What Seniors can do in USA

							What Seniors can do in USA ?                         By.Dr. H. K. Gandhi
         Precious 50 years of my life passed like a dream. Generally at this period of age one
starts thinking about God and religion. He/she foresees a dark future of infirmity, diseases
and death.
         Mind is filled with bundles of vague desires, wants and wishes (Kamnas and Vasanas).
Worries and tensions appear like an endless ocean with no sign of rest or peace of mind.
Tensions and stress produces blood pressures, acidity and loss of sleep (insomnia). All these
make an individual more miserable. He has accumulated wealth, good name in society and
family. He is yet able to play some useful role. But he/she is not able to adjust with new places
and changing relatives and friends.
         Hinduism provides practical guidelines and indicates a good plan of living an ideal life of
100 years with success (Siddhi), happiness (Sukkha) and joy (Ananda). The Gita and Yoga study
provide a universal path of God research by self search.
         One should have some definite goals in life. Every one, young or old, wants to live
and not to die. But only a few know how to live and why (Goals) one wants to live.
         In an unplanned manner I started writing about religious topics and whatever I
understood. It gave me great inner satisfaction and joy. I felt that I am doing something good,
and not wasting my time. By the year 1995, I was able to write and publish some books and
magazines.This I was doing as a hobby and no definite plan.
         In 1992, I wrote a book “Mahatma Gandhi, Ambassador of God for mankind in
21st century”. Gandhiji was coming to my mind as a divine soul. In 1996 I thought os
publishing this magazine. There is no motive of earning miney, but I wish to present
Region in a scientific manner. Yoga is the time tested art and science of knowing one’s own
true self (soul). Some articles will be on this subject.
         My fellow senior friends, you can also keep busy doing some creative activity of your
choice and taste. Idleness is death. Give benefits of your knowledge and experiences to the
teenagers near by at all times. You can narrate your experiences of life and noble points of our
cultural heritage.
         This magazine is my single-hand effort for propagating my dream of IGDS. After reading
this and next 2 or 3 issues, you will learn more about it. I need your help and support. Please join
this mission in what ever way you can. It will keep you busy and give you a divine joy I promise.
This is an era of understanding all religions of the world. We will study them in a scientific way.
         I need your help for distribution of this magazine to your friends and relatives staying in
different towns.
         I meet seniors in different towns of USA and talk with them. Our problems are common
and follow the same pattern. Some activities like arranging Gita and Yoga study circles, inter-
city senior forums, travels and accommodation for visiting senior groups etc.,. could be easily
arranged by publishing news in this magazine. I have a dream of starting a Gandhi Ashramas to
provide residential accommodation for visiting seniors. Local seniors can also stay there, remain
active and help each other. Truly devoted seniors will be able to spend their remaining years of
life in a divine and constructive manner if they will join this noble mission and really want to do
something.
         My Namaskara to all Seniors and the wealth of wisdom and knowledge they have within
them,
Swami Dwiroopanand.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
   UNDERSTANDING OF GENERATION GAP.                                          By. Dr. H. K. Gandhi
PART..1.
         Once in a community magazine of Gujarati Samaj of Houston Texas, I read an article- "We
the Children". One teenage boy had written it in the style of the Declaration of Independence, "We
the people".
         This anonymous boy wanted to "BE HIMSELF". He aspired for freedom from the tyranny
(!) of his parents. He wanted to survive and succeed. This Indo-American teenager complained that
his Dad and Mom did not allow him to use the home telephone for talking with his girl friends. He
did not like to watch the 'Ramayan and Mahabharat' tapes or Indian movies, but loved to watch
cartoons and sports shows and rock music. He believed that Indian SARI was an uncivilized dress,
particularly when his mother wore it at the time of parent-teacher conferences in his school. He
wished his 65 year old grand-mother should wear pant-shirt and do hair styles like American ladies.
He believed that the custom of KUMKUM TILAK (the cultural symbol of marital status) on the
forehead of ladies must be discarded in America. He hated the `dal-rice and roti' and vegetarian
foods but he loved pizza and hamburgers. The family car was not available to him for going to
movies and sports events with his friends. He felt he was a miserable person in this country. His
parents always restricted his freedom even for "simple joys and basic needs of life". He felt he was a
misfit person in America.
         But this smart boy had rightly observed that on week-ends, his Dad and Mom had plenty of
time to play cards, enjoy beer and barbecue parties and late night chit-chats with their friend. Their
religious knowledge was poor. They could not answer simple questions regarding so many idols of
Gods and Goddesses seen in Hindu temples. They were not able to answer their questions regarding
Elephant-headed God and Monkey God Hanumanji.
         On behalf of seniors, I feel like writing a few sentences in the same style of this brave and
curious teenager.
         "We, the grand-parents" in USA are witnessing not one but two generation gaps. I
remember our teenager age. Then we did not eat cakes, candies, pizzas and tacos. To get a little
butter on our bread was a rare day. There were no school-buses to take us to schools. We had to
walk five miles, to and fro from school and home. It took four hours from daily time table. After
coming home, we helped our parents in minor house jobs like fetching water from a distant well or
a river. We did part time jobs to earn some rupees during student days. After graduation we had no
time to play cards or enjoy week-end beer parties. We were married before our graduation. But we
worked hard and provided higher education to our children - the Moms and Dads of the present
generation of teenagers in USA.
         What we did was our duty (DHARMA or religion). Today we are proud of our sacrifices of
little pleasures. We utilized our time in placing our children in a better position than what we lived.
We renounced our pleasures, comforts, joys and luxuries for the better education of our children,
because we LOVED them.
         LOVE is the key word in family relations. It is mentioned in all holy books. Love means
mutual sacrifice. Hindu culture is founded upon this natural love of parents towards their children.
         LOVE demands sacrifices in family and society. Extra-marital sex or free sex is not love.
Indulging in smoking, drugs and alcohol cannot give permanent joy, or bring freedom from worries
and problems of life. Religion teaches us how to control sensual pleasures and get freedom from
harmful habbits, and wrong expectations. The message of the statue of liberty in New York harbor
is not understood by the teenagers in America.
         As long as we live we must live with consciousness of Dharma (= DUTY). We have to
learn, abide by and perform our obligatory duties (Dharma). Duty and liberty go hand in hand.
Responsibility and rewards are always linked together.
         We observe that many teenagers and adults in rich countries are slaves of vices like alcohol,
drugs, smoking and gang wars. They run after money and the temporary joys of free sex life and
end up with diseases like AIDS. It is the direct result of sex provoking T.V shows, crime movies,
car racing scenes etc., etc.
         The student age is meant for gaining best education, learning good manners (Dharma) and
correct attitudes. Along with school education all students should get training of enduring some
hardships in life. It is called 'TAPASCHARYA' or penance. It brings self-control and self-
confidence. Penance teach the art of making material sacrifices whenever required. Children trained
in this way survive long and can with stand many odds in life. They succeed and achieve higher
goals in later life. If the parents do not care for the cultural training of children during young age,
then both - the children and parents - suffer the results of the wrong actions (sins) committed by
their teenagers.
         To listen to and obey to parent's advice is good for their own bright future. Young people
have no experience of the pitfalls in life. Chances are that they may commit blunders if they run
after sensual joys. Discipline and respect, love and trust in the words of the elderly (Gurus) are the
keys that open the doors of eternal happiness, survival and success. Obedience is not slavery or loss
of freedom.

Part II.
        America is a country of real religious freedom and expression of thoughts. This is written in
bold letters in 'the Bill of human Rights'. WE all Indian parents, young and old must remember that
the culture and atmosphere in America is quite different from that we have seen in India. But we
should not think that all good things are in Indian culture only and all the bad things are in the
western culture. There are so many good points, noble manners and positive attitudes in American
culture. Indian parents have to learn these things from America and teach them to children. The
present culture of America is the product of better understanding of different world religions by
writers and philosophers. Their literature is also worth reading and studying.
        Roger Kippling was a popular writer, famous for expressing great thoughts of wisdom in
very few words. A magazine paid him five dollars for every word he wrote. Learning this, a reader
sent him five dollars and requested to send him a “One-word sentence”. The reader received this
sentence.         "Thank You".
        The smart reader (must be from my city- Ahmedabadi) objected and wrote. "I had asked for
a one-word sentence, whereas you have sent me a two-word sentence. I am returning it. Please send
only one-word sentence or refund my money".
        Kippling sent him following one-word sentence.
        "Sorry". And for his mistake the learned writer added one more 'gift' sentence.
        "May I (Can I) help You?".
        Dear boys, girls and parents; if you wish to survive and succeed and live in this country,
then you must learn the above mentioned three great sentences. Then it will not matter you go to
temple or not, watch Ramayana videos or not, attend Bhajans and Kirtans (prayers) or not, and bow
down before the idols of Gods in temples or not. These three sentences represent the essence and
cream of all religions and cultures in the world. They come from the Gita and the Ramayana, and
from the Bible and the Koran also.
         Thanking means attitude of gratitude, realization of debts or RUNAS and the help
received.
         To care for the children during young age is duty (Dharma) of the parents. Children are ever
indebted to their parents. Returning the debts of parents is moral duty (Dharma, religion) of the
children. To obey and respect the parents, teachers and the elderly is 'Dharma' of the children. When
they grow old and start earning (become financially independent), to care for the parents and others
who have helped during young age, is their moral duty (Dharma). This is the real culture of Asia
and all Indian religions. It is expressed in the famous Upanishad Mantras in this way.
         "Matru devo Bhava, Pitru devo Bhava, Acharya devo Bhava, Atithi Devo Bhava".wazzu
         It means "Respect your mothers as Goddesses, your fathers, teachers and unknown people
as living Gods (angles)". If one forgets these duties then Gita reminds us in very clear words like
this:-
         "If you do not repay the debts for the gifts received by you from Devas (above living
Devas) in spirit of sacrifices, you are a THIEF, (a sinner, a Papi) and you will suffer".
                                                                     (Gita-Ch.III : Verses 12, 13, 14).
         Children must be trained to listen to the criticism and advice of parents, teachers, wise
elderly in families and their all teachers.
         Saying "I am sorry" is confession of mistakes (Sins). We find that this is a very difficult
thing to do in daily life because it hurts our false prides, egos and wrong beliefs. In Paryushana days
- a holy week in the monsoon- the Jains greet with friends and enemies by uttering these words.
"Michhami Dukkadam". It means "I am SORRY please forgive and forget my sins".
         "To help without expectations" is a positive divine quality.
         When expectation of rewards in material terms come to an end, a truly liberated state of
mind develops. Then an average human being turns into a divine soul. Development of good
attitudes and selfless service means spiritual evolution. Moksha or Nirvana is nothing but such a
blissful state of mind. A person of helping nature - without expectation of any rewards is a good-
man (Sat-Jana, Sajjan, Saint, God-head or a Deva) a living angel. God like people GIVE, they do
not beg or expect rewards. Only a sinning person expects, asks money or help from others.
         As long as you want money without doing any work, you are not independent but a thief
according to the Gita. Children should never forget the debts of parents when they grow old. Middle
aged parents must help and care for their old parents, and also take good care of the mental
problems of their teenagers. `Dharma' teaches this sense of duty consciousness, love (Prem) for all
living things (non-violence), faith in God and the wisdom of the elderly. Developing such qualities
is religious training or cultural education. Hate, dislikes, greed, jealousy, anger and attitude of
revenge (Dwesha, Matsara, Lobha, Krodh and Vaira) reside in selfish minds and turn good
people into living devils. The deities and devils are within mind. With study of scriptures and
frequent Sat-sang (company of good-friends, and teachers, relatives and parents) one becomes a
cultured person.
         Yoga meditation teaches how to conquer above mentioned inner evil tendencies (Vrutties)
or inner enemies. Religious training helps to develop positive attitudes of universal love. Its
practice (Abhyasa and Acharana) transforms a selfish human being (Rajasik) into a selfless, self
controlled, well behaved and noble civilized person (Satvik) or divine personality.
         Indian parents in U.S.A must study our scriptures and also the good points from other
religions. They should learn frequent use of words like, `Thank You', `Sorry' and `May I Help
You' and teach them to children by their own behavior.
         Yad yad acharati shrestaha,
                 tat tat ave eetaro janaha
       Sa yat pramanam kurute
                lokaha tad anu vartate
       Children and average people mimic what the rich and famous, the religious Gurus,
and political leaders do'.
                                                                  (Gita: Verse 20-Ch. III)
  I conclude by saying SORRY, if I have hurt any body's feelings. Michhami Dukkadam.
       Let Love and Peace prevail.. Amen. Hari Om Tat Sat.
Om Shantihi, Shantihi, Shantihi.