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Integrated Value Education - India's Contribution to the World

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Integrated Value Education - India's Contribution to the World August - 2012 Odisha Review Integrated Value Education - India's Contribution to the World Vijaya Lakshmi Mohanty In 12th Century king Dhavalachandra asked his gold bangle. He planned to be cautious, so he preceptor in the royal court,Narayan Pandit to asked the tiger, “How can I believe you? I know teach his three naivesons, the art of ruling the state you are a beast and would kill me”. for greater common good.There are so many interesting tales narrated by him in the process of The clever tiger innocently said, “Listen educating the princes. The moral of the story traveller, in my youth, I was wicked dwells on some human values established in an unquestionably, but now I have changed myself. effortless manner. These story collections are With the advice of a saint, I have left all evil. Now called ‘Hitopadesha’. One of the stories is I am all alone in this world and have engaged narrated as follows. myself in kind deeds. Moreover, I have grown old. I have no teeth and my claws are blunt. So, Once upon a time, there lived a tiger in a there is no need to fear me”. The traveller was forest. With the passing years, he became too old taken in by this smart talk and his love for gold to hunt. One day, the tiger was walking by the soon overcame his fear of the tiger. He jumped side of a lake and suddenly, a gold bangle came into the lake to wade across the tiger. across his sight. Quickly he picked up the bangle and thought that he could use it as an allure to But as per the plan of the tiger, he got catch someone. As he was under the thought trapped in the marsh. On seeing this, the tiger process, a traveller happened to pass through the consoled him and said, “Oh ! You need not worry. opposite side of the lake. I’ll help you”. Gradually he came towards the traveller and seized him. As the traveller was being The tiger instantly thought to himself, dragged out, onto the bank, he thought to himself, “What a delicious meal he would make?” He “Oh ! This beast’s talk of saintliness took me in made a plan to attract the traveller. He held the totally. If only I had not let my greed overcome bangle in his paw making it visible to the traveller my reason, I could be alive”. However, it was and said, “Would you like to take this gold bangle ? too late; the tiger killed the traveller and ate him I don’t require it”. At once, the traveller wanted up1. The Moral of the story is ‘Greed never goes to take the bangle, but he hesitated to go near the unpunished’. This is one of the most lucid and tiger. He knew that it was risky, yet he sought the effective ways to teach the youngsters. 85 Odisha Review August - 2012 In 3rd century B.C. such assignment was mirror of the rich cultural past of the land and given toVishnu Sharma. He too taught the constitute an integrated whole of everything that ignorant princes about the conduct of wise person human beings undergo during a life time and even and five principles through animal fables called beyond. Panchatantra.Hitopodesha was inspired by Panchatantra collections, though it had its Vedas also say, ‘Let knowledge come 2 original flavour. Likewise Jataka stories are from all sides . This implies the magnanimity of preached by Lord Buddha in his teachings, and the land in accepting knowledge and scholars from from him his followers learned them and passed every corner of the globe.Chinese Pilgrim Hiuen them into popular use in society. In all Buddhist Tsang appreciated Indian hospitality in his book countries the Jataka tales were the major sources ‘Si- yu-ki’ or ‘The Records of the Western World’. for developing the character of the people and He also mentioned in his book that, education of widely preached by the monks. Even earlier, the the people of India was organized and used to same types of stories were present in Vedic begin at an early age. After the primer had been literature. These texts are translated in many learnt, the boy or girl was supposed to begin the languages and are available in almost all the parts study of the five Shastras at the age of seven. of the globe. Sanskrit literature is full of such ‘Shastras’ are now supposed to mean purely narrations where values are taught in a lucid religious books, but in those days they meant manner for the young mind to practise and follow. knowledge of all kinds. Thus the five Shastras Similarly the ancient India, which comprises were Grammar, Science of arts and crafts, geographically the present day India, Pakistan, Medicine, Logic and Philosophy. The study of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan these subjects went on in the universities and was etc. had a unique history of education, values, usually completed at the age of thirty. Though, science and religion. In fact all the four subjects everyone could not reach the study till thirty years, are integrated into one. There was no separation. but the primary education was comparatively The greatest example is Vedas. Vedas not only widespread, as all the monks and priests were teach us a way of life / Sanatan Dharma ( much the teachers. later described as Hindu Religion) and rituals but also teach Architecture and planning according In ancient India scientists, philosophers to natural laws (Sthapatya Veda, anupaveda of and scholars used to get royal patronage and Rg Veda), science of machines and warfare reverence for their erudition and scholastic (Dhanurveda, an upaveda of Yajurveda), music pursuits. In sixth century AD, the Gupta emperor (Gandharvaveda, anupaveda of Sama Veda), Vikramaditya had Navaratnas( nine gems) in Science of life/ Medical Sciences(Ayurveda, an his court. Kalidas, Varahamihira, Ghatkarpar upaveda of Atharvaveda). Also there are six ,Dhanwantari, Kshapanaka, Shanku, Vedangas viz., Siksa (phonetics), Kalpa(ritual), Amarsimha, Vetalabhatta, Vanaruchi. Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Aryabhatta of Pataliputra ( modern Patna)3 was Chhanda (metre), and Jyotisa (astronomy). also a great mathematician who contributed Though it is difficult to define the sacred texts viz., zero,value of Pie, algebra, quadratic equation etc. Veda, it can emphatically be told that Vedas are a Further, in India spirituality and science were 86 August - 2012 Odisha Review never at loggerhead but they complimented each them, a truly dominated nation.”5 Generations of other.On the contrary, in the west, there were so Indians suffered for Macauley’s education system. many instances of intolerances for the new ideas Though English education opened a gateway to by the religious and political head of the nation. plethora of information, Indians lost its base and Scientists, philosophers and many eminent ethos which cost the country very dear. Social scholars were tortured and even put to death for evils like unemployment cropped up due to the their scholastic outputs. Socrates was asked to absence of traditional vocation (Kaulikavritti). drink poison for his virtue ethics theory and belief.In 1600 AD, Italian scientist and It is observed that, ancient Sanskrit mathematician Giordano Bruno was burnt to death literature proved to be the inspiration of many after seven years imprisonment by the medieval present day inventions. There was mention of Church for his cosmological discovery that sun Pushpaka Vimana ( flying cart) in Ramayan much was essentially a star4. Scientists like Copernicus, before Orville and Wilbur Wright gifted aeroplane Galileo, Descartes, Newton, Halley, Darwin, to the world. Similarly in Mahabharat, queen Hubble et al had to face the wrath of the church Gandhari used the technology of cloning to for their innovative ideas. produce 100 embryos. Though detailed description was not there, there must be some In medieval era India was plundered so technology and experiences which gave rise to many times for its richness and wealth and the such scientific thoughts. Few publications like scientific temper in the royal court gradually Bharat Gyan are proving these ancient historical diminished. Nevertheless, the patronage to art, facts of India through evidences6. We are aware culture was still there. But with the British rule the of great scientists like Einstein and A.P.J Abdul education in India touched an all-time low. In fact Kalam are avid readers of Bhagawat Gita for in 1835 Lord Macaulay’s elaboration in British inspiration and ideas. The ancient science of life, Parliament after his India tour was the beginning Ayurveda is still widely and effectively practised of a planned move to replace the traditional to cure patients. The beauty of Ayurveda is that, education. He is quoted saying the following: “I it does not treat a disease but it treats the patient have travelled across the length and breadth of considering the fact that a human being is India and I have not seen one person who is a constituent of Pancha Mahabhuta. Guidances are beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in given for healthy body and mind considering its this country, such high moral values, people of inherent nature called Prakriti viz., Vata, Pitta such calibre, that I do not think we would ever and Kapha. It heals from within. Other streams conquer this country, unless we break the very of science and Indian philosophy has the potential backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and to be proved as the best in the world. So cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that Education, Human Values, Science and we replace her old and ancient education system, Spirituality are ways of living.
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