Education

svabhāvo nopadeśena śakyate kartum anyathā

svabhāvo nopadeśena śakyate kartum anyathā |
sutaptam api pānīyaṁ punar gacchati śītalam ||
yadi syac chītalo vahniḥ śītāṁśur dahanātmakaḥ |
na svabhāvo’tra martyānāṁ śakyate kartum anyathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-bheda, 280–281)

“The svabhāva cannot be changed by instructions. Although [it may be made] very hot [for a certain period of time], water again [inevitably] goes cold. [Even] If fire were to become cold, and the moon [lit. ‘that which has cool rays’] were to become fiery, [still] the svabhāvas of mortal beings in this world could not be changed.”

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anuṣṭhānaṁ hy upadeśāpekṣaṁ

anuṣṭhānaṁ hy upadeśāpekṣaṁ, prema tu tat-prasādāpekṣam iti |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 46)

“Practice [i.e., sādhana-bhakti] is dependent on instruction, but prema [i.e., prema-bhakti] is dependent on his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] grace.”

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yadā kiñcij-jño’haṁ dvipa iva madāndhas samabhavaṁ

yadā kiñcij-jño’haṁ dvipa iva madāndhas samabhavaṁ
tadā sarvajño’smīty abhavad avaliptaṁ mama manaḥ |
yadā kiñcit kiñcid budhajana-sakāśād avagataṁ
tadā mūrkho’smīti jvara iva mado me vyapagataḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 8)

“When I had a little knowledge
and became blinded with pride
like an elephant [in rut],
then my mind became arrogant,
as I thought, ‘I know everything.’
When I understood a little something from wise persons,
then I thought, ‘I am a fool,’
and my pride faded away like a fever.

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mātā śatruḥ pitā vairī bālo yena na pāṭhitaḥ

mātā śatruḥ pitā vairī bālo yena na pāṭhitaḥ |
na śobhate sabhā-madhye haṁsa-madhye bako yathā ||
(Unknown source)

“A mother by whom a child is not educated is an enemy, and such a father is a foe, as such a child, like a crane among swans, will not shine in an assembly [i.e., will have no means of accomplishing anything in human society].”

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anna-dānaṁ mahādānaṁ vidyā-dānaṁ mahattaram

anna-dānaṁ mahādānaṁ vidyā-dānaṁ mahattaram |
annena kṣaṇikā tṛptir yāvaj jīvaṁ tu vidyayā ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1713)

“Giving food is a great gift, but giving education is even greater. With food, satisfaction is momentary, whereas with education, it is lifelong.”

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naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā |
kavitvaṁ durlabhaṁ tatra śaktis tatra sudurlabhā||
(Agni Purāṇa; cited in Sāhitya-darpaṇa: 1.2)

“In this world, human life is rare, and therein [i.e., among human beings] education is very rare. Therein [i.e., among the educated], being poetic is rare, and therein [i.e., among the poetic], prowess [in poetics] is very rare.”

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naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā |
śīlaṁ ca durlabhā tatra vinayas tatra sudurlabhaḥ||
(Agni Purāṇa)

“In this world, human life is rare, and therein [i.e., among human beings] education is very rare. Therein [i.e., among the educated], character is rare, and therein [i.e., among persons of good character], humility is very rare.”

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anavyaye vyayaṁ yāti vyaye yāti suvistṛtim

anavyaye vyayaṁ yāti vyaye yāti suvistṛtim |
apūrvas tava kośo’yaṁ vidyā-kośeṣu bhārati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)

“When it is not spent [i.e., shared], it becomes spent [i.e., lost], and when it is spent [i.e., shared], it becomes greatly enlarged. Among treasuries of learning, this treasury of yours is extraordinary, O Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)!”

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apūrvaḥ ko’pi kośo’yaṁ vidyate tava bhārati

apūrvaḥ ko’pi kośo’yaṁ vidyate tava bhārati |
vyayato vṛddhimāyāti kṣayamāyāti sañcayāt ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)

“How extraordinary is this treasury of yours, O Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)! By spending [i.e., distributing it], it increases, and by stocking [i.e., keeping it to yourself], it depletes!”

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