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Exemplary preceptor

CHENNAI: A preceptor has always been held in high esteem in the Indian tradition. The conventional mode of teaching/learning assigns great importance to the preceptor's role in shaping and guiding his pupils. The hallmark of a good preceptor is to teach by example, since any precept is best understood when practised, said Velukkudi Sri V. Krishnan in a lecture. The Lord has shown Himself as the ideal preceptor when He had expounded the Bhagavad Gita that contains the guidelines for attaining the ultimate goal of life.

It emphasises eternal values that are relevant to humanity, past, present and future. In it are expressed the concepts of right and wrong, and the ideas and the practical force of these in day-to-day life, that are a guide for human action and happiness. But a common viewpoint is that the doctrine in it may be easy to preach, but highly impracticable. Tenets like one should accept joy and sorrow with equanimity, view victory and defeat in an unaffected manner, and remain unruffled by the twists and turns in life, might sound a tall order to ordinary human beings.

That this is not so was demonstrated by the Lord Himself in His incarnation as Rama. The Ramayana is a manual for principled living, and it is the Supreme Being who establishes the code of conduct for human beings. As Rama He has shown what it is to maintain equanimity of mind through his own personal experiences and reactions. He underwent untold misery to show to the world that human birth entails a mixture of joy and sorrow. Did He not display a calm demeanour when he faced extreme situations in quick succession? It was with extraordinary poise that He received the news of coronation that was soon reversed and superseded by the banishment order. One can feel reassured to face the challenges of life by recalling these instances, and also try to emulate the manner in which the Lord conducted Himself.

Since the practicability of the philosophical tenets spelt out in the Gita has been established, their relevance at all times to a spiritual aspirant is beyond question. Its principles founded on facts and devoid of dogmas have continued to give comfort to many. What is needed is the right bent of mind and motivation to strive for the knowledge of the ultimate goal followed by sincere attempts to reach it.

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