Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is a great verse of Sanskrit which exemplifies the greatness of education or knowledge for humanity.
This Sanskrit inscription is a great Indian quote that implies, ‘Knowledge generates humility’.
The literal meaning of the words in this quote is; vidya means knowledge, dadati means to give, and vinayam means humbleness or mannerism.
The complete meaning that comes from Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is that the enlightenment obtained through the acquisition of complete and true knowledge gives the bearer discipline and manners.
Moreover, with the inclusion of discipline in one’s personality, the person then becomes capable of worthiness.
This worthiness helps one to achieve wealth through the immense skillset, and it is this wealth that makes the person perform good deeds in this world for others and the community.
The good deeds, in turn, bring vital joy to the person.
The concept of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is not only for an individual.
Rather, this concept resonates with the life of a person, as well as, the way of living of a society and a nation.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम talks about the altruism of the economy and how it puts profound effects on the financial and social structure of a developing or already developed society.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम suggests that the conclusion of the economy is not only to produce a country that can do well for itself.
However, the aim of this ideology is to draw such results from the economy that are not only about money but are also about the overall betterment of society.
According to the book the Arthashastra (written by Kautilya ), which is a classic ancient Indian Sanskrit book on the art of economic policies and military strategies, the role of a society is to form itself together for betterment.
This betterment is not only for a single person, group, or social class; rather, the betterment of society is for all the people living under it.
Therefore, Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is of no use if one practices it only for the sake of personal benefits.
Because if one benefits and the other suffers, this does not resonate with the concept of ‘worthiness’ present in Vidya Dadati Vinayam.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam Sanskrit Shloka
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम was originally presented in Sanksrit and it is also a great quote by Lord Buddha.
That is presented in Dhammapada which is the noblest book of collection of Buddha’s sayings).
The Sanskrit verse of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is:
विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद्याति पात्रताम् ।
पात्रत्वाद्धनमाप्नोति धनाद्धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥ ५ ॥
There are different versions of the Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम shloka available here and there.
The meaning of education, knowledge, wealth, and worthiness are all different depending on the eyes and views of the reader.
The world has seen examples like Hari Harilela, Alagappa Chettiar, and Rajendra Mullick who have manifested the true meaning of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम.
Similarly, the world has also seen examples of bright minds and pools of knowledge that went down the wrong track like Ravana.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam Source
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is a phrase that means, “Knowledge brings humbleness”.
This Sanskrit scripture is a quotation of the great ancient philosophical legacy.
This Sanskrit verse is a great legacy of Indian tradition and ancient teachings that originated back to Hitopadesha.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam Sloka Meaning
The Sanskrit shloka of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम means ‘Knowledge brings mannerism’.
The combination of a complete mind filled with true knowledge combined with mannerism and humbleness is the most prevailing tool a man can possess.
This tool not only helps to open doors for the individual self, but it helps to deal with problems that can produce a better society.
A person with good education is unprejudiced and free from all sorts of biased thinkings and opinions that may cloud his/her judgment from making the right call.
That person is judgemental to the most appropriate limits.
That person acquires the skillset and the ability to become a leader of his personality and has the potential to become a leader of a large group.
Also, they dominantly play a very important role in the growth of their country and society.
The real essence of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम lies in the collective betterment of society and not only in the betterment of a single person.
A society that has well-educated and well-aware people is more likely to turn into a prodigious nation, rather than a society where several individuals are worthy and not all of them.
A prodigious nation is on the road to becoming a progressive nation.
One very important misconception that needs to be cleared is that the meaning of knowledge present in the translation of Vidya Dadati Vinayam विद्या ददाति विनयम doesn’t imitate the concept of knowledge we have nowadays.
This is not about getting a stereotypical degree, rather, this is about enlightening a person’s mind and soul with the facts and phenomenons of life that are needed to be understood to cultivate an earnest disposition.
Similarly, it can be seen in the complete English translation of the Vidya Dadati Vinayam shloka that the world ‘wealth’ is present.
The world wealth is not used over here in terms of representing the world money or currency.
The word wealth in the shloka of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम means happiness, illumination, or mindfulness.
Wealth can be any of these and the virtue can be different for every person depending on what they value the most.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam Logo
There are a lot of different logos available for Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम.
This logo, however, depicts the meaning of the scripture Vidya Dadati Vinayam in all of its glory.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam is a logo used by several prominent educational institutions throughout India.
The premier universities along with the Indian Air Force use this verse for the institutions run by them.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम means, ‘Knowledge brings mannerism’. This concept is clearly expressed through the logo.
The book in the logo represents the importance of acquiring knowledge, whereas, the Diya (fire in the clay pot) represents worthiness or enlightenment that one receives after gaining true and complete knowledge.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam Essay
This famous Sanskrit caption of ancient teachings can have different interpretations depending on the person.
However, the common meaning and the literal meaning of these captions is ‘Knowledge brings mannerism’.
Mannerism creates worthiness inside one’s mind and personality. Worthiness creates the wealth of mind, and wealth creates good deeds.
Good deeds are responsible for bringing ultimate joy to a person.
The point that needs to be very clear is that what is the true meaning of knowledge and the true meaning of wealth.
Because getting these meanings twisted can end up throwing a person off the path of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम and on to something unachievable and wrong.
The word Vidya means knowledge but knowledge, in this case, is not the knowledge of worldly subjects.
Rather, the knowledge in discussion means the essence of cognizance and brilliance that a person feels when their mind and soul have reached a spiritual locus.
Similarly, the wealth that is mentioned in the English translation doesn’t mean paper money.
Rather, the self of worthiness and the acquisition of true knowledge is actual wealth that makes a person rich for a lifetime.
This wealth is never-ending and it can help people do wonderous things for their individual self, as well as, the society and the nation.
The real tragedy that arises is the question, ‘Are we fulfilling the meaning of Vidya Dadati Vinayam with our current education system?’. The answer to this question is a big NO.
The current education system in India and most of the countries in the world aims to produce graduates that have their minds limited only to the knowledge of their graduating subject.
Their minds are not trained to focus on things other than their subject.
This lack of focus and the lack of empathy for the diversity of knowledge and the world is what finishes the meaning of Vidya Dadati Vinayam.
Vinayam that is needed to be achieved is not only for a single person but for society and the whole nation.
It is not possible to achieve a true sense of worthiness only by achieving knowledge that is limited to oneself and is for personal benefits only.
Similarly, such mannerism and humility are of no use and progress to society if one only keeps it to themselves and does not apply it for the betterment of society.
Our educational institutions nail down the slogan Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम into the minds of our students from a very early age.
But what we forget to inscribe in their minds is the importance and value of acquiring true knowledge except for worldly selfish knowledge.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., visited the Morehouse College in 1947 with the goal to explore the real purpose of education.
On his visit, he put down simply the function of education with a two-purpose approach.
According to him, education serves two main purposes; one for man and the society.
For man, it helps in bringing utility and for society, education helps to develop culture.
He also expressed the danger of having a mind that has knowledge and purpose but has no cap on morals.
Such a mind is highly dangerous for one’s own self and society because it follows and holds no limits.
The disadvantage and harm of having meaningless education have been expressed in the history of ancient India several times in different ways.
It can be seen in Ramayana, the Hindu mythology that how Ravana, having good knowledge, couldn’t understand the real meaning of knowledge and got lost down the track.
His inability to understand the true meaning and responsibility of knowledge made him one of the greatest demons in the history of ancient India.
The lack of understanding of the real meaning of education is not only at the hands of our educational institutions.
It is also the mistake of today’s parents that children are unable to play their due role in the life of their children.
It is the job of parents rather than educational institutes to teach the children the importance of education, the real meaning of education, and the correct ways to utilize education.
Parents should help inscribe the real meaning of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम in their children’s hearts.
Children should be taught to identify the real parameters of living in this world.
They should be taught to value the honor and integrity of all human relationships.
The value and respect of every human being irrespective of their caste or cultural background, and the value and respect for various cultures in the world.
The schooling of our children regarding matters outside of education is related to us directly.
A child learns not only from the lap of his mother, but from the educational institute, and most importantly, from the society he or she is living in.
The reality check is that this society is a product of our deeds and decisions that we have taken throughout our life.
No wonder the saying, ‘Child is the Father of the Man’ is true because what a person learns in his or her childhood from the family and the society is what he or she becomes when they grow up.
Therefore, it is very important to understand that children learn from all sorts of sources and society is a more effective one as compared to books and other sources.
If you do not practice something in your own life you can never expect your children to do so.
If you want your child to follow the footsteps of Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम, it is you who has to start walking those steps today.
The current education is flawed and has no space to accommodate the concept Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम.
This education system was developed with an aim to produce “skilled factory workers” rather than producing illuminated minds.
That minds could grow up to become philosophers, thinkers, and leaders in the light of the creativity he bestowed with.
Our education system is a testing facility for the memory section of our children’s minds and not for the quality check of their minds.
Similar opinions were presented by Jack Ma, who is the founder of the world’s giant tech company and realizes the true meaning of using knowledge for a collective purpose.
He expressed his concern over the current ways of teaching that are employed in education institutes.
According to him, teaching a child to be knowledge-oriented only is harmful because the next master of knowledge is a machine and there is no way a child can compete with a machine.
The age of technology is already here and there are already machines that can think, act, and make decisions like human beings.
To compete in such an age where machines are better humans than humans, it is very important to teach your children values and skills that are impossible for the machines to learn.
Independent thinking, emotional intelligence, and empathy are many of such qualities that will always stay under the possession of humans.
However, humans need to learn how to use these qualities to produce a better life for themselves and others around them.
Jack Ma further added to his speech the importance of expanding the horizon for the meaning of the word ‘knowledge’.
Conclusion
Every day more than a thousand students enroll and thousands of them graduate with a pool of knowledge in their minds.
However, they lack a very basic understanding of knowledge which is to use this knowledge for the betterment of everyone and not only themselves.
Vidya Dadati Vinayam | विद्या ददाति विनयम is an ancient concept but its relevance was undoubtedly needed in the past and is needed even more in the future.
We need to start teaching our children the value of education and not only value education in terms of money.
It is about time that they should be taught again not only to store knowledge inside their minds but to take them out and use it to build a progressive self and society.
Parents should stop making their children factory workers and should start working towards building beneficial personalities that follow Vidya Dadati Vinayam.
Courtesy: Google images
References:
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/modern-education-system-parenting-deepak-goyal-amicheme-/
- https://medium.com/@iihantefoundation/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF-%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%82-vidya-dadati-vinayam-21ba31d9e0f7
- https://jharaphula.com/vidya-dadati-vinayam/
- https://sites.google.com/site/aryanetinstitute/logo
- https://www.dailybhajan.com/mantra/vidya-dadati-vinayam
- http://www.cornellpolicyreview.com/vidya-dadati-vinayam-the-ordeal-to-open-the-doors-of-education/
- https://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2009/07/knowledge-leads-to-happiness.html
