Can we be and live spiritually, to live being kind, to step up when someone needs us, to answer a call for help, to do what is useful? More than taking a holy dip; seeking washing away of sins or liberation to Kailash/Vaikunth/Swarg; meditating; chanting mantras, names; writing Ramakoti/Sivakoti et al; doing darshan, spars darshan, archana, abhishekam et al; erecting a statue; building a temple; giving dress, jewellery; and doing some seva to ‘god’. Can we expect the 65-Crore people who took dips in Maha Kumbh being kind to one more person? Caring, serving one person in need.
Mother Language, mother tongue. A first language, native language, native tongue, and mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period of childhood. One needs to have full native fluency in that language. Therefore, mother tongue is a source of comfort and cultural connect. It is important that we follow mother language based education, until at least Class 5. Preferably till Class 8 and beyond. Technical education, medical education, etc., are also encouraged to be in local languages as far as possible. Learning material up to Class 12 is now made available in most local languages. Grasping, information retention is superior. Cognitive skills, analytical skills, conceptual understanding, and articulation are superior. Communication skills are learnt better in mother tongue. It keeps them closer to their cultural identity, traditions and a sense of belonging and retaining a connection to community and roots. Mother tongue makes learning less stressful, experience inclusive, emotional wellbeing better, and social inclusion improved.
What we become in our lives as we live is a result of a series of accidents. It is never a living stuck to the projected path. The place of birth. The family – mother, father, and siblings. Early friends. Teachers. The schools. Good teachers, bad teachers. The books. The peers. The choices made by others for us, and the choices we make on our way. Little shouts. Subtle influences. Minor dislikes for the schedules, timings, and tasks. Not willing to stick to a narrow discipline of study or vice-versa. What we studied. What entry job we picked up. What the early reporting officers guided us. What ‘groups’ we were in.
Are we finding the paths that work for us? With knowledge, skills, tools, and resources we have, we can have. Can we find our ladders? Can we find our ways to deal with our snakes?
We may have good, super content. Insightful. Maybe flawless grammar and no spelling mistakes. Readability is a concern we need to address. Can we choose simple present tense in lieu of continuous present? Can we use shorter sentences, shorter words? Can we use fewer adjectives? Can we use more concrete verbs rather than abstract verbs? More clauses in a sentence are tough to read. Headers or first sentence as header helps. True word-to-word translations will not suffice. We need to give the essence in the translated language. Free interpretation of the essence helps. Specifics help. Can we write better? Meaningful, useful, relevant, topical, and logical-rational. More observations, analysed. But less. In fewer lines, words. To the point, consistent.
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Living in communities of care. In N? agrathayoga for 7L.
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