Slice of Life: Asato Ma Saad Gamaya

 असतो मा सद् गमया।

तमसो मा ज्यओितिर् गमया।

मॄत्योर् मा अमॄित गमया।

ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः ॥

Growing up, school day started with a assembly; each student and teachers joined together for prayers followed by different things each day.  Mondays & Fridays were Virmatiben, Our progressive principal’s, domain.  She had taught my dad as well as most of my peer’s fathers.  Our beloved, benevolent principal had pulse of the kids and love for them in her heart.  Students and teachers lead assembly on other days. Here is what I recall :

Mondays –  Happening @ our school to around the world & its impact on us.

TuesdaysA piece of literature or a talk about a literary figure

WednesdaysPoetry, a skit or on the spur talk

ThursdaysScience talk 

FridaysStudent Concerns. Outside the Principal’s office, we had a locked mailbox for students to drop off a question or a list of questions in it. On Fridays, Virmatiben answered some of the questions along with teachers.  Cool, ya?  

SaturdaysStraight to the group exercise lead by several students.

Yes, we went to a half-day school on Saturdays.  


Each day, we started the assembly with this hymn from the Vedas:

 असतो मा सद् गमया।       Ohm Asato Ma Saad Gamaya          

तमसो मा ज्यओितिर् गमया।    Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya

मॄत्योर् मा अमॄित गमया।   Mrityor Ma Amrit Gamaya

ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः ॥  Ohm Shantihi Shantihi Shantihi

Are you wondering what does it mean?  Let me tell you that you will find similar prayer in your hymn book – whichever religion you are following.  It has a special meaning to me as my Grandpa used to recite this each morning and taught us the meaning of it by living his life following the tenets of it.  It says: 

 

Ohm

Lead us from Ignorance to Truth

Lead us from Darkness to Light

Lead us from destruction & death to Life & construction

Ohm

May peace be prevailed

May peace be prevailed

May peace be prevailed

 

How did your school day started as a kid?  How is it organized now?  Would you like to share it here or with the supportive Slice of Life community hosted by Two Writing Teachers

Feel free to leave your blog’s url, so we can visit your blog as well.

 


Ohm = The sacred sound, the beginning the end and everything in between.

Asato = Not Truth   

Saad = good, pure, Truth

Tamaso = Darkness  

Jyotir = Light

Mrityor = from death

Amrit = Embrosa, Life giving substance

Shanti  = Peace  ===> Shantihi = May peace be prevailed

Slice of Life

 

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