In cultures across the world, we find a few common sets of values and beliefs that have been designed and put in place by family ancestors or elders. They provide a guideline for everything that we do in life, keeping us away from doing evil and forming an imaginary line in our minds that we don’t want to across, not because we’d be doing something wrong but because the beliefs that uphold our family are based on logical deductions and the many years of worldly wisdom of our elders. These beliefs are so ingrained in us that they become an indiscernible, yet integral part of our lives.
The same stands true for the Pradhan family. As a child, I found these being followed with a ritualistic fervor and shone through in all the members of the family. As a proud descendant of the family, I strive to live by these and have made a solemn promise to pass them onto my children.
Honesty to one’s work and to others
Baba always told me, “If you want to do something, do it well, otherwise there is no point doing it in the first place”. Everything that you do must be taken to its logical and well-meaning end. In other words, be honest with what you are doing – Be it something as trivial as mowing the lawn or as big as starting your own venture.
If you ever find yourself at the difficult two forked road that leads to right and wrong, dig deep into your conscience. Do it irrespective of what the world says if you are convinced that what you are doing is the right way to do things. Your conscience will always provide you with the right answer.
Compassion
What goes around comes around is an oft quoted English proverb and from this, stems one of our most important virtues. Be compassionate towards others, in tough and happy times, in sickness and health. The Pradhan family believes in showing compassion for everyone, be it a family relative or even a stranger on the road. Sometimes, a tiny act of compassion can make a significant difference in someone’s life.
Helping those in need
Baba was an ardent reader of the Bhagavad Gita and a lot of his principles were drawn from this behemoth book. One lesson which touched him was of doing your duty well and not expecting any returns on the labor put forth in any task.
The family showed a strong desire to help anyone in need be it the people in their circle of friends or even a factory worker. There was no way we could turn our backs on those who required our assistance. It was enough to give Baba sleepless nights and he left no stone unturned in providing this help to anyone who needed it.
Communication is the key
How many times have we heard experts telling us that communication is the key for any relationship to survive? They are right. In the Pradhan family, we lay a huge emphasis on open communication. Children are taken into confidence about family problems and encouraged to tell their parents whatever was on their mind. This helped the family to function together as a cohesive unit and left no room for any bitter feelings.
Karma
As mentioned earlier, Baba was an ardent follower of the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. Karma is an important term for all Hindus. A brief discussion about the word Karma is as follows:
“Every good deed creates good karma…” – Marilyn Barrick In Sanskrit the word karma means “act,” “action,” “word” or “deed.” In the West we describe karma in different ways such as: What goes around comes around, Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap; or For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction… Karma doesn’t always mean “bad”… We make good karma, too, thank God! We’ve all made mistakes or used bad judgment, which creates negative (bad) karma. (I try to learn from these experiences, although sometimes it takes me a couple of tries!) The great news is that when we exercise right thoughts, actions, words, and deeds we make good karma…and when it returns to us it is a joyful event! POI (via Aquarian Path)
By: Release Your Emotions