Kashithumba, the Generous Flower
A meditation on Balsam ‘Generosity’ flower inspires the author to dig deep into the subtle but important difference between dakshinā, bhikshā and dāna.
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Stories of Courage as Told by the Mother
The Mother used the art of storytelling most sweetly and effectively to inculcate higher and nobler values. Let us read a few of her stories on Courage.
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Building and Destroying: The Mother’s Story about Thiruvalluvar
While being the right fit for the ‘Progress’ theme, this story also adds to our understanding of the Mahakali aspect of the Divine Mother as highlighted in this issue.
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Parijat, the Kalpavriksha
How does the story of Sri Krishna bringing down to earth the heavenly tree of Parijat connect with the spiritual significance of this divinely fragrant flower?
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Of Ceramics, Sannyāsa and More: Tales of Perseverance
Through three small but significant tales from the cultural history of France and India, the Mother highlights the importance of patience and perseverance.
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The Virtues – A Gratitude Story Told by the Mother
Through this delightful little story written by the Mother in French sometime between 1893 and 1912, we recognise how gratitude is generally the most neglected virtue.
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Sītā’s Banishment by Rāma in Kālidāsa’s Raghuvamśam
The featured excerpt is taken from a monograph edited by Shri Kireet Joshi and written by G. C. Nayak, titled “Selected Episodes from Kalidasa’s Raghuvamśam of Kālidāsa” (2010). This monograph is part of a series on Value-oriented Education centered on three values : Illumination, Heroism and Harmony.
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The Grateful Beasts and the Ungrateful Man – A Story from the Panchatantra
An interesting fable from the Panchatantra which illustrates the spontaneous gratefulness of an animal which is often found missing in man.
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Parable of the Snake and the Rat
The Mother reminds us that vigilance is indispensable for all true progress. As we try to grow in sincerity and practice true humility, it is important to stay vigilant and not get bloated with our own egos that we are some great sādhakas. The Mother is the path and the Mother is the goal, says Sri Aurobindo. It is always the Mother who does the sādhanā in us. Our effort is to ensure that we keep our inner temple clean and purified and for that sincerity, humility and vigilance are all very important. This little story told by Swami Sivananda emphasises how essential vigilance is for any aspirant; it also highlights what is fake humility and the necessity to be wary of that.
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Japanese Flower-artist: A timeless story retold in multiple languages
During her stay in Japan from 1916 to 1920 the Mother translated and adapted some stories written by F. J. Gould. Her versions, written in French and first published as Belles Histoires, later appeared in English translation as Tales of All Times. The Mother explained that these stories were written for children “to discover themselves and follow a path of right and beauty.” The timeless nature of these stories make them equally appealing to grown-ups, or shall we say, to all who aspire to be truly a child of the Mother. In this issue, we are retelling a story titled ‘Modesty’ in multiple languages.
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