“Hinduism stands like a huge banian tree spreading its far reaching branches over hundreds of sects,

creed and denomination and covering with innumerable leaves, all forms of worship, the dualistic, the
qualified non-dualistic and monistic worship of the one supreme God, the worship, of the Incarnation of
God and also hero worship, saint worship, ancestor worship and the worship of the departed spirit. It is
based on the grand idea of universal receptivity. It receives everything” (Swami Tattwanada)

Hinduism is believed as one of the oldest religions in the world.

Hindu culture is scriptures under its strict principles called the Verdic Dharma. This strictly guided
principles help structure the Hindu society and acts as its backbone. It is every Hindus’ role to attain the
four main aims of life which includes:

The attainment of righteousness (dharma)

Material attainment (artha)
Fullfilment of desire (karma)
And the attainment of liberation (moksa)

Hindu Philosophy of Shiksha (education) and Vidya (knowledge)

Hindus focus on shiksha (education) as value based worthwhile learning (Chinta Mani Yogi). They believe
that through education, one can attain the skills essential for living/survival but Vidya is attained for life.
Through shiksha, one can become successful but having vidya, is having the ability to attain wisdom.
Thus not all educated individuals are necessarily budhiman (wise)

1. To attain knowledge, to learn about something in a specific field area

2. To provide knowledge, as in vidya pradaan karna (to teach)
3. To concentrate in studies, as in vidya par dhiyaan diya karo (be devoted towards studies)
4. The formal education system, as in vidya pradaan karna bahoot zaruri hai (it is very important to
attain knowledge)

The person who provides vidya or gyaan to the novices or buddhihin is normally referred to as acharye
wehich means a knowledgeable person.

An archarye is a person who can be a teacher, a village elder, a guide or an instructor.

This term is normally referred to people who are gyaani in a field.

For example, a person specialized in mathematics will be called BHASKARACHARYA meaning

mathematician. Derived from the term acharye is guru (teacher of educator)

PRASHIKSH(TRAINING)

The ability to master skills and carry them out practically is referred to as prashiksha
Hinduism also depends on the informal ways of teaching to pass on the skills and knowledge from
generations to generations

Here the guru or leaders of the community train the youth in skills such as crafting, farming, cooking etc.

The shikshaks (students) learn through “watch and learn”

Prashikshak are parichayed (exposed/introduced) to the skills which the community feels is essential for
their everyday life

PARIKSHA (assessment)

Normally in every formal education system, assessment is carried out in order to evaluate students’
performance. In the traditional context the form of assessment was not through examination but more
practical based.

Pariksha was carried out by enabling the shikshaks to perform the tasks them

If an individual fails to perform the task taught to them, he would be grouped with the women, children
and aged members of the community.

Pariksha was not only used in evaluating but also ranking students’ performance.

BHUDIMANTA (wisdom)

The ability to analyze situations in the minimum possible time as well as the ability to understand and
rationalize things are some of the ideal qualities of a bhudhiman (wise) person.

As Chrsitianity claims that a wise man is one who sees things from God’s point of view, similarly
Hinduism has the same perception. A wise man is one who follow gods’ path

Some qualities of bhudhiman person are as such

1. Has understanding and knowledge and uses them to analyse situations

2. God listener and observant
3. Hardworking
4. Obedient
5. Humble
6. Controls lips
7. Has religious views and understanding
8. Guided by the Vedic principles especially karma

A common belief of Hinduism is that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction” (one has to pay
according to his/her deeds (karma)

It is also a belief that normally children tend to pay for their parents wrong doings. Thus budhiman
people utilize their knowledge and understanding as such that they tend to avoid such problems.