Lesson 66

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• यस्मात् - तस्मात् usage

Home Work:

• Find a verse with यस्मात् / तस्मात् , if not use it in a sentence

Topic Details:

Let's see the usage of another pair of words, that may occur together at times - यस्मात् and तस्मात्
यस्मात् means - due to which, because of
तस्मात् means - hence, therefore

They exist together, or sometimes, यस्मात् could be implied even.  Specially in verses, we see that तस्मात् is used to drive home the key essence of the verse.  The below examples do just that.

1.
लालनात् बहवो दोषाः तडनात् बहवो गुणाः
तस्मात्पुत्रञ्च शिश्यञ्च ताडयेन्न तु लालयेत्
- चाणक्य नीति

laalanaat bahavo doShaaH taDanaat bahavo guNaaH
tasmaatputra~ncha shishya~ncha taaDayenna tu laalayet
- chaaNakya nIti

Indulgence has many deficiencies, disciplining has many efficiencies. Hence, discipline children and students, do not indulge them.

Children do not have an idea of what is good and what is not, in all arenas. Sometimes, they do not have the vision to see tomorrow's repercussions due to their today's choices. Sometimes, they just want to test the limits. These happen due to obvious reasons. One, they are children and two, they lack the experience and knowledge required to make their decisions. Many a times, it is also seen that they do not have the firmness of mind to stick to their choices either. They suddenly want something else, just because they changed their mind!

As an adult, if the parents or a teacher start indulging in every single fancy of the child, there is no end to it. At the same time, the child will never learn the true value for the possessions he has either. He will learn to take things as well as people around him for granted. He will not be able to connect the bad outcomes to the bad choices he began with! His judgement will get clouded and he will be entrapped in a viscous cycle of failure as he grows up.

In that case, what good is achieved by indulging in the whims and fancies of the child? There are more qualms than qualities in such an upbringing!

Instead, if he is guided through his choices and the pros & cons of his actions, he will make better choice later in life. In doing so, sometimes, the adults may have to hold their stance and discipline the children firmly. The children will still try to test their, as well as, the parents' limits. It may be easier, at that moment, to yield and indulge the children. Then, on a longer run, children learn to be persuasive in order to get their ways. But will not learn the very essential, discipline. Problem is, if one doesn't discipline himself, the world will do it for him! Isn't it less painful to learn it themselves as children and not go through hardships later in life?

(Although 'taaDana' literally means 'spanking', it can be taken as 'discipline', because, the purpose of spanking in the earlier days, was to discipline!)

Teach children discipline through discipline. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments. Equip thy children and students with this one essential skill.

pada vigrahaH:
लालनात् बहवो दोषाः तडनात् बहवो गुणाः
laalanaat bahavo doShaaH taDanaat bahavo guNaaH

तस्मात् पुत्रं च शिश्यं च ताडयेत् न तु लालयेत्
tasmaat putraM cha shishyaM cha taaDayet na tu laalayet


P.S.:  When on the topic of laalana, there is another verse with a very apt and practical message regarding raising children!
Click here for that verse, as well as the exposition of the verse.

2.
प्रियवाक्यप्रदानेन सर्वे तुष्यन्ति जन्तवः
तस्मात्तदेव वक्तव्यं वचने का दरिद्रता- चाणक्य नीति

priyavaakyapradaanena sarve tuShyanti jantavaH
tasmaattadeva vaktavyaM vachane kaa daridrataa
- chaaNakya nIti

All beings are pleased when kind words are offered. Hence speak only thus. Is there a scarcity for good words?

Everyone heeds to nice words!

There could be a scarcity of rain and cause a drought. There could be scarcity of food and cause a famine. There could be scarcity of wealth and lead to poverty. But, could scarcity of nice words ever occur?!  Can anyone ever say, I ran out of good words,  I am freshly out of stock of good words!  It costs one nothing, but the good feeling it leaves in the other person has no price!  All it needs, is a good heart.  Nice words bring good responses from all creatures. Even animals respond to kind words, says the poet. So, why hold back?!

It is the words that we sow today, that we reap in our future.  It is said that people may forget what you said or did, but will never forget how you made them feel!  That feeling is given to people through the words one speaks at that time.  Let's be generous with our words and speak nice!

pada vigrahaH:
प्रिय वाक्य प्रदानेन सर्वे तुष्यन्ति जन्तवः
priya vaakya pradaanena sarve tuShyanti jantavaH

तस्मात् तदेव वक्तव्यं वचने का दरिद्रता
tasmaat tadeva vaktavyaM vachane kaa daridrataa

Happy practicing.

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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