Role and Importance of Gurukula System
Vande guruparaṃparāṃ
(I bow down to the lineage of guru’s order)
Introduction
The Sanskrit word Guru means the dispeller of
darkness or the one who leads us towards the light of immortal wisdom. In Indian culture Guru is the soul preserver and guide of one’s life. He is the
moral, ethical and spiritual support and also the light bearer in the lowest
times who shows the path of four purusharthas (four human goals) –Dharma (righteousness) , Artha (wealth), Kama (desires) and Moksha
(salvation). Guru is given the utmost respect right after one’s mother and
father. He is even seen as the supreme soul himself*[1].
So unlike the English words “Teacher” or “Master”, which are used to synonymies
with the word Guru, are completely inefficient. The culture of Sanatana dharma depicts six types of
Gurus according to their attributes, i.e.- 1) the one who inspires, 2) one
who reforms, 3) one
who recites, 4) one who guides , 5) one who
teaches, and 6) one who awakens*[2].
So,
from fine to gross, from micro to macro and from finite to infinite Guru’s
influence is inseparable from Indian life and culture.
Now,
Gurukula means abode (Kula) of the
Guru or in gross sense a residential arrangement for students in Guru’s house
for his learning purpose. Often, Gurukulas are located at places enmeshed in
absolute serenity, far from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is living in
close proximity of a Guru, where greater emphasis is laid on student’s mental,
cognitive, spiritual and physical wellness.
Tracing back Gurukula’s past—
With
the historical dating of the Vedas, the Gurukula System can also be found parallely
in the same time period. Gurukula system
has a vibrant and substantial place in Indian history, holding prominence over
the sheer quality of education disseminated. The stories of great Guru-shisya e.g.
Udvalak and aaruni , Nachiketa and Yama and so on from the Vedanta themselves are enough evidence to predate and
prove the existence of Gurukula System upto 5000 BC approximately. The two great epics Ramayana
and Mahabharata both depicts proves the Gurukula paramapara of Vasistha ,
Vishwamitra and Dronacharya. The word Bhārata, not
only conveys the progenies and the land of King Bharata but also the land of
knowledge acquiring people (Bhā – Knowledge, rata – engaged). It
bolsters the point that Gurukula system is not only a well praised ancient
education system but also a system patronized by the royal rule for king making
and nation building producing best of the warriors, scholars, doctors, artists
and so on.
Though, in 1835 Mr. Macaulay’s
parliamentary report or in actuality the heinous conspiracy to break Indian
culture and education was the introduction of foreign education. This was
further propelled by the Wood’s dispatch in 1856 introducing English education
and prioritizing its importance in then society to get a lucrative blue blood
job. These laws not only deprioritized Gurukula system but degraded and with
time almost annihilated the most ancient and effective system in its own land. Many
voices and endeavors emerged against this suppression during the colonial
period such as B.G.Tilak, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Swami Vikananda, Dayananda
Saraswati, Rishi Aurovindo and many more bright minds for the uprising and
revival of Gurukula system in India. Some even succeeded to hold the grip too,
for example—Dayananda Saraswati’s establishment of Arya Samaj on 10th
of April 1875, which started the Gurukula System again for the first time after
British invasion. In 1948, Shastriji Maharaj Shree Dharajivan Das Swami founded
Swaminarayana Gurukula in Rajkot, Gujart of India.
Features of Gurukula System
The
Gurukula System is a system of practical education. Unlike today , it is
system of growing with the nature and not against it. In the words of Swami
Vivekananda - “it is a man making system” . Some of the most pertinent features
of Gurukula System are ---
1)
Guru arranges residential ambiance for the students.
2)
Students are initiated with Upanayana (Sacred thread initiation) and
diksharambha.
3)
Guru will empower the student according to his inclination and goal.
4)
No monthly or yearly fees are asked from the student in return except the
Gurudakshina at the end of the education which is given by the student
according to his will.
5)
The education is practical and done through learn while doing way.
6)
The student should be in Brahmacharya (restraining sexual desire) during
the period of education.
7)
The student is educated in all the aspects of 64 ancient arts (including divine,
vocational education and self defense) with Vedic knowledge.
8)
At the end of the education period a Dikshanta samaroha (convocation
meeting) will be arranged where students are advised to follow the orders of
Gurukula discipline through out their life to be a full flourished social being
that is embossed with nationalism, spirituality and sense of pure welfare.
Importance
of Gurukula System-
Gurukula System, as
misunderstood today is not obsolete. It is the most effective and the most
plausible way of teaching even in
today’s world. Some of the most important points regarding the question of why Gurukula system is so important are as
projected below –
1)
Unlike the monotonous bookish education today, a
Gurukula system gives more importance upon first hand knowledge through work
and learns process. It is a system where even the most abstract philosophical
ideas are experimented and grasped accordingly.
2)
It is a holistic system of education, where every
aspect of a personality is stimulated to bloom.
3)
Gurukula System gives more importance upon inculcating ethical and moral values before venturing
society. Unlike today’s downfall of moral and ethical values among youngsters,
Gurukula system looks more into the personality development first which will
decide their education eventually.
4)
Parallel to the growth of personality and mind,
the Gurukula System also gives importance upon physical growth and strength
building. The Kusti parampara (wrestling order) is still alive in many
Gurukulas in India even today.
5)
Gurukula students become more disciplined and
organized. The idea of a scheduled and well planned life is instilled in their soul,
that for whole life they become equipped enough to maintain their time no
matter how harsh the condition they face.
6)
The students in Gurukula are taught to respect
everyone irrespective of their caste, creed, ethnicity, culture, religion and
perspective. Even in ancient times, except some special Gurukulas almost were
available to the common people. (The idea of caste based bifurcation came later
as a result of scriptural misinterpretation)
7)
Gurukula system emphasizes upon concentration on
every student. So, the students were given the utmost interest personally.
8)
The soul ideology of Gurukula system is ‘making
man with humble but strong values’. The idea of ‘simple living and high
thinking’ is the common ground of all the Gurukulas for which ‘bhiksha vratam’
(penance of begging) was exercised by the students.
In today’s world, with the
alarming peak of rising crimes mainly among the under aged youth , a way out is
all we need and searching for. The drastic increase in drug and alcohol
addiction, premature birth, rape cases, sexual abuse, human trafficking and
religious conflicts are needed to address now before being late. Gurukula
System is not only a man making system, it is also a system with the
philosophy of “universal brotherhood” (vasudhaiva
kutumbakam) and respect. It creates a group of such future people, who have
both morally high ideals and also practical knowledge of dealing things in
society. Dharma ( righteousness) is the soul of Gurukula system. It is Dharma
alone for which the war of Kurukshetra was aged between own relatives. Women
are respected in Gurukula system as shakti (strength) and mother.
Swami Vivekananda reasonably quoted
– “ The main difference between Indian and western society is that, in western
society except the own mother and sister, every other women is seen as a wife,
on the contrary in Indian society,
except the wife the whole women at large are seen as mother and sister”. This
is the ideology of Gurukula System. It
is the only system that gave birth the bold and great personalities such as –
Shri Rama, Arjuna, Bhishma and so on.
Circumfering the past and present of Gurukula System it can be said after a historical analysis that, the great historical and cultural value of Gurukula System was envied and threatened the invaders and separatists from time to time. The memorable historical example was the instance of Alexander and Ambhi. They felt Taxila Gurukulam as major threat against them as thousands of students stood united against such powers for their beloved motherland. The students were both mentally and physically strong and filled with velour with such will of ready to die for their land and dignity. Understanding the significance of Gurukulas in preserving and securing India’s culture, education and security, the Britishers well planned to rule India through the deviation and at the annihilation of Gurukula System. They not only started to project this system as a savage one but also tried to demolish it’s historical and cultural importance by attacking Sankrit language. The well planned such ways and sent pseudo scholars of Indology and Sanskrit such as Max Müller who intentionally tricked Sanskrit again and again but ended up in as Mokshamula Bhatta. The epitome of knowledge is Sanskrit and the abode of such epitome is Gurukula System. The majesty of Gurukula is at such a pinnacle that though you might not express your respect but you have to believe in your core. Even he Max Müller himself assented the greatness of India in a meeting of ICS as “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has almost fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered over the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention of those who have studied Plato and Kant—I should point to India. And if I were to ask myself from what literature we here in Europe, we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of Greeks and Romans and of one Semitic race , the Jewish, may draw the corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly a human life, not for this life only, but a transfigured and eternal life—again I should point to India.”
Today even in foreign places like Antwerp of Belgium are establishing Gurukula for the propagation Sanskrit and Vedic knowledge among the young minds. Gurukula System builds such deeply level of determination, focus, concentration and infallible foundation of personality that not only helps in mindful as well as soulful people in society unlike the modern education system which seems to be devoid of such essence. The modern education system promotes not only soulless but a mindless acquisition of knowledge to suit a vocational pursuit which can be seen clearly by the criminal and lousy outputs from the youngest generation today.
India
with its turbulent history has seen many ups and down throughout the time.
Here, education has been the most opted and inclined aspect or an avenue of
expressing human completeness into a more transcending state. The serious shortcomings while nurturing the
young generation today can only be addressed viably on the Gurukula framework.
The kernel of Gurukula system sanctifies the core of a human being. We are not
only beings with complex analytical thoughts, ideas or emotions but spiritual
beings too. Gurukula System perhaps could be the most efficient and reasonable
education system which leads to a metamorphosis of human to its original divine
existence through a harmonious living and experiencing oneness with the
universe.
Moreover, it is the only education system that has been
prevalent since time immemorial producing millions of bright minds in all possible
fields via- mathematics (Vedic ganitam), alchemy(rasayana shstram), poetics
(alankara shastram), aeronautics(
vaimanika shastram), logic (tarkashastram), grammer (vyakarana shastram),
literature (kavya shstram) and so on. From mathematicians like Aryabhatta,
Bhaskaracharya, scientists such as Barahamihira, physicians such as Sushruta
and Charaka , poets such as Banabhatta and Bhasa and philosophers such as Adi Shankaracharya and Gautama all were the gems of this Gurukula System itself.
So,
concluding the discussion by contemplating upon several practical grounds of
education it can be boldly said that Gurukula System has the utmost importance
in catalyzing education system for the betterment of mankind. It is not mere a system ; it is a man making
system.
“Namo
gurave parama swarupaya”
(I bow down to the supreme manifestation of guru)
Written by- Dipankar Bhattacharya
[1]* गुरुर्ब्रह्मा
गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुर्साक्षात्परम्ब्रह्मः तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः।।
[2] * प्रेरकः सूचकश्चैव वाचको दर्शकस्तथा ।
शिक्षको बोधकश्चैव षडेते गुरवः स्मृताः ।।
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