Get authentic, textbook-grounded solutions for DAV Class 5 Moral Science Chapter 8: Six Blind Men (Child & Society – Social Interaction). Understand the famous parable of the six blind men and the elephant, learn the importance of respecting diverse perspectives, and discover complete solved questions and vocabulary exercises according to the DAV CMC curriculum.
The Parable of the Six Blind Men and the Elephant
Many arguments and conflicts in society arise from narrow differences of opinion. Because each individual perceives reality from their own limited viewpoint, quarrelling with others over partial perspectives leads to misunderstanding. True wisdom lies in listening with humility and synthesizing diverse insights.
The Six Perspectives of the Elephant:
- 1st Blind Man (Stomach): Touched the broad side and declared: “An elephant is like a wall.”
- 2nd Blind Man (Tusk): Touched the smooth pointed tusk and exclaimed: “It is like a spear.”
- 3rd Blind Man (Leg): Hugged the round leg and said: “An elephant is like a pillar.”
- 4th Blind Man (Trunk): Felt the squirming trunk and argued: “An elephant is like a big snake.”
- 5th Blind Man (Tail): Grasped the rope-like tail and maintained: “An elephant is like a rope.”
- 6th Blind Man (Ear): Flapped the wide ear and insisted: “An elephant is like a big fan.”
Thought of the Day: “Beware of hasty judgements of good or bad, right or wrong; truth lies somewhere in between.”
Textbook Exercises & Solved Questions
A. Answer the Following Questions
Q1. Why should we not quarrel with others?
Answer: We should not quarrel with others because every person views situations from their own personal perspective, experience, and background. What someone sees may be partially correct from their viewpoint, so open-minded dialogue is better than fighting.
Q2. Where did the six blind men decide to go?
Answer: The six blind friends decided to go together to a fair.
Q3. The first blind man moved his hand around the elephant’s stomach, what did he think it to be?
Answer: He thought the elephant was like a sturdy wall.
Q4. The sixth blind man touched the elephant’s ear, what did he think it to be?
Answer: He thought the elephant was like a giant cooling fan.
Q5. What do you learn from this story?
Answer: We learn that partial knowledge should never be mistaken for absolute truth. To understand any issue completely, we must listen patiently to other people’s perspectives with empathy, tolerance, and respect.
B. Animal Identification Puzzle
Five animals hidden in the animix:
- Elephant
- Lion
- Giraffe
- Horse
- Zebra