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9
There’s a brilliant address in the Taittiriya Upanishad, in
which the Guru delivers the convocation speech to students
who were leaving the Gurukul and entering the outside world,
a world full of struggle and challenges. The students of the
Gurukul were given key ideas on how they should live their
lives dedicated to their culture consistent with what has been
taught to them as the goal and way of life. In the convocation
address the Guru emphasizes on the following qualities.
1. The practice of what is right and proper as indicated
in the scriptures (ritam);
2. Living up to the ideals that have been intellectually
comprehended during the studies (satyam);
3. A spirit of self-sacrifice and self-denial (tapas);
4. Control of the senses (dama);
5. Tranquility of the mind (sama);
6. Maintenance of a charitable and ready kitchen at home
in the service of all deserving hungry fellow beings
(agni);
7. Practice of concentration and ritualism through fire
worship as was in vogue in the society during those
days; and
8. Doing one’s duty towards humanity, towards one’s
children and grandchildren and towards the society.
