Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study)
by A. Yamuna Devi | 2012 | 77,297 words | ISBN-13: 9788193658048
This page relates ‘Education (2): Students� of the study on the Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (in English) which represents a commentary on the Amarakosha of Amarasimha. These ancient texts belong the Kosha or “lexicography� category of Sanskrit literature which deals with the analysis and meaning of technical words from a variety of subjects, such as cosmology, anatomy, medicine, hygiene. The Amarakosa itself is one of the earliest of such text, dating from the 6th century A.D., while the Amarakoshodghatana is the earliest known commentary on that work.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Education (2): Students
(a) °ä³óÄå³Ù°ù²¹á¸� (II. 7. 11; p. 165)â€�
´¡³¾²¹°ù²¹°ì´ÇÅ›²¹ mentions ³¦³óÄå³Ù°ù²¹á¸�, ²¹²Ô³Ù±ð±¹Äå²õ¾±²Ô, Å›¾±á¹£y²¹á¸�, Å›²¹¾±°ìá¹£aá¸� and ±è°ùÄå³Ù³ó²¹³¾²¹°ì²¹±ô±è¾±°ì²¹ as synonyms. °á¹£Ä«r²¹²õ±¹Äå³¾¾±²Ô 's etymological explanations help in understanding the subtle differences amongst them.
°ä³óÄå³Ù°ù²¹á¸� is that kind of student who serves his preceptor untiringly without caring about his own comfort, like an umbrella protecting one from the hot sun and the downpourâ€�
chatrameva śīlamasya ³¦³óÄå³Ù°ù²¹á¸� chatreṇa gurusevÄå laká¹£yate |
´¡²Ô³Ù±ð±¹Äå²õ¾±²Ô is a student having residential schooling b y staying with the teacherâ€�
gurorante vasatyantevÄåsÄ« |
Åš¾±á¹£y²¹á¸� is one who is to be trained or instructedâ€�
Å›ÄåsanÄ«yaá¸� Å›¾±á¹£y²¹á¸� |
Åš²¹¾±°ìá¹£aá¸� is one who is under trainingâ€�
Å›¾±°ìá¹£ÄÂÒÄåá¹� ²ú³ó²¹±¹Äåá¸� |
±Ê°ùÄå³Ù³ó²¹³¾²¹°ì²¹±ô±è¾±°ì²¹ are beginners undergoing elementary educationâ€�
prathamakalpa ÄådyÄåraṃbhaá¸� prayojanameá¹£Äåṃ tamadhÄ«yate vÄå prÄåthamakalpikÄåá¸� |
(b) SamayÄåá¸� (III. 3. 149; p. 305)[1] â€�
[Customs:]
Explaining the homonymous term in the sense of an oath or custom, °á¹£Ä«r²¹²õ±¹Äå³¾¾±²Ô mentions that the students were instructed in the codes of conduct or the customs to be followed by them during their course of studyâ€�
ÄåcÄåre yathÄå—samayÄåṃśrÄåvayecchiá¹£yam |
(c) SamÄåvá¹›ttaá¸� (II. 7. 10; p. 165)â€�
[One who returns home after completing his education:]
´¡³¾²¹°ù²¹°ì´ÇÅ›²¹ defines a student who returns home after completing his education as ²õ²¹³¾Ä屹ṛt³Ù²¹á¸�.
°á¹£Ä«r²¹²õ±¹Äå³¾¾±²Ô compliments the idea stating that such a student who has completed his education and has returned to his family with the approval of the teacher is also designated as ²õ²ÔÄå³Ù²¹°ì²¹â€�
ÄådhÄ«yate gurvÄåjñayÄå gurugá¹›hÄådyaá¸� samÄåvartate sa ²õ²¹³¾Ä屹ṛt³Ù²¹á¸¥â€”snÄåtakÄåkhyaá¸� gurugehÄådanÄå—vá¹›ttasnÄåtako hi na kathyate |
(d) SnÄåtaka (II. 7. 43; p. 172)â€�
[One who has taken his ceremonial bath:]
´¡³¾²¹°ù²¹°ì´ÇÅ›²¹ defines a ²õ²ÔÄå³Ù²¹°ì²¹ as one who has taken his ceremonial bath.
°á¹£Ä«r²¹²õ±¹Äå³¾¾±²Ô taking the view of ³ÛÄåÂáñ²¹±¹²¹±ô°ì²â²¹ (I. 51) explains ²õ²ÔÄå³Ù²¹°ì²¹ as–a student after completing his Vedic studies or austerities or both, pays a fee as chosen by the teacher to him, and takes the ceremonial bath permitted by him â€�
yo vratavÄåṃstÄ«rtheá¹£vÄåplavate snÄåtÄ«tyaplutaá¸� sa ²õ²ÔÄå³Ù²¹°ì²¹á¸� |
yatsmá¹›tiḥ—gurave tu »å³ó²¹²Ô²¹á¹� »å²¹³Ù³Ù±¹Äå snÄåyÄådvÄå tadanujñayÄå |
vedavratÄåni vÄå ±èÄå°ù²¹á¹� nÄ«tvÄå hyubhayameva ca ||
From the µþ²¹³Ü»å³óÄå²â²¹²Ô²¹ ³Òá¹›h²â²¹²õÅ«³Ù°ù²¹ ±è²¹°ù¾±²ú³óÄåá¹£Ä� (I. 15.10)[2] it is seen that a person who has completed his education yet to be married is designated as ²õ²ÔÄå³Ù²¹°ì²¹ and once married, he becomes a ²µá¹›h²¹²õ³Ù³ó²¹.
From the explanations of °á¹£Ä«r²¹²õ±¹Äå³¾¾±²Ô given above it is inferred that the education was imparted through gurukula system, where the students stayed with the teacher, away from their family.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
²õ²¹³¾²¹²âÄåá¸� Å›²¹±è²¹³Ù³óÄå''³¦Äå°ù²¹ °ìÄå±ô²¹ ²õ¾±»å»å³óÄå²Ô³Ù²¹ saṃvidaá¸� |
[2]:
Äå jÄåyÄå saá¹…gamÄåtsnÄåtakÄå bhavantyata Å«°ù»å³ó±¹²¹á¹� ²µá¹›h²¹²õ³Ù³ó²¹á¸� |