SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 1 Text 39
kula-ksaye pranasyanti
kula-dharmah sanatanah
dharme naste kulam krtsnam
adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

kula-ksaye--in destroying the family; pranasyanti--become vanquished; kula-dharmah--the family traditions; sanatanah--eternal; dharme--religion; naste--being destroyed; kulam--family; krtsnam--whole; adharmah--irreligion; abhibhavati--transforms; uta--it is said.

TRANSLATION

With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligion.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada's lecture on these last three slokas (7-27-1973, London) has been all about family. It helps to hear these values expressed now that I am not living with mine.

I still see my eighteen year old son a couple of times a week. Just yesterday he had a small crisis and called me for comfort and advice. We went to lunch and ran some errands and I helped him as much as I could. It seemed to be enough.

My daughter and grand kids I see a couple of times a month. She has invited me to her church for Passover this Friday. She attends a Christian church that observes Jewish traditions. It is always interesting and I always enjoy myself when I go. She is about to have her third child, a boy, and she wants to name it after me! I can't think of a higher honor.

My wife, although friendly, is cold. The kids don't seem to approve of her attitude, but I understand. I must have been hard to live with these last twenty years. So these children and grandchildren who honor me help make this transition to "retired life" much easier.