Fusion of wisdoms

“All the wealth of the world cannot help one little Indian village if people are not taught to help themselves. Our work should be mainly educational, both moral and intellectual.”

— Swami Vivekananda.

Education is the process of realizing the talent inherent in an individual in a natural manner; and it must mould the individual in a better way and be attuned to the environment. The case for repositioning modern education cannot be examined in a vacuum, and has to be situated in a proper historical and comparative perspective. Some of India’s ‘core strengths’ include the huge reservoir of talented and educated workforce. But such strengths need to be leveraged to accelerate India’s process of economic growth and structural transformation.

Sharper focus on Vedic education

At the present juncture of India’s development, the world has increasingly become inter-dependent and inter-linked, embodying the spirit of ‘vasudhaiva kutumbkam’ (i.e., the world is a community) that we in India have held for thousands of years. This obliteration of geographies has greatly facilitated the process of acquisition of information, development of insights and gaining of knowledge and maturity from all possible sources. Contrary to popular perception, this outward thought, this thought of adopting, adapting and assimilating the knowledge and wisdom of the whole world has been an inalienable part of our culture and mindset. For, as the Vedas averred, “let noble thoughts come to us from all sides”. Accordingly, the simultaneous pursuit of modern education and ancient wisdom is necessary for India to move to the higher orbit.

Rig Veda defines education as which “makes a man self-reliant and self-less”. This concept of education, which is needed to promote morals, probity, ethics and a sense of society at large, requires a shift from the largely self-centred pursuits of employment, job, career, etc. to the broader ennobling goals of knowledge, self-reliance, and selflessness.

The concept and importance of Vedic education in India is age-old. But Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, and Swami Shraddhanand, spearheaded the modern gurukul system, as we know it today. The establishment of Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Public Schools and Universities way back in 1886 marked a watershed event in the realm of Vedic education.

While Vedic education covered a large ground, it stressed on aspects such as, personality development, character building and role of teachers in inculcating noble values, character formation, performance of civic and social duties, practical education, preservation, spreading culture and achieving enlightenment. Let us here briefly give a glimpse of the time-less wisdom of the Veda:

✓ “Learning without understanding is called cramming; like dry wood on ashes, it can never blaze forth”.

✓ “Bravery alone can lead us to success”.

✓ “Be firm and unshaken”.

✓ “(May our speech be) strong and invincible”.

✓ “Explore the ocean, explore the sky and be blessed”.

The significance of practice and action is expressed beautifully in these lines:

*सत्यानुसारिणी लक्ष्मीः*

*कीर्तिस्त्यागानुसारिणी।*

*अभ्याससारिणी विद्या*

*बुद्धिः कर्मानुसारिणी॥*

This means that money follows truth, fame follows renunciation, knowledge follows practice and mind follows action. These are eternal ideas and continue to resonate today.

Recent developments of strategic significance

Similarly, Sri Aurobindo (1948), in his work on the Mahabharata and the Ramayana extolled the virtues of character, strength, courage, gentleness, purity, fidelity and self-sacrifice. Clearly, these aspects continue to be of great contextual significance in today’s India. This thesis can be substantiated by a recent study undertaken by researchers at the Centre of Biomedical Research (CBMR), Lucknow. This study, which was published in the recent issue of ‘Scientific Report’ (a journal of the ‘Nature’ series), revealed that Vedic learning led to improved sensory function, better brain plasticity, learning and memory skills, besides improving respiratory function.

The incessant, on-going pursuit of knowledge, which is a defining feature of modern education, has long been stressed upon in the wonder that is India. For, Taittriya Upanishad (1.11.1.) maintained: “do not forsake learning and teaching”. Similarly, Sri Ramakrishna maintained “as long I live, so long do I learn”. The attainment of this judicious mix of eternal truth, as enshrined in the Vedas and modern education, is a tall order and requires, inter-alia, a reorientation of the system of education by pedagogical creativity, quality faculty members, inter-disciplinary learning and graduate/post-graduate programmes. This is difficult but certainly doable.

New Education Policy

The multi-layered process of development is a function of various forces and factors, viz., socio-economic, political, legal and other parameters. An objective examination of the mechanics, dynamics and problems of the process of development requires an incisive examination in a comprehensive and holistic perspective for a fair and balanced view of the underlying issues at work. This is why Dr. Radhakrishnan justifiably stressed “a civilization is not built of bricks, steel and machinery, it is built with men, their quality and character”. In this connection, it is gratifying to note that the recent New Education Policy (NEP) emphasises mainstreaming Sanskrit to increase “knowledge on ancient India and its contributions to modern India”.

Roadmap for the future

The winds of change have been triggered by the ubiquitous nature of information and communication technologies (ICT); widespread use of disruptive technologies; entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial firms; the inexorable process of globalization; the rise of the knowledge economy and intensified competition among centres of higher education; and far-reaching demographic changes. Consequently, there is a compelling need for a renewed thrust on a paradigm shift in education by factoring in Vedic education to become more diverse and global and far more competitive than ever before. These measures would help the Indian institutions to strengthen their teaching and research capabilities, enhance their distinctive reputation and focus, generate innovative ideas, significantly increase basic and applied research, and produce significant research.

There is a huge potential in this holistic and integral system of education, but the latent advantages of this age-old system of education in India need to be leveraged by coordinated and concerted attempts, with a sense of urgency — both to realize the expectations of the future and to consolidate India’s position in the comity of nations. But this pursuit has to be an integral part of an incessant, on-going transformative process because, as S Radhakrishnan stressed, “when we think we know we cease to learn”.

The writer is a 1987 batch IRS officer and presently Principal DG IT (Admin & TPS), Delhi. The views expressed are personal