Query: Are all the children who are being brought up at Banagram Ashram orphans? I have noticed that many of them are infected with scabies. Can’t they be provided better hygiene ?
Gurumaharaj : Yes, they are the children of the ashram. But all of them are not orphans. Many of them have only lost their father. Now they are here provided with food, clothes and shelter. The dedicated monks and novices are always there to take care of them. Actually they don’t have any problem living here.
What you have noticed is a reality. But they are inflicted with this kind of scabies due to some genetic factors. Most of these boys hailed from such families where the germs of a variety of debilitating diseases are prevalent. These diseases are the foremost causes of the premature deaths of their fathers . After coming here now they regularly have a balanced diet and a disciplined life. These things help them release those negative genetic factors from their bodies in the form of all such skin diseases. Once these skin diseases are healed, their bodies will become healthy and strong.
If you observe them closely, you will find that only the younger children are inflicted with such skin diseases. The comparatively older children do not have such diseases. Their bodies have already been healed. The monks and novices take good care of all the boys round the clock.
You have just observed them today only and right after that you are here with your suggestion to keep them clean and healthy. Why don’t you stay here for a few days and engage yourself in taking care of these unfortunate kids. Are you ready for that? I know that you are not. I’m sure that after staying here with them for a few days you will leave the ashram premises showing some vague reason. Son, it is quite easy to sermonise from a distance but it is much too difficult to carry them out on your own! Even the trained nurses wouldn’t be able to treat these children like Madan Maharaj and Nanu Maharaj who are in charge of boys’ hostel.They regularly apply lotion on the terribly affected areas after cleaning the pus and blood so much affectionately.
You can’t serve anyone without being selfless. In the Government or private hospitals the employees work for money. This cannot be called service.The band of youths who have taken oath to serve the mankind can serve selflessly. The word ‘ service’ has a different connotation. A true selfless person sincerely follows the maxim ‘ To serve man is to serve God’.
You may perform any action. But that action should be dedicated to please God.If you serve a person, know it for sure that you serve God. Then all your actions will become worship.
There is another way to go about it. Try to think that God has become the people you serve. Then there will be no confusion. But this is not an easy task to maintain this attitude. You have to pray constantly and do regular spiritual practices for that. We have to serve selflessly while doing regular spiritual practices.
However, the boys of our Ashram are from financially backward classes. They are also from socially backward classes. Moreover, they were faced with the premature deaths of their fathers. Their fathers must have been extremely wayward or inflicted with some critical illness. Now the children of such families grow up in the spiritual atmosphere of the Ashram.
They start the day reciting the Vedic verses. Everyday they have nutritious but easily digestible meals, practise meditation, pranayama and yoga. In fine, they are leading a quite disciplined life here. Consequently, their genetic codes are gradually transformed and the critical diseases are released in the form of skin diseases.
The environment shapes a man’s character. The life in our Ashram also improves the characters of these children. This kind of social works were initiated much earlier in the ancient Ashrams of the noble Rishis (the Seers). Rishis like Vyasa, Vashishtha, Satyakam hailed from the lower strata of the society and were brought up in such Ashrams. Later they achieved great heights in the society.
This time as well the same thing will happen. Many of the boys from our Ashram will occupy the distinguished positions in the society.
Translated by Amitava Saha
Talks by the Master ( 35) Vol. 6
