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Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)

by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words

This page relates ‘Seats of Learning� 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 4: Seats of Learning

1 Teachers� Residence:

In the Upaniṣadic times, the teacher’s hermitages were the living centers of learning. The teacher admitted the pupil into his residential institution after the performance of the initiation ceremony of the student. Mainly, the teachers� hermitages were served as the seat of learning. We have found the vivid description of residential institution by Divākaramitras hermitage. When Ჹṣa󲹲Բ had gone to the hermitage of Divākaramitra, he saw the latter was surrounded by his pupils and students of various sects from different geographical locations.[1]

2 Pariṣad:

The 貹ṣa was that where persons of different stages come to quench their thirst for knowledge. Infect, 貹ṣa was also a centre for the cultivation of knowledge, where the scholars gathered together and discussed various things together. The author Bāṇabhaṭṭa has clearly stated in his 岹ī, that the king Śܻ첹’s mantrī貹ṣa was filled with different types of Scholars; with them he had passed his day and night discussing on various topics.[2]

3 Goṣṭhī:

The word ṣṭī implies the assembly or discourse. In ancient times ṣṭī was somewhat like a modern club. P. V. Kane comments-“an assembly or in a club or an assembly of learned man.�[3]

According to the ṅkٲ dzԳٲ�

samānavidyāvitraśilabuddhivayasamurupairālāpairekatrāsanabandho ṣṭī.[4]

Different types of scholars gathered together and exchanged their views in ṣṭī. Infect, this type of conferences were held by the kings who were the great patron of knowledge. In the ancient time, Janaka, the great king of Videha also once performed a sacrifice to which he invited all the erudite scholars of the ܱܰñ.[5] It is found in the Ჹṣaٲ that different types of conference were being organized in the 7th century A.D. King Ჹṣa󲹲Բ’s royal assembly had been filled with heroes, thinkers, speakers etc.[6] Again, description of vidyāṣṭī[7] is found, organized by the god , in which debating circle expressed their views or mutually discussed on higher problems of life attended by renowned scholars.[8]

4 Royal Court:

In a royal court, the scholars discussed various problems. The king attached was encircled by learned men who were expert in different fields, and whose accompaniment was like an anthodium to the king. Description is found in the 岹ī that, the king Śudraka was sitting in his royal court with the scholars who were very expert in various topics.[9] Again, the writer Bāṇabhaṭṭa has described that, the king Ჹṣa󲹲Բ’s royal courts (ᲹܱԾ) were full of various meritorious (ṇaٲ [ṇaٲm]) scholars who were attending the meetings organized for valuable discussions.[10]

Besides this, there was no fixed place of attaining knowledge at that time. There are instances of pupils sitting in various places in the ś of Divākaramitra. Some students sat on the rocks, some on bower, some under the shade of the trees, some even on the massive roots of huge trees to attain knowledge.[11]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

atha teṣāṃ taruṇāṃ madhye nānādeśīyai� stānastāneṣu stānunāśritai� śilātaleṣūpaviṣṭamāna�.. paurāṇikai� sāptatantavai� śaivai� śābdaiḥ�.. pratyuccardbhiśca saṃśayanaiśca vyutpādayadbhiśca vivadamānaiścābhyasyadbhiśca vyācakṣāṇaiśca śiṣyatā� pratipannairdūrādevāvedyamānam, Ჹṣaٲ,VIII.p.128

[2]:

[a] yathaiva ca divasamevamarabdhavividhakriyāparihāsacaturai� suhṛdbhirupeto niśāmanaiṣīt, 岹ī,p.24
[b] kadācidābaddhavidagdhamandalah kāvyapravandharacanena�, Ibid.,p.23

[3]:

[a] Ჹṣaٲ,p.214
[b] Ibid.,p.561

[4]:

Ibid.,I.p.13

[6]:

[a] bīraṣṭīṣu pulakitena kapolasthalenānurāgasandeśamivopāṃṣu raṇaśriya� śṛṇvantam, Ჹṣaٲ,II.p.32
[b] mahāhalāpagambhīraguṇavadṣṭīścopatiṣṭhamāna�, Ibid.,I.p.19

[7]:

Ibid.,I.p.2

[8]:

ܰ kila bhagavānsvalokamadhitiṣṭhanparameṣṭhī ……parivṛto brahmodyā� 첹ٳ� kurvannanyāśca niravadyā vidyāgoṣṭhirbhāvayan�..vidyāvisaṃvādakṛtāśca tatra teṣāmanyonyasya vidyāvivādā� prādurabhavan, Ibid.

[9]:

amaragurunāmapi prajñāyopahāsadbhiranekakulakramāgatai� …�..prabuddhaiścāmātai� 貹ṛtٲ� ԲDZṃk�.Ჹٰܳ� saha ramamāna� prathame………………�.sukhamaticiramuvāsa, 岹ī,p.20-21

[10]:

atha śԲ� śanairatyudāravyavahṛtirmanohṛnti bṛhanti ᲹܱԾ vīkṣamāṇa�,�..mahārlāpagambhiraguṇavadgoṣṭḥiścopatiṣṭḥamāna�,�..svabhāvagambh- īradhīdhanāni vidagdhamaṇḍalāni ca gāhamāna�.., Ჹṣaٲ,I.p.19-20

[11]:

atha teṣāṃ taruṇāṃ madhye nānādeśīyai� …�.sthāṇūnāśritai� śilātaleṣūpaviṣṭairlatābhavanānyadhyāvasadbhiraravyānīnikuñjeṣu nilīnairviṭapacchāyāṣu niṣannaistarumūlāni niṣevamānai…�..āvedyamānam, Ibid.,VIII.p.128

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