Character Matters More Than Memory for Learning Vedas and Shastras

In the olden days, the teaching methods were not just teaching and learning. Even subjects as elaborate as Vedas and shastras were just transferred to the shishya just like that — in a split second. But the Guru had to be convinced about the maturity and eligibility of the shishya. There was no entrance exam for this. The Guru observed the shishya over years, taking him in at a very young age and moulding his character to become eligible to be a recipient of knowledge.

The focus was on moulding the character of the child, not on transfer of knowledge. That, they knew, is not all that difficult. The point is that, if you are eligible, then knowledge will naturally flow into you — like how water naturally flows from a high place to a low place.

We have already seen two examples of this — stories of Aaruni and Upamanyu. They were both shishyas of Dhaumya. Dhaumya had one more shishya — his name was Veda.

When Veda came to Dhaumya for the first time, Dhaumya said, 'Ok, I will take you in. Do whatever I tell you.' From that time, Dhaumya made him toil like a bull — one task after another, no time to rest, eat, or sleep. But Veda went about doing everything that the Guruji asked, without a murmur, without any protest — happily, enthusiastically. He knew that whatever was happening was for his own good. At that young age also, that child had so much of understanding.

Today, we are concerned about the homework. Why is the teacher giving so much homework?

Here, in the cases of Aaruni, Upamanyu and Veda, three different aspects of the shishya’s behaviour are revealed. They are not the same.

In the case of Aaruni — he was given a simple task, a casual task you can call it. The bund at the paddy field is broken — go and fix it. When he went there, he couldn’t do it. So he lay down where the bund was broken and stopped the water. No matter how small, casual, or silly a task the Guru gives, shishya has to fulfil it.

When Dhaumya realized that Aaruni had developed this attitude — never to challenge the Guru, question his capability or intention — he transferred all knowledge to Aaruni. This was his test for Aaruni.

In the case of Upamanyu, Dhaumya the Guru kept on blocking every means of his getting food. As Upamanyu kept on discovering newer and newer ways to get food — food to survive — Dhaumya kept on blocking them. Dhaumya was testing him: Will he ever violate the instruction of the Guruji? It was a question of life and death for Upamanyu.

This process went on for months. At the end, when Dhaumya realized, 'Yes, this boy is mature enough now, even in the face of death, he will not violate my instructions — that much inner strength he has developed,' then Dhaumya blessed him with all knowledge — in an instant.

Here, in the case of Veda, it is task after task — back-breaking tasks. Dhaumya is testing — when will he break? Will he ever break? Will desperation come into him? Will frustration come into him? Will he revolt?

When Dhaumya realized, 'No, he won’t,' then he blessed him with all knowledge — Vedas, shastras, everything — then said, 'Son, you can go home now. Your education is complete.'

People say, 'I want to learn Vedas.' See the kind of quality required in the shishya to really learn the Vedas and shastras. It is not memory. It is not grasping power. It is character.

Memorizing a few mantras or even the whole Veda Samhita is not learning of Vedas. If Veda has to reside in you, show you the path in every step of your life, then you need such qualities in you, such strength in you, such understanding in you. That is the real learning of Vedas — for which purity of character is essential.

Learning and memorising is not the real learning of Vedas. Making yourself eligible to have Veda inside you — making yourself a seat fit enough for the Vedas — is the real task.

This is why in the olden days they insisted that the child should go to the gurukul at the age of 5 or 6 or 7. Because at that age the world would not have corrupted him. At an advanced age, when the world has already corrupted you, then the purpose of learning becomes something else — to become a purohit and make it your livelihood, to show off that you are knowledgeable.

For such people, it is the regular mugging up and memorizing. This is not the real Vedadhyayana.

Dhaumya is showing us the real gurukula system — to make the disciple eligible to take the knowledge inside. This is what the Guru is doing. Then the knowledge is instantly transferred. They don’t have to sit and memorize thousands of scriptures. The content of all that will occur to them whenever required.

See another thing — the way each one passes out. There is a test. There is a passing out exam — rather, a series of tests. But not about what they learned. The transfer of knowledge happens at the time of passing out. It is not a test of their knowledge. It is a test of their eligibility. Then the knowledge is transferred in a split second.

'Now go home. You have learned everything.'

Today, if you see gurukuls, exams are conducted in the conventional way, like any other subject. But it was not like that in those days. There was no such exam. It was only a samskara, which is called samavartana — a ceremonious bath making the student a snataka, meaning someone who has taken bath.

He has taken bath means his character formation is complete. He has acquired knowledge.

Sage Vyasa is revealing here what is the real purpose of education. It is character formation — to make the child into a good human being. Not to enable him for some livelihood — making him or her into a doctor, engineer or software professional.

See how much we have fallen from the high standards that we maintained — to what level we have fallen. And we consider ourselves to be evolving, progressing as a society.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi