________________
fanned my evil deeds can be absolutely innocent ? At a prime age of only six years I had robbed a pencil. At that time it was their responsibility to bring me to my senses. They had the rights and powers and in fact it was their duty as well to do so. Yet, they did not prohibit me from committing such misdeeds, leading me to continue with my crimes. Hence it is my request that they should also be punished.
Though the law has its limitations, these words that echoed from the deep recesses of the heart contained less of self-defense and more of a steaming anger for those who could have helped prevent such crimes.
Encouragement is the purpose of motion. We prefix the word gati, (motion) with the words 'pra' or 'adho' depending on the direction of the motion. What the children should do in future is possibly determined by the parents in advance. The parents should always keep this possibility in mind and encourage the children accordingly.
"See Dad! He is already gone !" proclaims a child while playing with electronic games and destroying a car. "How smart !” says the father patting his child's back. Can the father predict how fatal this smartness can prove in the future ?
“Look mom ! I defeated the alien. I killed him !” “Very good !” replies the mom to her child showing his strength by clenching his fists and chattering his teeth. Does the mother know the probable out-come of the encouragement given to such playfully committed heinous actions of her child ?
Once Russian philosopher Leo Tolstoy was shown a slab of iron and asked “what could be it's possible value ?" “Depends” he replied. "If you manufacture a nail from it, you gain something ; if you manufacture an expensive spare-part, you gain more and if you merely give it away as scrap, you
16
Second Edition
