60
Generation Gap
And the same would apply when you say your prayers to Lord
Mahavir or Lord Krishna. You should repeatedly pray for the
salvation of the ones with whom you shared joys and sorrows
during their lifetime. You have such good intentions for others, so
why would you not do the same for your own family? (P. 353)
Questioner : Dada, how many children did you have?
Dadashri : We had a boy and a girl. In 1928, when the
son was born I celebrated his birth by distributing pendas (sweets)
to all my friends and when he died three years later, I did the same
thing. At first everyone thought that another son was born to us. I
waited until they finished the pendas and then I told them: “The
little boy who was a guest in my house, has now left.” We greet
them with love and respect when they come, so we should do the
same when they leave. Everyone became very upset and started
scolding me. Such scolding is inappropriate. We should show
respect when they leave. After that, a little girl was born to us and
she too died in infancy. She also received the same welcome and
farewell. Now there is no one left except Hiraba (Dada’s wife)
and myself.
(P.360)
After this, Hiraba would worry about who would look after
us in our old age, since we had no children. I told her that the
children of today only cause more trouble than what it is worth. I
asked her what she would do if she had an alcoholic son. She
realized later on that what I was saying was true when she
witnessed the problems other parents had with their children.
Can anything that does not belong to you ever become
yours? Your worries are unfounded. When your very own body
does not belong to you, how can your children belong to you?
(P.362)
Questioner : My only son has alienated himself from me.