The concrete, deep and comprehensive system of imparting education and good culture in the family by Indian sages is unique in the world. Mutual affection, trust etc. are the virtues, enhanced in a person who grows up in a hindu family. The role of the hindu family, is therefore important in creating harmony in hindu community. This system develops the mindset of thinking about the overall interest of a society. And to achieve this system, Indian sages introduced a system of imparting education called Gurukul, in which in addition to education, values like feelings of intimacy, enhancing consciousness & providing correct direction for one’s vision , faith, patience, are inculcated. A gurukul or gurukulam, is a type of education system in ancient India with students (or disciples) living near or with the guru in the same house for a period of time & they learn and get educated by their gurus. For a hindu youth, the family is the abode of hard work and it is the shelter of respect, pride and affectionate behavior towards the elder members of his family.
An effective system, which comprised ethics, principles and traditions that the sages considered necessary for an ideal society, was introduced by the sages. An ideal family has been the main place of rituals. Societies is formed by a group of families. Ideal families make an ideal society. In hindu society, the rights of each other lie in the performance of one’s duty. While, performing their duty and serving the elders, , the younger ones in a hindu community, even forget their own comforts. The example of Shravan Kumar is in front of us, who had made his parents sit in a bahangi and helped them visiting various hindu pilgrimages. In the Markandeya Purana, sage Markandeya has called Grihastha Ashram the best, part of one’s life. According to Rishi Markandeya, the normal arrangement of the family, in Grihast Ashram, both husband and wife should perform their duties to keep their family’s life happy. The duty of the husband is to protect the wife. Take care of her happiness and sorrow. It is the duty of a wife to serve her husband. In this way she can exhibit her virtues. Sage Markandeya has criticised those, who take sanyas by leaving their households. He says until the feeling of renunciation comes in the state of mind. There is no benefit in becoming a monk. According to sage Markandeya, a married woman should not stay in her maternal house for a long period. If a daughter stays with her parents for a long time, then her parents must advise her, to stay with family of her husband. Staying at father’s house for a long time, is not permitted in a hindu society, and doesn’t get respect for either families. It is evidey that everyone used to follow the rules made by the sages for an ideal household. Women had always been cradle of Hindu society and had always respected hindu culture & traditions. The houses, where women are being worshipped, becomes heaven, and as per our sages, the deities like to reside in such hindu homes. Women-oppression, dowry system, divorce etc. are an alien culture, and got introduced in hindu society, consequent to islamic & western invasions. Consequent to adopting western civilization,, materialism, started gaining importance. Today, demonic tendencies are increasing in our society. We have to think how to get rid of them. Our sages cultured the society and at the same time tried their best to organize it and keep the sanatna dharma culture alive. Establishment of religious places, Kumbh Mela in Nashik and Prayag, Haridwar, Char Dham in hilly places-Badrinath, Kedar Nath, Gangotri, Yamnotri: taking water from Gangotri and offering it to Rameshwar. Rishi Shankaracharya established all the four Maths so that there should be no shortage of food in the society, even during a famine.
