September 5th is the Birth anniversary of one of the modern India’s most notable Teachers and philosophers, the Late Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was Independent India’s second President. We have been observing it ever since his passing away as our country’s Teachers’ Day. We take pride in the thoughts and teachings of this Guru of the Gurus, someone who possessed the qualities of a Rishi and a Raja and thus was considered a Rajarshi.

The duties of a Teacher and the responsibilities of his Pupils towards the Guru are analyzed in some detail in the Taittiriya Upanishad. I have just been reminding myself of what all of you teachers must know about your own duties and responsibilities. I too began life as a teacher. What does teaching involve? How and
what is the pupil required to learn? Can there be a process of learning without the discipline reflected by the teaching community for setting their own example for themselves? Unless the teacher himself sets standards or values for himself how can he teach any idealism to his pupils? Is educating feasible without the teacher’s learning the responsibilities towards society? Unless I project knowledge, how can it be conveyed by me to my Pupils? And I have to do so in a manner that these values and this idealism becomes ingrained in you, as part of your personality and being? Unless I can do that have I molded you? Have I improved your identity and personality? If I the teacher fail to convey the knowledge everlasting to you how do I make you capable of absorbing fresh lustre through your contact with me, your teacher. Unless I provide you the wherewithal to have lustrous values how do I structure the future of my society, my nation, and the institutions I cherish.

“Looking through the sun
Peeping through the moon
Meaning of life is contained
in fulfilling obligation…”

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