Formal Education System in Ancient India
by Sushmita Nath | 2016 | 63,563 words
This page relates 鈥榁idyarambha Samskara鈥� of the study on the (formal) education system in Ancient India with reference to Vedic and Buddhist period, investiging educational institutions and universities which existed during this time. Professional educational methods were found in ancient Sanskrit literature (Brahamanas, Dharma-Shastras, Puranas, Jatakas, etc.), including rules, ceremonies and duties of pupils in ancient India.
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The 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补
The 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 is the first educational 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 of pupils鈥� life. From this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补, a child started to receive education.This 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 is also described by some authorities as鈥�Ak峁r膩rambha, Ak峁rav墨karana and 础办峁谤腻濒别办丑补苍补[1]. As its name suggests that, this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 was started when the alphabets were utilised for writing purpose.
The 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 is not go back to hoary antiquity. All the Vedas, the 骋峁沨测补蝉奴迟谤补蝉, the 顿丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 and the early 厂尘峁泃颈蝉 do not mention this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. But the V墨ramitrodaya 厂补峁僺办腻谤补prak膩艣a, the 厂尘峁泃颈肠补苍诲谤颈办腻, and the commentary of 础辫补谤腻谤办补 on the 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补 厂尘峁泃颈 give the detail description about this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. P.V. Kane in his book 鈥楾he History of 顿丑补谤尘补艣补蝉迟谤补鈥� referred that though the Veda, the 骋峁沨测补蝉奴迟谤补, the 顿丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 do not give any information about the 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 but in the 惭腻谤办别峁囜笉别测补 笔奴谤补峁嘺 mention about 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. P.V.Kane also wrote that in 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补鈥檚 Raghuva峁兣沘, Kautilya鈥檚 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and the Bhavabhuti鈥檚 鲍迟迟补谤补谤腻尘补肠补谤颈迟补 give little bit information about the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补[2].
The authorities which describe and prescribe the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 are as late as the second millennium of Christan era. It is very strange that the 骋峁沨测补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 and the 顿丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补蝉 give detail description about the insignificant occasion like first outing and first feeding but they pass over the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补, which marks the beginning of primary education of a child and it was the very important occasion of a child life. This omission could not by mistake. Because, in the early time everybody was ignorant about the art of writing or it may be said during those days anything written was not regarded as pure. For, we find in the Tantra V膩rttika of
碍耻尘腻谤颈濒补 补蝉鈥撯赌渢丑补迟 knowledge of truth is worthless which has been acquired from the Veda, if the Veda has not been rightly comprehended or if it has been learnt from writing鈥�[3]. It is said that if letter was necessary for learning, it was not considered as pure education. So in that time, education of children began with the memorising of the sacred hymns without the help of writing. Therefore, there was no necessary for instituting another 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 for celebrating the learning alphabet.
Later on, literature becomes very complicated because different commentaries on different 艢腻蝉迟谤补蝉 were written. The standard of grammar became rigid. Then this rich literature had become impossible to retain only by memorising. So, to preserve the treasure of learning alphabets were invented and the art of writing was known. And people were also curious to know the treasure of learning. So a new 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 (痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补) was introduced to start the primary education of a child. After this new 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补, the Upanayana could not mark the beginning of primary education. It was performed at the beginning of secondary education. And the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 was performed at the commencement of primary education.
This late recognition of this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 was probably due to the fact that for a long time, the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 followed that of 颁奴岣嵞乲补谤补峁嘺 or tonsure ceremony[4]. According to Kauitlya鈥檚 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补, the education of a Prince began at the time of tonsure ceremony[5]. The 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补鈥檚 Raghuva峁兣沘m also supports this supposition because Prince Raghu learnt his alphabet after his tonsure ceremony[6]. In the Bhavabutis Uttar膩macarita, we find that the Sage 痴腻濒尘墨办颈 started the education of 碍耻艣补 and Lava after their tonsure ceremony[7]. There was one more factor which facilitated the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 with 颁奴岣峚办补谤补苍补 Ceremony. The 颁奴岣峚办补谤补苍补 Ceremony was performed between the fourth and fifth year of a Child and the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 was also performed in the fifth and seventh year of a Child. Both the 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 were performed together. The Number, nature and time of the tonsure ceremony were same as that of 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. So it was natural that in early time, when the tonsure ceremony was performed, the Primary education of a Child should be commenced.
Age:
In the fifth year of a Child, the 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 was performed. The 峁岣峚sa Samsk膩ravidhi referred 鈥�pancame saptame va峄弙de鈥� that means, it should be performed in the fifth or the seventh year of a Child[8]. But if the ritual had to be postponed on account of some unavoidable reason, then it must be performed before the Upanayana Ceremony. The 鲍迟迟补谤腻测补苍补 (惭腻谤驳补艣墨谤蝉补 to 闯测别峁ａ弓丑补) was selected for the performance of this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. Those days were very auspicious for the performance of 痴颈诲测腻谤补尘产丑补 厂补峁僺办腻谤补. But the month from 膧峁Ｄ佱笉丑补 to 碍腻谤迟颈办补 were prohibited for this 厂补峁僺办腻谤补 because in this time Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 was supposed to be sleeping.
The Ceremonies:
In the auspicious day of 鲍迟迟补谤腻测补苍补 a Child commence his first study. In this day the Child was required to bath with scented water. Then he wears white cloth and writes fifty letters with the help of Silver or Gold pen. He worships 痴颈苍腻测补办补, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and his family God. The young boy offer Homa in fire with ghee and separately he offer Naivedya of 骋耻岣峚 and Ladoo (sweets). In the ceremony, the teacher first takes his seat towards east and boy facing towards west. Then he recites the six syllable mantra-鈥�Om! Nama岣� 艢iv膩ya鈥�. After this the Child worships the teacher, and he write fifty letters (three times) beginning 鈥�A鈥� and ending with 鈥�闯帽补鈥�. He also recites the letters in three times. In the end, the young boy gives some presents to his teacher. He also gives sacrificial fee to the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. In return, they blessed the Child[9].
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
Kane.P.V, History of 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补,Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute,Bombay,1962,P.440.
[3]:
[5]:
叠峁泃迟补肠补耻濒补办补谤尘腻 濒颈辫颈峁� 蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补峁� copayu帽j墨ta |础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补,I.2.
[6]:
sa v峁泃tac奴la艣calak膩kapak峁kai鈥︹�︹�︹�︹�︹�︹�︹�iperyath膩vadgrha峁噀na va峁単maya峁冣�︹�︹�︹�︹�︹��..||Raghuva峁僡艣am,III,28.
[7]:
[Lavaku艣ayoa岣nib峁泃tcaulkrma峁噊艣ca tyostray墨varjmitar膩stistro 惫颈诲测腻岣� s膩vdh膩nena mans膩 parini峁ａ弓膩pit膩岣� |Uttar膩macarita Act II.
[9]:
驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补 厂尘峁泃颈,ed.by Panshikar Wsudev Laxman shastri,Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office,Varanasi,2003.P.53.