The right questions ...
many years ago in my twenties , when i left my job and went seaching for personal direction i went to narmada at the peak of the anti dam stuggle. while there i asked of one of the activists, an very well qualified person, who had moved into the struggle fulltime, the usual question of the beginner, 'but then how does one earn enough for one's bread (even if not butter ...) ...', and i got some half baked answer about how all we need are rubber chappals, ...
down the years i realized that the question i had asked him was was wrong ... irrelevent for him ... and fundamentally irrelevent.
many years ago in my twenties , when i left my job and went seaching for personal direction i went to narmada at the peak of the anti dam stuggle. while there i asked of one of the activists, an very well qualified person, who had moved into the struggle fulltime, the usual question of the beginner, 'but then how does one earn enough for one's bread (even if not butter ...) ...', and i got some half baked answer about how all we need are rubber chappals, ...
down the years i realized that the question i had asked him was was wrong ... irrelevent for him ... and fundamentally irrelevent.
it would be like asking a successful corporate manager whose agenda is
to improve the profit line ... 'how do we live in mental peace facing
all the suffering of the poor ... when do we quit all this and step out
to do something' ... and then complaining at the shallowness of the
answer to a question that did not register at all ...
Ajay Shyam And now what answer have you discovered with your years of journey?
Aparna Krishnan still searching for the right questions ...
Manisha Mehta Kumar what about your own children though? is it fair for them to be part of this struggle?
Aparna Krishnan There
is no question - as so there is no answer. Where is the struggle, what
is the 'unfairness' ? I requote what the kind donor of E said, "Where
we are born is a lottery, and after that it is our duty to share... ".
That someone gives the children a chance
to share of their possessions is their good fortune and blessing ...
and is not building up their character more important than collecting
degrees or millions ... I may not walk the talk completely, but that is
the direction of truth ...
Manisha Mehta Kumar Aparna,
call me a cynic, but I am struggling to accept what you are giving to
your children. Nevermind the life style but I would worry about
educational opportunities for them.
Swati Mahalaxmi I
feel Turiya is and will turn out to be an "educated" person in the true
sense( having said that each one has his or her own perspective and the
right to choose). She is experiencing and learning the values of life,
love and sustenance through the kind of
education and opportunities that are revealing themselves to her because
of her parents' commitment toward the direction they have chosen and
the "right questions" they are searching for. Correct me if I am
wrong Aparna.
Sunanda Basu I
agree with Aparna's view to a certain extent, ie what's the use of
degree when the character is being neglected . But at the same time in
this post where Aparna is writing about her question and reply from
another social activist, the whole dialogue is
very simple and genuine but I noticed the mention of well qualified graduate....and, at least to me it implied that credential somehow adds
value to an ideology or somehow validates it ...,and that's why it was
mentioned...that is the dichotomy...a conundrum ...that I struggle
with...
Aparna Krishnan yes,
i mentioned that realizing the controvertial nature ... it was merely to
indicate that a person capable to earning packets chucked that choice
... and is richer for it. No, the saints i have known are unburdened by
their degrees, or lack of them. We need to be able to assure ourselves
two meals, and hopefully be able to provide to another family or two.
Thats all. Finis.
Sunanda Basu I think the bottomline is to make efforts to 'Educate' our kids and not just 'Literate'
Rick Kapur Whatever floats your boat is fine...there is no right or wrong here...
Lalit Suri i prefer to listen...have nothing to say...am speechless!
Aparna Krishnan No
- there is a dharma, a 'rithi' ... and each of us needs to follow that
dharma as we understand it. that dharma takes priority over comfort,
security ... and to rare people i have known, over life itself.
Ajay Shyam On
education to Turiya, I agree with Swathi on being educated in true
sense. Some of the best contributors to society have come from adverse
back grounds and degree as we get makes us employable but not educated. A
SPRINGDALIAN parent and an IIS alumni
is fully capable of home education and supporting school education till
the child comes to age of choice. What the child is exposed to here is
an opportunity to learn wisdom from compassion. Gita chapter 3 says
people emulate what they see the people more senior to them do. Aparna
here is setting an example for her kid.
I for one, never had that compassion when needed and can only admire what Aparna is doing
I for one, never had that compassion when needed and can only admire what Aparna is doing
Aparna Krishnan aaiyo,
i'm sitting in comfort and typing , thats all. But anyway, we all do what we feel impelled
to, and to that extent we gain immeasureably ... my daughter has grown
up with elders like easwaramma, and with children who can give away one
of their two rupees. i cannot offer her greater learning. what she makes
of that is her karma.
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