True Knowledge is the Key of Character Formation

Meaning: According to the Rigved 1/22/19 — "No benefit is achieved by mere parrot-like repetition of any religious scripture or a volume of the Vedas. We must follow those rules in our life."

Message: There is a tale of the time of the student days of dharmaraja Yudhishthir. Once their teacher taught them the famous Vedic mantra 'satyum vada, dharmum chara, swadhyayaanma pramadaha' i.e. speak the truth, conduct yourself religiously and do not neglect self study and asked all the students to memorize it. The next day all the students recited the mantra before their teacher, but Yudhishthir said that as yet he had not memorized it. In this way four to five days passed and then one day he said, "Now I have memorized the mantra". All were very much surprised that Yudhishthir took so many days to memorize such a small mantra. On being asked the reason, he explained that despite making strong efforts, he could not prevent himself from uttering lies, but yesterday he had not uttered any lie at all, and in this way by implementing it in his conduct, he has now thoroughly memorized it.

This is the essence of Nepalese culture. It will not do good to merely recite any mantra, or religious book or a passage. It must be absorbed in one's heart and become a part one's conduct. There should be harmony of knowledge and deed. Only that is the real knowledge which manifests in beneficial acts. 'Knowledge' which produces arrogance, hypocrisy, desire for fame among people is not real knowledge. Only that is real knowledge which gives peace, satisfaction and spiritual uplift. One which makes a person realize his ignorance makes him humble and fully absorbed (in spirituality), is original knowledge. That which does not manifest in life, which cannot mound life, which cannot make for beauty, excellence and simplicity in every field, how can it be called knowledge?

Today unfortunately, the opposite situation exists. Whatever moral policy we read about, we think it merely a decorative piece of literature. The best philosophies are ridiculed. It is believed by people that 'satya (truth), ahimsa (non-violence) etc, are all needed for lectures and religious discourses only. They think that in practical life, only those indulging in untruthful and violent conduct, become successful. Only this untruthful knowledge is the main reason for all the present day ills. People talk big (i.e. high ideals), but the inferiority of conduct by itself disregards the rules of truth and indulges in wickedness in every way. They forget that by such pretense they deceive themselves only.

Unless and until there is harmony of knowledge and action, we cannot achieve success in personal life nor there peace and happiness in society. Whatever small and big philosophies we have read, we should try to implement them in our conduct. If we start with small matters, then in future wee can also fulfill big 'vruts', (giving up bad tendencies and imbibing good qualities) and resolves easily. Learning the scriptures will be meaningful only when the knowledge of so many scriptures like the Vedas, Purans, etc enters the heart and becomes a part of our conduct.

Character-formation means nothing but making our conduct shiningly bright with true knowledge.