Page 79 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

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Vinoba’s contribution to Gandhian Ideal of Education

Sudarshan Iyengar

Vinoba was a spiritual seeker in his own right from his early life. He was training himself after

the Indian tradition of scholarship. He was impressed by the revolutionary spirit of Bengal and attracted
to the serenity in Himalayas. In his early youth he wanted to explore both. He left home in 1916 for

Bengal and then to Himalaya - his choice abode. On way he reached Benares which is the known seat
of knowledge in Hindu religion and the Indian philosophy. In Benares he learned from people that
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some person named Gandhi had recently delivered a remarkable speech at the inauguration function of
Benares Hindu University and had aroused the spirit of the residents across all sections. Vinoba had no

idea who Gandhi was. But his curiosity arose and he abandoned his plan to visit Bengal and Himalayas.
He felt an urge to meet Gandhiji and hold discussion with him. He wrote to Gandhiji and Gandhiji

invited him to Kochrab Ashram. The rendezvous was to become a historic event in the lives of both.

The First Lesson in Nai Talim!
Vinoba reached Ahmedabad by train and walked to Kochrab Ashram from the railway station.

He was told that he should finish ablutions first and then Gandhiji would meet him. Vinoba hurriedly got
ready and was in front of Gandhiji eager to begin shastrartha! Gandhiji said the discussions could

happen later; Vinoba should first cut some vegetables! Vinoba’s Nai Talim had begun. Vinoba became
an Ashram inmate. Years later, Vinoba remarked that in Gandhiji he had found the revolution of Bengal

and peace of Himalaya. Gandhiji too was deeply impressed by this young and scholarly seeker of
knowledge and they became lifelong associates.

Vinoba was perhaps the most distinguished and erudite scholar of Sarvodaya philosophy
during the Gandhian age. Gandhiji and Vinoba were neither educationists nor education philosophers.

Gandhiji developed definite thoughts on education by experimenting in providing education to his children
and later to children of the inmates of Phoenix Ashram and Tolstoy Farm. Vinoba’s interest in education

developed in the context of his discourse on reconstruction of Sarvodaya Samaj. In the post
Independent India he began by uttering warnings against the factors that threatened genuine education

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