Spheres of Knowledge – Part 4
THE KNOWER
In the process of acquiring knowledge the role of the knower is very important. The acquirer of knowledge is also called knower. There are many responsibilities for a knower, accordingly he is called with many names. After acquiring knowledge, he has to retain it in the best part of storage called Smriti. Hence, he is known as a knowledge retainer or a good memorizer. In the process of acquiring knowledge one may be a pursuant or seeker or one who is thirsty after knowledge.
A child is a knower. A student also is a knower. An ordinary human being also is a Knower. Finally, a Truth-seeking monk also is a knower. But the nature, purpose and process of knowing varies from individual to individual. The purpose of a child’s knowing is to get into human society. A student knows to fit in the society. Most of the human beings know to get rid of the bad and to obtain the good and finally to hit the target of life. Beyond all these the purpose of a monk’s seeking is entirely a different way of approach. It is for the purpose of setting himself free from the bondage of the world and to become a free soul or a freed soul. Such monks are the Ultimate Knowers.
Usually a knower is a learner by nature. The following words in Sanskrit language are often used to represent a learner.
They are:
छात्रः – A student in general.
शिष्यः – A Disciple – One who learns either any particular Discipline of knowledge or knowledge streams in general through a Guru in a traditional way by serving guru as the ultimate god.
अन्तेवासी – One who stays in the hermitage of his Guru and learns.
अन्तेसत् – One who stays in the hermitage of his Guru and learns.
अन्तेषदः – One who stays in the hermitage of his Guru and learns.
उपदेश्यः – One to whom the knowledge can be imparted by a Guru.
बालः – One is young not by age or not by the color of the hair but by his ability to retain whatever is learnt. Thus even at the age of 80 if one has retaining power he has called BALA only.
यथा, — “छात्रान्तेवासिशिष्यान्तेषद एकार्थता इमे ॥” इति जटाधरः ॥
The characteristics of a good student are:
तस्य लक्षणं यथा, —
“वाङ्मनः कायवसुभिर्गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः ।
एतादृशगुणोपेतः शिष्यो भवति नारद ॥
देवताचार्य्यशुश्रूषां मनोवाक्कायकर्म्मभिः ।
शुद्धभावो महोत्साहो बोद्धा शिष्य इति स्मृतः ॥”
अपिच ।
“शान्तो विनीतः शुद्धात्मा श्रद्धावान् धारण- क्षमः ।
समर्थश्च कुलीनश्च प्राज्ञः मच्चरितो व्रती ।
एवमादिगुणैर्युक्तः शिष्यो भवति नान्यथा ॥” * ॥
“वाङ्मनः कायवसुभिर्गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः ।
One who is the most interested in serving his Guru by speech, by mind, by deed and by offering his entire possessions,
एतादृशगुणोपेतः शिष्यो भवति नारद ॥
and he should possess the following characteristics,
देवताचार्य्यशुश्रूषां मनोवाक्कायकर्म्मभिः – One who serves his Deities and Preceptor by mind, deed and body
शुद्धभाव: – who is pure hearted
महोत्साह: – who has lot of enthusiasm
बोद्धा – one who has good grasping ability
शिष्य: – is a disciple
इति स्मृतः – Thus he is defined
शान्त: – One who maintains tranquillity
विनीतः – humble by nature
शुद्धात्मा – purity of heart
श्रद्धावान् – possessing faith and trust in preceptor, tradition and stream of knowledge
धारणक्षमः – One who has good retaining capacity
समर्थश्च – capable of learning
कुलीनश्च – born in a good tradition
प्राज्ञः – wise
सच्चरितो – Good mannered
व्रती – Who accepts learning as a lifelong austerity
एवमादिगुणैर्युक्तः शिष्यो भवति नान्यथा ॥” * ॥
A person who does possess all of the above is called a disciple.
The following lists undesirable qualities of a disciple;
निषिद्धशिष्यलक्षणमाह ।
“पापिने क्रूरचेष्टाय शठाय कृपणाय च ।
दीनायाचारशून्याय मन्त्रद्वेषपराय च ॥
निन्दकाय च मूर्खाय तीर्थद्वेषपराय च ।
भक्तिहीनाय देवेशि न देया मलिनाय च ॥
मुरुता शिष्यता वापि तयोर्वत्सरवासतः ॥”
पापिने – To a sinful being
क्रूरचेष्टाय –to a cruel one
शठाय – to a shrewd one
कृपणाय च । – to a miser one
दीनायाचारशून्याय – to one who is very much wretched and devoid of traditional practices
मन्त्रद्वेषपराय – who hates the sastra
निन्दकाय – who abuses
मूर्खाय – who is a fool
तीर्थद्वेषपराय – who has hatred towards the holiness and holy places
भक्तिहीनाय – who has no devotion
देवेशि – o my divine spouse
न देया – should not be given
मलिनाय च ॥ – to an impure person (These are the words of Lord Siva to Goddess Parvati)
How to choose a Guru or a Disciple?
According to the text Sarasangraha –
मुरुता शिष्यता वापि तयोर्वत्सरवासतः ॥
तथा चोक्तं सारसंग्रहे ।
To test a person whether fits to be a Guru or Disciple one has to observe for a length of one year.
“सद्गुरुः स्वाश्रितं शिष्यं वर्षमेकं परीक्षयेत् ।
In the same text in another context it is said – A Good Guru, while accepting a person as a disciple should test for a length of one year. Here is the process of testing.
“आचारे शासयेद्यस्तु स आचार्य्य उदाहृत ।
First the Guru should impart him the tradition. During that time the Guru is called Acharya only.
यस्त्वाचार्य्यपराधीनस्तद्वाक्यं शास्यते हृदि ।
शामने स्थिरवृत्तिश्च शिष्यः सद्भिरुदाहृतः ॥
If a person is faithfully following the tradition according to the instruction of his Acharya by heart, with control of sense and firm mind he can be called a good disciple.
एवं लक्षणसंयुक्तं शिष्यं सर्व्वगुणान्वितम् ।
अध्यापयेद्विधानेन मन्त्ररत्नमनुत्तमम् ॥” इति पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे २५ अध्यायः ॥
Having accepted such a disciple a Guru should teach him the order of the Sastra in an appropriate manner.
This is how a seeker of knowledge is tested and chosen.
Upanishadic Disciples
To know about the staunch interest of Disciples one should study the Upanishadic stories. A brighter example is that of Nachiketas. He was the son of Vajashravasa. Once
Vājashravasa, seeking a place in Heaven, started a sacrifice called Visvajit Yaga to donate all his possessions. But Nachiketa, his son, observed that Vajashravasa was giving away only the cows that were old, barren, blind, or lame, unfortunately not which might earn the performer a place in heaven. Nachiketa, wanting the best for his father’s rite, asked: “Father I am also yours, to whom will you offer me?”. He repeatedly asked, Vājashravasa answered in a fit of anger, “I give you to Death (Yama)”.
Such was the brilliance of Nachiketa that with the power of his celibacy the boy directly went to Yamaloka the abode of Yama. But at that time the God was out, and he waited three days without any food or water. When Yama returned, he was sorry to see that a Brilliant guest had been waiting so long without food and water. The tradition says that guests are believed to be equal to God and causing trouble to God is a great sin. To compensate for his mistake, Yama told Nachiketa, “You have waited in my house for three days without hospitality, therefore ask three boons from me”. Nachiketa first asked for peace for his father and himself. Yama agreed. Next, Nachiketa wished to learn the sacred fire sacrifice, which also Yama elaborated. For his third boon, Nachiketa wanted to learn the mystery of what comes after death.
Yama was reluctant on this question. He said that this had been a mystery even to the gods. He asked Nachiketa to ask for some other boon, and offered many material gains.
But Nachiketa replied that material things will last only till tomorrow. He who has encountered Death personally, how can he desire wealth? No other boon would do. Yama was secretly pleased with this disciple, and elaborated on the nature of the true Self, which persists beyond death. The key of the realization is that this Self is inseparable from Brahman, the supreme spirit, the vital force in the universe.