Answer
Building Human Character
Dear devotee,
You had asked two questions — the first being: what are the essential elements for building a strong human character? Today, let us reflect on this very subject.
Human character stands on three foundations — thought, feeling, and action. Psychologists call these Knowing, Feeling, and Willing. Knowing — that is, right knowledge, right thinking. Feeling — that is, emotion or human sensitivity. And Willing — that is, action, conduct, behavior; what we actually do.
Among these, thought profoundly influences feeling, and feeling profoundly influences thought. Together, both shape conduct and action. When thoughts are pure, emotions are generous, and actions are ethical, then a person becomes virtuous; only then is character truly strong.
Now the question arises — where do these elements come from?
A person receives ideas, values, and inspiration from numerous sources — (1) Family, (2) Mass media — television, mobile phones, newspapers, cinema, (3) Books, (4) Friends, (5) Schools, and (6) Places of worship — temples, mosques, churches.
It is from the combined influence of all these that children's thoughts are formed, emotions are refined, and the direction of their conduct is determined.
But today there is a grave problem — from most of these sources, negative thoughts, negative emotions, and inspirations toward wrong conduct are being transmitted. A child's mind is extremely tender; it is immediately influenced. That is why parents must be vigilant from the very beginning.
We cannot lay carpets on every road in the world, but we can certainly protect ourselves by wearing shoes on our feet. In the same way, the inner being of children must be made strong, pure, and protected — they must be given a mental armor so that the toxic influences from the outside cannot penetrate within.
When children are young — that is when the deepest impressions are made on their minds. Therefore:
Show them carefully selected television programs that awaken noble thoughts and good sentiments. The sacred character of Lord Rama is especially helpful in this task. Keep books like Amar Chitra Katha at home — children absorb values naturally through pictures.
And all of this must happen between the ages of two and six; this is the formative period. When a pot is still unbaked, the potter can give it any shape he desires. Once baked, this task becomes difficult. But the good news is that while the shape of a baked pot cannot be changed — only its color and finish can be altered — a 'baked' human being can still be transformed, though the task becomes harder.
The most decisive foundation of education is the character of the parents themselves. If the elders of the household are themselves given to wrong habits, they lose the moral authority to restrain their children. The company children keep must also be of the highest quality — for it is association that shapes a person's future.
And finally — if parents devote half an hour daily to imparting the teachings of the Ramcharitmanas and the Bhagavad Gita to their children, the seeds of noble thought will certainly be planted in their lives. Those very seeds, in time, grow into the great banyan tree of magnificent character.