“Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature, you may renew your own. Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.” — John Muir

There was a boy named Suresh in a small town. During the summer holidays, he went to his grandfather Ramaiah. Ramaiah was a hardworking farmer and earned his living by working in the field.

One day, Suresh went to the field with his grandfather. There, some plants were drying up, and the soil was cracked. Seeing this, Suresh said,

“Grandpa! Why are the plants not growing in our field?” he asked.”

Grandpa said with a smile, “Son, Plants need water to grow. For water to come, it has to rain.”

Suresh was surprised and asked, “But how does rain come, Grandpa?”

He took out a book and said that the answer to any question we have is in the Bhagavad Gita and quoted a verse from the Bhagavad Gita:

"Annadbhavanti bhutani parjanyadannasambhavah ।
Yajnaadbhavati parjanyo yajnah karmasamudbhavah ।."

Living beings live because of rice, rice is produced because of rain, rain comes because of yajna, and yajna arises because of our karma.

Suresh was a little confused. "Yajna means worshiping fire, isn't it?" Grandpa asked.

Then Grandpa said, "The yajna you see in the movies is like that, performed by great scholars who have studied the Vedas. Not only that, but every work done for good and for Dharma is like a yajna. "Protecting nature, doing good deeds, planting trees, conserving water, and protecting animals are also yajna," he said.

Suresh thought, "So now if we want rain to come, should we protect nature, Grandpa?" he asked.
Ramaiah said, "Yes, Babu! If we cut trees, there will be no rain, and if we pollute the water, the earth will dry up. That is why we should love and protect nature."

From that day on, Suresh started planting trees with his friends. Within a few days, the greenery increased, the clouds cleared, and it rained. The farmers' fields were filled with fruits.

Suresh looked at his grandfather joyfully and said, "Grandpa, now I understand what yajna is! Every work done for Dharma becomes a yajna! " He said.

Ethics:
1. Our responsibility is to protect nature – to get rain, we must plant trees and conserve water.
2. Small efforts are the beginning of outstanding achievements – every significant change starts with a small action.
3. Real knowledge is knowledge that is put into practice – what is learned through books and our actions is proper education.

How to discuss this story with children:
1. What did Suresh observe? (The field dries up, the plants wither)
2. Why did Grandpa say that rain is necessary?
3. How does rain come? What does the Bhagavad Gita say?
4. What is a yagna? (Not just a fire, but also the protection of nature)
5. What can we learn from Suresh's story?

Your donations are appreciated.
By Zelle: ghhfusaorg@gmail.com
PayPal: savetemples.org
By Check: Or you can send a check payable to GHHF, 14726 Harmony Lane, Frisco, TX 75035.
It is tax-deductible.
By Rupees: call 601-918-7111; +91 83096 43979