ROLE OF SRUTI & SMRITI IN THE INDIAN LEARNING PROCESS

Hindu religious literature, the most ancient writings in the world, is of two types: primary scriptures (Sruti) and secondary scriptures (Smriti). The Sruti scriptures are of divine origin, whose truths were directly revealed to ancient rishis (sages) in their deep meditations. The Smriti scriptures are of human origin and were written to explain the Sruti writings and make them understandable and meaningful to the general population. Sruti scriptures include the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sãma and Atharva) and the Bhagavad Gîtã, and constitute the highest religious authority in Hindu religion. Smriti scriptures include five distinct groups of writings:

• Itihãsas (History or Epics)
• Purãnas (Mythology)
• Dharma Shãstras Law Codes
• Ãgamas & Tantras Sectarian Scriptures.
• Darshanas Manuals of Philosophy

Traditional Indian learning process has emerged from the twin practices of Shruti and Smriti, i.e., Listening and Contemplation, the very basics of effective communication. The various scriptures have come down to modern through the process of these two methods. The various “complex Truths “of the world have been passed down form “mouth-to-ear” in an encrypted form – Shlokas. These have a basic meaning and several levels of deeper meanings.

Instead of writing them, they were told verbally.

When we listen we have both subjective aspect and objective aspect to the listening, (while when we read a written matter, the subjective aspect is most predominant). So each individual starts interpreting both subjectively and objectively in his own unique manner. There are discussions and debates and point of views which result in going deeper levels of understanding the “hidden secrets” through Smriti that is contemplation.

Everyone thus goes through the alternating cycle of Shruti and Smriti continuously like a communication loop.

It ensures that the learner identifies the subjectivity of his understanding and separates it from the objectivity of his understanding, thereby the ‘issue” from the “personality”

In the corporate world today there is an emphasis on Communication, especially effective listening. Many senior managers in spite of being “successful” seem to be poor listeners. Many a time, Corporate Communication has different interpretations with various managers. The cultivation of Shruti & Smriti methods is very useful in these contexts. In fact, Corporate Training is including such modules involving, reading, listening and contemplation Cases, more to develop soft skills than analytical skills.

DHYANA | MIND STILLING

Mind stilling is a form of mind control thorough careful thought channeling. We are a “storm“of mixed thoughts most of the time. Every time we want to concentrate or focus, we find ourselves “making efforts” to concentrate or focus. The mind i. e. the Mano Maya Kosha follows the streaming principle like water. If thoughts are “forced” to be contained then the thoughts “fill” the same very “container”. On the other hand if the thoughts are “left alone” and just observed, they take a natural course of flow, which does not ‘disturb” the individual with opposing and mixed thoughts.

Mind stilling is a process in which thought streaming is “observed” by the individual without any “effort”. This is taught by a qualified Master. While observing the thoughts, a stage comes when the thoughts are seen to flow and their randomness does not affect the individual. The individual takes the position of an “observer” rather than a “involved particiapant”. The dissociation of the person from the thoughts through observation leads to disidentification of the thoughts as “mine”. Hence the mind gradually becomes calm and still. Hence the term Mind stilling.

Dhyana is a form of meditation. By adopting a calm disposition, the individual does observation of a form or chants a mantra. There is a focus but without effort. It is more of a happening rather than a doing. Initially it starts with a guidance through effort, till the observation starts. Then on, the observer takes over and acceptance follows. For Dhyana to be effective, the prescribed conditions are calmness, let-go, observation, effortlessness or minimum effort. The key is to not to put in effort and thus keep the stress totally out.

LEADERSHIP - INDIAN CONTEXT | DHARMIC LEADERSHIP

 Leadership is the natural ability of any individual to direct any one or a group of people towards getting some goal accomplished.

Leadership in the Indian context is a “build-up” process. It an overall build-up of various human attributes that one builds up from his younger days to be accepted as a Leader.

Leadership in the Indian context has its foundations on ethical base and character of the individual. They are paramount for a person to be accepted as a Leader. Results have to ensue from a strong ethical base and character (following the Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha path).

As a result of his ethical behavior and moral practices, he commands respect and inspires others to follow him. Thus he commands, rather than demands respect.

Such people who have rigorously lived a Dharmic life automatically qualify to be a Leader, and when they run businesses they run Dharmic businesses, based on human values and relationships leading to profits.

Unlike in the Indian context Leaders in the West are driven by tangible factors of achievement and material success. As a matter of fact, leaders in West are focused on issues of dominant leadership, where leaders are glorified and talked about as super achievers, with media exposure. In the Indian context, on the other hand, Leaders emerge from a background that comes from acceptance by society, (because of the virtues) and not by “being thrust” upon them. He is pleasantly and willingly accepted as a leader more by nomination than by “thrust and domination”. Indian leaders are accepted as leaders only when they are seen to be Dharmic in action, whereas the Western leaders are accepted as leaders when they are result-oriented and goal focused, the Dharmic part of the task, being given a secondary or little importance (more by default rather than design).

Leadership is symbolic of hero worship in the Indian context, because the Indian leader is seen as a paragon of virtue from which emerges results and goal achievement. While in the Western context, the Leadership symbolism is functional in content. Beyond the functional aspect, there is hardly any “mass hysteria” over the Leadership position.

 

DHARMIC LEADERSHIP

We have come across principle-centered Leadership which Stephen Covey talks about. Simply stated, Dharmic Leadership is an all-encompassing approach towards leading people into goal achievement. It emphasizes as much on the means as on the ends. In fact, there is a greater emphasis on the means.

Dharmic Leadership is based on the concept of Dharma, which includes the path of Truth & Righteousness. In the corporate context, to be a Dharmic Leader is not easy. On one hand we have the challenges of performance in a highly competitive marketplace, while on the other hand we have the brand/image of the company to be maintained in the marketplace as a truly fair and ethical player.

 While in the past due to certain compulsions, companies “mindlessly” and/or “ignorantly” emphasized on results (ends) and did not give importance to the means, in the global businesses of today, companies have increasingly become conscious of their brand and image. To create an enduring true brand, one needs to be value-centered, in other words Dharmic centered. Hence Dharmic Leadership is more relevant today and imperative to be understood and followed and propagated.

PURUSHARTHA (INDIAN CONCEPT)

There are four stages man is prescribed through in rightful living. They are collectively known as Purushartha. This consists of Dharma, Artha, Kaama Moksha.  These are comparable with the Western model of Maslow’s Pyramid of Hierarchy of Needs. While Maslow’s Model addresses need fulfillment, Purushartha model addresses the duty-based necessary and sufficient that is a must for appropriate spiritual growth.

In the Purushartha model we have Dharma taking the first and foremost stage through an individual is duty-bound to start his life learning process. Largely, this stage is characterized by Value-sowing and nurturing and strengthening the character and ethical base of the individual at the early age. “Catch them young” is the approach. Dharma is the path of righteousness and truth. This “training” is imparted through the “hard approach” through the rigorous but highly effective Gurukul method of education.

After the “convocation” the student returns to his abode (home) and enters into the next stage. He enters into the next stage of life duty, Artha fulfillment, meaning the creation of material wealth through Dharma path and setting up his home and making himself self-sufficient and adequately comfortable. This again is a duty, not a whim which one could “take it or leave it”

Having made himself comfortable materially, man enters into fulfilling his desires in the Kaama stage of duty fulfillment, in which he is prescribed to fulfill all his desires with Dharma as the guideline following the path of moderation (not overindulging, neither repressing his desires).This includes settling with a married partner, having a family, raising children, nurturing them and sowing Values in them (all activities of involved living, in short)

The last duty for man should strive to fulfill is the attainment of Moksha. In the Kaama stage, he goes through involved living of life. Although it is prescribed that he has fulfill his Kaama tendencies through moderation, man tends to overindulges or underindulges as a result he experiences a certain attachment with his “not fully experienced and not fully expressed” desires. Through understanding and careful steps he should address these issues and enter into Moksha stage, where the individual enters into transcending (going beyond the twin attributes of attraction and repulsion, not getting affected by the extremes, by joy or sorrow). He practices the wise art of detachment both mentally and physically from the world of interaction, involvement and indulgence. At the end he is “ready” to meet the Creator through “shedding his mortal coil” (physical death) into the life thereafter. This stage is prescribed to make the transition spiritually easier and meaningful and less painful.

One could compare the Purushartha model with Maslow’s Pyramid. The basic notable difference is that in the Indian context need fulfillment has to happen with Dharma as the first stage not through the physical need fulfillment as the first stage. Artha, Kaama Moksha stages are similar to the five stages of the Maslow’s Pyramid, with the additional base at the base of Dharma.

RUNA - AN INDIAN CONCEPT

CONCEPT OF RUNA (DEBT)

In the Indian context, when a person is born, he brings with him three debts (Runas), which he is supposed to repay as his duty.

These are a) Pitr Runa:  Debt towards forefathers

                b) Deva Runa: Debt towards the Creator

                c) Acharya/Guru Runa:   Debt towards the Teacher, usually a spiritual Master.

Each of these debts emerge from the fact that these three sources are responsible for our (re)birth from the previous birth. Although these are termed as Runa – Debt, they are to be considered as duties to be fulfilled for an individual's spiritual progress. Instead of getting bogged down to “repaying” these debts grudgingly, one must repay these with a sense of understanding, gratitude and reverence. Many are not even aware of these Debts to be “repaid” and carry on with their lives “ignorantly”.

Let’s analyze these debts.

a)     Pitr Runa: All the ancestors of a lineage by virtue of their fulfillment of their duties and understanding the spiritual context of life, through the path of rightful living, created families, by having children after marriage and their children in turn did the same down the lineage. The creation of children is perceived not as a mere “product of sexual pleasure” but more as a repayment of what the ancestors have paid us being instrumental in giving us birth. In fact, the context of having children is a “duty-based repayment” course of action. Thus the repayment of this “debt” is prescribed through the simple act of having children through marriage and raising a family. By doing this the individual is said to repay the Pitr Runa.

b)     Deva Runa :  The world in which we are born consists of beauty and bounty from the Creator, naturally endowed by the Almighty for our consumption and benefit. The creation around us is taking care of us by satisfying our physical, emotional, spiritual needs and even more. We take Creation for granted most of the time. Through the prescribed act of Dana (Charity) we are expected to fulfill the debt of Deva Runa. Through Dana, we are also ensuring that we don’t get greedy and that we lead a balanced need-based living.

c)     Acharya/Guru Runa: The teacher has an important role in traditional Indian ethos. The teacher is not an ordinary teacher who transfers knowledge to students. He imbibes values and character-forming habits and puts the student on the self- transformation path. He gives the students inputs through multiple dimensional training & an inner confidence of facing life  without any “crutches”. Thus his role is of a larger significance. The repayment of this debt is through ensuring that we pass on the knowledge to others down the line, through Jnyana Dana. In simple terms, it is considered that knowledge cannot be “cornered” within oneself alone. It becomes truly useful only when it is shared through transference. It must be remembered that Guru Dakshina is a gratitude paid by the Shishaya to the Guru on his own, not a compulsion, while transfer of knowledge is a duty and a prescribed repayment to be done.

To sum it up, all Runas are repaid through selfless duty-bound service (Nishkama Karma).By doing so we constantly remind ourselves that we need to be grateful to our parents and ancestors, the Creator, and the Master. While our ancestors facilitate our presence in this material world, our Guru through his spiritual excellence adds immense value to us and the Creator of course sets the wonderful backdrop/setting for all this to happen.

ASHRAMA SYSTEM IN INDIA

THE ASHRAMA / ASRAMA SYSTEM IN INDIA

The Ashramas consists of the stages which a man goes through during the process of physically growing up. In the Indian context, there are four stages: Brahmacharyashrama, Grahastahrama, Vanaprasthashrama and Sannyasashrama.

Each of these is stages have been prescribed certain do’s and don’ts and certain disciplines, appropriate to the spiritual progress of the individual.

Brahmacharya is the first stage in the life of an individual. It is the stage from childhood to premarital youth stage. This is the learning stage of life when the entire focus is only transformational education involving learning multiple skills and developing oneself to facing life after. Usually this stage is spent at the Gurukul under a competent master, the Guru.

Grahastashrama is the stage when the grown up and learned youth enters into family life by getting married and raising a family and nurturing the children. The upkeep and the well being of the family is reinforced by the individual at this stage of life, so as to make the family members self sufficient and confident to face life.

Vanaprashthashrama is the stage where the individual having done his basic duties for the family, prepares to withdraw from active involvement into passive presence. This stage is prescribed for various deeper reasons. Firstly, to make the individual develop a detachment towards worldly attachments. It starts with mental processes of detaching through reducing involvement in family and social life. Secondly, Vanaprasthashrama prepares the individual to face the imminent separation from the material world – for death. Thirdly, this stage takes the individual through mentorship and from an adviser to the family to a detached individual.

Sannyashrama is the stage when the individual physically withdraws from all family and social ties and goes to seclusion of the forest. The purpose is to introspect and prepare him to “meet the Creator” and make the transition from living world to the next world.

These stages are prescribed to have a disciplined progress towards our only Goal of life, viz. returning to the Source from where we all emerge.