

How Important are the Parents Academic Qualifications?

Sometimes we see that parents may be sincere devotees but are nevertheless hesitant to teachbecause they feel they lack academic qualifications. For example they may not have superior

8/13/2019 Krsna Consciousness Life of Parent

3/3

3

English or math skills or detailed knowledge of current world affairs. Even though many ofthem have college degrees they may not be fluent in the English language and fear

jeopardizing their childrens future.Intelligence is not measured by how many academic degrees we can accumulate but by whatkind of knowledge we have and how we can apply it in our daily lives. We may even have

only a high school level education but we can be qualified to teach. Prabhupada often quotedCanakya Pandit who said that an educated man is one who sees all women other than his wifeas mother, who sees others property as unattractive, and who sees all living entities just likehimself.Srila Prabhupada writes:The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentlebrahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater. That is a learned man. Not this degree-holder. A degree-holder who has no tapasya and no characterKrsna says he ismayayapahrta-jnana, his knowledge is stolen by illusion. Although he has learned so manythings, nonetheless, maya has taken away his knowledge. (Civilization and Transcendence)In another place he says, Buddhi means intelligence. And what is that intelligence? Real

intelligence? Real intelligence is to know, to understand that Krsna is the Supreme, and I ampart and parcel. (Bg lecture)Our intelligence is coming from scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and SrimadBhagavatam that contain all knowledge, material and spiritual. Parents who read these booksand raise their children under such guidance become qualified to teach. Subjects such as mathcan be supplemented by outside books that are readily available.

Srila Prabhupada said we are like mailmen; we dont invent our own theories but repeat whatour great acharyas have said. If we simply read Prabhupadas books with our children, thebooks are so spiritually potent that they will do the task of educating them both materially andspiritually. We have to pray to Prabhupada to guide us in this endeavor. By studying thescriptures, our children will develop strong language abilities, critical thinking skills, andstudy skills, and thus they will be able to take up any profession and succeed at it. At the sametime, by learning the Vedic conclusion on all subject matters, they will remain fixed in theirKrishna consciousness.Home schooling trains children to work independently without being spoon fed by theteacher. In other words, the schooling takes its own shape with the children in the lead. Whenthe children are young, it is not difficult to teach them math and English at an elementarylevel. By the time their studies become advanced, they are older and capable of learningthemselves using textbooks, requiring only general supervision. So parents need not fear thatthey are academically unqualified to home school their children.

Parents are natural teachers. They love and care for their children and are willing to sacrificemore than others. They dont have to go to college to understand what is good for theirchildren. Parents understand their childrens nature intimately--their strengths andweaknesses--and so can help and encourage them in ways that others cannot. As we see ourchildren advance spiritually and academically, we will feel enthusiastic to teach and care forthem.