Most often people equate learning with conventional education. However, the Upanishads say, “Let knowledge come to me from all sides”. Experiences in life teach people discretion and the art of decision-making. Outdoor adventures teach a person to survive on minimum resources, pay heed to personal hygiene, develop interpersonal relationships, become alert for danger, cope with unexpected scenarios, and others. The impact of exploratory experiences can go a long way in shaping our personalities as open-minded individuals.
The Ikshavaku princes, Rama and Lakshmana, learnt this earlier in life when they accompanied Sage Vishwamitra to the forest to protect the sacrificial fire.
Survival is the most important aspect of life in the wilderness. The princes who led a royal life were first initiated into the art of overcoming hunger, thirst and fatigue by mastering the skills and their governing mantras called bala and atibala. The mantra which literally means strength and greater strength proved to be useful to them when they spent 14 long years in the forest.
The princes were taught that when it came to defending their object or person of interest from danger or evil forces, they should not stand on formalities which mattered in civilised society. For instance, they killed demons that obstructed the Yajna. Yet when demoness Tataka attacked them, they hesitated to take action because she was the female of the species. Then sage Vishwamitra sensitised them to the fact that when justice is meted out, it is blind to discrimination based on caste, creed, cult, gender, social and economic status and encouraged them to be done with Tataka.
The clarity gained by Rama and Lakshmana helped them face the onslaught of Shoorpanakha later on in life. The princes learnt to weave baskets, make hoes, build huts and seek roots and fruit which made them realise that Mother Nature could be tapped for all their needs only if they looked hard enough.
Little did they realise that all their unconventional learning would stand by them during their hour of need. Any learning cannot be considered redundant. It will definitely prove to be useful someday, sometimes when we need it the most.