असूयैकपदं मृत्युः अतिवादः श्रियो वधः

असूयैकपदं मृत्युः अतिवादः श्रियो वधः।

अशुश्रूषा त्वरा श्लाघा विद्यायाः शत्रवस्त्रयः॥

महाभारते उद्योगपर्वणि ५-४०-४ विदुरवाक्ये॥

asūyaikapadaṁ mṛtyuḥ ativādaḥ śriyo vadhaḥ|

aśuśrūṣā tvarā ślāghā vidyāyāḥ śatravastrayaḥ||

mahābhārate udyogaparvaṇi 5-40-4 viduravākye||

A quote from Viduravakyam of Mahabharatham... The minister of Kauravas and the younger brother of the King Dhritarashra, the wise Vidura is discussing various aspects of statecraft and lifestyle management with his elder brother the King..

Here in this sloka, he is pointing out the adverse effects of certain base human qualities..

Meaning of the sloka

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**The one word synonymous with jealousy and intolerance is death itself..

**Excessive and unwanted argument with someone is just as bad as getting killed..

**And the three enemies of acquiring knowledge and getting educated are

1. Not giving respect to the preceptor who is imparting knowledge, and also not giving due respect to the subject by constant practice

2. Too much of haste, too much eagerness, too much of avariciousness

3. Too much of self praise.. boasting about ones own knowledge.. receiving too much of praise from others on a person's learning and knowledge..

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So many murders do happen due to jealousy and intolerance.. Even otherwise, jealousy and intolerance burns away all that is good in a man... and he is dying a gradual death..

Unnecessary argument would carry us nowhere.. But that can cause distress to the one who argues as well as the one who listens.. And dry arguments often provoke anger in others.. and that can result in strife and even death.. More than that an argumentative person would be shunned by all.. and that could mean social rationalization and virtual death. And above all, arguments, in excess can bore one to death..

Education would progress in the proper manner only if the student is in a receptive mood.. If the student has no respect for the knowledge of the teacher, and if he is not having much devotion to the subject of study how can there be any progress?

Human mind has its limitations.. Things can be imbibed only through assiduous practice.. Education and training are time bound.. Shortcuts and haste would never help.. never.. Often we forget this when preparing for competitive examinations. The apparent success in the short term perspective would only generate incompetent and least equipped work force.. and human beings..

And we are all basically vain.. We succumb to praise.. When we are praised even for small achievements, we tend to believe that we are super heroes.. And that would spell doom for our further pursuit in acquisition of knowledge.. And when a person just starts boasting and bragging about his own knowledge, that is the end of his education.. Some people brag by telling belittling things about themselves.. expecting others to contradict them and praise them.. That too is just bragging bottled in a slightly different manner..

These points are worth a lot of consideration..