Celebrate ‘Teacher’s Day’ on ‘Gurupournima’
During ancient times, teachers were addressed as Guru or Acharya. The Guru-Disciple tradition is a unique feature of Hindu culture, a student teacher relation like no other. The day on which gratitude is expressed towards the Guru is ‘Gurupournima’ (Full-moon day of the month of Ashadh, according to the Hindu lunar almanac). Teacher gives students invaluable wealth that he possesses in the form of knowledge. Hence, we should celebrate ‘Teacher’s Day’ on ‘Gurupournima‘, in order to pay gratitude towards our teachers. Also, celebrating Teachers’ day on Gurupournima will help us preserve our rich culture. Now let us see ‘what is the importance of teachers in our life?’
Teachers give appropriate direction to life
Teachers bestow knowledge of various subjects concerning day-to-day life, and thus remove our ignorance. Teacher is the one who gives appropriate direction to our life. That is why, we should pay them our respects every day. Gurupournima is the day of expressing our gratitude towards our teachers.
Teachers punish out of benevolence
To make us aware about incorrect things in life and to make our behaviour ideal, our teachers punish us like a mother. The purpose behind it is only to make us ideal citizens. Owing to our ignorance, we get angry when they punish us; but we must try to understand the purpose behind this action. As a potter keeps on tapping the pot on the wheel to mould it into the appropriate shape, likewise a teachers punish us to shape our life. Teachers feel that, ‘Every child should be moulded so as to make its life happy and ideal for the society’.
Always remain in the ‘learning mode’ while approaching any teacher
Teachers possess knowledge about many subjects; hence one should always be in the learning mode while talking to any teacher. When students ask doubts with an attitude of learning, teachers enjoy teaching them. As a result, teachers keep on giving knowledge to such students. So, we must always remain in the learning mode.
Obey your teachers
We are not able to differentiate between correct and incorrect things in the society. Teachers have the knowledge and experience about these things. Hence, if we act according to their instructions, we progress. There is no room for doubts.
Always bow to your teachers
It is the God who gives us knowledge of so many subjects through the medium of teachers. They love us like our mother. When we offer Namaskar, we are always aware about our ignorance. Like the saying, ‘Vidya vinayena shobhate’ (Humilty is an ornament to knowledge), we imbibe the quality of humility through ‘Namaskar’. If we are humble, our ability to receive knowledge increases. So, the emotion of gratitude should be awakened everyday. Always be aware that, ‘I am going to be a scholar and going to lead a worthy life only because of my teachers’ and that is gratitude. Always keep in mind that because the teacher teaches me Mathematics, I can handle worldly affairs properly; as he teaches me languages, I can converse with others; keeping this in mind express gratitude continuously.
Have the emotion of complete surrender and gratitude towards teachers
We should look upon our teachers with the same respect that we have for our mother. They love us and teach us so much, without any expectations. Today we have learnt what kind of emotion we should have towards our teachers. They are the Guru in our life. We are going to progress comprehensively only if we have the emotion of complete surrender and gratitude towards them.
Shri. Rajendra Pavaskar (Guruji), Panvel