Gurukul Culture

Swami Sivananda Saraswati

There is a wide gulf when comparing the present education system with the ancient gurukul system. When students finished their course of study, the rishis would give further instructions:

“Speak the truth. Do your duty. Do not swerve from the truth. Maintain your welfare and prosperity. Uphold the learning and teachings of the Vedas. May the mother be your God. May the father be your God. Only perform actions which are blameless. Focus on performing good works and nothing else.”

Every student in the gurukul had a knowledge of pranayama, mantra, yogasana, the Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Upanishads. Every student possessed the qualities of humility, selfrestraint, obedience, spirit of service and self-sacrifice, a courteous nature and last but not least a desire for acquiring atmajnana, knowledge of the Self. This was the predominant feature of the ancient culture.