Inspiring Stories for Children

Today I am going to post three inspiring stories for children from Indian Mythology. I say 'inspiring for children' because it helps a lot to tell them these when there is a lot of fights and kicks and tantrums to study or to go to school, or even to just get up in the morning. These are not particularly education related stories, but just inspiring in their own way. See this related post- Effectively-Motivating-Preschoolers. And of course, there is a way to tell kids stories, if they have to be effective. 

I use a number of techniques to get my triplets to go to school in the morning, all 'Sama Dana Bheda Danda' approaches, and this story telling comes in the 'Sama' category. So here we go.

Story 1: Yavakrida

Once upon a time, there lived two sages, named Bharadwaja and Raibhya, who were dear friends. Raibhya and his two sons, Paravasu and Arvavasu, learnt the Vedas and became famed scholars. Bharadwaja devoted himself wholly to the worship of God.  

He had a son named Yavakrida who became unhappy that people did not respect his ascetic father as they did the learned Raibhya. Yavakrida also wanted to learn the Vedas, but he did not have the patience to study from a teacher as that would take many years. He wanted knowledge instantly and directly. He began practicing austerities and hard penance to please Indra, chief of gods. Indra appeared and asked him what he wanted. Yavakrida replied: "I wish to be learned in the Vedas, I wish to be a great scholar. I am performing these austerities to realise that desire. Indra smiled and said: "You are on the wrong path, child. Return home, seek a Guru and learn the Vedas from him. Austerity is not the way to learning; the path is study and study alone."  With these words Indra vanished. But Yavakrida would not give up. He pursued his course of austerities with even greater rigor and Indra again manifested himself before Yavakrida and warned him again: "You have taken the wrong path to acquire knowledge. You can acquire knowledge only by study. Your father learnt the Vedas by patient study and so can you. Go and study the Vedas. Desist from this vain mortification of the body." Yavakrida did not heed even this second warning of Indra and he continued his penance. One morning, during his austerities, when he went to bathe in the Ganga, be saw an old sage on the bank, laboriously throwing handfuls of pebbles into the water. Yavakrida asked: "Old man, what are you doing?" The old man replied: "I am going to build a bridge across this river. When, with handful after handful, I have built a bridge of pebbles here, people can cross the river with ease." Yavakrida laughed and said: "What a fool you must be to think you can build a bridge across this mighty river with your silly handfuls of pebbles! Arise and take to some more useful work." The old man said: "Is my work more foolish than yours of mastering the Vedas not by study but by austerities?" Yavakrida now knew that the old man was Indra. More humble this time, Yavakrida earnestly begged Indra to grant him learning as a boon. Indra blessed him to study hard and thus become learned and wise.

Story 2: Uthanka

Once a sage named Uthanka prayed to Krishna and Lord Krishna appeaed before him. The sage bowed to Krishna. Krishna told Uttanka to ask for a boon. Uttanka asked Krishna to grant him the boon of finding water whenever he was thirsty. Krishna granted the boon to Uttanka, and Uthanka’s simplicity pleased Krishna who then requested Indra to give him amrita which would make him an immortal, but Indra was not willing to give it to mortals. Finally, Indra relented and told Krishna that he would offer Uttanka the amrita as a Chandala (an outcaste untouchable), provided the sage did not refuse it. Krishna agreed to Indra's condition . One day wandering in the desert, the sage became thirsty and, hoping to get water, thought of Krishna, but instead, he found a naked Chandala bringing water in a pot. The Chandala was covered in mud and surrounded by filthy dogs. The Chandala repeatedly requested Uttanka to drink the water he brought. But when Uttanka refused, the Chandala disappeared. Then when Krishna appeared on the scene Uttanka and said that by refusing the water from the Chandala, he forever lost the chance to become immortal- a person who can consider everyone equal only can have the blessing of Amrita.  However, Krishna promised to keep his boon of providing water to the sage. He then blessed Uttanka that rain clouds would appear at his bidding and bring rain showers in the desert. These clouds appear rarely, and in the desert rain clouds are still known as Uttanka’s clouds (Uttanka Megha)

Story 3: Good Conduct

Once the Asura king named Prahlada became the emperor of the three worlds because he was a man who had the highest character, who performed the most difficult austerities. Determined to find out the secret of Prahlada's success Indra assumesd the form of a sadhu and went to Prahlada to serve him as a disciple. Pleased with the disciple's service and determination, Prahlada told him his success was due to his following his Guru's teachings. Indra continued to serve Prahlada and eventually the Asura emperor, pleased with the devotion shown and the service rendered, asked his disciple to ask for a boon, not knowing he is Indra. Indra replied saying that all he wanted was Prahlada's character and integrity. Prahlada granted him the boon and Indra left his teacher.

Soon Prahlada saw a dazzlingly lustrous figure emerge from his body and leave him. When Prahlada asked him who he was, the figure said that he was Sheela, Integrity, and he was leaving him because Prahlada had given him away. He went to join the sadhu that was Indra.

Soon another radiant being emerged from Prahlada's body and when asked who he was, the being told that he was Dharma: virtue and righteousness. After Dharma too left him, telling him he was going to live in the body of the sadhu since he, Dharma, lived only where Integrity was. Soon Prahlada found himself being abandoned by Satya, Truth, and Vritta, Uprightness, and then yet another Bala, Strength, all leaving him one by one to live in the sadhu, following Integrity. 

Following Bala, a beautiful goddess emerged from Prahlada’s body and when asked she told him she was Shree, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, good fortune and all else that was auspicious. Shree told him that she had to leave because she always followed Integrity, Virtue, Truth, Uprightness and Strength. She also told him that the sadhu was none other than Indra, Indra has robbed him of his Integrity and where Integrity is not, there can be no Dharma, no Truth, no Morality, no Strength and no wealth, prosperity or good fortune (courtesy: www.boloji.com)

These three stories give children as well as adults three important messages: first one tells us that there is no short cut to success and learning, but studying and hardwork. Second story tells us to treat everyone equal, and to be kind to everyone, whereas the third story demonstrates the importance of good behavior and integrity. These stories are very short which can be elaborated with details to enhance children's imagination, and impart powerful messages and morals.
See this related post- Effectively-Motivating-Preschoolers.