Education, the Source of Human Values

Vidyaanama Naraswarupam Adhikam
Prachanna Guptam Dhanam
Vidyaa Bhogakari Yasas Subhakari
Vidya Gurunaam Guru
Vidyaa Bandhu Jane Videsa Gamane
Vidyaa Param Lochanam

Embodiments of love,

Education brings beauty to mankind. Education is unseen wealth. Education confers strength and capacity. Education gives all the reputation. Education is the teacher of teachers. It is only the true relation in foreign lands. Education is our third eye.

The Ideals of Education

It is education and not money that is honoured in the courts of emperors. It is the culture of Bharat that explains clearly that one bereft of education is an animal. The world goes on whether one carries on well or not; whether he studies or not; and his life span is melting day by day. Man is leaving this body before realising the purpose of his life.

There are many complex problems that can confuse any serious thinker in the field of education. The educational institutions have forgotten the basic fact that they have to provide strength and satisfaction to everybody in their daily living. The ideals of education are totally lost today. There is no creativity in the educational field today. Courtesy and respect are totally lost. The institutions of knowledge (abode of Saraswati - Goddess of Knowledge) have become institutions of wealth (abode of Lakshmi - Goddess of Wealth). The students are concentrating on the field of education keeping in view the money they would get, the high pay they would receive. Education which should aim at sacrifice, character, morality, integrity are all gone today and thereby wasting life.

Modern education is not striving to improve the character. It only aims at acquiring friendship, wealth and physical strength. Friendship and wealth without character are useless. It is something like a wire without the current; a field without water supply and a school without a teacher.

Character is essential for students. It is this culture of Bharat which laid more stress on character which has to be observed. If you have mere education without culture, will it fetch any respect? Will mere rules and regulations without character give you any respect and esteem? Will mere exalted position without any stipulation and regulation give you any esteem and respect? You leave the path of righteousness but speak about righteousness. Will you be respected? You have no fear of sin and you commit all kinds of sins in this world. At least know this truth now. At least you get the name that you are the true son of Bharat.

Arise, Awake, Strive for Unity

It is not a sign of education, having been born in Bharat and having been called Bharatiyas, if you do not understand the culture and go by the worldly way. Students, Arise. Awake. This is not the time for sleep and slumber. Are you not seeing Bharatmatha is in tears? Why should she shed tears? She sheds tears because her sons have given up the sacred life, go by the ephemeral transient life and have lost the human value. We are not able to believe that it is morality and integrity which are most important for mankind. It is most essential that one should observe the culture of Bharat and relieve the suffering of Bharatmatha. Every student should strive and for the integrity and unity of Bharat. The whole country is divided because of the absence of integration, coordination and unity.

Today we are not able to understand the true meaning of education. You are not understanding why this education. Education is not merely writing, reading and listening. Do you call them all educated if they know how to read and write? Do you call them educated for merely acquiring degrees? Can there be education without deservedness and spiritual knowledge? If education is just for a living, don't you find birds and beasts living? Education is not for living, education is for life. That is the eternal wisdom. But the world has not recognised this truth today. They consider the secular worldly knowledge as eternal truth. That is all merely external, outward intelligence.

The End of Education is Character

The modern education is developing our intelligence but not a little character. What is the value of all these forms of education, if it does not give character? What is the result of this education? What is its use for the country? We have to recognise the social welfare and lead our lives.

This creation is so vast. Man is part and parcel of this vast creation. Man being part of creation should understand the secret of creation. Such sacred knowledge is rare today. True education is one which is a combination of moral, ethical and spiritual education. It is most essential to have science and technology. All that is to make a living. But there is a goal, purpose of life which we don't see.

Today we have to learn two types of education, one for a living and the other for the goal of life. Education for living is negative. Education for the goal of life is positive. These two combine and manifest and blossom human life. It is only the manifestation of morality that blossoms human quality. Human life has no value without character. Morality and all the discipline is limited to books now. The heart becomes the centre of all foul, dirt of selfishness. This is the progress in today's education.

What is our progress? In which direction have we progressed? By merely providing food and shelter, we have not progressed in daily life. We have progressed in the worldly sense. Man has occupied exalted position in science and technology, but he has forgotten the moral aspect. The moral values are declining day by day. So we must make an effort to develop moral values first. Though there are 90 crores of sons of Bharat, we are not able to make our motherland happy. What is the use of these sons of the soil if they cannot relieve the misery of the motherland? What for is this life if you cannot make her happy? So, you must proceed on the right path as far as to make everybody happy and not to hurt anyone. It is only Bharat that passes on the ideal ancient heritage. Bharat teaches all types of that is taken out, but the culture is also destroyed. They have also brought differences between individuals. They have burnt all affections. They have torn apart the equality. Because such conditions prevailed at that time, this is the present position of Bharat today. Just look back and understand the sacredness of the history of Bharat. The history of Bharat will tell you that the sacred quality is the main path.

The spiritual and moral wealth of this country is not realised and made fun of by the students today. They treat it as uncultured. It is not so. You should never think so. Bharat is a centre of sacrifice, beauty, fraternity, wealth and character. Bharat, which was the centre of all these sacred qualities, is now in the present position because of the effects of modern education. The people of Bharat had never known unrighteousness, injustice, falsehood and lie. All that we read today are the seeds sown by them.

Society Utmost, not Individual

We want to become the slaves to foreigners but we do not know our own innate nature. Bharat speaks of the collective community and not individual life. It is only community benefit and not individual benefit. It is only community and society, not individual. That is why Veda also says Sahasraseersha Purushah, Sahasraaksha Sahasrapaadh. It is of community feeling or society.

Today we all do Bhajan. Guru Nanak also taught the benefits of congregational singing in olden times. All the ancient sages have shown the path of truth. But we do not know what is Sath Sampath - true wealth. We do not know sadachara, good conduct. We are all foolish. Can you call it Bharat now?

It is forbearance that is beauty in the sacred land of Bharat. Truth is considered the noblest of all the spiritual rituals. What else, of all the sweet feelings, is greater than the feeling of motherhood? The character of our country says that character is more important than life that is downgraded. We are given to foreign culture today. We are given the swords of dress and freedom. Alas, what is to be said about Bharat's administration? Just as the elephant does not know its own might, Bharatiyas also do not know their sanctity. The elephant though strong, does not know its own strength. Therefore, the elephant submits itself to the mahout who holds a small iron rod.

The culture of Bharat is of such strength. Students are in the wrong direction of wicked feelings as they are not aware of the innate strength of Bharat. This is not the fault of the students. The fault is that of the parents. The parents are not directing them in the proper way from the beginning. The mother is the first teacher to the child. For that reason, it is said Matru Devo Bhava -revere the mother as God, Pitru Devo Bhava - revere the father as God. The children belong to such sacred culture.

Desire Liberation, not Wealth

Unfortunately, Bharatiyas want to go abroad and earn more money today after they receive their degrees and are increasing their bad desires. Students should take today the welfare, progress and safety of villages. This is the heritage and moral value given to us by the ancestors. It is not wealth but character which is important. You will get the money when you have character. What sort of degrees did our ancestors have? Character was important for them. The ancient Bharatiyas followed strictly the four Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha as objectives of life. They earned money in the righteous way, not by the wrong path. They desired liberation instead of for money. They have not gone in any degrading path. Therefore, the first is Dharma, righteousness and the last is Moksha, liberation. In between is Artha and Kama. Among the four objectives of life, we have for forgotten the first Dharma, righteousness and the last Moksha, liberation. We are after Artha, wealth and Kama, desire. Should you be born as a human for all these? We also see the birds and beasts leading such life.

Students! Examine your hearts now; direct your thoughts along the sacred path. Those thoughts are very important. You will proceed in life depending on the thoughts. Life is not worth living without morality. The money you get without morality is no money at all. Money comes and goes. Morality comes and grows. Lead life with this principle. Money is essential. It is very much needed for life. Dharma Moolam Idam Jagath. Our ancestors considered righteousness as important for the world. But the modern people take Dhana Moolam Idam Jagath- money as important. This is the difference between modern times and ancient times.

It is not possible to extol and narrate the achievements of our ancestors. Emperor Shibi cut his own flesh to protect a bird. People sacrificed their lives to protect others. Harischandra sacrificed his kingdom, wife and son to uphold truth. Modern students are oblivious to these though we have a hoary of tradition behind Bharat. The effects of ancient culture cannot be described. Since ancient times, Bharatiyas laid the foundation of Dharma, keeping it on a high pedestal, welcomed justice to conduct their lives. Such righteousness is forgotten today.

Loss of Righteousness Leads to Tension

Life is full of tension as there is no righteousness. There should not be tension in today's Bharat. What is the reason? The reason for this is the heart is full of negative thoughts. Tension appears as the reaction, resound and reflection of these negative thoughts. Therefore, you have to entertain positive thoughts and give up negative thoughts. But there is no scope for positive thoughts today. Spirituality is positive and worldly thing is the negative. We have to make an intimate, appropriate relationship between the two. Education will be glorified when we establish this relationship.

We make additions and changes to such education. Whenever the Education Minister of the State or the Centre changes, the educational system also changes. How do you expect progress if there is repeated change? We should see that there will be no change in the system. Education is something which is permanent.

Freedom should be given to the field of education also just as in the field of justice. The end of wisdom is freedom. The end of culture is perfection. The end of knowledge is love. The end of education is character. This should stay there permanently. They are not able to understand either in character or in respect of freedom. They do not know what education is. The authorities should understand the system. They are spending crores of rupees on education. But the results are not appropriate.

There are crores and crores of students. The number of students are increasing but the system is declining. We are not trying to attach proper value to it. There should be strength in the system. What is required for this? Our ancient culture and tradition should be imprinted in our hearts.

The ancestors went on teaching that it is spiritual value that tells everyone of us to pray Lokaa Samasthaa Sukhino Bhavantu - let everybody in the world be happy. No one knows today what one is reading, what one is writing and how they get their degrees. All appear to be highly educated. But there is no result in the practical field. We should put it into practice. Bookish knowledge, superficial knowledge, general knowledge, discrimination knowledge are not important but practical knowledge is. That was the effect of education then.

The True Message of Convocation

The ancient education was so strong because the teacher practised. Teachers in those days were called Acharyas because they practised what they taught. The one who does not practice cannot be called an Acharya. Bhishmacharya had taken to wrong directions because of his illusion. Dronacharya on the other hand taught Arjuna all that he taught his son. He taught all forms of knowledge adhering to truth.

Truth is important today for the students. In ancient times, after completing their education as students leave that place to enter family life, the teachers used to impart certain advice. That was an equivalent of the modern convocation. There is no national feeling today among the students. They do not have the spirit of patriotism. They have forgotten the sacred history of their country. Today the aim seems to be it is enough if we live comfortably and if we earn money. Students! It is not money that is important but character. We should help others to the extent possible. We should safeguard the national interest. It is not of value whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, a Zoroastrian, Hindu or Buddhist but to say that you are a human being is the real value. There is no other value greater than human value. They are inborn, they are not acquired.

Human values are natural. Naturally, human values are forgotten today. What matters is not whether you are a Christian or a Muslim but whether you are a human being that is the greatest title. You are son of immortality.

Bharat, The Goddess of Education

Many foreigners planned to stay in this country but many do not get this opportunity. You are born in Bharat. You breathe the air of Bharat. You drink the water of Bharat and you live on this earth of Bharat. But you are not able to know the nature of Bharat. So first know your life and the sacred nature of our country. They are not able to understand the national interest in a way. The foreigners call the residents of this country Hindus. It is Bharatiyas not Hindu. Bharata is not the name of an individual. It is not an external name. It is a very powerful name. Saraswati Namasthubhyam, Varadey Kaamaroopini, Vidyaarambam Karishyaami, Siddhir Bhavatume Sadhaa, Padma Patra Visalakshi, Saraswati, Bhagavati, Bharati. Bharati is the name of Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge. We call it as the name of the brother of Sri Ram or the son of Shakuntala. They had their names. But the name of Bharat was there even prior to that.

HINDU Stands for Humility, Individuality, Nationality, Divinity and Unity Foreigners have not understood clearly the true meaning of Bharat. They call it Hindu. What is the spelling of Hindu? Hindu has five letters in it. These are like five life principles in Bharat. They are the five life sheaths. They are five elements of Bharat. The nature of five elements is the nature of Bharat. The first H is Humility. The second letter I is Individuality. D is Divinity and U, Unity. N which comes in the middle is Nationality. Humility, individuality, nationality, divinity and unity - that unity is totally gone today.

We need unity today. Not only Bharatiyas, the whole world is a human community. We should not go by the regional influence. We should respect the human quality. Today it might be there, but it may not be there tomorrow. Human quality neither wavers nor moves. It is the human race that is permanent.

Respect of the country depends upon morality. The nation will fall without morality. It is only the true nation that adheres to morals. All sons of Bharat of valour and courage, listen to this, you are Bharatiyas. Morality is your life and integrity your breath. Life and breath sustain your life. Therefore, life is due to air. The unity of these two is human life.

We should publicise and propagate through education such life. Most of the students leave the villages and go to towns. It is a big mistake. You have to determine yourselves to stay in the villages and serve. Your salary may be less but you can lead a happy life. You have to spend more when you go to town. Not only this, you will have all bad habits. You will have good company in villages only. So develop the spirit of unity first. When there is unity, there will be purity in the heart. When there is unity and purity, you will have divinity.

Embrace Good Company, Run Away From Bad Company

Students! Never act against unity. Today, there is no unity, no purity and no divinity but there is only enmity and community. Why does enmity enter the heart? It is because unity, purity and divinity are not seated in the heart. The chair in your heart is empty. Therefore, enmity goes and sits there. The heart is not a musical chair or a double sofa. It is a single sofa. Sacred things have to be seated there. You have to welcome them. Modern students should inculcate moral ideas. We find wicked thoughts, wicked feelings, wicked behaviour, and bad company because of the lack of sacred habits and thoughts. Run away from bad company. Tyaja Durjana Sakmsargam. Bhaja Sadhu Samagamam. Kuru Punyamahorathram. Give up evil company. Desire noble company. Do meritorious deeds day and night. We have to learn these things today. What students have to learn today is to serve society. You should always desire for the welfare of the society. You will have knowledge when you desire and work for the welfare of the society. You have this wisdom, you have good quality.

Students! Develop good qualities. Have good behaviour. Serve society. There is no other thing higher than service. It is only service that unifies mankind. It is only service that kills ego. It promotes broad feelings. It also develops love. Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti - Truth is one, but wise people call it as many. Service also teaches the principle of oneness. You enquire why this motherland is shedding tears. Utthishta, Jagratha, Prapya Varanye Bodhata. Get up from sleep and slumber of ignorance. Follow the sacred path. Open your eyes. Proceed ahead. Do not slacken your determination.

Where are Those Sons?

The child of Mother Earth is Janaki. The sons of Janaki caught hold of her feet when she shed tears and asked 'what is the reason for your shedding tears mother?'. We are more powerful than Sri Rama. Oh, mother why do you shed tears like that? If you want, we can bring to you the mountain of gold. We will get anything you ask. Why do you shed tears? Till you tell us the reason, we will not leave your feet. The sons of Sita made so much of efforts and saw to it that she expressed the reason for her misery.

We are not trying to wipe off the tears of the motherland, and this motherland is more miserable today. The motherland says that she has 90 crores of sons but no one is able to solve the problem. It is only the unhappiness and misery of this motherland which appears as reaction, reflection and resound to the world. This will be the fate of the person who would not satisfy his mother. You should please your mother. Matru Devo Bhava- revere your mother as God. Then only there will be peace in the world. There will be steadiness, purity and safety in every possible way. Today there is no safety. Where is safety? You are full of fear wherever you go. What is the reason? There are no good thoughts in us. Therefore, fear is there; reflection of the inner being is reason for fear. You will never be afraid if your heart is pure. You don't have to fear if your heart is full of love. You can be free all the time. All are our friends. All are children. Develop sacred thoughts in your heart.

There is no use if you are educated. You should make use of all that you have learnt for the benefit of the country. You have to work for the progress and welfare of this country. The main aim of all educated people is to work for social welfare. So, we have to develop our values. What are these values? Value is for education. Education is for life. Life is for love. Love is for man. Man is for service. Service is for society. Society is for science. Science is for the nation. The nation is for the world. The world is for peace.

Education Brings Peace

The value is for education. It started with five values. It ended with the last one. You will have peace when you have these values. If there are no values, there is no peace but we will go to pieces. Value is for education. Remember it well that Education is for life. Life is for love. Love is for man. Man is for service. Service is for society. Society is for science. Science is for the nation. The nation is for the world. The world is for peace. We should achieve this peace. There will be abundant prosperity in the country when students progress in this particular way. Nithya Kalyanam. Pacha Thoranam. Swami wants students to mould themselves in this particular direction and blessing you thus, Swami brings His long discourse to a close.

Students should have a sort of determination. You should achieve that. I will be able to help ten persons at least. I will help in the development of the village. I will uphold my human quality. That determination should be imprinted in your heart. This is the thing expected by Swami. You be good and make this country good. This is what Swami wants from you. Be ideal students. See that peace and security are established in the country. Develop spiritual values and experience bliss in every possible way. That is the aim of Swami. Thanks.