After studying for a few years, staying in the Guru's (teacher) house and successfully completing the tests conducted by the Guru, the disciples were ready to return home.
The Guru wanted to conduct one more session for his disciples, before their departure.
The disciples were curious to know what the teacher was going to teach them in the final session.
"I am not going to teach you anything new today" began the Guru. "I want each of you to describe a scene you have witnessed. Each should speak at least for five minutes."
After hesitating for a few minutes, wondering what they could speak about, one by one, the students described a scene witnessed by them.After everyone had spoken, the Guru described a few scenes watched by him.
"One day, it was raining. I was sitting in my hermitage and looking outside. A sparrow carried a small cup in its beak, came to a spot, kept it there and flew away. After sometime, it came back to the spot with another sparrow. The two sparrows gripped the cup filled with rain water with their beaks and flew with some difficulty, taking care to see that the water didn't spill. They kept it in a hole on the trunk of a tree
"A dog dug a small channel with its legs. The rain water from the road flowed to a few plants that were on the side of the road. I don't know whether the dog did it knowingly or unknowingly."
After narrating a few more incidents like this, the Guru said, "I am giving each of you a gift" and gave each of them a few palm leaves and a writing pen. He then bade them goodbye.
After Sravanan came home from the Gurukula, his father asked him about his experience in the Gurukula.
"I learnt a lot during my stay there. But, our Guru had a last session in which he discussed a few things that did not appear to have any value. I don't understand why he did so" said Sravan.
"An erudite person like your Guru would not have spoken about things that had no value. There would be a meaning behind everything he told you. His intention would have been to make you reflect on the things he discussed in the class. Take your time to think about what he said. If you are able to find the meaning, let me know" said Sravanan's father.
"An erudite person like your Guru would not have spoken about things that had no value. There would be a meaning behind everything he told you. His intention would have been to make you reflect on the things he discussed in the class. Take your time to think about what he said. If you are able to find the meaning, let me know" said Sravanan's father.
After two days, Sravanan told his father, "Father! As advised by you, I reflected on the things our Guru told us in the last class. I got some insights. Please let me know whether my understanding is correct."
"Tell me" said his father.
"During the period of our stay in the Gurukula, we were only listening to our teacher. Except for answering the questions posed by him, we didn't speak much. I think he asked us to describe a scene only for giving us an opportunity to express ourselves. Speaking for five minutes was a real challenge. However, after speaking, we felt a sense of pride and and satisfaction."
"You may be right. Continue" said Sravanan's father encouragingly.
"After making us describe a scene we had witnessed, the Guru narrated a few scenes witnessed by him. I think that the scenes described by him conveyed profound messages. When it rains, water flows on the street. But, after the rain stops, the water will get drained. The sparrow saved the rain water by making strenuous efforts. Perhaps the Guru wanted us to understand that to ensure that we didn't forget what we had learnt, we should store them in our mind by making efforts to recall our learning and impressing it in our mind. We should also make a note of important things. That is why he gave us palm leaves and a pen. Just as the dog dug a channel and made the rain water flow to the plants, we should also share our knowledge with others. There should be an inner meaning to the other stories narrated by him too. I am thinking about them" said Sravanan.
"After making us describe a scene we had witnessed, the Guru narrated a few scenes witnessed by him. I think that the scenes described by him conveyed profound messages. When it rains, water flows on the street. But, after the rain stops, the water will get drained. The sparrow saved the rain water by making strenuous efforts. Perhaps the Guru wanted us to understand that to ensure that we didn't forget what we had learnt, we should store them in our mind by making efforts to recall our learning and impressing it in our mind. We should also make a note of important things. That is why he gave us palm leaves and a pen. Just as the dog dug a channel and made the rain water flow to the plants, we should also share our knowledge with others. There should be an inner meaning to the other stories narrated by him too. I am thinking about them" said Sravanan.
"Very good. I think that you have fulfilled your Guru's expectations to a great extent. I think there could be another message behind your Guru giving you blank palm leaves and a pen. It may be to convey you a message 'your education is not over.' There are always more things to learn. The purpose of giving you blank palm leaves is to tell you that you should note down new things you keep learning."
"So many messages are hidden in the class I initially thought had no value! Our Guru has tried to teach us many subtle things in the last class" sais Sravanan, with amazement.
* Gurukula - A system of education practiced in ancient India, in which the students resided in the Guru's house and learnt things. They were also expected to do the chores at the Guru's house.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 20
Avoiding Vain Speech
Avoiding Vain Speech
Verse 198 (In Tamil)
arum payan Ayum aRivinAr sollAr
perum payan illAdha sol.
perum payan illAdha sol.
Meaning:
The wise who weigh the worth of anything they say or do, will refrain from words that have no grain in them.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kadaisi vaguppu' by the same author)
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