Part 7: To Shreevats on his 9th birthday

Prof. Kireet Joshi: The other day you told me that it was your ninth birthday, right, and then I told you that when you arrive at the ninth year of your age, it is a very important moment of your life. Then you asked me the question, “Why is it so?” I had told you that one day I will tell you about it, right? So today I’m going to tell you, right? Now, what is the meaning of 9.

If you see the number 9, it's a very peculiar number. 9 multiplied by 2 is 18 and 1 plus 8 is equal to 9. 9 multiplied by 3 is 27 and 2 plus 7 is equal to 9. Same thing, you multiply by any number, the total of the sum will always be 9. So that is the first significance of 9 that nine is unalterable, right? That is the first meaning of 9. 9 is unalterable. So whatever you do now, in the ninth year..

Shreevats: “What is unalterable?”

Prof. Kireet Joshi: “Unchangeable.”

So if you do in the ninth year, every good act, that will become unchangeable. If you decide that you want to be good, then you will remain good unchangeably. So you have to take a decision during this year that you have to be not only good but excellent. Now you see that you got all excellence in every subject, that is also in your ninth year, right? Therefore, it means that in your whole life you will always be doing everything in an excellent manner. And you take a decision that you will always be doing everything in an excellent manner, right? That's the first thing. Once you take a decision, it will remain unchangeable. Throughout your life it will be the same thing.

Now, the second thing is: After nine, all the other figures, which come, have got two digits or three digits or four digits. So number 9 is the end of the one digit numbers. Right? Therefore, 9 is a number of completion. You start with 1 and then it goes on growing up to 9. So 9 is a number of completion. After that all the numbers are combinations of 1 to 9, isn't it? So 9 is the supreme number. You might say, it is the last number. After that there is no other number basically. All other numbers are combinations of 1 to 9. So number 9 is a supreme number. So when you reach number 9, you might say that you have reached the end of one cycle of your life. Now when you reach the end, it is a kind of a completion; starting with a new development, right? So, it means that in your life now, you have completed one chapter. You are no more a small child. You have now grown into what is called adolescence. You know the meaning of adolescence, no? Child is called ‘balak’. Adolescents are called ‘kishore’. You know the word ‘kishore’, teenager? So, anyway you are now arriving into teenage, you have still not entered into teenage. But you are about to enter into your teenage years. You are now called kishore, you are no more ‘balak’. ‘Theek hai?’ Therefore, you are now to act as if you are an adolescent. Now what is the meaning of adolescence? Three things: First of all, your mind has to become very wide. At present, you have been thinking of a few things, fighting for small things, no? You are being told that you should wear your clothes like this; you should take bath like that, isn't it? Now you should not expect anybody to tell you. On your own, you should be able to do everything about your body, about your mind, about your spirit. You should yourself come to a decision. Even if you want to take somebody's advice, you have to go to some other people to take advice. You should not wait that others should give you advice. You should yourself ask questions and go to take advice of all the people who can give you advice, right? This is the 2nd thing.

The 3rd thing is that this is the beginning of realizing that you are not merely a body, but there is a Soul in your heart and that you are born here first to discover your Soul. Right? Now how to discover your Soul is a long process, but a decision was taken by you, that you are here to discover your Soul. Therefore, everything that you do you should ask the question, let yourself connect all that you are doing, all that you are listening, all that you are learning, everything that you are doing, let it all be connected with your Soul. Alright?

Now, there are three rules, which you should impose on yourself, from today. Will you? Would you like to? Yes? On your own, you should say, “With my willingness I will take these three rules, alright? Now, first rule: You know, I am telling you these rules from one of the most ancient writings of India, it is called Upanishads. Have you heard the word Upanishad? No. I will show you the book called Upanishad. Upanishad consists of children going to their teachers and learning from teachers the knowledge of the Soul, knowledge of the World and knowledge of God. So, I am telling you something from the Upanishad.

There are many Upanishads but one Upanishad is called Taittiriya Upanishad. In this Upanishad the teacher tells the child three things:-

First, “Satyam Vada.” Repeat.

Shreevats: “Satyam Vada.”

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Good. What does it mean? Speak the truth. 2nd, Dharmam chara.”

Shreevats: Dharmam chara

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Good. It means: Always act according to your duty. And

3rd, Swadhyayat ma pramadaha.

Shreevats: Swadhyayat ma pramadaha.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: “Excellent! Do not neglect the study of the Veda.”

These three rules,—Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara, Swadhyayat ma pramadah. Alright? Can you repeat now? or you will forget. I’ll repeat once more alright? Satyam Vada,

Shreevats: Satyam Vada

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Dharmam chara

Shreevats: Dharmam chara

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Swadhyayat ma pramadah

Shreevats: Swadhyayat ma pramadaha

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Alright? I have written down for you. I will give you now. Take this. (Prof. Kireet Joshi hands over the written text to Sheevats). Read—(Prof. Kireet Joshi and Shreevats read out together) Satyam Vada, Dharmam chara, Swadhyayat ma pramadah.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Now you speak in english, Satyam vada

Shreevats: Satyam vada. Speak the truth.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Dharmam Chara

Shreevats: Dharmam Chara

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Walk in the way of thy duty

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Swadhyayat ma pramadah.

Shreevats; Swadhyayat ma pramadah.

Prof. Kireet Joshi and Shreevats speak together—“Neglect not the study of the veda”

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Good, now repeat.

Shreevats: Satyam vada. Speak the truth. Dharmam Chara. Walk in the way of thy duty. Swadhyayat ma pramadah. Neglect not the study of the veda.”

Right? Now these are the three rules, I will explain to you in some detail a little later, alright? But now, as far as these three rules are concerned from today, you will try to understand these three things and follow them, alright? Now apart from this there are four small things you have to do every day, what are those four things? That is given here Matri devo bhava second is pitri devo bhava, third is acharya devo bhava, fourth is atithi devo bhava. Four things: ‘Matri devo bhava’ Let thy mother be as thy goddess. From today you have to think your mother is a goddess, right? Second ‘pitri devo bhava’ Let thy father be as thy god. From today you have never to quarrel with your father, you have always to regard him as a god, right? up till now when you are a child, you can always fight with brothers, sisters, mother, father, everybody, you have the right. Once you become nine years old now you have a different role to play, you have to say to the mother, every morning, you are my Goddess. Right? Every morning, you have to tell your father you are my God, right? Then acharya devo bhava similarly, your teacher you have to say, that I will serve the teacher as a god, that teacher is also your god. So, you will serve your teacher as you would serve a god, right? Then, ‘atithi devo bhava’ If anybody comes to your house as a guest then you have to say to the guest also, “Oh guest! you are my god”. Therefore, you should never quarrel with your guests, you should be very hospitable to the guests. Give him every respect and give everything, right? Four things repeat. (Prof. Kireet Joshi and Shreevats repeat together) Matri devo bhava, let thy mother be as thy Goddess ‘Pitri devo bhava’ let thy father be as thy God ‘acharya devo bhava’ serve the master be as a God, ‘athithi devo bhava’ let the guest be as a God, right? Now every morning what will you tell your mother, You are my goddess?

You should go every morning after taking a bath and you should bow down to your mother and say ‘matri devo bhava’, alright? You will do every day twice, morning, you have to take bath, evening you have to take bath both the times. You have to go to your mother and say ‘matri devo bhava’, alright? Then you'll go to your father every morning and every evening and you bow down and say ‘pitri devo bhava’, right? You will do it? You like to do it? Yes? everyday, huh? So, ‘acharya devo bhava’ similarly, you should go to your teacher, teacher may not be present every time, but whenever he comes then you should do this, you should go to him and say, ‘acharya devo bhava’ alright? ‘atithi devo bhava’ Guest may be there, may not be there but whenever guest comes, we should bow down to the guest and say ‘atithi devo bhava’, alright? Four important rules, those three are very important, but these also are important right? This is what you should be doing all the time, this you have to do pranam, alright? You will do it? you would like to do it, huh? Everyday, haan? As far as father and mother are concerned, everyday. Teacher, whenever the teacher comes and to the guest whenever a guest comes, alright? Now repeat.

Shreevats: Matri devo bhav. Let thy mother be thy Goddess. Pitri devo bhav. Let thy father be thy God. Acharya devo bhav. Serve the master as your God. Atithi devo bhava. Let thy guest be thy God. Excellent.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Right now, you have done half of what I wanted to do and now you have to do it everyday, huh alright? Morning you will have to take a bath, in the evening you will have to take a bath. After the ninth year, you have to take bath twice, right? In the morning, what time do you take your bath?

Shreevats: Seven quarters.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: seven, alright? Then you go to school no so after the bath, immediately go to your mother and father and do your pranam. In the evening, when do you come back?

Shreevats: At two o'clock.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Two o’clock then, it is too early, then you go to play, what time do you go to play?

Shreevats: At 5 o’clock.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Good, when do you come back from the games? Right after coming back, you will go to take a bath. And then after the bath again you go to mummy and to your father. If father is not there, then when he comes home, alright? Then to your teacher whenever the teacher comes, you have to say ‘acharya devo power’, alright? And then ‘atithi devo bhava’ good? Alright. Now I have to tell you one final word. So would you like to take this in the meantime you take now. (Prof. Kireet Joshi hands over the sheets with all chants from upanishad to Shreevats)

Now, you know that you belong to India. Yes, you are an Indian. In India there is a practice that by the time that you become nine years old you must know one very important prayer. It is called gayatri mantra, have you heard of this gayatri mantra? Have you heard of this? Yes? Huh? Do this mantra? No, alright. Now you learn it once again. Even if you've learned before and forgotten, it does not matter. But now onwards you will not forget, throughout your life.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Right? I will repeat. Huh? (repetition) Now you will remember. It will be easier for you to remember it now.

(Repeat recitation by both Prof. Kireet Joshi as well as Shreevats (three times))

Now, I shall write down for you, so that it remains with you and then, I shall tell you the meaning of it. Therefore, that meaning is more important. According to the meaning you will do the meditation, so I’ll write it down for you, alright? This paper you keep with you haan? always now, alright?

Anjali: We've made this little diary for him in which we write.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Alright.

Shreevats: I’ll write it in this only na?

Anjali: Achchha, you want uncle to write it in this? Let uncle write.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: I’ll write again there also, haan? Now you will recite without my reciting with you. On your own, alright? Read.

Shreevats: Reading out the gayatri mantra.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Om bhur bhuvah swah . Repeat.

Shreevats: Om bhur bhuvah swah

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Tat Savitur

Shreevats: Tat Savitur

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Varenyam

Shreevats: Varenyam

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Bhargo

Shreevats: Bhargo

Prof. Kireet Joshi: devasya

Shreevats: devasya

Prof. Kireet Joshi: dhi mahi

Shreevats: dhi mahi

Prof. Kireet Joshi: dhiyo yo

Shreevats: dhiyo yo

Prof. Kireet Joshi: nah

Shreevats: nah

Prof. Kireet Joshi: prachodayat

Shreevats: prachodayat

Om bhur bhuvah swah

tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya

dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

(Repeat recitation by Prof. Kireet Joshi and Shreevats.)

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Now you read it yourself.

Shreevats: (Reads out the gayatri mantra)

Prof. Kireet Joshi: There is one mistake. Now repeat. Without mistake. Haan? dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Shreevats: dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Repeat.

Shreevats: (Again reads out the gayatri mantra)

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Excellent. Now, not a single mistake. Now, repeat once again.

Shreevats: (Reads out the gayatri mantra)

Prof. Kireet Joshi: (Corrects few incorrect pronunciations) Repeat.

Shreevats: (Reads out the gayatri mantra)

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Excellent. Not a single mistake. Now, I shall tell you the meaning of it. Haan? Now read.

Shreevats: Om. Earth the heaven of light we meditate on the highest form of the light of sun that is god. So that it may direct our intelligence.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Good, excellent. Now let me repeat it to you. Om, Earth the heaven of light we meditate on the highest form of the light of sun that is god so that it may direct our intelligence. Right? Now what does it mean. Let us try to understand that. It says that we have got our intelligence right? Your intelligence. Now this intelligence at present is working on its own, right? Sometimes it goes here, sometimes there, sometimes there. Now what you are doing is you are now telling god in the form of the Sun. Sun is like a luminous light isn't it? Sun is on all sides, isn't it? You look at it from any side and the Sun is full of light. So, the sun is the highest form of the light. So you are now requesting the sun, that is the symbol of god and you say that we are meditating on this so that god may direct your intelligence. Right? Up till now you have been directing your own intelligence, you say one thing, and you say, you must have it isn't it? From now on you should say to god “you direct my intelligence and I will do according to your direction” Right? So you are meditating. Every day you should repeat this three times, right? If you have not done the whole day then before going to sleep you must do it. Will you do it? Huh? and then with meaning, huh? Not merely this, you should have this meaning also in your mind. You'll remember this? Fine, so this is all that I wanted to tell you on your ninth birthday, alright? You are happy? Yes? Good. You keep it with you huh? You want me to write this on your notebook? Yes huh? Everything? alright? I’ll write for you first, dictate me huh?

Shreevats: Satyam vada. Speak the truth.

Dharmam Chara. Walk in the way of thy duty.

Swadhyayat ma pramadah. Neglect the study of the veda.

Matri devo bhava Let thy mother be thy goddess.

Pitri devo bhava Let thy father be thy god.

Acharya devo bhava Serve thy master as a God.

Atithi devo bhava Let thy guest be as a God.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Alright? Now, comes the third part.

Shreevats: Om bhur bhuvah swah

tat savitur varenyam

bhargo devasya dhi mahi

dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Alright? Now in english.

Shreevats: Om, Earth the heaven of light we meditate on the highest form of the light of sun that is god. So that it may direct our intelligence.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Right? I have done. Good. So from today you are entering into a new life, alright? Good. Now tell me what you are going to do as a result of this from today. You are going home today, No? From here, then you will go to your play. You want to play cricket today? You will go for play, in the evening you will return at about 6.45 or 7 o'clock. Now it will be too late then, then you will go to take your bath, change your dress and then?

Shreevats: I will go to my mother and father.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Right. And what will you do? You will do pranam to them. What will you say?

Shreevats: Matri devo bhava and Pitri devo bhava.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Excellent. Then before going to sleep, what will you do?

Shreevats: I will say Om bhur bhuvah swaha

Tat Savitur varenyam

Bhargo devasya dhi mahi

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat (three times) and in English also huh? All right? Then you will go to sleep alright? And tomorrow morning when you take your bath what will you do?

Shreevats: I will go to my mother and say Matri devo bhava and then I will go to my father and say Pitri devo bhava

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Excellent! Wonderful. So now from today you have completed one chapter of life you are beginning a new chapter alright? Good excellent. Very nice.

Anjali: Say pranam and thank you. Touch uncle’s feet and say.

Prof. Kireet Joshi: Fine. Excellent and be very quiet nothing needs to be done now and in your mind just repeat three words – Om namah bhagavate. Om namah bhagavate. What does it mean? It means I fully surrender so that I may become fully divinised. Alright? I fully surrender so that I may become fully divinised. In a divinised body there is no disease, alright? So now, you be very quiet. When you feel tired, you open your eyes then we shall wait for a little while again when you are feeling, alright you again close your eyes. Alright? Until you feel alright.