Random Thoughts on Teachers 'Day

5th September, in India, is celebrated as Teachers' Day. This day is the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the 1st Vice President, and 2nd President of Independent India. He was a well-renowned educationist.

---- ---- ----

An irony, however, is that every person associated with teaching thinks he is a teacher, though in the true sense most of them is a businessmen. They do not remain truthful to teachings in the schools and resort to private tuitions to earn extra bucks. This article is a reminder to them and their negligent acts towards students, the future citizens of India.

The Vishnu Smriti and Manu Smriti regard the Acharya (teacher), along with the mother and the father, as the most venerable gurus of an individual.

According to Deval Smriti, there can be eleven kinds of gurus, and according to Nama Chintamani, ten.

Depending on his functions, the guru is categorized as rishi, acharyam, upadhya, kulapati or mantravetta.

AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE

He, who is in the profession of teaching in academic institutions but is practicing private tuition, and private coaching to earn extra bucks, is a businessman, is NOT a guru.

Verses that the Guru Mantra state:

गुरूर्ब्रह्मा गुरूर्विष्णुः गुरूर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरूर्साक्षात परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः।।

ध्यानमूलं गुरोर्मूर्तिः पूजामलं गुरोः पदम्। मंत्रमूलं गुरोर्वाक्यं मोक्षमूलं गुरोः कृपा।।

अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम्। तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः।।

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव। त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव त्वमेव सर्वं मम देव देव।।

ह्मानन्दं परमसुखदं केवलं ज्ञानमूर्तिं, द्वन्द्वातीतं गगनसदृशं तत्त्वमस्यादिलक्ष्यम्।

एकं नित्यं विमलमचलं सर्वधीसाक्षिभूतं, भावातीतं त्रिगुणरहितं सदगुरूं तं नमामि।।

These are taken from Adi Shankaracharya's spiritual guide Govinda Bhagwadpada.

Verbatim it means: गुरू ही ब्रह्मा हैं, गुरू ही विष्णु हैं । गुरूदेव ही शिव हैं तथा गुरूदेव ही साक्षात् साकार स्वरूप आदिब्रह्म हैं । मैं उन्हीं गुरूदेव के नमस्कार करता हूँ ।

ध्यान का आधार गुरू की मूरत है, पूजा का आधार गुरू के श्रीचरण हैं, गुरूदेव के श्रीमुख से निकले हुए वचन मंत्र के आधार हैं तथा गुरू की कृपा ही मोक्ष का द्वार है ।

जो सारे ब्रह्माण्ड में जड़ और चेतन सबमें व्याप्त हैं, उन परम पिता के श्री चरणों को देखकर मैं उनको नमस्कार करता हूँ ।

तुम ही माता हो, तुम ही पिता हो, तुम ही बन्धु हो, तुम ही सखा हो, तुम ही विद्या हो, तुम ही धन हो । हे देवताओं के देव ! सद्गुरुदेव ! तुम ही मेरा सब कुछ हो ।

जो ब्रह्मानन्द स्वरूप हैं, परम सुख देने वाले हैं, जो केवल ज्ञानस्वरूप हैं, (सुख-दुःख, शीत-उष्ण आदि) द्वंद्वों से रहित हैं, आकाश के समान सूक्ष्म और सर्वव्यापक हैं, तत्वमसि आदि महावाक्यों के लक्ष्यार्थ हैं, एक हैं, नित्य हैं, मलरहित हैं, अचल हैं, सर्व बुद्धियों के साक्षी हैं, सत्व, रज, और तम तीनों गुणों के रहित हैं – ऐसे श्री सद्गुरुदेव को मैं नमस्कार करता हूँ ।

A story in this regard is:

Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there was a hermitage. The great sage Dhaumya lived there with his many disciples. One day, a well–built boy came to the hermitage Upamanyu. He looked quite untidy and dirty. The boy bowed to the great Rishi Dhaumya and entreated him to accept him as his student.

In those days Gurus would decide which student to accept or not, for training and educating in the real values of life and seeing God in all.

The sage Dhaumya, kindly agreed to accept this hefty boy Upamanyu. Though Upamanyu was dull and slow-witted, he was kept with all the other students of the hermitage. He did not take much interest in his studies. He could not understand the scriptures or even learn by heart. Upamanyu was not obedient either. He lacked many good qualities.

Sage Dhaumya was an enlightened soul. He loved Upamayu in spite of all his shortcomings. He loved him even more than his other brighter students! Upamanyu began to return his love, to sage Dhaumya. He was ready to do anything for his Guru now.

The Guru knew that Upamanyu was over-ate and was therefore dull-witted. Overeating makes one feel very sleepy and cannot think clearly and also feels unhealthy. This develops “Thamoguna” (dullness).

Sage Dhaumya wanted all his students to eat as much as was necessary to maintain the body; and to control that 4 inch tyrant, called the tongue!

So, Sage Dhaumya sent Upamanyu to take the ashram cows to graze, early in the morning and to return at dusk. The Rishis’s wife packed some lunch for Upamanyu, everyday.

But Upamanyu had a hearty appetite. He felt very hungry even after his lunch So he milked some cows and drank up the milk Sage Dhaumya saw that Upamanyu was getting fatter. He was surprised, all that walking with the cows to the pasture, and the simple lunch had not made the body nice and slim. He questioned Upamanyu who truthfully said he had been drinking the cow’s milk. Sage Dhaumya said he should not drink the milk, as the cows did not belong to him. Upamanyu could not drink the milk without the Guru’s permission.

Though Upamanyu readily agreed, je saw that when the calves suckled the milk from their cow mothers, some drops fell and he cupped his hands, collected this milk and drank it.

Sage Dhaumya again noticed that Upamanyu, was still not shedding weight. He came to know from the boy what he was doing. Sage Dhaumya said drinking milk which fell from the cow’s mouth was a very dirty thing to do and was harmful to his health.

Very lovingly, the Rishi explained to Upamanyu. The boy said he would not drink milk this anymore.

But Upamanyu could not control his hunger. One afternoon he saw some fruits on a tree, and ate them up. These were poisonous fruits. They made him blind! Upamanyu was terrified and staggered here and there and fell into a deep well. The cows returned home without him and Sage Dhaumya went out in search of Upamanyu. He found him in a well, and brought him out The Sage was full of compassion for Upamanyu and taught him a mantra. The chanting of this mantra brought the appearance of the twin Ashwinkumars or Doctors of God, who restored Upamanyu’s eye sight.

Later, Sage Dhaumya explained to Upamanyu how greediness led to disaster. It made Upamanyu blind and he fell into a well.

He could have died there. The boy understood his lesson and gave up eating too much. He soon became fit, healthy and also intelligent, and clever.

Sage Dhaumya created a love for the Guru in Upamanyu’s heart, so the Guru acted as Brahma the Creator.

The Sage protected the love in Upamanyu by his own loving advice and saved him from dying in the well, so the Guru acted as Vishnu the Protector.

Lastly, the Guru acted as Maheshwara, the destroyer of bad qualities by destroying Upamanyu’s greed and thus led him to success in his life.

The teacher disciple relationship can not be completed without a discussion between Sage Sandipani and Lord Shri Krishna.

Maharishi Sandipani was the guru of Lord Krishna and Balarama. It was Sandipani who taught 64 arts to Shri Krishna. After the completion of education, when it came to Guru Dakshina, sage Sandipani said that a demon named Shankhasur has taken away my son. bring him This will be Guru Dakshina. Shri Krishna promised to find the Guru's son and bring him back.

When Shri Krishna and Balarama reached the sea, the ocean told that the demon of the Panchaj caste is hiding in the sea in the form of a conch. It is possible that he has eaten your master's son. Lord Krishna killed Shankhasur and searched for the Guru's son in his stomach, but he could not be found. Then Shri Krishna reached Yamaloka with the conch shell of Shankhasur's body. Taking back the Guru's son from Yamraj, he returned it to Guru Sandipani.

Another incident that took place recently in a private tutor's residence is worth contemplating.

The name of the boy was Anisha, and the otherwise looking but mid-age lady teacher preferred to address her student as - Manisha. Reasons???? are ..........best known to her.

Inherent characteristics of the lady teacher were - not taught in the school. threaten students on the marking system if they do not come to her for private tuition, keeping tuition time that overlaps with tuition classes of other teachers (so-called), and creating bias amongst her students.

The recent outcome of her illogical characteristics - was a fight between two students of her tuition group.

The irony is - she also self-styles herself with an equivalent to gurus like Draonacharya, Parshurama, and Kripcharya.

In verse 63, Chapter 18 of Shrimad Bhagavat Gita, Shri Krishna ends advises to his disciple (follower) Arjuna by saying - विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ||18:63|| which means - Ponder over my teachings, and advises deeply, and then do as you wish.

The best teacher (mentor) always imparts you the best teachings and then leaves it to you to take the final decision. And a good student, like Arjuna, always contemplates the teachings and finally says - नष्टो मोह: स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत | स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देह: करिष्ये वचनं तव ||18:73|| which means O Infallible One, by your grace my illusion has been dispelled, and I am situated in knowledge. I am now free from doubts, and I shall act according to Your instructions.

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY