Elephant in the Mirror

Teachers and Trainers all over the world use many methods and techniques to impart knowledge and skills to their pupils, especially when conveying complex and abstract concepts. The more popular as well as effective among such tools are the methods known as "Known to Unknown" and "Simple to Complex". In "known to unknown" method, the teacher or trainer starts with some concept or subject that is already known to the student or the trainee. He then develops on it and links the same to a new and more difficult concept to enable the wards to understand the unknown. In "simple to complex" method, the principle or application is started from a simpler idea and then slowly develop the wider and more complex principles or applications. Modren teaching and training methods place a lot of emphasis on using these techniques to ensure faster learning and lasting effects on the students. It is interesting to note that these methods are in use for several centuries and have wide usage and acceptance all over the world. These methods are also in use in explaining the abstract theorems, axioms and assumptions. We can find many such examples in spiritual as well as cultural writings and literature.

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One of the most important theorems of Vedic knowledge and understanding is the concept of "Parabrahma", the supreme Lord. His presence is learnt through his infinite qualities. One such quality is all-pervasiveness. The supreme Lord is believed to be present everywhere; he has occupied all the space that is known as well as beyond that. He can be present everywhere at the same time. He can be bigger than any big thing and smaller than the smallest thing that one can see, imagine or perceive. "Narayana Suktam" which is a part of Yajurveda and believed to be a appendix to "Purusha Suktam" explains this concept beautifully. Narayana Suktam is generally recited at the end of all religious procedures and offered to the supreme Lord as "Mantrapushpam", offering of flowers in the form of words. This concept of all-pervasive and omni-present Parabrahma and his infinite capacity to occupy the biggest as well as the smallest available space is one of the basic tenets of Vedic beliefs.

While it is easy to say that Parabrahma can be bigger than the biggest as well as smaller than the smallest, it is difficult to comprehend the same for many. This is explained by means of many examples. 

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Saint Purundara Dasa (1484-1564) who lived during the finest period of Vijayanagara empire in South India was a contemporary of Sage Vyasateertha and King Krishnadevaraya. He is hailed as the Pitamaha (Great-grandfather) of Karnaatic school of music. Legend has it that he has composed 4,75,000 poems (Devaranamas) in the praise of Lord, though only a few thousands are available now. His Devaranamas are in simple Kannada language and yet have succeeded in bringing the essence of Vedic and spiritual knowledge to the common man. Ugabhoga and Suladi are among many forms of compositions made by him and later followed by others in his path. 

In one of his Ugabhogas, he explains the concept of the Lord occupying the smallest place when he is bigger than the biggest known entity and extending beyond that. It is in Kannada and reads as under:

ಜಗವ ಸುತ್ತಿಹುದೆಲ್ಲ ನಿನ್ನ ಮಾಯವಯ್ಯ, 
ನಿನ್ನ ಸುತ್ತಿಹುದೆಲ್ಲ ಎನ್ನ ಮನವಯ್ಯ ।

ಜಗಕೆ ಬಲ್ಲಿದ ನೀನು, ನಿನಗೆ ಬಲ್ಲಿದ ನಾನು, 
ಮೂರು ಜಗವು ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೆ, ನೀನು ಏನ್ನೊಳಗೆ ।

ಕರಿಯು ಕನ್ನಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಗಿಪ್ಪ ತೆರನಂದಿ ಎನ್ನೊಳಗೆ ನೀನು ಅಡಗಿದೆಯೋ।
ಸಿರಿ ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಠಲ ।।

The summary of the above Ugabhoga is something like this - "The entire Universe is engulfed by your charm, but my mind is wrapped around your entire presence! You are a big presence for others due to your all pervasiveness; but I am bigger than you since I hold you in me! Just as an Elephant is captured in a small mirror held in its presence, you are present in me! (Elephant is very big but its image can be held even in a small mirror kept before it.) Purandara Vittala, The supreme Lord!

This is the submission of a pious devotee of The Lord. It is not an arrogant statement, but a humble submission. The devotee is bigger than the Lord only because he is holding the biggest possible entity (The Lord) inside him just like the image of a huge elephant in a small mirror.

This is a fine example of "Known to Unknown". In the following devaranama titled "Pillangoviaya chelva Krishnana elli noodidiri?" (Where did you see the flute playing Krishna?), Purandara Dasa expands this theorem by using the "Simple to Complex" method. The follower or devotee is thrilled by the understanding of one of the fundamental tents of the Vedic knowledge. Whether one believes in it or not, the principle and the method of its communication is indeed magnificent.   

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The Ugabhoga and Devaranama mentioned above are sung by many and recordings are available on "Youtube". The one sung by Sri Vidyabushana is very popular and can be accessed through Youtube.

Learning and Teaching

How does a student learn his lessons? When is his learning complete? When can it be said that he has acquired full knowledge? Who is a good teacher? These questions beg for an answer at times. Old world wisdom and modern scientific studies throw up a lot of common issues and also conflicting view points.

This sloka from Mahabharata's Udyoga Parva summarises learning and its components:

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया | कालेनपादमादत्ते पादं सब्र्म्हचारिभिः ||

Aachaaryat padamaadatte, paadam shishyah swamedhaya. Kaalena paadamaadatte paadam sabramhachaaribhihi.

"Learning is divided into four parts. A student derives a quarter of the total knowledge from his "Guru" or teacher. He acquires another quarter of knowledge by his own intelligence and self study. When he studies with his other classmates and friends, he learns and gets another quarter of the desired knowledge. The fourth  part of the knowledge is taught to him by time in due course!"

The above saying is very consistent with our own experiences in life. A teacher can at best be a guide to a student and he can never take the total responsibility of imparting the full knowledge to the student. Without the co-operation and whole hearted participation of the student, all his efforts are a waste. Similarly, all efforts at own study without a "Guru" or a teacher could also be incomplete. There may be very exceptional self-taught scholars and some may claim to have learnt everything without the support of any teacher. Even they should be indebted to some source or sources from which they derived the knowledge they posses. Full benefit of the learning process is available only when the efforts of the teacher and student complement each other. There is a need for a combined physical, mental and emotional involvement in the process of teaching and learning. The need is for mutual respect and affection rather than fear and tool of punishment. The tool of punishment, when used injudiciously, may even become counter-productive and develop a sense of revolt in the student. It also does not mean that there is no need for discipline.  All efforts at teaching and learning are futile unless there is a certain degree of discipline in both teaching and learning efforts. True success is achieved when a fine and practical blend of these ingredients of affection, trust, effort and discipline is reached in adequate proportions.

The teacher can at best show the direction in which the student should or could go. The actual path of journey should be traveled by the student himself and it cannot be shifted to someone else. Further efforts to learn, after the initial teaching or introduction to the subject is made by the teacher, are to be by student's own efforts at assimilating the part or whole of the subject by contemplating and concentrating on the issues identified for learning. Importance of self-study can never be over emphasised and forms the corner stone of learning efforts. As the student rehearses the subject or topic in his own mind, more and more vistas open and the deeper and hidden meanings unfold to his advantage.  He would thus now be the owner of one half of the full knowledge.

The value and advantage of combined study with the fellow students and friends has been

highlighted in the third part of learning. While self-study is all important in its own place, exchange of perceptions and appreciation of various aspects of learning jointly with other students does have its own contribution to the process of learning. This type of atmosphere gives a sense of belonging to the student and he/she will also reap the benefits of the insight gained by the other students while learning from the teacher as well as during their own self-study.  Some parents quarantine young children in the guise of studies and preventing them from bad influence of other students. This mistaken notion of preventing them from unwanted interference also denies them the pleasure and benefits of exchanging thought and finer points of learning. While it is necessary to keep an eye on the activities of young learners and save them from bad impacts, providing for a healthy and complementary interaction with classmates and friends is equally important. This is a per-requisite of completing the learning process.

The final quadrant of learning is indeed a long drawn process and would never end! Mere bookish knowledge is no real knowledge and may even land the student into trouble unless it is coupled with worldly wisdom. Life teaches many lessons and often the hard way. Anyone who has acquired the other three quadrants of learning to a reasonably acceptable level and willing to learn the lessons from life to complete the learning process will succeed in life. He will also earn the capacity and eligibility to teach others and can display the potential to be a good teacher. There is no end to the lessons of life and the learning in the fourth quadrant will continue till the person's last journey. In that sense the process of learning will never be complete and the best anyone can achieve is near perfection and never perfection.

Maharshi Veda Vyasa has condensed all this wisdom in this small sloka. Not for nothing they say, "Vyasoochistam Jagat Sarvam". There is nothing that is not discussed or mentioned in Mahabharata and anything we see or learn is the leftover of Veda Vyasa!