There are four purposes of education:
- अधीती (Adhītī )- this means to learn
- बोध (bodha) – means to understand that and imbibe it
- प्रयोग (prayog) – this means to utilise what is learnt properly
- प्रचारप्रसार (pracāraprasāra) – To impart to others what is learnt
This is very well established in this story from Pancatantra :-
Once there were four friends. Out of these, the three were very learned(विद्वान्) but the fourth friend was illiterate but was street smart (बुद्धिमान्) Once while passing through a jungle, they come across a heap of bones The first one, with the help of his knowledge joins the bones and the structure formed was of a lion The second friend, using his knowledge, puts in the internal organs and all the necessary biological systems. The third one was now ready to bring the lion to life. Seeing this, the fourth friend, who was illiterate, foresees the danger that would come with the lion coming to life. He insists the third friend not to bring the Lion to life as the Lion would immediately eat them all up. Not being able to showcase his knowledge specially when the other two had shown theirs, he does not understand what his fourth friend was trying to say. In his misplaced sense of ego he goes ahead and brings the lion to life. The lion as soon as it was brought to life, devours all three as the fourth friend, foreseeing the danger had already climbed a tree!
From this story it is clearly established that as all the four purposes of education were not followed, the knowledgable friends had to bear dire consequences. Thus just by अधीती (Adhītī ) and बोध (bodha), the education is not complete. प्रयोग (prayog) is a very important part of the education process and प्रचारप्रसार (pracāraprasāra) ensures clarity and strengthens what is learnt.
अपूर्वः कोऽपि कोषोऽयं विद्यते तव भारति।
दानेन वृद्धिमायाति संचयेन विनश्यति।।
Apūrvaḥ koऽpi koṣoऽyaṁ vidyate tava bhārati
Dānena vṛddhimāyāti saṁcayena vinaśyati
This means O! Sarasvati your treasure(knowledge) is incomparable because by giving, it increases and by keeping it to oneself, it perishes