Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sachchidananda Satya Sandesha – weekly message in Prajavani, Kannada daily – September 26, 2020
Compiled by Shruthi Jagadish
Dharma in education and its power
It is believed that the creation of the world is based on Sattva – Rajas – Tamas gunas. The source of creation called Parabrahma is believed to be in a state devoid of qualities or Nirgunavastha. It takes various forms as it grows. Similarly, when man is born, he is sans traits or gunas. As he grows, he imbibes both good and bad qualities. The kind of qualities he develops is dependent on his learning environment and the education system. Man is also a type of animal. What he learns in the environment and how he learns decide the extent of his animal-like behaviour.
Education is given since childhood with the intent of making him meritorious and worthy. Dharma has been incorporated into this education system so that there is discipline. Education and Dharma shape a man’s life. Not everyone who passes this system become perfect or ideal. A person’s surroundings have the capacity to negate all his education and the Dharma he learnt. Surrounding here refers to his home, the environment in which he grew up, and thought process. If parents are noble and behave well at home, then the children also learn from them. The etiquette learnt at home would be different from what is learnt from the outside world. Dharma and education help one to discriminate right from wrong and move ahead in life.
Just as a fish born in the river has to reach the ocean someday, so also, man will have to leave the comfort of his home and step in into the outside world. It is a challenge for the small river fish to evade the bigger fish and the fisherman’s hook and net to survive in the great ocean. Similarly, in the big world, man is faced with the great challenge of dealing with exploitation and cheating. Despite taking all precaution, it’s not easy to escape the net of deceit in this world because the hook called selfishness is always tied to his back. The greed in man or temptations surrounding him can lead him astray. To prevent such mistakes, education gives the power of discretion and Dharma fills us with moral strength.
It is for this reason that children must go to the school of Dharma just as they go to the school for regular education. The importance given to text books must also be extended to books of moral science. Most of our people have forgotten Dharma and are only giving importance to schooling. Because of this children may pass exams with excellent grades, but they are failing in life. The foolish mindset of parents that gives prominence to education aimed at only making money, is pushing the lives of their children towards catastrophe. This is in turn ruining the society.
Education and Dharma give the wisdom needed to prevent a child, that is in a state devoid of attributes, from imbibing animal-like traits. People who do not acknowledge this important aspect are neglecting the need for including moral science in today’s education. Due to this, children are becoming morally weak by the time they reach their adolescence. Such children become a burden to the parents and harm the society. Only when Dharma is blended into the education system will human’s life turn beautiful like Sachchidananda!
Jaya Guru Datta