Sai Educare — A panacea for mankind - By Vettivelu Sabanagam

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Source:

http://www.island.lk/2003/06/03/featur02.html

 

The Island, 03-06-03

 

Features

 

Sai Educare — A panacea for mankind

 

By Vettivelu Sabanagam

 

Retd. Deputy Director General of Education and Consultant National

Integration Programme Unit

 

Sai Educare is not the learning from books, but it is the learning

from life. Doctor's, Advocate, Medicare for the healthy living.

Where as Bhawan Baba has advocated Educare for the soul? Bahawan

Baba says that complete knowledge is within us but unfortunately we

do not look inward but always look outward. Start searching for

that, which cannot be found externally.

 

As a first step to Educare Bahavan Baba inaugurated the Bala Vihas

Programme as early as in 1969. Our beloved Bahavan entrusted the

responsibility of starting "Bala Vihas" to the Mahila Vibhag to

impart education in the ancient scriptures. Through story telling,

enacting plays, on moral themes and through signing of Bajans.

 

In 197, the first all India Bala Vihar teachers conference was held

and the name was changed from Balavihar to Balavihas. The rules,

regulations regarding syllabus of Balavihas course was drawn up at

this conference. Thereafter Bahavan added several new dimensions to

the Balavihas programme. This is now a veritable Sai Movement

encompasses the entire world. It is a silent revolution in the life

of children who are likely to be a part and parcel of this life

moulding by education.

 

To a question put to swamy as to how man can maintain the balance of

the five elements, swamy replied "man can achieve this only by

practicing Human values." Thus swamy has given us the true

relationship of the five Human values. This is "Sri Sthya Sai

Educare".

 

Educare is that which helps man to retain his innate divinity on a

continual basis. Educare is also the art of ensuring a perfect

constant balance of the five elements within by managing the mind

and the inputs from the five senses. Educare also promotes harmony

between thought, word and deed has to be achieved in such a manner

that the physical world is practiced as an extension of the

spiritual world.

 

On the eve of Bahavans 75th birthday, a convention was held on

Gurupurinima day for Balavuhas Gurus. Present prime Minister of

India Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee sent a message to be read at the

convention. An extract is reproduced to illustrate how the Indian

Prime Minister and his government revered the Educare programme.

 

Bahavans profound understanding of the Art and Science of education

has given him the insight into converting syllabus and text books

bound found education into holistic educare, that involves both

teachers and parents and gives them the joy as well as the

responsibility in developing children's potential. This 5D's of

Devotion, Discipline, Duty Discrimination and Determination will

help not just young people but also us in leading good meaningful

and happy lives. Truly, the philosophy and practice of educare needs

to be integrated into the general system of education in India for

natural regeneration.

 

Now let us examine the five elements as propounded by Swamy. They

are Space, Water, Air, Fire and Earth.

 

Bhawan says that God who is in the five elements is omni present and

omniscient. So the main duty of man is to make proper use of the

five elements. Misuse of the five elements, amounts to the misuse of

divinity. The five elements correspond progressively to five

perspectives as follows.

 

Earth - Sound, Touch, Taste, Smell

 

Water - Sound, Touch, Taste

 

Fire- Sound, Touch,

 

Air - Sound and Touch

 

Space - Sound- it exists everywhere

 

Swamy Says that proper use of these elements is the true value

oriented education the world needs today. Now let us see the role of

the five senses. According to swamy's message;

 

1. The tongue should be used to speak sweetly and softly to

everyone. Speak always the truth. Don't repeat evil and painful

words.

 

2. The ears should not listen to evil talk

 

3. The eyes should be seeing always good, not to roam about seeing

anything and everything.

 

4. The nose should be used to inhale and exhale air, and distinguish

between good and bad smell with the correct inputs into these senses

the mind will receive positive impressions. Swamy says "Thoughts

arising in the mind fill the atmosphere with waves of energy." Like

radio waves they are present everywhere and just as powerful and

sacred, hence our thoughts must be sublimed and scared.

 

Bhawan has propounded five D's in Human values programmes. They are

as follows:

 

`95 Devotion as sadhana

 

`95 Discipline as habit

 

`95 Duty as Sera- Selfless Service

 

`95 Discrimination - Ceiling of desires

 

`95 Determination which is sense control

 

Education has two aspects. The first is related to external and

worldly education, which is nothing but acquiring bookish knowledge.

In the modern world, we find many well versed in this aspect of

education. The second aspect known as "Educare" is related to Human

values. Viz Sathya Dharma, Shanthi Prema and Ahimsa. The word

eduacare means to bring out that which is within, Human values are

hidden in every being. One cannot acquire them outside but they are

within. Man has forgotten his innate human values. He is unable to

manifest them. "Educare means to bring out all human values' to

bring out menas translate them into action. Education fosters desire

and leads to rebirth where as educare confers immorality.

 

Educare is the true understating of the five elements the five human

resource and the five human values as given by Bhawan in one of his

discourses, said. "Eudodiments of Love" Develop love, give up

hatred, reduce desires, cultivate the sprit of sacrifice. Happiness

can only be achieved by sacrifice. There are lots of things to be

learnt. There are various ways to foster human values. We take

Medicate to develop our body, let us also take Bahwans educare to

transform our mind and lead a peaceful Life.

 

It has now emerged that the message of Sri Sathya Sai Educare is the

final blue print for regenerating the spiritual character of every

nation in the world transcending all differences of Caste, Colour,

Creed and Religion. It is the complete answer to all the problems

faced by mankind today. The Sri Sathya Educare will fill in all the

missing links with the entire creation and that of man. Bala Vihas

Gurus must pledge to swamy to propagate Educare to the world at

large by teaching and guiding young children, parents, society with

love harmony of head heart and hand, with utmost devotion duty and

discipline. Bahawan says. Man minus morality is animal, man plus

discipline is human. Man minus desire is divine. Let us follow the

third category of mankind and attain liberation.

__________

 

Sai Baba in the media:

http://www.saibabalinks.org/saibabainthemedia.htm