Page 83 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

21oha “krkCnh esa vkpk;Z fouksck Hkkos dh izklafxdrk

Vinoba in his address at the Sarvodaya Sammelan, Kanchipuram, on 30 May 1956 made an
interesting comment on why Gandhiji called his ideal of education as Nai - new. He explained that

fundamental truths of education and knowledge were not new ever, but there were times when thoughts
became ‘clouded’ it was new revelation in the new age. The fundamental truth is that human beings

have to be educated about life and life education. Gandhiji set up of a nationalist university Gujarat
Vidyapith in 1920. It was a political act. The concept of Nai Talim was yet to be formally evolved. But

Gandhiji was clear that the education that would be imparted in the schools and the university at
Vidyapith would be vocation based and main objective was to educate for character building of children

and youth. In various addresses that he made as the Chancellor of Vidyapith he emphasised learning
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Charkha and building character. Vinoba said that Gandhiji considered Charkha as the central Sun
of the world of constructive work. He was wondering that in such a metaphorical way what Nai Talim
should be. He wrote, “...for I was not prepared to call it a mere planet. If we keep Bapu’s metaphor,

Nai Talim must be thought of as the force of gravity, which keeps the planets round the Sun and keeps
the Sun itself circling on its course… Nai Talim is the power which binds all our varied activities into

one integral whole.” 12
Vinoba has invoked the metaphor of Shesh-Nag – the snake holding the earth on its head with

thousand mouths, from the Indian Mythology. Vinoba wrote, “Nai Talim is our Shesh-Nag: therefore
if each worker, in addition to becoming skilled in his own craft, pursues it in the spirit of Nai Talim, his

work bear fruit and its influence will permeate all his surroundings.” 13
The first feature of Nai Talim was there were no teacher and the taught. Vinoba explained that

it was not Gandhiji’s original contribution. It was there in the understanding and tradition of learning in
India. Vinoba noted, “An interesting light is cast on the Indian attitude to education by the fact that in all

the fourteen languages recognized in the Constitution of India there is no verb “to teach,” but only a
verb “to learn”. We have artificially constructed a causative form, as sikhana from seekhana, but

there is no root word in our language corresponding to English “teach.” We can learn, we can help
others to learn, but we cannot “teach” … that is merely a professional vanity of the “teacher”, and we

shall not understand the nature of education unless we rid ourselves of that vanity. Out first task is to
realise that an “uneducated” human being is nowhere to be found.” 14

Vinoba elaborated that in one mantra about doing things together there is an expression
Tejasvinavadhitamastu – may the study of both of us be filled with rigour. Teacher does not consider

himself to be ‘teaching’ but to be studying. The prayer says that let us learn together and live together.
Living together and learning together was Key and therefore in Nai Talim the place of books is

secondary.

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