Guru THEN and NOW

Guru  ‘Then’ and ‘Now’.

GuruBrahma, GururVishnu, GuruDevo Maheshwaraha. GuruSaakshatPara Brahma TasmaiSree Gurave Namaha
Meaning:Guru is truly the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He creates, sustains knowledge and destroys the weeds of ignorance. I salute such a Guru.
The above shloka is the morning prayer in many of the Indian schools.

Brahma,Vishnu and Maheshwara are the three iconic divine personalities known as the creator of this universe. A ‘Guru’ meaning a teacher is stated as the representative of the creator. This very statement tells us the kind of responsibility a ‘guru’ shoulders in this world.In ancient times, this was not merely a shloka to recite but it was also practiced.

Aristotle wrote “Those who educate the children are more to be honoured than their parents because these give them life but those the art of living well”. Nowhere in this world had the implication of this statement been better implemented than in Ancient India.

Perhaps India is the solitary country in the world where greater importance is attached to the teacher. The success and the achievements of an educational system depend to a great extent on the ideals that animate the teacher and the student, the nature of the relationship that exists between the two.

The profession of a teacher in ancient India had a very high code of honour. The duty of the teacher to transmit knowledge or cultural heritage to the future generation was  imperative. It was his intense desire to handover the culture pattern inherited by him to the younger generation. He could refuse no properly qualified student. In ancient India the transmission of knowledge was oral and the teacher was the sole custodian of knowledge. Without his help no education was possible.

Ancient schools were mostly residential schools. The teacher and the pupils used to stay together until the completion of education. Interestingly, education in India at that time was free; however, students returned the favors by helping the teacher with daily chores.

The teacher constantly guided and inspired his pupils.  He was the central figure and revered by all. His words were respected by all. The teachers of ancient times had played multiple roles and through which they ensured that the students were inspired, made to enjoy the learning process and imbibe their learning in their life, thereafter. Let us take eights synonyms for a teacher found in the Sanskrit language and to find out the different roles they were playing. The eight words are: शिक्षकः (śikṣakaḥ), अध्यापकः (adhyāpakaḥ), प्राध्यापकः (prādhyāpakaḥ), उपाध्यायः (upādhyāyaḥ), महामहोपाध्यायः (mahāmahopādhyāyaḥ) देशिकोत्तमः (deśikottamaḥ), आचार्यः (ācāryaḥ) गुरुः (guruḥ)If we examine these words, it appears that the teachers were able to deal with the student at four different levels; Being a simple teacher of the subject, Developing a deeper appreciation of the subject matter, Inspiring the students by “walking the talk” and Leading students out of darkness into light.

The source of knowledge was only the ‘Guru’. Guru would assess and grade the level of learning of his pupils. He was the sole authoritarian to grant the academic excellence to his pupils and allowed to go find their own way to lead a meaningful life.

Today’s teachers are no more called as ‘Gurus’ except during the sanskrit class. Present teachers have to work under various constrictions.  With demand out-matching the means and resources, the quality of education and individual attention to the pupil has suffered a serious set back. For the teacher, it is lecturing or mass instruction minus character moulding.

The teachers have to follow the  set of rules and techniques to teach and assess the students. A single  teacher in present time does not deal with the student at four levels and is no more a sole authoritarian to assess the student’s  overall performance. This is due to the technological development,exposure to computer world and hierarchical system.

The scope for individualised teacher-student interaction is drastically cut. Teachers are not regarded as the only  source of knowledge. The respect and the devotional feeling towards teachers have vanished. In present days, students forget the teachers who have taught them and engross in the new circumstances and challenges.