धर्मे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्

It is a happy coincidence that the penultimate blog of the series will be published on गुरु पोर्णिमा / Guru Pournima. This Hinduism counterpart of Teacher’s Day is celebrated on the पोर्णिमा / Full moon day of the month of आषाढ / Ashadh. It is the day to honour and pay obeisance to your Gurus.

It is believed that श्री वेद व्यास / Shri Ved Vyas, who is the Father of the Vedas, the आदि-गुरु / Adi-Guru (first Guru) and has composed the Mahabharata was born on this day. His contribution to literary, philosophical and spiritual thought in Hindusim is so pervasive that it is said - ।। व्यासोच्छिष्टं जगत् सर्वम् ।। The entire world is what is left by Vyasa. Meaning, whatever is there in the world is but the aftermath of Vyasa's wisdom.

Gautama Buddha is also said to have given his first sermon after attaining enlightenment on this day.

Coming right after the Ashadhi Ekadashi, Guru Pournima marks the beginning of the festivals in the holy Chatur-maas period.

We all hear and know of many shlokas, subhashitaani on Guru and their importance. We have also seen a few on learning and knowledge in this blog series itself.

So, instead of writing on yet another such shloka, I thought why not write on what a Guru would like his students to know.

As most of you would be aware, traditionally, the disciple would be गुरु - गृही / Guru-gruhi (at the home of the Guru) for his education. On completing the education, the disciples would go back to their homes. This was a very tender as well as powerful moment. Because the teacher-disciple bond, forged so tight for over 8-9 years, would now be broken.

There was so much to be said, would there be enough time for it?

The तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद् / Taittirya Upanishad gives the set of instructions that a Guru should tell his Shishya when the Shishya would leave on completion of his education – think of it as a valedictory address from the Vedic times!

These set of verses beautifully encapsulate the teachings of the Vedas – (we have covered many of these points in the last 11 months  – like how should one donate, what path should one follow, how should one’s conduct be and so on….)

It starts thus –

सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर ॥ २ ॥ स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः ।सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । कुशलान्न प्रमदितव्यम् ।भूत्यै न प्रमदितव्यम् । स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् ।देवपितृकार्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् ॥ ३ ॥

satyam vada

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The Guru advises the pupil to

Speak the Truth. Follow Dharma (righteous path).

Do not move away from the Study of the Vedas. Having offered money to your teacher, do not cut the line of descendants (i.e. Do reproduce!)

Never err from Truth. Never fall from Duty. Never overlook welfare, well-being, study and seeking knowledge. Do not forsake duties to Gods and Forefathers.

मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ॥ ४ ॥यान्यनवद्यानि कर्माणि । तानि सेवितव्यानि । नो इतराणि ॥ ५ ॥यान्यस्माकं सुचरितानि । तानि त्वयोपास्यानि । नो इतराणि ॥ ६ ॥

matrudevo

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Further, he advises -

Treat your mother as God; your father as God; your teacher as God and your guests as God. Those actions that are not forbidden or are faultless, are to be done; not others. Those actions that are irreproachable, those should be followed by you, not others.

The next verses are on how to respect those who are intellectually superior to you, how should one give daan (with faith, humility, sympathy, benevolence), one’s conduct in society, how one should act if someone is falsely accused.

And then the Guru concludes - एष आदेशः । एष उपदेशः । एषा वेदोपनिषत् । एतदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् । एवमु चैतदुपास्यम् ॥ ११ ॥

esha aadesh

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This is the Direction. This is the Discourse. This is the gist of the Vedas. This is the Command. This should be followed. Thus, verily, this should be the observance of all. (All should follow this only till the very end).

All the wonderful things we have been talking about these past 50 weeks originate in some form or the other from the Vedas – all that is to be learnt is there itself.

Many Kavis, Rishis and Munis have sliced and diced it and presented it to us in many different forms. And I have just been the conduit - the निमित्त-मात्र.

In essence, धर्मे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् – Everything is established in Righteousness (Dharma). If you follow Dharma at every moment of your life, you will have no fear, no sorrow and no dearth of happiness and contentment.

This Guru Pournima, I hope that this small collection of wisdom from our origins, our ancestors and forefathers, will continue to be your Guru, Guide and Preceptor in the years to come!