The Path of Self-Development

 The Path of Self-Development

You bring thin poha (flattened rice) from the shop and make chivda (a dry snack) out of it. Then, you take the same poha, dry it in the sun for two days, and make chivda again. Which chivda would you prefer?

And think about this — after eating Colocasia (Alu/Arbi) curry, have you ever felt an itchy or irritated throat?

You might wonder why I begin with these seemingly simple questions about cooking and food.

Even though poha from the shop is dry, sun-drying it removes any remaining moisture and makes it crispier. The inherent quality of crispness is enhanced by this simple sun drying process.

 Similarly, Colocasia contains calcium oxalate crystals in its leaves, stems, and tubers, which can irritate the throat. Washing it thoroughly before cooking and using tamarind or another souring agent reduces these crystals, minimizing irritation. Ingredients like peanuts and coconut, which enhance taste, are added later — but first, tamarind removes the defects or inner blocks in the dish.

When we cook, we perform multiple processes on food

some reduce or eliminate defects and inner blocks,

while others enhance inherent qualities.

Pause and think— all these steps are done simply to make the food better!

In our daily lives, the kitchen serves as a vivid metaphor: it is a place where we continuously practice Guṇādhāna (enhancing qualities) गुणाधान and Doṣāpanayana (removing defects) दोषापनयन.

In the Bhartiya Jnana Parampara (Indian knowledge tradition), especially Ayurveda, when preparing medicines, two processes are emphasized for transforming a substance into a therapeutic agent:

Ādhāna — enhancing, nurturing, or imparting desirable qualities.

Apanayana — removing, eliminating, or neutralizing undesirable elements.

Then Accordingly,

What is personality development?

It is the

cultivation of virtues — nurturing positive qualities —

and the elimination of vices — removing negative traits.

Therefore, when planning educational experiences for personality development, it is essential to ensure that these experiences facilitate Guṇādhāna and/or Doṣāpanayana.

Ideally, experiences should be designed so that the learner can practice this two-fold principle independently — to cultivate good qualities and eliminate bad habits.

The journey of Guṇādhāna and Doṣāpanayana

begins with Self-reflection.

Ask yourself:

“Which virtues do I already possess?”

“Which flaws are hindering my growth?”

This self-inventory provides clarity about your current state. Then, by setting priorities and making resolutions at the beginning of the year, targeted improvements can be pursued. At year-end, reflective writing can assess progress in enhancing virtues and reducing flaws.

A thought to consider:

In continuous and comprehensive evaluation, could we provide students with a year-end record sheet based on Guṇādhāna and Doṣāpanayana?

Or, could students create their own self-assessment sheet to track their growth?

Guṇādhāna and Doṣāpanayana: The Path of Self-Development

Prashant Divekar

Jnana Prabodhini, Pune