Telling Children Stories (Harikatha)

The other day I told my 9 year old student about the story of the "Talking Pot." Sometimes I try to inject in a very "tricky" manner about our Krsna conscious philosophy after a lesson. I usually start by asking my students whether they would love to hear a story or not. They would always say "Y - E - S!!!" in a cheerful manner.

These children have no idea who Krsna is. Besides they are not devotees' children either. So story telling is the best way to get the message across.

OK coming back to the "Talking Pot." It's a story about how a disciple felt he could do better if he left his Guru's ashram. His service was to fetch water from the Yamuna daily. The disciple thought he would be better off if he found a job and got married. But the pot talked him out of it and he ran back to his Guru. For the full story click here: http://shukasari.blogspot.com/2009/04/talking-water-pot.html

After the story I asked my student, Darren, about the moral of the story. Below is the excerpt of the conversation.

Me: So what do you think of the story Darren?

Darren: Very nice.

Me: Do you think the disciple should leave his Guru?

Darren: No

Me: Why not?

Darren: Because he will suffer. He will have to work very hard.

Me: But everyone has to work hard.

Darren: Yes, but he has everything at the temple. More peaceful.

I suppose this innocent child nailed the story. By the way, he chants "Haribolo" and "Gaura-Nitai." I made him chant each time he was feeling tired.

The Lord's Holy Names, His pastimes and His associates' pastimes are so powerful that it will make a deep impression on anyone regardless of their birth.

Who knows, when I am old and grey, Darren might just end up becoming a wonderful devotee. Then he knows that his tutor used to tell him such stories and made him chant the holy names.

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