Education for Bliss & Development: 14 ►Analysis Of Knowledge: Why And How

Golden Period of Life

Students are the foundation, background of any society or nation. The development of the Society and nation depends on their development. School days are those phases where there are great possibilities of development of an individual. Also the development during these phase are abiding. It would not be inappropriate to say that school days are the golden days. People repent later who does not utilise this golden period correctly.

Who is a Student?

It's a question, whom to call a student? Normally school-college going boys-girls are considered as student. It last near about 25 years of age. But in my opinion there is no specific age of the student, it is a particular mindset. A person is a student until his mind is curious and receptive. In comparison a seventy year old can also be called as a student. Contrary, a ten year old Kishore is not student if he does, not have curiosity and receptiveness in mind. I consider myself a perpetual student. Even today there is a sense of knowing new things. Whenever there is any useful thing that occurs to me, I tried to take it. Many teachers are sitting in front of me. Are they considering themselves to be consummate? Considering consummate is closing the doors of development. To be a student is a journey of persistent development. In my view, a teacher who considers himself as a student is a skilled teacher. If seen from depth study in itself is teaching. It would be more appropriate to say that self knowledge is not as effective as tuition, provided there is a sense of curiosity and the mindset to take things should remain. So a teacher should always remain as a student.

Secondly, a teacher who considers himself as a student only can touch the heart of the student. Who does not consider himself as student can make students read books but cannot develop an identity. In the absence of identification he fails to deliver the requisite knowledge to the students. In such a situation, even in the minds of students there is no sense of respect towards him as it should be towards a teacher.

Clarity of Goal

The question is what is the purpose of education? Certainly, our teachers and students must have pondered over it. Supernumerary student may think that they have to earn high degree in order to get good employment. If they will not study then have to face difficulty in getting job. Moreover, none of the girls would like to marry an illiterate. Similarly teachers think that teaching career can well-run the livelihood. It gets you money as well as respect. But I think this is not the correct purpose of education. Then what is the purpose of education? The purpose of education should be-to become knowledgeable, interview the soul, all-round development of soul.

I will be Knowledgeable

Student should study by making the above points as a target. There would not be a position to wander around if the target is right. Otherwise the deviation can occur anytime. It is for teachers.  The only requirement from teachers is to consider teaching as their duty not a means of livelihood. But that does not mean they should not take remuneration. I do not forbid remuneration but that is secondary. The primary thing is to perform our duty. Where studies are taught assuming self virtue, there is no dearth of receipt of remuneration. Probably we should not forget our self-righteousness; it should not be made an accessory.

Who is Eligible for Education?

Who is eligible for knowledge? The analysis of the answer in response to the question is given in the formula

Vase gurukule nicchn, jogavn uvahanav
Piyankare piyanvaaee, se sikkha ladhumarihaee

Student at school should live like an ascetic. He should work in favour of others and speak nice words. Whoever does so is in fact the rightful person for education.

Students are the true saints. His eating, drinking, walking, sitting, laughing, talking etc should all be moderate. Today student do not live sparingly, so they are not true saint. I want the students to be saint during their learning period. Student is also called an ascetic. Who is an ascetic? Who bear the sufferings? There are lots of sufferings during a learning period. Knowledge cannot be prolific without sufferings.

Life development cannot be done only with bookish knowledge. But there are many people who live in this illusion. I understand that until non-violence, truth and authenticity are not taught under education, it would prove meaningless. Similarly discipline should also be added to education. Children are the pride of Nation. The country is proud of them. But until they will be disciplined will not be able to brighten the name of the country.

Student and Culture

Students are blamed for indiscipline. But who is responsible for this? Only student should not be guilty for this as children's obligations are on guardians. If guardians are careless, how they will get discipline in their lives. In this situation blaming discipline alone is not justified. These things also apply in the context to other incorrect enculturation.

Every person protects their assets. I want to know that, aren't the children are the property of their parents. If so then why they are not protected as other assets? Why is this being ignored? Why is it considered that their liability towards the child is completed after sending him to school? According to me this mindset is not good. One of their liabilities is completed after admitting the child in school but this is not the only liability. There are many more liabilities. Parent should meet the teachers time to time and investigate against the upbringing, character and behaviour of their child. To take necessary action in case of any lacuna; is this not their responsibility? But I see most of the parents are careless in this context. It could be understood from the present reference that guardians of weak student necessarily meet the teachers during exam days. But everyone can understand the reason for this meeting. They want their child's sinking boat to be crossed anyhow. They want the teachers to be a sailor.

On the other side teachers think that teaching is their only job. They never think about the enculturation but they should think. Normally students stay with teacher for a short spell of time but still it is their duty. Goswami Tulsidas has written:

Ek ghari aadhi ghari, aadhi me puni aadh
Tulsi sangat saadh ri, hare koti apraadh

Student will be influenced even if they stay with ideal teachers for an hour. But what influence will the student get if the teacher himself is fluffy and Student of such teacher cannot be cultured. Cultured student can only be of cultured teacher. For enculturation of the student, initially the teachers have to be cultured. This initiative will prove pivotal in developing their students' life and in-culture such as indiscipline has no space where student create their life. The environment and the situation of that era also have little impact on the development of students' life. Emulation is also one of the reasons of indiscipline of students. All students of educational institution come together whenever there is a strike in any school or colleges. But these organizations never appear for a good cause. I would be so nice if these kinds of organizations are created for creative work.

Mistakes to Condemn

Any student is manner less. He does mistakes. But why does he get encouragement from others? This encouragement occurs not to the student but to his fault. At that time why not the students condemn that student in form of organization? As to encourage who has done mistake is same as promoting mistake, in the same manner to condemned who has done mistake is same as promoting condemnation and retribution. Admonishment is not done for the person who make mistake. Awareness is therefore required in this direction.

Wrong Behaviour of Political Parties

To mislead the students, political parties are also not left behind. To grow their party they create hatred for other parties to the students, take them along during murder and other activities is not justice to them. If we see from the depth it is a great harm to the Nation. Any party who really has concern about the nation will never do this kind of work. He will ensure his conduct and behaviour by considering the protection for this security as national security.

Goodness to be Encouraged

In terms of development of students' life, to extricate the in-culture is necessary. It is even more necessary and important to encourage their cultured morality and authenticity. It has become law overseas that whichever student will be in simple costumes will get five-five points higher. In this perspective, it might be thought that student who will behave ethical and standard, they get additional points. These experiments can be proving to be useful in terms of awakening and developing the morality and authenticity.

An Innovative Experiment

'Anuvrat Vihar' at Delhi is working for practical morality. Self governing stores are opening in educational institutions which keep necessary things for the students and the price list is also kept. There is no salesman or supervisor, student take things and keep the money the box. This experiment was a great success based on till date experience. Moral development of the student is the only purpose of this kind of experiment.

Bring Lesson into Life

In terms of life development, students are expected to be highly conscious. Bring down whatever they read in their life. The elements of life which are not applied in behaviour and conduct are not counted as read. Rote learning can be done by a parrot but it is not benefited to it. Student cannot show their interest only on literal learning. In life's situations lessons are nicely edited.

We have started a movement named 'Anuvrat' (a small vow) for the reputation of ethical values in society. Anuvrat's code of conduct is useful to mankind. Anuvrat (small vow) since its inception with several sections of the society has worked with the student stream. Anuvrat small resolutions shape the moral and authenticity of students' life. After getting moulded in such shapes, students can build their life correctly. As a burning lamp can lighten hundreds of lamps, similarly a cultured student can awake culture in hundreds of student.

If some of the student becomes cultured from this expectation then in future it would be very useful. I hope and expect that our student build themselves by moving forward on the path of Anuvrat.

May you Prosper: May you Ruin?

After completing studies students from same city or same school / college move, scattered to different cities because everyone would be in different domains. From one point of view there dispersed is good. The more cultured people are dispersed the better it is for the society and nation. In the present context, Guru Nanak words are recalled. Guru Nanak went to a village. The people of the village neither respected him nor listen to his exhortation. In return he was abused and insulted by the people. Not only was this but he also thrown out of the village. While going, Guru Nanak addressed the people of the village and said 'May you all prosper'

Nanak went to another village. People got the message and ran to receive him. They welcomed Nanak and respected him. He was lodge at the suitable place and also listens to his exhortation. At the time of Nanak's leave people asked for blessing. Guru Nanak said 'May you all ruin'

There were some devotees with Guru Nanak. Nanak's behaviour had surprised them. After gathering some courage one people asked - you bless wicked people to settle and good people to be ruined. Why such reverse thing?

Nanak said this is not wrong but right thing. You did not understand the secret. Look, I blessed the people of the first village to be settled because misbehaved people will ruin people wherever they go. If they settle at one place, it is good rather than be scattered. Due to this people of other villages could be saved from being ruined. I said to the people of the second village to be ruined. The expectation behind is that people of that village are good and cultured. They could not make others cultured if they stay at one place. So it's preferable for them to be scattered. As many villages they will live in, they would make as many people cultured.

This thing happens with students also. If they are cultured and allocated to different domains then it would be very beneficial. They will create an environment of good culture. This is also applicable for the teachers. As many good teachers are scattered, the favourable it is for the society.

Today, there are discussions of new construction in surroundings. I believe there is nothing above individual-development. Student and teachers development is most important in individual development because students are the future Helmsman and picture of the nation. The more their life is cultured, brighter is the nation's future and the picture becomes more beautiful. As the development of the student depends a lot on the development of the teacher, therefore I give more emphasis on the development of these two sections.