Ranisha Agrawal
Editorial Writer
From Ramayan, we get to learn a bundle of captive and crucial things. Some of them are that we should always respect our elders, and be loyal and committed to our duties. These are some things that any of us would say are the qualities and abilities which a good human should possess.
It is said that both teachers and doctors are considered next to god. It is said that “Acharya Devo Bhava” (Teacher is God) and “Vaidyo Narayanao Harih” (Doctor is Narayana Himself). These people are ultimate knowledge givers and lifesavers, but with time we humans changed the perception of history in a pessimistic way. Selfishness, arrogance, and bad deeds opted as a path and profession whose aim is for service turned its face.
Education around 5000 BC, during the Vedic age, was through Gurukul where the main focus was to impart education to students and shishyas lived with each other with brotherhood, humanity, love, and discipline. The focus was also given to arts, sports, crafts, and singing which developed their intelligence and critical thinking. Activities such as yoga, meditation, mantra chanting, etc generated positivity and peace of mind and made them fit, which helped in their personality development and increased their confidence, sense of discipline, intellect, and mindfulness which is necessary even today to face the world that lay ahead. Unfortunately, the modern system of education which came to India in the year 1835 by Lord Macauley is all about the rat race and beating others. There is a total absence of personality development, the creation of moral conscience, and ethical training. ‘Gurudakshina’ was a token of respect paid to the teacher but now the education system is commercialized and is considered a business to make a profit. We humans ought to follow the legacy of our ancestors, but what we made the education system is fallacious. Here history has been shaped in a bleak manner. The ideology of a balanced life, with hard work, was the aim of the Gurukul system which turned upside down in the new era. Meanwhile earlier vaidyas, hakims were life savers and were not selfish for saving a life. Helping nature, wisdom, and a sense of responsibility was deeply rooted. Nowadays life savers are called doctors. Not for all but health care has become a business where ‘money is valued more than a person’s life. What we call “kalyug” is showing its wrath on the deeds of humanity. ‘Teachers’ and ‘Doctors’ are losing their optimistic and kind image in the ocean full of money. Teachers helping in leaking exam question papers, another day I opened the television and saw video clips of two doctors abusing females who were arrested. This is how history has evolved in a disastrous manner where the credit goes to the cruel mankind. Hindus have a diverse culture. There are many different ways Hinduism is practiced throughout the country. Do you believe in every belief your parents tell you or does your religion follow from the past? Don’t you follow everything blindly whatever is taught to you? Sometimes yes sometimes maybe. Every belief has a reason behind it and it is up to us whether we want to follow it or not. But certain older practices have been molded in such a manner that no longer the history and the truth is reflected in our present actions.