Nature and Role of ‘Guru’ in Ancient India and its Relevance to the Modern Education System

Abstract

The two important pillars of the education system are the teacher and the student. One is the giver of knowledge and the other is the receiver. No matter how interesting, scientific and up-to-date the teaching content, curriculum, teaching methods are; if those two pillars are weak, then the entire education system is bound to collapse. The education system that we are witnessing at the present time has various up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge, advanced and scientific teaching methods. Highly educated teaching staff and capable students who have made their mark in various fields. But despite all this, the decline of society, the lack of real education is being observed. The reflection of book knowledge is not seen in life. If we review the history of human civilization, then we can find such a successful education system that makes life beautiful, removes all the filth from society and shows it the path from darkness to light. The ultimate conclusion of Vedic knowledge is in the Upanishads. The basic tone of the Guru-Shishya tradition is set within the Upanishad verses. The tender disciple will come with a pure, inquisitive mind, untainted, and undefiled, to the wise, restrained, father-like Guru, where he will sit in solitude and receive the teachings of life in silence. The nature of the Guru, the master of this knowledge sacrifice, his role in the life of the disciple, his duties, etc., are echoed in the Upanishads. Sometimes as a father, he taught the arrogant son to know the true knowledge by hand, sometimes as a husband, he advised the true nature of the Self to his wife. Sometimes God Himself incarnated as the Guru, and sometimes the disciple was educated through the teachings of nature. In various anecdotes in the Upanishads such as Chandvayogi, Brihadaranyaka, Shvetasvatara, Katha, etc., the nature of the Guru and his greatness in the field of education are described. There is no distinction of caste-religion, male-female, high-low, etc. in the Upanishad education system. The present article discusses the nature of the Guru as described in the Upanishads, his role and duties in education, which are also applicable and desirable in the education of the present era.