In plain words
That is, learning is what removes pains, bonds, hardships and sorrows, and gives Śānti and happiness. Truly, as for the book, this world itself is the book. Karma itself is the true teacher. So only when we perform our karmas as karmas that put things to good use, as holy karmas, as divine karmas, do we become people who follow the book called this world. The world is not merely a plain book. At times it takes the form of the chief teacher. In the world there are so many things we must learn and are learning. That is why they said, “Nature is the best teacher.” What does Nature mean here? Many meanings come out of this English word. They think it means the atmosphere of Prakṛti. But what does Prakṛti mean? We can call our body too Prakṛti. In the Karṇāṭaka country they use Prakṛti for this body. They say, “My Prakṛti is not right.” That means, “My health is not right.” So what is the principle of our Prakṛti? All the conduct, acts, feelings, thoughts and words that belong to our body must be right. What we must teach, our conduct must teach. It must be right conduct. Our words must be useful words, words that do not hurt others. Our thoughts too must be thoughts that enter no wrong path of any kind. To teach students the things we practise in such daily life: that is true teaching. We must believe that the students' strength and ability are simply gifts received from the guru. The worth of gurus rests on the students' successes and on their conduct. If a student has earned a good name for his success and his conduct, it means his guru is sound. If a student's conduct takes a crooked path, if a student's results are very weak, that is the teacher's fault and no one else's.
Once, in the story of Kālidāsa, two gurus made ready for a debate. Both were scholars of equal strength and ability, so however long it went on, neither grew weaker. Thinking this impossible, they sent for the disciples of both gurus.