Most important thing to be passed down to the children today is not so much Scriptural Wisdom but a real and living example what a true life of a Hindu should be. It is by living the truths enshrined in the Scriptures, by letting our thoughts and actions being moulded by it, by following their wisdom in our life rather than merely doing the pujas and rituals that we can transmit these great teachings. One of the reasons why India fell and lost a living contact with her spiritual force is because it invested too much in outer rituals and the paraphernalia attaching to it an utmost importance while giving little attention to changing one’s life by contact with it. The purpose of these scriptures is lost if we do not live by their teachings. What is the point of reading the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Gita and the Upanishads if we do not emulate the high noble ideals of Rama and Sita, the resilience and endurance of Draupadi in the face of adversity and her surrender to Krishna, the renunciation and sacrifice and courage and wisdom and strength of those who laid the foundations of the mighty Sanatana Dharma. Children observe these things and give much more importance to and even imitate what we are and do rather than what we say.
The Scriptures themselves should be explained logically according to the demand of the Age. And since Hindu thought is progressive we should be ready to discard certain forms of expression that is not in harmony with the Time Spirit which demands a greater wideness and plasticity in all the social and religious institutions that are based on Scriptures. Children should be allowed to question and learn to think for themselves rather than blindly accepting things because of external authority. They should be explained the logic behind the practices rather than asked to accept things blindly based on mere external authority.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
