Acharya Tulsi
Ideal Education Method
Today the great thinkers and politicians are worried about the future of the students. Day by day increase in disobediences and indiscipline are causing headache. How it can be graceful if the students are disobedient and undisciplined on whom there is the responsibility of society and nation. By doing all these things the students aren't hurting themselves? The student phase is the phase of obtaining knowledge and of character development. Isn't it the misuse of being involved in inappropriate acts?
The past culture is ideal for the Indian students. If they follow these traditions then they can mould their life in a better shape with all-round development. There was an era, when the Indian students were simple, straightforward, moderate, disciplined, gentle, and modest. The ideal educational system was the reason behind this. According to this the students were not only taught the alphabets, but they were also used to get the lessons of good character, honesty, decency and humility. Students used to stay with the education gurus. There they used to study and practice. They do not only used to obtain the bookish knowledge but also the active knowledge.
The New Experiment of Training
Once upon a time a king sent his son to Gurukul for study. Residing in Gurukul and under the guidance of their teachers, the prince did his studies. The arrangements of his food and of his sleeping etc. were all done under the supervision of teacher. 12 years were passed slowly and gradually. Within this time period, the prince completed a thorough study of Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, war tactics, Geography, History and Mathematics etc.
After the completion of his studies the teacher started taking him towards the capital. On the way he realized one thing and instead of taking the straight path of the palace he took him from the market. From the market he purchased 20 kg of grains and put the sack on head of the prince. The body of prince was as delicate as flower. He didn't ever pick 5 kg of weight also. For him the 20 kg of weight was same as equal to 60 kg. But what could he do? He did not have the courage to deny his teacher's order. Somehow he followed him by collecting his will-power. But from this behaviour of his teacher, he started to feel angry towards him.
Approximately after half hour of journey, the prince reached near the palace with the teacher. By that time he was very tired. He was sweating very badly. He was taking breath with difficulty. At the gate of the palace, the teacher asked him to put down the sack of grains, as soon as he put that bag on floor, he felt relaxed.
After taking a short rest the prince became fit and the teacher took him in front of the king. The king was overwhelmed by seeing prince. He asked various types of questions to the prince to take his examination. By giving appropriate answers for all the questions he satisfied the king completely. When the king asked him about his journey of 12 years then the prince said-"Dad, the teacher kept me in Gurukul with all ease. He gave me love and affection as his own son but"
"But what?" - The king asked. "But today, on the last day, he misbehaved with me." - Prince anger started growing. "Misbehaviour! What kind of misbehaviour?" - A small line of anger appeared on king's face.
'Father! Today he put a very heavy sack of grains on my head when we were coming to the palace. Only my heart knows how difficult it was to reach here carrying that sack. The life didn't go but nothing was left." The king looked at the teacher in a mixed angst and questionable way. The teacher said "Highness! Don't get angry. It was not misbehaviour."
By acquainting his training process the teacher said - "Highness! I have taught politics, economics, war strategy and other subjects to the prince. But today while coming on the way I realized that one important teaching was missing. Prince has no experience of suffering. This experience has to be very important otherwise the teachings of 12 years will all be incomplete. I know this thing very well that he will be your successor. At that place he will have to look over all the work by his superiority. In that situation he will have to sit on the justice throne and will have to perform the justice to punishment decisions. If he will not have this experience to bear pain then it is very much possible that he may give big punishment for small crime. Without study of jurisprudence he will say to keep a rock of sixty kilograms on his head. But by the experience of pain, this situation will not be faced. I kept a sack of grains on his head just to make him realize pain. Now he very well knows that how difficult it is to bear the pain. Thus, before giving the punishment to others he will take care of the appropriateness of the punishment, he will not let injustice happen to anyone”
By listening to the teacher his anger changed to respect and gratitude. The agitation of the prince was also gone. He apologized to the teacher for the wrong thoughts that came in his mind.
It was the education system of the ancient times. The expectation is to develop such system again which can make the life well cultured. This work is very important and compulsory from the angle of development of a healthy society.
