Swami Chidbhavananda discusses the importance of properly educating and training students. He believes that during childhood and adolescence, students should be guided to develop noble qualities through discipline, service, reverence for teachers and parents, self-control, concentration, and connecting to their inner spirituality. Following these principles allows students to fully realize their potential and transform themselves.

1. Essay on “The Student”
from The Indian National Education
by Swami Chidbhavananda
Introduction
Swami Chidbhavananda was born on11th
March, 1898 in Senguttaipalayam near Pollachi in
Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. His parents named him “Chinnu.” He studied in Stanes School,
Coimbatore. He was deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda’s ideology and patriotism.
As per the wish and advice of Swami Sivananda, he returned to Tamil Nadu and established an
Ashram near Ooty. In the early forties (1942), he established Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam in
Tiruparaithurai, Tiruchi district. Since then, the Tapovanam has established several educational
institutions in Tamil Nadu and propagates the ideals of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda through
religious and social activities such as book publishing. Swami Chidbhavananda has authored more than
a hundred books in Tamil and English. His books address a variety of topics ranging from deep
philosophical enquiry to contemporary social life. He wished to take Indian culture, religion, and
tradition to all section of society. He peacefully passed away on 16th
November 1985.
Endowed with Divine
Swami says there is a fundamental difference between man and other forms of life. In the
Others, there is distinctive feature in every creature. Each species presents its own uniqueness. Man
alone is an exception to this. He does not conform to species-grouping. If a study of a hundred men be
made there is not certainty that the same human nature can be seen in every one of them. There are
men possessed of the nature of a tiger, cow, snake and human beings. There are also men endowed
with human nature there are a rare few who verge on the divine. But it is not possible for other forms
of life to vitally change their inborn nature. It is given to man alone to effect a planned change in his
nature. It is possible for him to work out a miraculous transformation in his being.
So the mode of life is more important than the mere act of living. The how of life is the
foremost factor in self-advancement. Therefore to learn to culture the self is everything in life.
Timely Treatment
As we take butter out of cow’s milk, man should reform or transform himself during boyhood.
But if the little ones (students) are put under a sound system of training, they are bound to develop
noble features alone. A boy is ceaselessly making a pilgrimage towards adolescence. Opportunities in
boyhood are innumerable for casting oneself into any worthy mould. None can afford to let go this
opportunity. It is because of this that the early years of life are wholly dedicated to learning. Swami
says, “The very object of education is the refinement of the mind” (130). Swami Vivekananda also
says, “Education is the manifestation of perfection already present in us.” Boyhood is like a clay stuff.
Through sheer training it is possible to rear youths into ideal warriors, efficient statesmen, model
citizens or venerable saints.
Nurture the Intellect
Man can achieve everything through endeavour. Talents are acquired and improved through
repeated doing. The body can be developed and invigorated through continuous and consistent
exercise. The same is true of the mind, and there are various ways of nurturing it. The very aptitude of
the mind can be changed or modified through nurture. Intellect also develops through proper training.
Consistent thinking, right analysis, penetrating inquiry and precise expression – by the practice of all
these, intellect can be sharpened.
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Discipline
“Discipline simply does not exist”- was the remark made by Sister Nivedita. The modern
Indian youth is quite a stranger to discipline. Day by day he drifts into any fantastic mode of life which
fits into his vagary. The boy who does not recognize that through lack of discipline his personality is
being smashed even like a path of cloud caught in a gale. In the art of living the youth has to learn his
first lesson from nature. He has to incorporate into his life the order and regularity of nature.
Rising with the lark is an important practice which he has to imbibe by all means. It is this hour
before dawn that drives inertia off the body and brings clarity to the mind. This practice of early rising
has to begin in boyhood itself and go on all through life. The human body is verily a living temple. It
needs repose for refreshing and recouping. Rising very early in the morning is the first step in this
process of self-mastering. Discipline becomes complete when a minutely planned daily routine is
followed from the waking hour to bed time.
A child’s innate nature is to be busy as the bee. The child seldom gets directed to purposeful
and planned activity.
Sonship
Discipline is he who subjects himself to discipline, which is the only path to perfection. A child
is the tender fruit, and father and mother are the parent trees. (138). One aspect of self-discipline
consists in the adoration paid to the parents. Therefore the injunction is:
Matru devo bhava,
Pitru devo bhava
May the mother be a god to you, may the father be a god to you. this attitude alone can translate itself
into right action. The boy begins with cherishing a reverent attitude to parents. Attitude is the chief
factor in mental climate. Among attitudes, that of reverence towards one and all stands supreme.
The human personality expresses itself through a three-channel outflow –thought, word, and
deed. The son should learn to pay homage to the parents through all these three. Obedience is a divine
quality and that is the reward that is his. The manner in which a son talks in the presence of his parents
is a matter of immense importance after the period of this lisping and prattling is over. What to talk and
how to talk before the elders is the lesson he has to learn now.
Discipleship
Adoration of elders begins with the parents, but does not end there. Its horizon has to be
expanding. Just as the parents nourish the body, the teacher nurtures the mind of the pupil. The pupil
soul is enriched in direct proportion to the humility and reverence he offers to the teacher.
Guru-Bhakti Invokes higher potentialities in the pupil than does Matru or Pitru-Bhakti. Intense
Guru-Bhakti cleanses the mind, and the pupil evolves to perfection i.e, Totakacharya, and Ekalavya.
Self-Control
Self-control is yet another sublime principle pertaining to life. It is in the human world this
principle operates in the mental. Human rear the mind on thoughts and emotions; it is from these, that
the mind receives its sustenance (fuel). Senses are the instruments which in five different ways present
the external world to the mind. It behooves this inner organ in its turn to interpret the presented objects
aright and to react worthily. This is called self-control. A model student is he who dedicates himself to
his redeeming principle of self-control. Eating, sight, touch, clothing, hearing, and smelling.
The fundamental principle in life is that he who controls and sublimates all the five senses
necessarily evolves into divinity. Native genius finds its full expression in him, who has mastered the

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senses. The sagacity to react aright to all situations gets established in him. Self-control alone leads life
to plenitude.
Service
All beings are knit in the Cosmic Life. All acts of life ought to be such as constitute willing
homage to this Unity of Existence. Service ought to be rendered to whomsoever we come across, and
this is the only way of giving a practical expression to the solidarity of Life. This has its spontaneous
start in service done by the pupil to parents and the preceptor. One must serve the other with a warm
readiness. Lending a helping hand is a duty as much in the study as on the play ground.
In all the fields service sweetened by love helps to bind soul with soul. Through service alone
have all great men risen to eminence.
Memory
Among living beings man is distinguished for his faculty of memory. Man expresses his power
of memory in a variety of ways. Reciting verses, deducing conclusions, coordinating data, these are a
few of the ways in which memory of man manifests itself. One of the aims and objects of education is
to cultivate the faculty of memory. It is a powerful factor in education. Life is a poem in itself. Life is
made more and more poetical through contact with poetry.
Memorizing abundantly from literature is a sure aid to strengthening and elevating the mind.
Prayer
God is Life.
God is Love
God is Light, (159-160)
Life is something which is invisible to the eye. Actually prayer is a case of the little life drawing
inspiration from the Cosmic Life. Love is a manifestation of Sakti or Cosmic power. Light is Pure
Intelligence. We are all sparks of that Light. The mind of man may be likened to charcoal. The modern
system of education attempts to coat it with a fire like coloring; the ancient system advocated the
offering of the mind into the Blazing Intelligence within.
Concentration
Concentration is a powerful aid in building the personality of the pupil. Through concentration
the pupil’s mental power gets energized. Mind is like the sun’s rays and the steam. Through thought its
powers are released for good or bad. Coordinated pure thoughts contribute to concentration. The more
the mind gets concentrated the more powerful it becomes. The difference between pupil and pupil
(student) is the difference in the degree of concentration. He who has learnt to concentrate the mind is
smart in studies, agile in play, congenial in society and self-composed.
Conclusion
Swami Chidbhavananda was as hopeful as Swami Vivekananda that the ancient system of life-
training is needed to the modern generation. Through the chapter, “The Student,” Swami
Chidbhavananda defines and classifies the duty, and potentiality of a student.
Prepared by
Dr.S.Bharathiraja
Assistant Professor of English