| HUMILITY
- THE CREST JEWEL OF TRUE LEARNING |
|
| The ancient
Gurukula system of education in India was so well-planned and organised that by the time a
pupil completed his education, he would have developed all the good qualities and virtued
which would enable him to become a true citizen of the country. One of the most important
traits which he acquired during his tutelage was a sense of humility - a trait which was
considered the crest jewel of true education by the ancient Indians. Bhartruhari, the
famous sanskrit poet of the 7th century A.D., therefore said that a man without such an
education(which combined humility) was a brute - |
 |
| The principal goal
of education, according to Sanatana Dharma, is to realise the truth of God. With a view to
assisting a person to realise this, the Gurukula system of education laid stress both on
devotion (Bhakti) as well as humility (Vinaya). Learning started when one was quite young
- as well as five years old - and teacher (Guru) taught the students without charging any
fees (unlike the modern days). As the teacher's main occupation and concern was teaching,
he was not supposed to waste his time in search of his daily food. On the other hand.
pupil would go arround collecting food from household both for himself as well as for the
teacher's family calling out at each house ( Bhavati Bhilksham Dehi) or May you
give me some alms - the request being made to the lady of the house. This kind of
life, begging for food, induced a sense of humility in the student even at an
impressionable age. It is the spirit that lies behind the Mother - Bhiksha (Matri -
Bhiksha) ceremony in the Upanayanam Samskara when the Brahmachari seeks food from the
mothers by uttering "Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi" thrice. |
|
| From
times immemorial all the great philosophers, poets, reformers and religious teachers of
the land have always exhibited a deep sense of humility. The great Sankara Bhagavatpada,
considered by many as a Divine incarnation, set the trend of humility in all his works.
Even though he out-shone his Guru, Govinda Bhagavatpada, in learning as well as in
achievement, he refers to himself in all his works as only the discipline of Govinda
Bhagavatpada (alluding that his greatness was not his own, but results of the grace of his
Guru), when he concluded his works with the following words : |
|
 |
|
| Soundaryalahari
is one of the greatest compositions of Sri Sankaracharya which celebrates the
beauty ineffable of the Supreme Mother. At the end of Soundaryalahari, in
the hundredth Sloka, Sri Sankaracharya makes a confession which is extra-ordinary in its
humility. |
|
 |
|
| I
have only offered this Stotra with the gift of your own words - you are the mother of
words. |
|
| This
is similar to waving the light of camphor to the all-bright Sun, offering
"Arghya" to the moon from the water oozing out of the Moon-stone. |
|
| Kalidasa,
recknoned as one of the fore-most poets in world literature, was no less humble. His sense
of humility was amply reflected in the opening verses of his epic poem Raghuvamsam
when he says - |
|
 |
|
| Where
is the race sprung from the Sun ? And where is my poor intellectual equipment? Me thinks
from sheer folly I am bent upon crossing the ocean, though difficult to do so, by the help
of a small boat. |
|
 |
|
| Incompetant
as I am, I should make myself the butt of ridicule were I to covet the fame of a poet,
like a dwarf (who could be laughed at) greedily stretching his hand to pluck a fruit that
can be reached only by a tall man. |
|
| Sanatana
Dharma always believes that whenever someone accomplishes a meritorious task in any field
whatsoever, recognition is bound to come to him, sooner or later, without his boasting
about it. This fact is particularly emphasised in the Mahanarayana Upanishad when
it declares- |
|
 |
|
| Just
as the fragrance of a tree fully covered with flowers is wafted by the wind even from a
distant place, so too, the fragrance of meritorious deeds - the good name that occurs from
them - spreads to a great distance, even without the doer proclaiming it himself. |
|
| No
wonder, one of Kautilya's aphorisms (Chankya Sutra) says : |
|
 |
|
| Learning
accompanied by humility is the ornament of all ornaments. |
|
|
