Miscellaneous - Religion   

Practical instruction

CHENNAI: Scriptural teaching was basic to the traditional system of education through the Guru Sishya mode and the disciples thus trained were well exposed to the moral values embedded in the scriptures. This automatically influenced and helped to shape their character. The Taitriya Upanishad gives a synoptic view of both the infinitude of knowledge and of the limited nature of the efforts of the knower in search of Truth that remains a continuous effort, pointed out Swamini Satyavratananda in a lecture.

Tremendous insight into human nature is evident in the set of instructions the preceptor gives his disciple who is about to embark on the life of a householder after the completion of education. The scriptural injunction to honour elders (one’s mother, father, preceptor and guest) and treat them as equal to God, inculcates the value of respecting people. At the same time there is also an implied comment on the fallibility inherent in human nature. All human beings are susceptible to failings since there is none who can be perfect and guaranteed to be above faults. Even the likes of greats such as Yudhishtira, Durvasa or Viswamitra had succumbed to odd failings. The student is hence exhorted to cultivate a sense of discrimination between the good and noble qualities in people, so that the former can be emulated and the latter ignored.

It is evident that the preceptor accepts that what he knows is limited, despite his credentials with respect to scholarship, knowledge, rectitude, etc., from the advice to the student to strive to imbibe the best from others (with varying capacities and scholarship) whom he is likely to meet in his search for values and truth. Such an effort is definitely going to be beneficial to the individual who can learn the nuances of dharma from those with whom he interacts.

The Vedas deal with the spiritual well being (inner life of the Self) of the individual as well as the core ideals of social life where one’s rights and duties towards oneself and others are indicated. The preceptors who feature in the Upanishads had intuitively grasped these eternal truths and tried to give expression to their understanding.

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