QUALITIES OF STUDENTS (DISCIPLES)

SUBHASHITHAM : 036-2

ग्रहणं धारणंचैव स्मरणं प्रतिपादनम्

ऊहाSपोहौ अर्थविग्यानं तत्वज्ञानं च धी गुणाः II

Grahanam, dhaaranam chaiva, smaranam, pratipaadanam

Oohapohau arthavigyaanam tatvagyanam cha dhee guna: II

Eight qualities are stressed for students to sharpen their intellect : 1.Absorbing, 2. Retention, 3.Reminiscence, 4.Recalling memory 5.&6. Intuitive reasoning power for and against a propoition, 7.Power of comprehension and 8. Realisation of essence of knowledge.

काकचेष्टा बकध्यानं श्वाननिद्राल्पभोजनम् |

स्वाध्यायः संयमश्च छात्राणां लक्षणानि षट् ||

kaakacheShTaa bakadhyaanam shvaananidraalpabhojanam

svaadhyaayah samyamashcha chhaatraaNaam lakShNaani ShaT

1.Alertness like a crow,2. Concentration like a stork,3. Light Sleep like a dog, 4.Limited intake of food, 5.Reciting/Repeating/Rehearsing to one-self and6. Self-control are six qualities of a (good) Student.

आलस्यं मद मोहञ्च चपलं गुष्टिरेवच  

स्तब्दथा च अभिमानित्वं तथा अत्यागित्वमेवच I

एते वै सप्त दोष: स्युः सदा विद्यार्तिनां मत: II

Aalasyam mada mohancha chapalam gushtirevacha I Stabdatha cha abhimaanitvam tatha atyaaggitvameva cha I  Ete vai sapta doshah syuh sadaa  vidyaartinam mata: II

1.Laziness, 2.Pride,3. Ignorance,4. Fickle-mindedness,5. Gossiping,6. Idleness,7. Possessiveness are the seven drawbacks found in mediocre students.

In the olden days, we used to have Gurukula system where the relationship between Guru and Sishya was not like to-day’s student-teacher relationship. Sri Vedanta Desika describes the duties of a sishya in a beautiful verse in his Rahasyatraya Saara:

असिथिल गुरुभक्ति: तत्प्रशंसादि शील:   

प्रचुर बहुमति: तद्वस्तु वास्त्वादि केS पि I

गुणवति विनियोक्तुं गोपयन संप्रदायं    

कृतविदनघ वृत्ति: किं न विन्देन्निधानं  II Rahasyatrya saram

Asithila gurubhakti: tatprasamsaadi shila:  prachura bahumati: tadvastu vaastvadi ke pi  I

Gunavati viniyoktum gopayan sampradayam krrutavidanagha vrutti: kim na vindennidhanam II

Six qualifications are prescribed --- 1.Staunch devotion to preceptor, 2. Extoll the greatness of the guru, 3. Care of preceptor's property, 4. Protecting the teachings carefully, 5. Grateful to the guru, 6. Lead a pure life.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH