Date: 20 FEBRUARY 2018

 

Time uploaded in London- 16-59

 

Written by London swaminathan

 

Post No. 4768

 

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CHANAKYA ON STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIP

Very few poets or law makers talk about the relationship between students and teachers. But we have lot about it in Manu Smrti and Upanishads.

 

Here are some verses from the Chanakya Niti translated by Satya Vrat Shasri (formerly Professor in Delhi University and JNU, Delhi)

A student should shun the following eight: Passion, Anger, Greed, Relish, Make-up, song and drama shows, too much sleep and flattery.

Chankya Niti, Chapter 11, verse 10

kaamam krodham tathaa svaadam srungarakautuke

atinidraatiseve ca vidhyaarthii hyaashta varjayet

 

xxx

Don’t Teach Dull Students

Even a wise man comes to grief by teaching dull students, by looking after bad women and by keeping company with the miserable.

Chanakya Niti, Chapter 1, verse 4

 

muurkhasishyopadesena dushtastriibaranena ca

dukkitaihi samprayogena panditoapyavasiidati

xxx

 

Bookish Knowledge!

Those who have read books but have not studied with teachers, create no impression in an assembly like women carrying through illicit contact.

Chanakya Niti, Chapter 17, verse 1

 

pustakesu ca yaaadhiitam naadhiitam gurusannidhau

sabhaamadhye na sobhante jaaragarbhaa iva striiyaha

 

xxx

 

Even a single syllable that a teacher teaches a pupil, there is no object in the world by offering which he can repay the debt.

Chanakya Niti, Chapter 15, verse 2

ekamevaaksharam yastu guruhu sishyam prabodayet

pruthivyaa naasti tada dravyam datvaa caanrunii bhavet

xxx

Manu on Students attending Veda Class

2-117. (A student) shall first reverentially salute that (teacher) from whom he receives (knowledge), referring to worldly affairs, to the Veda, or to the Brahman.

2-119. One must not sit down on a couch or seat which a superior occupies; and he who occupies a couch or seat shall rise to meet a (superior), and (afterwards) salute him.

2-120. For the vital airs of a young man mount upwards to leave his body when an elder approaches; but by rising to meet him and saluting he recovers them.

2-121. He who habitually salutes and constantly pays reverence to the aged obtains an increase of four (things), (viz.) length of life, knowledge, fame, (and) strength.

2-122. After the (word of) salutation, a Brahmana who greets an elder must pronounce his name, saying, ‘I am N. N.’

 

This is from second chapter of Manu Smrti.

xxxx

Following Mantra is from the Taittiriya Upanishad, recited just before the class begins:-

ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Saha Naav[au]-Avatu |
Saha Nau Bhunaktu |
Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |
Tejasvi Naav[au]-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: Om, May God Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student) (during the journey of awakening our Knowledge),
2: May God Nourish us Both (with that spring of Knowledge which nourishes life when awakened),
3: May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour (cleansing ourselves with that flow of energy for the Knowledge to manifest),
4: May our Study be Enlightening (taking us towards the true Essence underlying everything), and not giving rise to Hostility (by constricting the understanding of the Essence in a particular manifestation only),
5: Om, Peace, Peace, Peace

 

This shows the highest stage Hindus reached around 1000 BCE. No other culture even thought about such a thing at that time.

 

xxxx SUBHAM xxx