The school’s director, Jagadīśa dāsa, replies to some often-asked questions.

BTG: How does Gurukula fit in with today's society?

Jagadisa dasa: Today many people, especially the leaders, have given up the idea of good character and God consciousness. But with that mentality, no one can be peaceful or happy.

All of us in this world-we're connected with one another; we're like the limbs and branches of a tree. And we're connected with God; He's like the tree's root. So if we all water the root, if we serve the Lord, then the tree-our whole world-will flourish. So we want the students at Gurukula to develop ideal character. They'll have one aim in life: to serve the Lord and all living beings.

BTG: But how will these children function in society? They may develop "ideal character," but how will they live in the everyday world twenty years from now?

Jagadisa dasa: In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna explains that according to the qualities of an individual's work, he can serve in society in any one of four ways. The Bhagavad-gita describes the intellectual like this: "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness-these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work" (Bg. 18.42). Brahmanas are especially meant to teach the other classes and guide society along the spiritual path. So, when a child shows intellectual traits, we train him accordingly.

Then Krsna describes the administrators: "Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the ksatriyas" (Bg. 18.43).

The brahmanas are men of first-class intelligence, the ksatriyas are men of second-class intelligence, and below the ksatriyas are vaisyas and sūdras. So for the two other divisions of society, "farming, cow protection, and business are the kinds of work suitable for the vaisyas, and for the sūdras there is labor and service to others" (Bg.18.44).

Gurukula is especially meant to develop progressive persons who understand the spiritual values of life and make a contribution to human society. We are educating these boys and girls how to live a proper human life, whatever the social conditions. Then, wherever they may live and whatever they may do, if they remain Krsna conscious they will be happy and successful. This is the real point of Gurukula.

BTG: Could you tell us a little bit about what the children learn in terms of traditional subjects like math, science, social studies, history, and geography?

Jagadisa dasa: They learn English, math, geography, history, and so on, so that they can understand the modern world and be able to relate with people in an intelligent way. But the main thing is that the child learns the principles of Krsna consciousness.

BTG: How do you determine your teachers' qualifications?

Jagadisa dasa: Our teachers are all good devotees. That's the first prerequisite. They must carefully follow the regulative principles: no meat-eating, no gambling, no illicit sex, no intoxication. They must also be exemplary in their behavior: chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, attending temple functions, always keeping clean, and so forth. Basically they have to exhibit the characteristics of brahmanas (as I mentioned before, cleanliness, truthfulness, austerity, self-control, and so on). And if they have some material qualifications, so much the better. Most of our academic teachers do have teaching certificates, and they've had some teaching experience before coming to the movement.

BTG: Could you describe a typical day for a child in Gurukula?

Jagadisa dasa: The children rise early (along with their parents and teachers) and attend the temple functions from four-thirty till eight o'clock in the morning. This morning program provides the children with a firm Krsna conscious foundation for the rest of the day. At eight o'clock the children take breakfast, and by nine-thirty they're in class. The first class period of the day stresses English and lasts until lunch, with a break in the middle to attend services in the temple. After lunch the older children chant the verses of Bhagavad-gita in the original Sanskrit language, and they learn the Sanskrit alphabet and grammar. This afternoon session lasts an hour to an hour and a half; then there's math, geography, and history. After three-thirty the older children have free time, and the younger children have free time after two o'clock.

BTG: How does discipline fit into Gurukula's educational picture?

Jagadisa dasa: In his letters to us, Srila Prabhupada has said that the children need two things: learning and love. As far as discipline, there should be no permissiveness, but at the same time there should be no strong punishment. Our teachers can help the children to become self-disciplined because they themselves are self-disciplined. That's the Krsna conscious way to teach: not just by precept, but by example.