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Train the children

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

One can beget hundreds of children and enjoy the celestial pleasure of sexual intercourse, provided he is able to train the children in God consciousness.
SB 2.10.26, Purport:

The whole idea of material creation is to revive the dormant God consciousness of the living entity. In forms of life other than the human form, sexual pleasure is prominent without any motive of service for the mission of the Lord. But in the human form of life the conditioned soul can render service to the Lord by creating progeny suitable for the attainment of salvation. One can beget hundreds of children and enjoy the celestial pleasure of sexual intercourse, provided he is able to train the children in God consciousness. Otherwise begetting children is on the level of the swine. Rather, the swine is more expert than the human being because the swine can beget a dozen piglets at a time, whereas the human being can give birth to only one at a time. So one should always remember that the genitals, sexual pleasure, the woman and the offspring are all related in the service of the Lord, and one who forgets this relationship in the service of the Supreme Lord becomes subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence by the laws of nature. Perception of sexual pleasure is there even in the body of the dog, but there is no sense of God consciousness. The human form of life is distinct from that of the dog by the perception of God consciousness.

SB Canto 3

Parents should see to it that the child born of them does not enter the womb of a mother again. Unless one can train a child for liberation in that life, there is no need to marry or produce children.
SB 3.22.19, Purport:

Great householders pray to God to send His representative so that there may be an auspicious movement in human society. This is one reason to beget a child. Another reason is that a highly enlightened parent can train a child in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that the child will not have to come back again to this miserable world. Parents should see to it that the child born of them does not enter the womb of a mother again. Unless one can train a child for liberation in that life, there is no need to marry or produce children. If human society produces children like cats and dogs for the disturbance of social order, then the world becomes hellish, as it has in this age of Kali. In this age, neither parents nor their children are trained; both are animalistic and simply eat, sleep, mate, defend, and gratify their senses. This disorder in social life cannot bring peace to human society.

SB Canto 4

Unless a child is trained according to his tendency, there is no possibility of his developing his particular spirit.
SB 4.8.36, Purport:

The statements of Dhruva Mahārāja indicate that unless a child is trained according to his tendency, there is no possibility of his developing his particular spirit. It was the duty of the spiritual master or teacher to observe the psychological movement of a particular boy and thus train him in a particular occupational duty. Dhruva Mahārāja, having already been trained in the kṣatriya spirit, would not accept the brahminical philosophy. In America we have practical experience of this incompatibility of the brahminical and kṣatriya temperaments. The American boys, who have simply been trained as śūdras, are not at all fit to fight in battle. Therefore, when they are called to join the military, they refuse because they do not have kṣatriya spirit. This is a cause of great dissatisfaction in society.

Any five-year-old child can be trained, and within a very short time his life will become successful by realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, this training is lacking all over the world.
SB 4.12.23, Translation and Purport:

Nanda and Sunanda, the two confidential associates of Lord Viṣṇu, said: Dear King, let there be all good fortune unto you. Please attentively hear what we shall say. When you were only five years old, you underwent severe austerities, and you thereby greatly satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

What was possible for Dhruva Mahārāja is possible for anyone. Any five-year-old child can be trained, and within a very short time his life will become successful by realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, this training is lacking all over the world. It is necessary for the leaders of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to start educational institutions in different parts of the world to train children, starting at the age of five years. Thus such children will not become hippies or spoiled children of society; rather, they can all become devotees of the Lord. The face of the world will then change automatically.

Like Śrī Sunīti, every mother should train her child to become a devotee like Dhruva Mahārāja. Sunīti instructed her son, even at the age of five years, to be unattached to worldly affairs and to go to the forest to search out the Supreme Lord.
SB 4.12.34, Purport:

Like Śrī Sunīti, every mother should train her child to become a devotee like Dhruva Mahārāja. Sunīti instructed her son, even at the age of five years, to be unattached to worldly affairs and to go to the forest to search out the Supreme Lord. She never desired that her son remain at home comfortably without ever undertaking austerities and penances to achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Every mother, like Sunīti, must take care of her son and train him to become a brahmacārī from the age of five years and to undergo austerities and penances for spiritual realization. The benefit will be that if her son becomes a strong devotee like Dhruva, certainly not only will he be transferred back home, back to Godhead, but she will also be transferred with him to the spiritual world, even though she may be unable to undergo austerities and penances in executing devotional service.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma.
Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So, it is the duty of the kṣatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samāna. One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

From five years old, if a child is trained to call all woman as "Mother," naturally his culture is different. Because he has learned to call all woman as "Mother." He has no other idea.
Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

Up to twenty-five years' age, nobody should have any connection with woman. That is brahmacārī. Strictly. That brahmacārī rules and regulation are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that he would go door to door for collecting alms for his spiritual master, and address every woman as mother, from the very beginning. From five years old, if a child is trained to call all woman as "Mother," naturally his culture is different. Because he has learned to call all woman as "Mother." He has no other idea. A small child, any woman comes before him, he knows "(S)He is my mother." So this was the practice. That is not only religiously, but morally, it is so good, to look upon all woman as mother. That is the system still in India, any unknown woman who has no introduction with you, (s)he is addressed "Mātājī." Address her. She may be just like daughter or granddaughter, but one would address, as a respect to the woman, as "Mother, Mātājī." This is Indian system. Now some rascals have introduced "Bhaginījī, sister." But that is not shastric. In the śāstra, all the woman, except one's wife, should be addressed as "Mother."

From the very beginning, a child is trained how to become brahmacārī. No sex life. Up to twenty-five years. Throughout the whole life, but at least for twenty-five years.
Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

A female wants male, a male wants female. This is the attraction. This is the basic principle of binding the conditioned soul in this miserable life of repeated birth and death. This attraction. Therefore Vedic civilization is based on how to get out of this attraction. The varṇāśrama-dharma... There is attraction, you cannot avoid it. To best, to make the best use of a bad bargain. Therefore, from the very beginning, a child is trained how to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. No sex life. Up to twenty-five years. Throughout the whole life, but at least for twenty-five years. That is called brahmacārī-āśrama. But if one is still persistent for sex life after being trained for twenty-five years, he is allowed to marry. That is called gṛhastha-āśrama. And because he has been trained up to be detached from sex life, so, for some time he enjoys, then he gives it up. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Jahau. Virūḍhāṁ mamatāṁ jahau. There was training; therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja could give up.

We might have done mistakes in our life, but if we train our children in the brahmacārī system and gradually they understand the bhāgavata-dharma, at least their life becomes perfect.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

Guest (1): Do you think reincarnation is there...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is stated in the śāstra.

Guest (1): What is your opinion about it?

Prabhupāda: I have no opinion. I take śāstra as it is.

Guest (1): After all, you are writing...

Guest (2): My general difficulty, that the soul is not itself impossible to turn about, but...

Prabhupāda: (break) They train children as vyabhicāri, so how you can expect good civilization? So everything is there. It is very difficult, undoubtedly, but if you train from the very beginning of life... That is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja:

kaumāra ācaret prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
(SB 7.6.1)

He says... He was child, five years old. His other... In tiffin hours the other children of the demons, they were playing, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was asking to sit down and hear him. He was preaching, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān, "don't spoil your life by playing. Now this is the period of understanding bhāgavata-dharma." Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly. That is called bhāgavata-dharma. So kaumāra ācaret prajñā dharmān bhāgavatān. If you want... We might have done mistakes in our life, but if we train our children in the brahmacārī system and gradually they understand the bhāgavata-dharma, at least their life becomes perfect.

We have got this Kṛṣṇa conscious āśrama, there is rules and regulations that one should rise early in the morning, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and so many duties are there. They are all in connection with Kṛṣṇa. If a child is trained up in that way, then he becomes automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:

According to Vedic civilization, therefore, a child—he may be a king's son or a poor man's son—must go to gurukula and live for some time under the training of the spiritual master to be very thickly connected with Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. The āśrama... Just like we have got this Kṛṣṇa conscious āśrama, there is rules and regulations that one should rise early in the morning, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and so many duties are there. They are all in connection with Kṛṣṇa. If a child is trained up in that way, then he becomes automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if a child becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious up to the age of twenty, twenty-five years, then naturally he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So when he enters life, although he accepts wife and children, he cannot forget Kṛṣṇa. Therefore his household life also continues Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Naturally, at the age of fifty he leaves the family connection and accepts the vānaprastha. And then, when he is fully trained, he accepts sannyāsa.

We train the children from the very beginning of life, just we send to school, they learn so many things, ABCD... Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be taught from the very beginning.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Śaṅkarācārya says, bālasya tāvat kriyāsakta. "Oh, what I am seeing? All the children in the street I see they're all engaged in playing," taruṇas tāvat taruṇī-raktaḥ. "And the young boys and girls, they are after sex." So tarunas tavat taruṇī-raktaḥ, vṛddhas tāvat cinta-magnaḥ. And the old men, they are very thoughtful how to adjust the so big family. "This son is not yet posted in a nice post, the daughter is not married." So many things. So old man is thoughtful, thinking, and the young men, they are after boys and girls, and the children, they are playing. So Śaṅkarācārya is lamenting, bālasya tāvad kriyāsaktas taruṇas tāvat taruṇī-raktaḥ, vṛddhas tāvat cinta-magnaḥ parame brahmaṇi ko 'pi na lagnaḥ. "I do not see anybody searching after God consciousness." Every one is engaged in a different way. So unless we train the children from the very beginning of life, just we send to school, they learn so many things, ABCD... Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be taught from the very beginning. Otherwise, while he's grown up, either he'll be engaged in searching after boy or girl or in playing or in family matters, or so many problems, to solve, so many problems, political, social. They'll be all engaged. Then one day, (makes sound) khat!, the death will come.

In the beginning of life to train the children as brahmacārīs is essential.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

Unless we are very cautious, this gṛha-andha kūpam, this family life, is very dangerous for spiritual advancement. Therefore, according to Vedic system, it is very regulated. First of all one is trained up as a brahmacārī, not to be attached in sex life. That is brahmacārī, celibacy. Just like these boys, these children, if we train them how to remain in celibacy... They can be trained up. The first training is brahmacārī. To remain in the gurukula... They are innocent. As you train them, they will be trained up. So in the beginning of life to train the children as brahmacārīs is essential. The fact is that one may not be attached to sex life. Sex life only allowed to beget children. That's all.

It is the duty of the parents to train the children in such a way they get liberty in this very life.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

So in this age, although it is a very difficult task, at least if we teach our children to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then everything is possible. That is the facility of this age. He'll be gradually trained up to the highest perfection. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's benediction is there: yaha haite sarva siddhi haibe tomara. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you'll get all perfection of life. So either... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, gṛhe vā vanete thāke, "hā gaurāṅga" bole dāke. So don't be afraid that because we are in this age we cannot be trained up, it is very difficult. But we can very easily chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That is a special concession of this age. Just like these children were dancing and chanting. And it is the duty of the parents to train the children in such a way they get liberty in this very life. Father, mother, they should think of their innocent children, that "This boy, this child has come to us. Now let us train him in such a way that he will get liberty, no more birth and death." This is real responsibility of father and mother.

In India the system is from childhood, a child is trained to take bath, to wash teeth in the morning.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:

This Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is the process of purification. Not that I'll have to purify otherwise and then take to Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. No. You begin chanting. Then it is purified. You'll be purified. Begin chanting. In whatever condition you are, that doesn't matter. Actually I began my, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—not that they came in a very purified condition. That we, every one of you, know, that those who came to me, they, according, they have been trained from childhood... According to Indian standard, they do not know even the hygienic principles. What is the question of purification? You see. In India the system is from childhood, a child is trained to take bath, to wash teeth in the morning. Yes. And I remember. When my second son was about four years old, so before breakfast, I used to ask him, "Show me your teeth." So he'll sh..., "Yes." "All right, you have washed your teeth. That's all right. Then you are allowed to take breakfast." So this training there are. But here, in this country, the training... Of course, there are somewhere, but not very strictly. So that doesn't matter. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Begin Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will come. Everything will come.

It is the duty of the father and mother to train children in such a way that they will be interested in guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

If we have to become father and mother, we shall have to teach our children in such a way that next life, no more material life. He goes back to home, back to Godhead. That is real father and mother. Therefore it is said, balasya neha śaraṇaṁ nṛsiṁha pitarau. If the father, mother do not know how to give protection to the children, then what is the use of taking shelter? Huh? In Prema-vivarta it is said, janame janame sabe pitā mātā pāya, kṛṣṇa guru nahe mile bhaja hari ei. Every... Cats and dogs, they also get father and mother. Without father, mother, who can take birth? So to become the father, mother, like cats and dogs, that is not human civilization. The father, mother's duty is to train the children in such a way that they will be interested in Kṛṣṇa and guru. That is father, mother. Because, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-lātā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

So it is the duty of the father and mother to train children in such a way that they will be interested in guru and Kṛṣṇa. Why? By the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, he'll get bhakti-lātā-bīja. And that is real life. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is real religious system, which teaches the follower how to become a devotee. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā suprasīdati. If you want to make him happy, then you must teach in such a way that he becomes a devotee of the Lord. Then, throughout the whole life, he'll be peaceful and happy.

It is recommended to, I mean to say, train the children to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. That means to control the senses.
Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976:

The dharma means to become religious. Why religious? Yes, we require the necessities of life in a regulative principle, dharma-artha-kāma, and to satisfy... We have got senses to... We have to satisfy. Otherwise we shall become unhealthy. Just like sex life. Sex life is required also for healthy condition—for ajitendriyāṇām. But one who is jitendriya, one who has conquered over the sensual activities, for them it is not required. Therefore it is recommended to, I mean to say, train the children to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. That means to control the senses. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. Dānta means controlling the senses. That is gurukula, how to teach the students to become controlling over their sense. And if he is perfect, then he doesn't require to accept gṛhastha āśrama. He can accept immediately sannyāsa āśrama. But if he is unable to do that, the brahmacārī, the guru orders him, "All right, you take a good wife and be satisfied and have family life up to fifty years. Then you give it up." Not that it is essential; one has to marry. This is a concession for sex life, that's all.

Philosophy Discussions

There are two authorities, one God the master authority and God's representative is the servant authority. So it is the duty of the servant authority to preach the instruction of God. That will make the human society happy, and this instruction should be taught from the very beginning of life.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Hayagrīva: Concerning morality, Mill writes, "Belief then in the supernatural, great as are the services which it rendered in the early stages of human development, that is for children," because he says early religious teachings "has owed its power over mankind rather to its being early than to its being religious." That is you can train a child...

Prabhupāda: Religion means to carry out the orders of God. This is the simple definition of religion.

Hayagrīva: But the power over man, he says, is due to early training.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have already said, that there are two authorities, one God the master authority and God's representative is the master author..., is the servant authority. So it is the duty of the servant authority to preach the instruction of God. That will make the human society happy, and this instruction should be taught from the very beginning of life.

A child can be trained up to become a brahmacārī so that he will have no inclination for sex.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Hayagrīva: Concerning sex, Freud explored the realm of infantile sexuality and found a definite sexual nature in the earlier stages of childhood. He concluded that these sexual activities in childhood were normal phenomena, and finally concluded with his famous dictum, "In a normal sex life, no neurosis is possible."

Prabhupāda: That is also his foolishness, because a child can be trained up to become a brahmacārī so that he will have no inclination for sex. It depends on the child's training. The unscrupulous father and mother, they enjoy sex life before the child, and they imitate. I have seen it. I have seen it in Agra. There are two small children. In life, what do they know? The female child laid down, and the man child, just like they have seen father and mother-sex. He does not know anything, but he is imitating. So imitating, imitating, the sex life is there, it becomes prominent. Similarly, you train the children not to have any sense of sex life, he will become brahmacārī. So he has not studied. He has seen some abominable family's children. So they learn these things. Whatever you teach, they imitate.

Child can be trained. Even without sex he can live throughout whole life without any disturbance. That can be trained up. It is a question of education.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

If you keep the children aloof from this sex-life society, he will remain a brahmacārī. There is many instances. That is the Vedic civilization. The children are immediately, as soon as four, five years old, he is sent to the gurukula, and under the discipline he forgets sex life, practically. But still if he has little, that is natural when he is young man, so a guru sees that still tendency for sex life, he is allowed, "Go on, marry and become a gṛhastha." Otherwise, if he is perfectly controlled over sex life, he becomes a sannyāsī, vānaprastha, the whole life. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, he was never married. So he could..., that can be trained. Why he is saying the child is? Child can be trained. Even without sex he can live throughout whole life without any disturbance. That can be trained up. It is a question of education.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

That creation of fearfulness may be sometimes not fact but fearfulness is there according to our actions.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems that just like a mother when she is training her young child, because the child is very young and not yet very advanced in intelligence, sometimes the mother uses the method of fear to train her child. So similarly, according to the consciousness of the people the doctrine of love of God has to sometimes be preached with a little element of fear so that they'll accept it.

Prabhupāda: That creation of fearfulness may be sometimes not fact but fearfulness is there according to our actions. That everyone has got experience. Just like if you steal, then you go to jail. It is a fact. It is not a creation of fearfulness. It is a fact. If you contaminate some disease, then the typhoid or any other disease, you contaminate. So there is suffering and that is really fearfulness, that is not a false creation. So sometimes there are false creation, but actually for our misdeeds we have to suffer, that's a fact.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

I think you should have a nice institution here to train the children in this country. And after their education, they may take to any line of livelihood.
Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:

Bhūrijana: This is it.

Prabhupāda: Only one room.

Bhūrijana: And this little room in the back.

Prabhupāda: That's very natural. It is costly here. But these children and their parents also very much interested. So I think you should have a nice institution here to train the children in this country. And after their education, they may take to any line of livelihood.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

You train a child to the standard of that education and he will develop his intelligence.
Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is by intelligence. We are superior to animals by superior intelligence, not by... Just like a human child. His father is superior than the child because the father has got superior intelligence, not that the child has no soul. The child talks so many nonsense things, but we take it, "After all, it is child." Nobody cares whether it is symmetrical or not, because his intelligence is not developed. So even the animals have no developed intelligence, that does not mean it has no soul. Yes. The evolution of different types of body means evolution of intelligence. Just like a flower, in the bud stage, the flower is there. But the fragrance or the beauty has not yet developed. So unless the things are there, how it can develop? Similarly, the soul is there in every living entity, but according to the development of the body, evolution of the body, the intelligence becomes manifest. Otherwise, what is the meaning of education? Education means to develop the intelligence. That is education.

Italian Man (1): Are you thinking of formal education now?

Prabhupāda: Any education. You train a child to the standard of that education and he will develop his intelligence. A child who does not know what is what, the father says "This is... My dear child, it is watch." Once, twice, thrice, you call, "Watch, watch, watch," he learns, "This is watch." Jaya, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi, aside) So one has to awaken the intelligence. So that supreme intelligence is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one comes to the point of supreme intelligence, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a rose flower, when it comes to the full blooming stage, it is very beautiful, fragrant, like that. So when a living entity comes to the understanding of his constitutional position, what he is actually, and acts like that, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it is full development.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Yes, the small children are trained up. It is something like that.
Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there was one question. They would like to know why is it that the children are separated from their parents and sent to Gurukula?

Prabhupāda: And what is the benefit of remaining with the parents to become hippies? For training. We are trying to train first-class men. So if, from the very beginning of life, one is trained... That is the Vedic civilization. Kaumāraṁ ācaret prajño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "One should be trained up to become God conscious from the very beginning of life," kaumāra. Kaumāra means after five years. Up to five years the children may have all freedom. Whatever he likes, he may do. But when he is five years old, he must be under training. That is the old system. Gurukula means to send the boy, especially boy, not the girl, to be trained up at the place of the spiritual master or teacher. Just like what is that public school? They also send their small children to the public school. Montesori? What is that?

Bahulāśva: Montesori school.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the small children are trained up. It is something like that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They should be trained up. The foolish man.... Just like a foolish child can be trained up to be very nicely educated to pass M.A. examination.
Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Kern: How about people who aren't first-class intelligence, people, as you mentioned, the foolish. What message...?

Prabhupāda: No, they should be trained up. The foolish man.... Just like a foolish child can be trained up to be very nicely educated to pass M.A. examination. Child is..., all children are foolish. That is accepted. But by training him, we can make him the first-class intelligent man.

Balarāma has got the plow, tilling ground, and Kṛṣṇa has got the flute to enchant the cows. Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. They were not sitting idly, although Nanda Mahārāja could keep Them without any work. No. They worked. From the beginning of childhood.
Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: The children are doing very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Kīrtanānanda: And they will be our future community.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Kīrtanānanda: Practically it is impossible to teach these older boys how to use bulls and how to... It is very difficult, they cannot do it. But I think if we train the children.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa Himself did it. He was king's son, Nanda Mahārāja. In the childhood, He was taking care of the calves, and when He was grown up, little, He was taking care of the cows. Kṛṣṇa personally showed it. His father could have avoided, "No, no, You don't go. The servants will go." No. "You also go." Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, both. Balarāma has got the plow, tilling ground, and Kṛṣṇa has got the flute to enchant the cows. Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. They were not sitting idly, although Nanda Mahārāja could keep Them without any work. No. They worked. From the beginning of childhood. They would come in the evening and mother would take care of bathing Them, changing dress, and then giving nice food, and after taking food They would go to rest. Whole day They worked. Kṛṣṇa never taught that you sit idly. No. Personally, He did not do so, neither He taught anyone.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is Vedic civilization, that train the children how to become restrained, subdued, from the very beginning.
Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Ḍāb water? Oh. Here is not ḍāb water? This is ḍāb water.

Devotee (1): It's already opened, this ḍāb.

Prabhupāda: So we shall take it. This is Vedic civilization, that train the children how to become restrained, subdued, from the very beginning. Then he will take other education.

Brahmānanda: But what is the process for subduing?

Prabhupāda: That he should act simply for the benefit of the guru. This is the process. He has no personal interest.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

If such a pious child is trained properly as you and Murari are doing, then surely she will play a very worthy role in our society and in helping to improve the world condition by the propagation of Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Lilavati -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings: I thank you very much for your letter dated July 23, 1969 and the photographs of your little daughter. These photographs were so nice, and I was very much engladdened to see how jolly Subhadra is. You write that she is already very enthusiastic about Sankirtana Party, so train her up very nicely. If such a pious child is trained properly as you and Murari are doing, then surely she will play a very worthy role in our society and in helping to improve the world condition by the propagation of Krishna Consciousness. It is not unusual that a little child is often very jolly, but in the material situation this jolliness passes very quickly. But in Krishna Consciousness, because the spirit soul is by nature very jolly and blissful, this jolliness only increases more and more as the bliss of serving Krishna increases more and more. So now your daughter has a very good opportunity to make final solution to her births in the material world, so keep her very nicely. Krishna will be kind upon you for this.

1971 Correspondence

Let us have schools and buildings to train the children from the very beginning in Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1971:

Yes, the government officials should come forward from the practical side, that we are creating young men, devotees of God, with character. They are getting married and leading nice family lives. They are very clean in their habits and take bath twice and thrice. And they are so hopeful of their future life—so much so that people call them bright-faced. So apart from God consciousness, there are these practical results and others. They have given up intoxication, etc. So all these government officials and congressmen should be thoroughly convinced of these practical factors. They are devoid of illicit sex also. So many nice things we are training. So let them come forward. Let us have schools and buildings to train the children from the very beginning in Krishna Consciousness. Just see how they are bowing down before superiors, how they are dancing and chanting. So let them help us. We will change the present derogatory confused state amongst the younger section. Let us start centers from town to town and give our members facility to travel freely from center to center. Let them distribute our books in all government schools, libraries, etc. Then just see the result. We can send our men to all schools and colleges for lecturing. So let us cooperate. America, by the grace of God, is got everything sufficiently and if they are trained in this Krishna Consciousness, they will be first-class country in the world with all riches, beauty, rich philosophy, so many things. So why the government is callous to our movement? There is no good reason. So let them come forward and cooperate with us.

It is very important to train children to endure all sorts of hardships and restrictions at the boyhood stage. Later, no one will renounce what he has accepted as the standard of enjoyment, to accept a standard of less enjoyment.
Letter to Himavati -- Delhi 17 November, 1971:

You have a natural inclination as a teacher of small children, and I think that you should utilize it to instruct the young children of Hamburg in Krishna Consciousness. Children especially are inclined to appreciate Krishna's pastimes, so begin by reading to them from Krsna Book. They are not yet covered by false prestige and will very quickly take to tapasya as if it were amusing like a game! Just see the young brahmacaris in India. The Guru says do this, do that—immediately they do—they go out and beg all day in the hot sun and come back with a little rice, then take rest on the floor with no covering. And they are enjoying, it is pleasurable to them to work very hard. So it is very important to train children to endure all sorts of hardships and restrictions at the boyhood stage. Later, no one will renounce what he has accepted as the standard of enjoyment, to accept a standard of less enjoyment. So I think you should begin immediately holding class regularly and advertising for it. I understand the German people are very fond of kindergarten schools, so let them send their children to us for receiving the highest education.

The young brahmacari—he goes out and begs all day on the order of his guru, to collect a little rice and return at night to sleep on the floor without cover—and he thinks this life is very nice! So if children are trained-up in this way, they will naturally grow up to be sober and responsible, the best citizens and a credit to their state.
Letter to Amogha -- Bombay 25 December, 1971:

Young children have not yet learned an artificial standard of sense gratification, so they accept austerity very nicely as enjoyable. Just see the young brahmacari—he goes out and begs all day on the order of his guru, to collect a little rice and return at night to sleep on the floor without cover—and he thinks this life is very nice! So if children are trained-up in this way, they will naturally grow up to be sober and responsible, the best citizens and a credit to their state.

1972 Correspondence

We should avoid as far as possible any physical punishment to train children.
Letter to Svati -- Unknown Place January 1972:

Children may be recommended for initiation when they are twelve years old. We should avoid as far as possible any physical punishment to train children. It is better to use sweet words or if it is absolutely necessary to punish then you may bind with ropes in one place or show the cane, but do not use—like that. I have recently explained to Aniruddha in Dallas school and you may write to him for details. The most important thing however is to see that somehow or other the children are always engaged in some kind of Krsna conscious activity, then they will naturally develop a taste for it and think it great fun even to work very hard for Krsna's pleasure. So in this way you as mother and father must take responsibility to deliver these nice children and that will be a very great service for Krsna.

Your idea for having altars to train the children in deity worship is very nice.
Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

This is how we train our children in Krishna Consciousness, just be keeping them always attending our regular program and associating with Krishna devotees, teaching them in spiritual realization by giving them the idea that sacrifice and tapasya for achieving the highest goal of life is a very nice way of life. Not that we shall give them many games for playing, these so-called scientific methods of learning are artificial, unnecessary, and on the whole I do not have much trust in this Montessori system or any other such system of teaching. Your idea for having altars to train the children in deity worship is very nice.

If a child is trained properly in Krishna Consciousness, he will never go away. That means he must have two things, love and education.
Letter to Bhanutanya -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

Now the thing is, children should not be beaten at all, that I have told. They should simply be shown the stick strongly. So if one cannot manage in that way then he is not fit as teacher. If a child is trained properly in Krishna Consciousness, he will never go away. That means he must have two things, love and education. So if there is beating of child, that will be difficult for him to accept in loving spirit, and when he is old enough he may want to go away—that is the danger. So why these things are going on _ marching and chanting japa, insufficient milk, too strict enforcement of time schedules, hitting the small children? Why these things are being imposed? Why they are inventing these such new things like marching and japa like military? What can I do from such a distant place? They should run and play when they are small children, not forced to chant japa, that is not the way.

If we train children by developing and encouraging their propensity to love Krishna, then we shall be successful in educating them to the topmost standard.
Letter to Rupa Vilasa -- Hyderabad 18 November, 1972:

I am very glad to learn that the children at Gurukula school are making good progress in their Krishna Consciousness education, that is very good news. Yes, if we simply train them properly they will come out just to the highest standard of Vaisnava devotee. And what is that training? Simply they should be engaged in such a way that they are somehow or other remembering Krishna at every moment, that's all. It is not something mechanical process, if we force in such a way they will come out like this, no. We are persons, and Krishna is a Person, and our relationship with Krishna He leaves open as a voluntary agreement always, and that voluntary attitude—Yes, Krishna, I shall gladly co-operate whatever you say—that ready willingness to obey is only possible if there is love. Forcing will not make me agree. But if there is love, oh, I shall gladly do it. That is bhakti, that is Krishna Consciousness. So similarly, if we train children by developing and encouraging their propensity to love Krishna, then we shall be successful in educating them to the topmost standard. Then they shall always very happily agree to do whatever you ask them. So I have heard that there as been some beating with sticks on the children. Of course I do not know, but that should not be. You may show the stick, threaten, but better art is to somehow or other, even by tricking them, avoid this matter of force and induce them to obey out of loving spirit. That is success of disciplinary method.

1976 Correspondence

We are attempting one Gurukula in Vrindaban and we have already begun building, to train children from the very beginning of life as is advised by Prahlada Maharaja.
Letter to Dr. Chatterjee -- Vrindaban 27 September, 1976:

We are attempting one Gurukula in Vrindaban and we have already begun building, to train children from the very beginning of life as is advised by Prahlada Maharaja:

kaumara acaret prajno dharman bha gavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam
(SB 7.6.1)
Page Title:Train the children
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Tugomera
Created:20 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=5, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=14, Con=7, Let=9
No. of Quotes:35