One Among Thousands (Vēla Mandilō Okkaḍu)
In an ancient Ashram (hermitage/school) in a certain village, thousands of students used to study. One day, all these students had a doubt: "What should one do to attain God?" They all went to the Guru and asked their questions.
The Guru smiled and said, "Your desire is noble! But it is not easy. All of you must now observe the Shiva Deeksha (a spiritual vow/discipline) for 41 days. You must wake up early in the morning, take a cold-water bath, complete your Pooja (worship) rituals, and then carry out your regular duties. Similarly, in the evening, you must take a cold-water bath and complete your Pooja. During this Deeksha, you must only eat the necessary amount of food, avoid outside food, sleep on the floor, and behave well with everyone," and he informed them of several other rules as well.
Upon hearing these rules, many of the thousands of disciples immediately gave up the attempt. Some wore the Deeksha Mala (vow necklace). Among those who wore the Deeksha Mala were Kutil, Maya, Aryan, and Pragna.
Many who wore the Deeksha Mala did not follow the rules correctly. Kutil would follow the rules only when others were watching, but transgressed when alone (e.g., oversleeping, using foul language). Maya only completed 10 days, found it difficult, and gave up. They failed in their effort.
However, Aryan and Pragna completed the Deeksha for 41 days. Pragna completed the vow merely as a physical action ('Siddhi') of discipline, but Aryan completed every rule with love for God and sincerity from the heart ('Tattvatah').
After 41 days, the Guru congratulated everyone who had completed the Deeksha. "My children! Both of you completed the vow and achieved 'Siddhi' (Discipline/Accomplishment). Not only you, but millions of people today are taking various vows with the intention of attaining God.
Millions of people desire to attain God, but only a few make the effort. And among those who make the effort, very few achieve what they set out to do. Lord Sri Krishna explains this exact point to us in the Bhagavad Gita."
Shloka     मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |
                    यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: || 3||

The Guru explained: "This means: 'Among thousands of men, one may endeavor for Siddhi (perfection/true knowledge). And among those who have thus endeavored and achieved Siddhi, one may know Me (the Supreme Self) in truth (Tattvatah).'
Thousands of students in our Ashram wanted to attain God, but when the rules of the Deeksha were explained, many gave up the attempt. Many of those who made the effort did not do the Deeksha properly. Kutil and Maya are examples of this. But Aryan and Pragna completed the 41-day vow. Pragna completed the rule; it was only her physical effort. But Aryan did every rule with love and sincerity for God from the heart. There was honesty (Tattvatah) in his attempt.
To know the Supreme Self, just as effort is essential, sincerity (devotion/Bhakti) in that effort is equally important. I asked you to observe this Deeksha so you could understand it. Attaining God is a lifelong endeavor. God will surely be achieved by those who live their life as a Deeksha. This means that every task you perform—studying, playing, eating—can be used as a path to attain God. This is Karma Yoga. When every task is done with sincerity and devotion, that work becomes equal to the Pooja done in a temple."
With this explanation, the matter was firmly imprinted on all the students' minds. From that day on, a change came into the lives of many children in the Ashram. They began to perform every small task with focus, love for God, and the spirit of Karma Yoga.
Teacher Tasks
Discussion After the Story:
●    What is the difference between 'Siddhi' (Discipline/Accomplishment) and 'Tattvatah' (True Knowledge/Sincerity) in observing vows like the Ayyappa/Shiva Deeksha?
●    What kind of 'Effort' must you make to know God or to succeed in your studies?
●    Where did Kutil go wrong? Is it right to pretend when everyone is watching?
Practical Activity:
●    This week, choose one difficult task (spiritual or academic) and complete it without fail for the whole week.
●    Remember that 'Effort is Prayer'. You must do every task feeling that you are doing it for God.
Character Analysis:
●    Aryan: How deep was his effort? What did he do to get closer to true knowledge?
●    Pragna: Even though she followed the rules, what deeper aspect does she still need to learn?
●    Kutil - Maya: Even though they had the desire, why was their effort weak? Which is more important: External show vs. Internal sincerity?
Shloka Recitation:
●    Have the students recite the Bhagavad Gita Shloka mentioned in the story. Ask the children to explain the meaning of the Shloka in their own words.
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