Immortal Values : 3.

04/06/2018
3.The great qualities that the teacher has insisted upon are:

(a) The practice of what is right and proper as indicated in the scriptures (ritam);
(b) Living up to the ideals that have been intellectually comprehended during the studies (satyam);
(c) Aspirit of self – sacrifice and self – denial (tapas);
(d) Control of the senses (dama);
(e) Tranquillity of the mind (sama);
(f) Maintenance of a charitable and ready kitchen at home in the service of all deserving hungry fellow beings (agni);
(g) Practice of concentration and ritualism through fire worship as was in vogue in the society of those days; and
(h) Doing one’s duty towards humanity, towards one’s children and grandchildren and towards the society.

Continuing the “Convocation Address”, the teacher says: Having taught the Vedas, the preceptor enjoins the pupil: “Speak the truth, do your duty, never swerve from the study of the Vedas; do not cut off the line of descendants in your family, after giving the preceptor the guru dakshina. Never deviate from the truth, never fail in your duty, never overlook your own welfare, never neglect your prosperity, never neglect the study and the propagation of the Vedas.”

After the studies, before the students are let out to meet their destinies in their independent individual life as social beings, the teacher gives his exhortation, which comprises, we might say, “Vedanta in practice”.

To be continued ..