Value of education

Education helps us to realise our flaws and correct them. That is why Greek philosopher Diogenes observed that the foundation of every state is the education of its youth. Education helps a poor man come out of his poverty. As for the rich man, education becomes an ornament for him.

When the Gurukula system of education was prevalent in India, students served their teachers in their spare time, for the teacher was considered on a par with God Himself. Students from different strata of society studied under the same guru, and their years of study together led to a deep bond of friendship developing among them. And there can be nothing greater than friendship in this world, because friends do not bother about differences in status between them. Thus a poor Kuchela and Lord Krishna were friends. To Krishna, Kuchela's affection was all that mattered. Kuchela's poverty did not put Him off.

Education has a vital role to play in our lives, for not only does it impart knowledge and provide us with skills to make a living but it also teaches us the value of interpersonal relationships, said Malayaman in a lecture. We also learn the value of friendship in the course of our years of study.

If a person does not use the gift of sight to read, his eyes are of no use to him, says Thiruvalluvar. Knowledge we acquire in one birth will stand us in good stead for seven births. When we are in difficulty, our education and knowledge will come to our rescue.

When a man is learned, and can give us timely advice, or can help us in a moment of crisis, do we not look forward to meeting him and benefiting from his knowledge?

Those who seek the company of the learned are to be treated with as much respect as the learned themselves. The flame of a lamp is not huge, and yet we light lamps and worship them. A fire in a stove gives out a lot more heat than a lamp, but we do not give it the regard we give to the light from a lamp. Likewise, educated people may be small in physical stature, or they may be poor. But people will show them more regard than they would to a rich man who has no education.