The Educational Department - Teaching the Science of the Soul
Modern educational departments focus extensively on material sciences but completely ignore the most vital subject: the true nature of the self. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that a genuine educational system must teach spiritual knowledge, instill ideal qualities, and guide society toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The Defect of Modern Education
Today's universities teach a variety of material subjects, from sociology to astronomy, but lack a department dedicated to understanding our true spiritual identity. This creates an unbalanced society that is highly elevated in material knowledge but remains completely ignorant of the soul and the science of God.
- As far as ordinary education is concerned, people are involved with so many departments: politics, sociology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, etc.
- There are two departmental educational policy; one departmental education is spiritual education, and the other educational system is material education. One who is highly elevated in material education, cannot understand about anything spiritual.
- I don't think in any university throughout the whole world there is such educational department where this science is handled. The soul. Whether I am this body or I'm not the body. I am not this body; that is the fact.
- These are the inquiries, tattva-jijnasa. But they are not interested, neither educational department nor any other department. They are simply interested, Where is money? Where is money? Where is money.
The Need for the Science of the Soul
Without understanding the fundamental nature of the soul, any educational system remains superficial and incomplete. An educational department must be established to teach who we are, where we come from, and how the jīva soul is transmigrating under the laws of material nature and the supervision of the Supersoul.
- There should be an educational department to understand what is soul, what it is nature, how it is working, what is the future, wherefrom it is coming. So many things there. But there is no education for this prime factor.
- The Supersoul is overlooking the activities of the jiva soul and according to his karma, He is giving a different type of body. Again he is working. Again he is creating another situation. This vast knowledge is unknown to the modern educational department.
- There is no educational department how to love a young girl or young boy. It is already there. It is not taught. Similarly, the Krsna consciousness is not the subject matter of being taught. It is already there.
- If you take up this principle then the educational department should be divided into four divisional departments for advancement of knowledge.
Training and Government Responsibility
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the government has a duty to manage society by funding both educational and criminal departments. A proper education department must focus on training individuals in brahminical qualities, such as truthfulness and sense control, to create a class of first-class men.
- The government has both an educational department and criminal department. An outsider may consider the criminal department inauspicious, but from the government's point of view it is as important as the education department.
- There should be educational department to create first-class men by all these qualities: how to become controller of the mind, how to become controller of the senses, how to become cleansed, bahyabhyantaram, inside clean and outside clean, saucam.
- Krsna says that how the brahminical class should be educated. This should be taken very seriously by educational department of all countries. And it is the duty of the government to see that every man according to his quality is working, is employed.
- Truthfulness has to be rejected? No. Another class, the brahmana class, he must be truthful. The ideal must be there. Just like in the university, educational department, there is law department.
Introducing Kṛṣṇa Consciousness into Education
Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly advocated for the introduction of his transcendental literature into the world's educational departments. By integrating the absolute truth found in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the ultimate goal of human life can be realized by students in schools and colleges.
- The most scientific knowledge of God is there in the Bhagavad-gita." Write him. Give him a slap, that "You do not know." Introduce our Krsna consciousness books in the educational department.
- Try to get our books accepted by educational departments as extra study books at schools and colleges. In that way we will have a good recommendation for introducing our books to all kind of libraries.
- I am so glad to hear that the Educational Department will take our books. They should take at least 50 copies of each book.
- My translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (published in three volumes first canto) is recognized by the Government of India both central and states education department.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda clearly exposes the critical flaw in modern society's educational systems: the complete absence of spiritual science. While governments heavily fund departments for material advancement and criminal punishment, they neglect the most essential education regarding the soul and its relationship with the Supreme Lord. A true educational department must establish the science of the soul, train individuals in higher brahminical qualities, and integrate profound transcendental literature to guide humanity toward its ultimate spiritual destination.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Educational Department. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.