Vedanta for Youth
Yuva Samskara
It is heartening to note that some young people as a group are serious about exploring into Hinduism as a means for fine-tuning their inner resources and to live in the world effectively being contributors. There are moves to start a youth session, where we can share with the youth Hinduism in general and Vedanta in particular. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions having a culture that blends very beautifully with religion. It is very difficult to isolate a cultural practice from the religious practice.
Long ago, I used to conduct youth classes in India and in my early years in Canada too, I was conducting classes for youth. Later, the classes for older groups took over absorbing all the available time. Youth is indeed a unique state, though every state is unique in its own way. It is that state or stage where there is a cognisable growth, taking place both in the body and within the mind. This change or growth brings in a revolution within, which not only the others see but also is seen by oneself. There may be moments of very deep concern with all the changes taking place, but with the gearing up of emotional and intellectual system, the youth convert that chaotic situation into an opportunity for growth, through bonding with groups and individuals from a deeper dimension.
Despite the situation not being conducive, children as well as the older people happily put up with it, very rarely having the drive to change it, with the fear of setting in of chaos. They spend all the energies in mostly adjusting with the situation, instead of confronting the situations and acting upon them.
The youth on the other hand revolt against and there may be times when the repercussions might trap them and seeking escape route might resort to extreme reactive modes. These, however, are just far and few and negligible compared to vastness of the youth population. In this age of turbulence, a blessing in disguise what all constructive programs and breakthroughs are arrived at of the youth can have a clearer picture of themselves, they would be able to work more effectively, without dissipation of energies. They would not get into the reaction mode that is destructive, which they do not want but resort to, as they do not see choices being there. All religions do address that issue and so does Hinduism, to people who are born in its fold and looking up to it. It has its own methodology of addressing that with lots of symbolism involved in all the practices, making it a practical spiritual pursuit. With Vedanta it makes Hindu religion complete. Hinduism is not just a way of life but also presents the truth of life, which some might call view of life.
To be informed is to be proficient and to be evolved is to be efficient. Proficiency at the cost of efficiency and efficiency at the cost of proficiency saps away all energy.
Sri Swami Brahmanistananda Saraswati
Messages for Youth
These messages are addressed to young people from Sri Swami Brahmanistananda Ji. These were originally included in a periodical publication of Brahma Vidya Gururkulam, called ‘Brahma Vidya Vani”. The messages are in the form of letters, as Sri Swamiji wanted to establish a personal connection with the readers.