Significance of Education
“Wealth of education is much better than the accepted wealth
of gold, jewelry, house, land and other
things. It is because wealth of education is invisible to thieves and burglars!
Hence it is difficult to steal it like gold, cash and other valuable objects.
It is difficult to earn money and it entails great suffering. But education
gives the owner permanent happiness. Ordinary wealth diminishes as one enjoys
or offers it to others. But the wealth of education does never decrease when
shared by others! Actually it increases. It is eternal in spite of many deluges! Unlike
the outward wealth, wealth of education is well protected within the person
himself. Kings, the owners of external wealth, should treat such educated
scholars with utmost respect and dignity."
Bharthruhari declares
that it is impossible for any person to steal the skill and scholarship of the
educated man.”Creator Brahma, in his anger, may cause the lotus pond to dry up and
prevent his ‘vahana’ the Swan from enjoying,
but he cannot take away the wonderful skill of the swan in separating milk and
water? Similarly, a king, in his anger,
can drive away the scholar from his kingdom, but never take away the skill and
scholarship of the educated man!"
What is the
ornament for man? “Keyura’ an ornament for the shoulder is not an ornament at
all for a scholar! Bright and radiant
and spotlessly white garlands of pearls are no more the ornaments for the
educated individual! A fresh bath, sandal paste, beautiful fragrant flowers
like the jasmine or fine braided locks of hair are not his ornaments! It is
good, pure, and grammatical speech alone that is the ornament for man. All
other ornaments are transitory and perish soon. It is speech the everlasting
ornament for man! It is education that makes man shine radiantly without jewels
and garlands! It is very neatly concealed within and is useful even after a
long time. It is the cause for all luxuries, renown and happiness. It is the
preceptor of preceptors and teaches what is prescribed and proscribed! It is
your relative in foreign lands. Like the Absolute it offers salvation or
similar to your personal God’ all worldly pleasures! Education and scholarship
is praised by Kings.Thescholar is honoured in the king’s court! Ordinary wealth
or money has no such qualities! Hence one who has no education or scholarship
is devoid of the knowledge of what to do and what not to do! As such he is
equal to an animal."
The poet
describes what is prescribed and forbidden for man and establishes that
education is the greatest wealth—‘iswarya’. "Man can come out of suffering if he
has patience. There cannot be any other enemy to create havoc and spoil the mind like anger! A few heirs
are enough to destroy all property! No other medicine for robust health is
needed if there is a good friend! No serpent is needed to kill if evil company
is near! No other wealth is necessary if pure unalloyed education is present to enjoy all pleasures! No other ornament is
needed if the greatest ornament modesty is present! No kingdom is needed to rule over people if
you are a great poet and a distinguished scholar!"
The poet counsels that great scholars and poets should never be disgraced! His wealth, worthless like the grass broom, can never bind them. Can the soft lotus stalks control the rogue elephant that has run amuck? Similarly
The poet counsels that great scholars and poets should never be disgraced! His wealth, worthless like the grass broom, can never bind them. Can the soft lotus stalks control the rogue elephant that has run amuck? Similarly
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