A homage to a teacher from an aspiring student in me - Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - A teacher, philosopher and a Statesman
( A homage to a teacher from an aspiring student in me)
The year - 1952. A touching moment in history, when Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, walked into Joseph Stalin’s spacious and ornately furnished office in Moscow for the last time to bid him farewell, after his tenure as the first ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. After brief pleasantries, he held Stalin’s hands and said “You know, there was a great emperor in India, who renounced his kingship after a bloody purge and became a monk. His name was Ashoka “, and with an enigmatic smile continued – “God knows, what will become of you…” Not many men have ever had the audacity to look at Stalin in his eye, let alone talk to him on the morality of his actions, or in a condescending tone. However, the aging dictator, understood the deep import of the sage’s words and his intention; and with a trembling voice replied “Yes sir, Miracles do happen!!! After all I have spent five years of my life in a theological seminary...” After which, Radhakrishnan stroked his back, wished him long life and good health, turned around to leave. Stalin was speechless. Here was a man treating him like another human being; without the dread and trepidation of those who trembled in his mere presence. He held Radhakrishnan’s hand for a brief moment and said "I am sad, you are going . . . . . I have not long to live. . .” A ruthless dictator bidding an emotional farewell to a Philosopher- statesman.
Such was the stature and dignity of The First president of India. What a life! Born into a poor South Indian family, educated in public schools, enrolled into Madras Christian college for a course in Philosophy by pure chance (He was donated some books by his cousin); mastered the esoteric texts of Plato, Berkeley, Hume, Bergson and other obscure tomes of Western thought; deeply cognizant and proud of the Hindu vision he inherited; studied deeply the fundamental treatises of shankara, Ramunaja and the blossoming of Indian mystic tradition in its various branches ; became a professor of philosophy pressed by financial necessities; loved it, and turned out to be a consummate teacher, philosopher and distinguished orator attracting young minds with his lucid and penetrative insights into doctrinal differences and inherent unity in eastern and western thought; moved on to occupy the prestigious George V chair in Philosophy at the University of Calcutta – in all, a steady deepening of maturity, wisdom and stature that culminated in his election to the highest office in the country.
If Vivekananda arose the passion in Western world with his fiery Indian philosophic vision and breathless passion; then it was Radhakrishnan who gave it the intellectual scaffolding that was required to hold itself on alien ground. His Upton and Gifford lectures, later published as “The Hindu view of life” and “An idealist view of life” - delivered to stunned, disbelieving intellectuals in England, hemmed in Vedantic insights into the tapestry of occidental metaphysics. The dialectical rigor that was demanded of the dreamy east was provided with a force, grace and language that forced contemporary western philosophers to rethink their position on basic philosophic premises; taken so much for granted by Western rationalists. He was knighted in 1931 for his admirable services in advancing Human understanding and cooperation.
Meanwhile, Our philosopher continued to tread the holy grounds of hallowed universities teaching, both in India and abroad: The Benares Hindu University, the prestigious Spalding chair of Eastern religions in Oxford, back to Benares, and then to the newly established Andhra university - talking to large audiences of students and professors alike; expounding the fundamental basis of all religions, and the critical relevance of Indian thought in reaching daring conclusions beyond the net of epistemology and metaphysics that had unfortunately come to dominate the life-giving study of philosophy in the west. His seminal study of Indian Philosophy in two volumes still remain, in my opinion, the finest compendium and survey of various systems born on Indian soil. His prose - simple, yet powerful; can take off at times into flights of poesy illuminating afresh a whole wide vista of religious thinking. Read them to feel the pulse of this great thinker!!!
It is a sign of great humility and wide understanding of Dr. Radhakrishnan that he wished his birthday be celebrated as Teachers day, if necessary. What else can we expect from such a Man; who actions reflected his words. Listen: “... A good teacher must know how to arouse the interest of the pupil in the field of study for which he is responsible; he must himself be a fellow traveler in the exciting pursuit of knowledge...” or “the aim of education is not the acquisition of information, although important, or acquisition of technical skills, though essential in modern society, but the development of that bent of mind, that attitude of reason, that spirit of democracy which will make us responsible citizens…”. Such quotes are endless and prolific.
He lived and assisted three prime ministers in his lifetime with his wisdom and guidance; especially Nehru, who was fortunate to have a Philosopher-king (The ideal of Plato’s Republic) as the President of the country. It is unfortunate though as a nation we have not been able to keep up the promise of universal education, which was Sir Radhakrishnan dream for Modern India; but whatever impetus it got came from the vision of this philosopher, who remained a quintessential teacher till the very end of his life.
I began this essay with an anecdote; and would end it with another. When Dr Radhakrishnan landed in the United States for the first time in 1963, to be received by its charismatic President John F Kennedy; the weather in Washington was extremely inclement with lashing rains and billowing winds. Kennedy, the gracious man that he was apologized to the Indian president on such a rough welcome; to which came the characteristic reply of our philosopher with a courteous smile on his lips: “…We cannot always control events, but we can always control our attitude towards events..''
It is to such a man that we dedicate the fifth of September.
God Bless…
( A homage to a teacher from an aspiring student in me)
The year - 1952. A touching moment in history, when Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, walked into Joseph Stalin’s spacious and ornately furnished office in Moscow for the last time to bid him farewell, after his tenure as the first ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. After brief pleasantries, he held Stalin’s hands and said “You know, there was a great emperor in India, who renounced his kingship after a bloody purge and became a monk. His name was Ashoka “, and with an enigmatic smile continued – “God knows, what will become of you…” Not many men have ever had the audacity to look at Stalin in his eye, let alone talk to him on the morality of his actions, or in a condescending tone. However, the aging dictator, understood the deep import of the sage’s words and his intention; and with a trembling voice replied “Yes sir, Miracles do happen!!! After all I have spent five years of my life in a theological seminary...” After which, Radhakrishnan stroked his back, wished him long life and good health, turned around to leave. Stalin was speechless. Here was a man treating him like another human being; without the dread and trepidation of those who trembled in his mere presence. He held Radhakrishnan’s hand for a brief moment and said "I am sad, you are going . . . . . I have not long to live. . .” A ruthless dictator bidding an emotional farewell to a Philosopher- statesman.
Such was the stature and dignity of The First president of India. What a life! Born into a poor South Indian family, educated in public schools, enrolled into Madras Christian college for a course in Philosophy by pure chance (He was donated some books by his cousin); mastered the esoteric texts of Plato, Berkeley, Hume, Bergson and other obscure tomes of Western thought; deeply cognizant and proud of the Hindu vision he inherited; studied deeply the fundamental treatises of shankara, Ramunaja and the blossoming of Indian mystic tradition in its various branches ; became a professor of philosophy pressed by financial necessities; loved it, and turned out to be a consummate teacher, philosopher and distinguished orator attracting young minds with his lucid and penetrative insights into doctrinal differences and inherent unity in eastern and western thought; moved on to occupy the prestigious George V chair in Philosophy at the University of Calcutta – in all, a steady deepening of maturity, wisdom and stature that culminated in his election to the highest office in the country.
If Vivekananda arose the passion in Western world with his fiery Indian philosophic vision and breathless passion; then it was Radhakrishnan who gave it the intellectual scaffolding that was required to hold itself on alien ground. His Upton and Gifford lectures, later published as “The Hindu view of life” and “An idealist view of life” - delivered to stunned, disbelieving intellectuals in England, hemmed in Vedantic insights into the tapestry of occidental metaphysics. The dialectical rigor that was demanded of the dreamy east was provided with a force, grace and language that forced contemporary western philosophers to rethink their position on basic philosophic premises; taken so much for granted by Western rationalists. He was knighted in 1931 for his admirable services in advancing Human understanding and cooperation.
Meanwhile, Our philosopher continued to tread the holy grounds of hallowed universities teaching, both in India and abroad: The Benares Hindu University, the prestigious Spalding chair of Eastern religions in Oxford, back to Benares, and then to the newly established Andhra university - talking to large audiences of students and professors alike; expounding the fundamental basis of all religions, and the critical relevance of Indian thought in reaching daring conclusions beyond the net of epistemology and metaphysics that had unfortunately come to dominate the life-giving study of philosophy in the west. His seminal study of Indian Philosophy in two volumes still remain, in my opinion, the finest compendium and survey of various systems born on Indian soil. His prose - simple, yet powerful; can take off at times into flights of poesy illuminating afresh a whole wide vista of religious thinking. Read them to feel the pulse of this great thinker!!!
It is a sign of great humility and wide understanding of Dr. Radhakrishnan that he wished his birthday be celebrated as Teachers day, if necessary. What else can we expect from such a Man; who actions reflected his words. Listen: “... A good teacher must know how to arouse the interest of the pupil in the field of study for which he is responsible; he must himself be a fellow traveler in the exciting pursuit of knowledge...” or “the aim of education is not the acquisition of information, although important, or acquisition of technical skills, though essential in modern society, but the development of that bent of mind, that attitude of reason, that spirit of democracy which will make us responsible citizens…”. Such quotes are endless and prolific.
He lived and assisted three prime ministers in his lifetime with his wisdom and guidance; especially Nehru, who was fortunate to have a Philosopher-king (The ideal of Plato’s Republic) as the President of the country. It is unfortunate though as a nation we have not been able to keep up the promise of universal education, which was Sir Radhakrishnan dream for Modern India; but whatever impetus it got came from the vision of this philosopher, who remained a quintessential teacher till the very end of his life.
I began this essay with an anecdote; and would end it with another. When Dr Radhakrishnan landed in the United States for the first time in 1963, to be received by its charismatic President John F Kennedy; the weather in Washington was extremely inclement with lashing rains and billowing winds. Kennedy, the gracious man that he was apologized to the Indian president on such a rough welcome; to which came the characteristic reply of our philosopher with a courteous smile on his lips: “…We cannot always control events, but we can always control our attitude towards events..''
It is to such a man that we dedicate the fifth of September.
God Bless…
Comments