ओस चाटने से प्यास नहीं बुझती – A fog cannot be dispelled by a fan (January 2021)

Namaste Kids,

While it was just the last month when we had our end-of-the-year event, somehow it seems quite far off. Hope you are doing fine. The idiom for this month’s assignment is “ओस चाटने से प्यास नहीं बुझती”. Its literal meaning is licking dew does not quench thirst. Pretty odd, right? Here, it is not the literal meaning but the implied meaning or message that is important. It means you need bigger and larger efforts to achieve a worthy goal. If your goal is lofty but your efforts are tiny, you will most likely not succeed in achieving that goal.

As you prepare for this month’s assignment, I will request you to focus on a few points. First, think what must have been the reason for people to start using this particular example [of dew] to talk about the importance of the level of effort. It will open up an interesting perspective.

Then I will request you to jot down a few key attributes of the efforts that make them likely for the doer to achieve their goal. Let me help you here. Think of a goal that you really desire. It could be becoming proficient in playing a musical instrument, learning to sing beautifully, learning to dance flawlessly, achieving perfect scores in exams, getting selected in a prestigious club or in the college of your dreams, and so on. You got the drill.

Once you have identified your goal, think what kind of practice you must put in to achieve that goal. Will practicing for the goal help? Answer will likely be yes. But, here I want you to think about what kind of practice is required. Will practicing once in a while help? Or must you be regular with your practice? I want you to spend some time on this point and write down your thoughts.

Next, think how long you will need to practice to achieve that goal. Will it need a day, a week, a month, or years of practice? Once you have come across the answer, think and write down why you need to practice that long.

Finally, think how strictly you need to stick to your practice plan to achieve the goal. What happens when you take a break from practice. What kind of excuses you have made to take breaks. And what happens when you take such breaks from your practice. And, more importantly, what happens when you do not take breaks at all. Also, think what makes you stick to the original plan [of practice] even when the breaks look quite enticing.

I want you to stop and reflect on each point written above. And as and when a thought arises in your mind or an inspiration appears in your heart, please write it down. This compilation will become your article – or rather a life lesson. And this lesson is not just for you to hold on to during your childhood but also to keep close to your heart for the rest of life. The three points mentioned above (i.e., practice continuously, practice for a long duration, and practice with a strong conviction) form the basis for achieving any and every worthy goal in life. You will be amazed to know that Patanjali and Rishi Ved Vyas ji expounded on these three attributes of practice [in Yogdarshan] when teaching vedic scholars how to achieve success in meditation and attainment of salvation. So, here you have it: the secret of success in life.

I am looking forward to your insightful and personal explanations of the lesson in this idiom.

Make us proud!

Regards,
Harsh Mendiratta 🙏
www.hawan.net