Teaching in Upanishadic Period - Dr. E P Aravindakshan

The modern educationists and psychologists often find fault with the ancient system of education saying that it was (a) teacher oriented and (b) encouraged rote memory. Both these projected faults are not true. Let us have a book at the following teaching process found in the Chandogya Upanisad.

Uddalaka Aruni, pointing to a fig tree, asked his son –

"Son, bring a fruit of that fig tree."

"Sir, here it is."

Split it."

"It is split sir."

"What do you see there?"

"Minute grains, sir."

"Dear son, break one of them."

"Yes, it has been broken."

"What do you see in it?"

"Nothing, sir."

Then the father told his son that minutest seed part, which you and i could not see clearly, is from which the gigantic fig tree is grown.

© "Kalyana-Kalpataru" (Oct/Nov 2001), published by Gita Press, Gorakhpur 273 005. Reprinted with permission.

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