AUGUST 2013

ARTICLE OF THE MONTH

From Student to Retiree: Relevance of Dharma Today

A constant enquiry in our minds is whether the ancient ideals of Dharma are relevant and
helpful to us in todays modern world. Actually, the answer becomes obvious when we
understand that the Dharma described in our scriptures is not ancient but eternal. For example,
the essence of a students Dharma, as outlined in the Vedic texts is as follows:

As long as one is a student, his or her prime concern is to acquire knowledge of the subject of
his commitment and also develop an integrated personality. Therefore, as a student one should
not do anything which might divert ones attention from this purpose. He should maintain
cleanliness of body, speech, thought and action. He has to tenaciously preserve his
Brahmacharya (celibacy). He has to avoid pleasure and perquisites; according to the scriptures
these come only after the student days are over. He should never stop prayer to God and
should prostrate to his mother and father daily as they are his visible gods. Some service like
spreading out their beds etc should also be performed towards the parents. Ones teachers
have to be respected. The student should not take hasty decisions in life; he should decide only
after consulting the elders who are more experienced in life than he is. He should keep his body
fit by regular exercise. It should also be remembered that it is not only ones parents but the
whole society that helps him to grow. So, one should be grateful to it throughout life and express
gratitude towards it in an active way when he settles down in life after the completion of his
student days.

A Students Query:

"I do not have good concentration. How can the high ideals of scriptures translate into
something useful for me in this specific context?"

Reply: