Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)
by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words
This page relates ‘Meaning Of Education� of the English study on the Harshacharita: A Sanskrit (poetical work) which can be studied as a Historical book of Indian society during the 7th century. It was originally written by Banabhatta who based his Harsacarita on the life of the Gupta emperor Harshavardhana. This study researches the religion, philosophy, flora and fauna and society of ancient India as reflected in the Harsha-Charita.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 1: Meaning Of Education
In the Ჹṣaٲ, ṇa has depicted Ჹṣa’s reign revealing lots of sociocultural information of the contemporary society. Value of education and education system of that society are also delineated sufficiently in the Ჹṣaٲ.
Education is one of the inevitable necessities of human race. The word ‘education� has been derived from the Latin word ‘Educare� which means ‘to bring up� or ‘to develop�. So, the basic meaning of education is ‘to develop� or so to say, upliftment of humane values. Through education we get acquaintance with the accumulated experiences of human life. It is very difficult to give a definite meaning of the term ‘education�. In Sanskrit, implies education, which comes from the Sanskrit root vid' meaning to know. It means knowledge, education, learning, science, lore, scholarship etc. The famous Indian classical poet choose the term as the subject of study. According to him by practicing one can please others.[1] In the age of the Ѳٲ it was unimaginable that there could be any education without moral, virtue and value.
Therefore, it was found in the Ѳٲ�
“Nothing gives us such unfailing insight as education.�[2]
Some of the various definitions and its importance in human life as found in different Sanskrit books are given bellow-
[a]. In the ñⲹṛt, it is stated that “Education is that which makes man assume good characters and useful to the society.�[3]
[b]. According to the ٳśٰ “Education means training for the society and love for the nation.�[4]
[c]. According to Śṅk峦ⲹ “Education is the self realization.�[5]
When one reviews these various meanings of the word ‘Education�, one finds that education is a complex idea.
The Indian concept of education is well summarized by the University Education Commission or Rādhakrishnan Commission 1948-49 as�
“Education according to Indian tradition is neither merely a means of earning livelihood nor is it only a nursery of thought or, a school for citizenship. It is initiation into the life of spirit, a training of human souls in the pursuit of truth and practice of virtue. It is a second birth (dvitiyam janam).�[6]
Again, according to Ānundoram Borooah, the famous composer of English-Sanskrit Dictionary, Education means ṃs�, which has been given by (your) father with great care.[7] According to the famous Dictionary śṣa-śṣ� is a part of Veda.[8] The most common Indian word śṣ� is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root ś' which means ‘to control�, ‘to discipline�, ‘to instruct� or ‘to teach�.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
mabhyāsaneneva prasādayitumarhasi, 鲹ܱṃśa,1.88
[6]:
The Report of the University Education Commission, (Dec.1948-Aug.1949) Vol. I, p.38, 1st edn.,
[8]:
ṅgśٰśṣa�, վśṣa,p.356