Role of Teachers in imparting

Man-making and

Nation-building Education

Dr. M. Lakshmi KumariDr. M. Lakshmi Kumari

Let me start with aLet me start with a

?? ??

When a plant is withering

and dying

is it better to water the leaves or the

roots?

The answer to this The answer to this with reference to with reference to Indian life lies in Indian life lies in

providing our providing our children with value children with value based education.based education.

Life withers when Life withers when truth is lost and truth is lost and

society decays when society decays when dharma is lost. dharma is lost.

We have to enliven We have to enliven truth and dharma truth and dharma through proper through proper educational and educational and

religious activities religious activities and aspirationsand aspirations. .

Dharma sustains universe

and all that is in it. In scientific terms if Dharma In scientific terms if Dharma

upholds the upholds the interconnectednessinterconnectedness

InterrelatednessInterrelatednessand and

interdependenceinterdependence

Dharma is responsible for an individual’s Abhyudaya

(achievement in individual material life) and

Nishreyas (establishment of awareness of Truth in

oneself)

Swami Vivekananda's Swami Vivekananda's definition of Education:definition of Education:

“My idea of education is Gurugriha.

Without the personal life of the teacher,

there would be no education. One should live from his very boyhood with one

whose character is a blazing fire

and should have before him

a living example of the highest teaching.

In our country the imparting of the knowledge has always been through men of renunciation.

The charge of imparting knowledge should again fall upon the shoulders of tyagis.

Swami Vivekananda's Swami Vivekananda's concept of Educationconcept of Education

“Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot

there undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character making assimilation of ideals. We want education by which character is formed, strength of mind

is increased, the intellect is expanded, by which one can stand on one’s feet. What we

want is Western science coupled with Vedanta, Brahmacharya as the guiding

motto and also Shraddha and faith in one’s own life”.

Swami Vivekananda's concept of Education

Swami Vivekananda’s definition of religion:

It is thus implied that there is Divinity all around us and through Education and Religion we should train ourselves to see perfection and divinity in the whole of creation. Only such an Education can build up character and manhood and offer scope for infinite expansion and evolution of the human personality.

There is a spark of the There is a spark of the infinite power Satchidananda in infinite power Satchidananda in

every being. every being. Realisation of this Self or Truth Realisation of this Self or Truth

is the ultimate goal of life.is the ultimate goal of life.

Education should lead to the Education should lead to the realisation of this Truth - through realisation of this Truth - through

training, pursuit of knowledge and training, pursuit of knowledge and self-effort self-effort

Through such an Education all the Through such an Education all the different aspects of Education like different aspects of Education like Art, Science, Music, Literature etc. Art, Science, Music, Literature etc. will all blossom in a unique waywill all blossom in a unique way..

1. Integrating body mind and intellect through knowing one self - the Eternal Truth.

2. Positive interactions with everything around without any unwanted competitions, petty jealousies etc.

3. Thorough knowledge of one’s own national heritage so as to fit harmoniously into the national frame work.

Need to develop national pride and love of Mother land.

Satyam param dimahi, Satyam param dimahi, Satyameva jayateSatyameva jayate

“Satyam vada, Satyam vada, Dharmam charaDharmam chara”

Vasudaiva kutumbakamVasudaiva kutumbakam

Ekam sat Ekam sat Vipra bhahudha vadantiVipra bhahudha vadanti

Are they scientific in modern terms?

How much do we understand!!!!How much do we understand!!!!

what this Satyam stands for?Are these values truly

valid and practical?

Is it possible to achieve Is it possible to achieve transformation of an individual transformation of an individual

through Education through Education of such values?of such values?

Harischandra and so on.Harischandra and so on.

Variety of examples from Variety of examples from our Itihasas and puranas like our Itihasas and puranas like

Sri KrishnaSri Krishna Sri RamaSri Rama

PrahladaPrahlada,,DhruvaDhruva

ShibiShibi

What are the obstacles?What are the obstacles?

What great lessons can we learn from them?

How and why have we failed in present times?

How can we redeem the situation?

Education must help Education must help fashion excellent character out of fashion excellent character out of very ordinary human raw material very ordinary human raw material

--culturing of qualities of culturing of qualities of

head and hearthead and heart in a way congenial to in a way congenial to

the growth and development of the growth and development of oneself and those around.oneself and those around.

TruthfulnessRighteousness, purity in personal life,self confidence,integration of body mind and

intellect,love and compassion towards

all living beings,surrender to Almighty.

Education should be aimed at Education should be aimed at maintaining the maintaining the

cultural values of thecultural values of the land vibrant andland vibrant and ever fresh from ever fresh from

generation to generation.generation to generation.

India’s culture is rootedIndia’s culture is rooted in her spiritual values. in her spiritual values.

Unless these valuesUnless these valuesimplicit and explicit inimplicit and explicit in

Indian culture Indian culture find their way into find their way into

the lives of students, the lives of students, education in India education in India

will loose its significance will loose its significance

Recognition of the time tested Recognition of the time tested cultural values shouldcultural values should

become a part of Education,become a part of Education,for the continued maintenancefor the continued maintenance

of this perennial supply of of this perennial supply of spiritual values to thespiritual values to the

world culture at world culture at all times to come all times to come

Through this knowledge Through this knowledge alone can alone can

a justifiable pride be a justifiable pride be generated ingenerated in every youth every youth

and the appreciationand the appreciationof of

values chanalized values chanalized into true patriotic fervor.into true patriotic fervor.

Ignorance of thisIgnorance of thismakes our makes our

youth look elsewhere youth look elsewhere for inspiration for inspiration

and guidance, deprivingand guidance, deprivingthem the them the

vigour that one getsvigour that one getsthrough one’s through one’s

well nurtured roots. well nurtured roots.

Education also means Education also means impartingimparting

ethical idealism.ethical idealism.Each country has its own Each country has its own

ethics itsethics its‘‘Sadachara’. For India it is Sadachara’. For India it is based on spiritual values.based on spiritual values.

All that is truly Indian All that is truly Indian emit the ever fresh emit the ever fresh fragrance of Indian fragrance of Indian

spiritual culture.spiritual culture.

Inculcating this ethical Inculcating this ethical idealismidealism

in our youth is of in our youth is of paramount importanceparamount importance

to keep the to keep the Indian society from Indian society from going astray in the going astray in the way of many others,way of many others,

in different parts of the world.in different parts of the world.

To keep IndiaTo keep Indiaright on herright on her

spiritual track is a spiritual track is a great responsibility great responsibility which lies with the which lies with the

educationists,educationists,the teachers the teachers

and the taught.and the taught.

strive in every way tostrive in every way tomanifest it in the outer world. manifest it in the outer world.

1.Personality development,2.Make him understand what he really is3.Having understood that perfection

within,

When at least a semblance When at least a semblance of this is achieved by a of this is achieved by a

system of educationsystem of educationthen we can claim tothen we can claim tohave really knocked have really knocked

at the doors of knowledge.at the doors of knowledge.

Manifestation of Manifestation of knowledge means knowledge means expression of this expression of this

spiritual oneness in day spiritual oneness in day to day life through all to day life through all

activitiesactivities

After realising manifest it in one’s own life and

activities in a way to benefit the

humanity.

How the inner strength How the inner strength and knowledge and knowledge are put to use are put to use

for the advantage for the advantage of those around.of those around.

Swamiji’s Swamiji’s Karma yoga Karma yoga

has this as its corner stone has this as its corner stone combining knowledgecombining knowledge

with action. with action. So also does So also does

Sri Krishna speak Sri Krishna speak of ‘Buddhi yoga’ in of ‘Buddhi yoga’ in

Bhagavad Gita.Bhagavad Gita.

We have a duty to others. This Universe withWe have a duty to others. This Universe withall that it contains is the most beautiful of all that it contains is the most beautiful of

Almighty’s creations. Almighty’s creations. The world and its peopleThe world and its people

look ugly and evil only to those look ugly and evil only to those who do not Knowwho do not Know

how to reach out to God and how to reach out to God and are deprived of are deprived of

love and kindnesslove and kindnessin their own hearts. in their own hearts. Once we train our Once we train our

minds to love Him, as well as whatminds to love Him, as well as what He has created, then our hearts He has created, then our hearts

would open up to perceive the beautywould open up to perceive the beauty and harmony in the creation.and harmony in the creation.

To become a Universal Man as

Swamiji himself was Man with capital ‘MM’

that must be our goal.

In each life there areIn each life there arethree levels of three levels of unfoldment unfoldment

Individual,Individual,NationalNational

&Universal Universal

Build up our Build up our individual potentialities individual potentialities

and talents to the and talents to the best extent by best extent by

incorporating time tested incorporating time tested spiritual values spiritual values

satya and dharma satya and dharma in our lives. in our lives.

Our sashtras giveOur sashtras giveall guidance in thisall guidance in this

connection (yoga, meditation etc,)connection (yoga, meditation etc,)

Learn to link our life Learn to link our life harmoniously with our nation’s harmoniously with our nation’s

values and traditions. For values and traditions. For teachers involved in teachers involved in

Man-making & Nation building Man-making & Nation building programmes patriotism must programmes patriotism must

have this deeper and fuller have this deeper and fuller meaning, meaning,

that is, realisingthat is, realising these values in our these values in our

own lives own lives so thatso that our Motherlandour Motherland

finds herself regenerated in finds herself regenerated in each one of us.each one of us.

This is Swamiji’s ideal of This is Swamiji’s ideal of Man makingMan making

and and Nation building.Nation building.

when our identification with the truth reaches its zenith there is

an expansion of personality touching on the divine that is

when small man grows into universal being a Jagat guru,

a viswatma.

We must remember that we are children of this great Punyabhumi,

Dharmabhoomi, Tyagabhoomi, Karmabhoomi, to mention just a few of

them. Hidden behind these epithets lie the realisations of our ancient seers, who for the first time discovered the Oneness of Truth and its all pervasiveness, how this

Truth can become practical in one’s life as Dharma, and in our work as

Karma Yoga.

Combining them all - knowledge love and

action - into one is the golden thread of renunciation the

most potent of our national values.

(tyaga bhumi)

Truth or GodTruth or Godisis

called by called by very many names. very many names.

Many are the Many are the paths that lead to paths that lead to

Truth. Truth.

We may not be able to We may not be able to understand understand

or realise all of them. or realise all of them. Therefore take upTherefore take upthose values or those values or expressions of expressions of Truth nearer to Truth nearer to your heart and your heart and

make of your life make of your life an offering to it.an offering to it.

The beauty of Truth The beauty of Truth is that once you is that once you

accept and adopt accept and adopt this Truth as your Dharma, this Truth as your Dharma,

that Truth or Dharma will that Truth or Dharma will ever protect you, ever protect you,

guide you and fulfill you. guide you and fulfill you. That could be the That could be the greatest of human greatest of human

achievements. achievements.

The lives and messages The lives and messages of our great seersof our great seers

and leaders be and leaders be our guide in our guide in

leading us to this leading us to this ultimate goal.ultimate goal.

May our heads be imbued May our heads be imbued with right knowledge, with right knowledge,

our hearts be expanded with love, our hearts be expanded with love, kindness and understanding kindness and understanding towards all, irrespective of towards all, irrespective of

man-made barriers man-made barriers and may our hands be and may our hands be

strengthened to strengthened to serve our fellow human beings. serve our fellow human beings.

Work turns to worship Work turns to worship and life into a prayer and life into a prayer

when there is right knowledge when there is right knowledge and understanding and understanding

upholding this ancient yet ever - upholding this ancient yet ever - fulfilling heritage of ours.fulfilling heritage of ours.

This is the national flag which This is the national flag which we teachers should carry andwe teachers should carry and

salute all your life and be ever salute all your life and be ever ready to sacrifice our all forready to sacrifice our all for