In the Indian tradition, any disciple paying respect to his elders through Abhivandan introduced himself not as his father's son, but as belonging to so and so Gurukul...Padmini's Archived Works [4] :: This and That [5] :: Padmini's Profile [6]
The concept of the Guru-shishya parampara in Indian Culture has always been an important aspect of education or learning. In ancient India, when a child reached the seventh year, he was put under the tutelage of a suitable teacher. He moved into the Guru's ashram or house and stayed with him for the next few years acquiring in-depth knowledge. In the Indian tradition, any disciple paying respect to his elders through Abhivandan introduced himself not as his father's son, but as belonging to so and so Gurukul.
The Guru's duty was not only to teach the student a specific subject, but also to develop the overall personality of the student. The Guru tried to develop the student's character, versatility, confidence, strength and overall vision of life. The ideal Guru was supposed to be the best friend of the student. He was supposed to be a friend, philosopher and guide! Ideally in the guru-shishya parampara, the relationship was unconditional - nothing was asked for in return as a pre-condition other than the acceptance of the shishya as a student! Acquisition of knowledge was helped in a value-rich environment with focus on the development of the entire self.
Learning, as understood from the Upanishads, is a journey on which the teacher took the disciple, from the familiar to the unfamiliar, from the known to the unknown and from the concrete to the abstract. The Guru made him struggle through a process of questioning and reasoning to arrive at theories that were validated, corroborated or rejected and then encouraged the student to search for answers by steering him in the right direction.
In the parampara, the leaning process determined the guru-shishya relationship. Acquisition of knowledge in a value-rich environment was undertaken in a formal framework under the Gurukul system, where the shishya surrendered himself to the guru. All learners, irrespective of their background, were equal under the constant supervision and tutelage of the guru. Rabindranath Tagore attempted to emulate the Gurukul system in his experiment at Shantiniketan.
The process of learning and acquisition of knowledge also took place outside the formal framework. This can be illustrated from examples from the Mahabharata. The contrast in the learning processes through which Eklavya, Arjuna and Abhimanyu acquired their knowledge brings out the essence of the relationship.
Eklavya acquired his knowledge through an impersonal guru. Arjuna became proficient in all disciplines under the loving care and affection of his guru, Dronacharya. Abhimanyu learnt the tricks of warfare, especially how to breakthrough the battle formation called the Chakravyuh, through a medium - his mother. In the case of Abhimanyu, the failure of the medium - his mother did not absorb the key to exiting the Chaktravyuha and ended in his death - rendered the learning process incomplete.
The guru's exalted position and the necessity of his continued supervision in guiding the student is beautifully illustrated in the Ramayana. The education of the four brothers, Rama, Lakshmana, Baratha and Shatrugna is completed when they return from the Gurukula of Sage Vasishta. Yet, Sage Viswamitra enters the scene to impart special skills to Rama and Lakshmana to help them face the Rakshasas in Dandakaranya forest. This skill gains tremendous importance many years later in the battlefield of Lanka. Again Sage Agasthya makes an appearance on the battlefield to impart the strength and vitality giving slokas, the Adithya Hrudayam addressed to the Sun God, to a flagging Rama.
The ideal disciple, and the fact that every learning experience need not necessarily have the same guru, is best brought out by the example of Avadhoot Dattatreya who acknowledged more than 30 gurus as his preceptors. For him, any person who brought about his enlightenment was a guru.
The Gita too highlights the highest values of the guru-shishya parampara. When Arjuna, in an act of reverence, shoots arrows in homage at the feet of his teachers, Dronacharya and Bhishma Pitahmaha seeking permission and blessings to start the war, it demonstrates the exalted position of the guru, and the discipline of the disciple.
The three concepts of the relationship are identified in the Gita as Correctiveness, knowing the mind of the shishya and the teacher's readiness to alter instructions in case repetition is inadequate. In chapter II, when Arjuna is in a dilemma, full of sorrow, highly emotional and confused, Krishna the Jagathguru, condemns Arjun's behaviour and says that this does not befit a person like him. Here, the teacher increases the receptivity of the disciple's mind through the corrective process.
Lord Krishna brings out the guru's understanding of the shishya's mind in the sixth chapter. He advises Arjuna to control his restless and turbulent mind through yoga and be ready for the next action. Krishna then asks Arjuna if his ignorant mind is ready to learn. Arjuna replies that his delusion is destroyed and that by the grace of his acharya he is free of doubt and is ready. This reference shows the willingness of the guru to change as per the needs of his pupil. Even modern management gurus talk of bringing about change in oneself rather than changing things, including the people around you.
The education of women within Hindu civilization was important. Women were regarded as perfectly eligible for the privilege of studying the Vedic literature and performing the sacrifices enjoined in it till about 200 B.C. Women performed religious rites after completing their education under a Guru. Some of the hymns of the Rig Veda are the composition of twenty sage-poetesses like the Rishikas, Romasa, Lopamudra, .Apala, Paulomi and others.
The Brahmavadinis are referred to in the Rig Veda as young maidens completing their education as brahmacharinis and then gaining husbands in whom they merged like rivers in oceans. The Yajur Veda similarly states that a daughter, who has completed her brahmacharya, should be married to one who is learned like her. A passage occurs in the Yajur Veda, which tells that Vedic knowledge should be imparted to everybody. Upanayana of girls was as common as that of boys as even Manu included it among the sanskaras (rituals) obligatory for girls. Music and dancing was also taught to them. Brahmavadins used to marry after their education was over and some of them like Vedavati, a daughter of sage Kusadhvaja, did not marry at all.
The exalted position of the guru is unquestionable. J.J. Foley, the educationist, observes: "Teachers are the ones who touch students and interact with them. They are the ones who implement the educational policy and curriculum content, scope and sequence. They are the ones who establish the educational climate and who structure the learning experience. In short, they have almost complete power over the process that takes place in the classroom. And it is my contention that the process is more important than content in education".
Today, the institutionalised educational environment with thousands of students, probably does not allow the Guru or the disciple to attain such a relationship. It has subscribed to the common belief that success in the classroom or the acquisition of a complex skill can be achieved by plain repetition or by reinforcement of simple and identical patterns of response. The learner's need for an atmosphere of freedom and self-reliance in the learning process and his psychological growth is completely sidelined.
However, we do find glimpses of such relationship in the field of music and art. This process is also now greatly enabled with the resources of the Internet that allows the student a great deal of flexibility to find out for himself information that is widely available.
In the words of Gautama Buddha, "The pupil is also to act as a check, as it were, upon the preceptor, in keeping him steadfast in the faith." Drawing from ancient scriptures, Swami Vivekananda also talks of "education" as manifestation of the potential divinity in man, which, he also adds, is unique in each individual. It is the job of a Guru to bring out the uniqueness of each disciple. The modern theory of intelligence and people like Edward de Bono and Howard Gardner are advocating the acceptance of Lateral Thinking and Creative Thinking that will bring out the best in each child.
It is imperative for India's pallid, non-inspiring educational institutions to start foreseeing a future in which talent imprisoned in the educational institutions breaks forth to enjoy the world beyond the classrooms, under the able guidance of the teacher who can be more of a mentor. This going-back, as it were to the Guru-Shishya parampara, will empower the individual to develop and perfect special skills that do not come under the stamp of "regular" or "standard" qualifications and achievements.
Padmini's Archived Works [7] :: This and That [8] :: Padmini's Profile [9]
