H C Katoch
Human being is the only specie on earth planet which has reached the climax of evolution in flesh and blood. The next journey of humans is to achieve the final destination of evolution (i.e. not to come back to this earth planet and achieve the last goal of salvation after the final exit from this world. For this, education is the prerequisite for the individual, society, nation and finally the whole world. There can be long deliberations on this subject, but it is better to concentrate on the system of education which combines material progress and brotherhood to make peaceful exit from this material world with all others by supporting each other in day to day life for not only for the community, nation but whole world. The ideal of “Sarvey Bhavantu Sukhina Sarvey Santu Niramaya” would be achieved.
It is heartening to note that new direction is being given to the education system with enriched experience of the past.
There are over hundred religions in the world propagating way of life through sermons, practices and through devotional methods. All aim at quality of life to be led in the world and exit for better place in the universe in higher dimensions of life – normal man calls it “Swarag”.
In Bharat Varsh, Nalanda and Taxila were renowned universities where there were eighty four “Sidhas” (who had attained knowledge and practised that and consequently achieved perfection). Foreigners used to come and learn both material and mystical knowledge and spread the same in their countries. Thus Bharat had remained a guru for the entire world.
The present education policy in the offing is expected to adopt the courses in such a way that the vast treasure of knowledge in our ancient literature in different subjects like astrology, astronomy and many other Granths written by the evolved souls of the earlier times is used.
The education system enforced by foreign rulers put our ancient knowledge in the store and destroyed our heritage to keep us slaves. In the natural process of change opportunity has come to us to revive our ancient treasure of knowledge of the scriptures that is necessary for developing the education system of the oriental Bharat. We believed that “Vidya dadati vinayam” i.e it gives humility and “Sa Vidya ya vimuktye” i.e the education that liberates from bondages. This vidya amplifies material progress, and enhances the capacity and capability of the learners because of the elevation of the mind which the vidya provided to the learners and that always gave rise to innovation and sub lime thoughts.
Akbar ruled the minds of the people, while Goswami Tulsi Das ruled the hearts of the people former through power of sword and the later through his ideals and values of human life. Gandhi Ji dreamed and desired for Ram Raj. Why all this? It is because of value system to flower the human life with love and peace. Presently the entire world is engaged in material progress that has overlooked values to sustain human life and goes for economical progress sacrificing human values. Hence there is all this imbalanced human growth causing innumerable miseries to achieve growth at the cost of other nation’s hardships. Life on earth planet is well explained in Ram Charit Manas so loved in Bharat and it is visible from the attendance of human participation in watching Ram Charit Manas which was telecasted few years back (which is based on different Ramayans written in different languages and different States of Bharat Varsh. Even in case of different nations with different faiths where they follow other concepts of religious values remained merged in the nectar of this social telecast.
In olden times the system of education was based on three aspects ie. on Rituals, Mythology and Abstract Philosophy. In fact particular class was charged with the responsibility of developing the society with focus on childhood to bring up through Rituals, Mythology and Abstract philosophy.
Development of a good human being starts from childhood. A story goes that a Pandit saw the horoscope of his son and found that he will a thief when he grows. Sensing this, the Pandit gave him complete knowledge of Karma. When he grew up, he went for stealing and entered at night in the treasury of the King. He saw numerous items from silver, gold, currency to costly stones. He could not pick up anyone as his education came in his way to show that any item stolen will have particular punishment. In the morning, when the guards opened the treasury, they found him in a fix standing aghast. He was asked as to why he did not steal any costly item till morning. He explained that his knowledge prevented him from picking up any item as he knew the punishment behind it. They took him to the king. He narrated the story as how his father had educated him about the results of stealing. The king made him cashier. The theme behind is the type of education that deterred him from stealing.
Our system of education should produce such persons. How can we do it? If, education based on ancient / oriental knowledge is made a part of the present proposed education system. The study of “Shad Darshan” like Mimansa, Nayay Darshan, Vaishesik Darshan and Santhya Darshan etc and other likewise many other Granths with proven authority are to be studied to make the curriculum perfect for making the student a perfect human being to serve himself and the society with love and feeling of sacrifice during his entire period of life. Our oriental system of education had gurukuls and this practice continued for centuries. In Dwapar Yug Krishna, the Royal Prince studied in the gurukul where Sudama an extremely poor boy, too, studied in the same gurukul.
In the present time, the rich and affluent class people admit their wards in those schools which have air conditioned class rooms, modern electronic gadgets and other luxurious facilities for comfort. On the other hand, the students in villages and hinter land of the country are dispossessed of even basic requirement of shelter and teaching staff. There are many disparities other than the syllabus in the schools. These aspects cannot be ignored, if education is to be universalized and every child is taken care of. Although, it is not practically possible to give uniform amenities for all in view of scares resources of the country, but the syllabus should be common throughout the length and breadth of the country.
Hence, to evolve the children from the age of six years to twelve years is the most critical period for sowing seeds in depth with the knowledge of human life both material and psychological aspects. This will be based from the nectar flowing from the ancient Granths with proven authority as was in Taxila and Nalanda. This entire exercise will produce such generation that will make the country prosperous and heavenly abode. Let the think tank of the Shiksha Bibhag of the Government of Bharat Varsh give due thought to ideology propagated here.
(The author is Director Planning J&K Govt.)
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