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Formal Education System in Ancient India

by Sushmita Nath | 2016 | 63,563 words

This page relates ‘Parishad centre of learning� 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.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

The next Centre of learning in ancient period was ʲṣa. Generally for spreading education these ʲṣa were developed or constituted. During the ṃh, 󳾲ṇa, 貹Ծṣa and in the ūٰ period these ʲṣa helped great deal in the expansion of education. These ʲṣaٲ were also called ‘assembly of learned� (Vidvat ) or (󳾲ṇa ṃg󲹲)[1].

In ancient time ʲṣa were here and there. Learned scholars for the improvement of their knowledge regularly searched such types of ʲṣa. The Śatapata 󳾲ṇa and the Bṛhadāraṇyaka 貹Ծṣa[2] mentioned that ĀܲԾ went to the north, where he challenged the northern scholars. Like that Śٲٳ, Somauśushma Sātyayajñi and ñⲹ to Videha for learned discussion. In the 貹Ծṣa these ʲṣa has been used for the assembly of the learned and the wise persons where great philosophical and spiritual problems were discussed (mooted) and solved. Later on, it came to be applied to those places where learned 󳾲ṇas lived in a large number. In fact, ʲṣa was group of various 䲹ṇa for the purpose of discussion on tough educational, philosophical problems and evolving new facts. In the age of ūٰs it is described as the cultural assembly of the learned in which narrow and difficult problems were decided[3].

There were the three categories of ʲṣa. ṇiԾ[4] referred to these three categories of ʲṣaٲ

-) ʲṣa relating to education.
-) ʲṣa relating to the group of societies.
-) ʲṣa relating to administration.

The ʲṣa relating to education was like a type of assembly of learned, where the Vedic Pronunciation, ʲ岹ٳ󲹲 and many other things were discussed. But the ʲṣa was not confined only to discussion since the ʲṣa was a higher organization relating education where abstruse topics were also discussed[5].

A ʲṣa was consituted with learned Pandits. According to Gautama[6], a ʲṣa should consists of at least of the ten following members, viz.,

a) Four members -well versed in knowledge of the four Vedas.
b) Three Representative member–Representative of the 󳾲ⲹ, 󲹲ٲⲹ and Բٳ Āś.
c) Three members–Expert in Laws.

Manu[7] also agreed in regard to the names of the members in the ʲṣa but he distributed them in the following:

a) Three members�
1 Scholars of ṻ岹;
1 Scholar of 峾岹;
1 Scholar of Yajurveda;

b) Four members�
1 Master of Logic;
1 Scholar of īṃs첹;
1 Scholar of Nirukta;
1 Master of Law

c) Three Representative Members�
1 Brahmacarya;
1 󲹲ٲⲹ;
1 Բٳ;

Total Members 10

Herein there was the difference of ʲṣa from Gurukula. The ʲṣa was constituted with teachers, students and learned men. It was the small replica of a University of this age[8].

In those days, ñ 貹ṣa was a remarkable one. King Janaka developed this ʲṣa for the propagation of learning. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka 貹Ծṣa[9] we find that the King Janaka invited all the Brahmanas of Kuruñ country on the occasion of horse sacrifice for the learning discussion. During the occasion the King offered a prize of 1000 cows with horns covered with gold to the most learned Scholars. These ʲṣa were the most important body of the community. The talented scholars represented these ʲṣaٲ. But in this ʲṣa any person could not be able to take part even though they belonged to 󳾲ṇa family. Those who have fulfilled the sacred duties would able to take part in the ʲṣa[10]. Many scholars, student regularly attend there ʲṣa for advanced learning. After the completion of studies Śٲٳ attended these ʲṣa. So the ʲṣa were the debating circle, where the scholars meet together and give instruction about any doubtful points of law[11].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Hrdā taṣṭeṣu manaso jabeṣu yad brāhma�sṃyajante sakhāy� |
ٰ ٱ� vi jahurvedyābhirohabrāhmāṇo vi carantu tve ||ṻ岹 X.71.8;
Atra asmin 󳾲ṇasṃghe tv� avijñātārthamek� puru�vedyābhi� veditavyābhi� vidyābhi� pravṛttibhirvā vi Ჹ� viśeṣeṇa parityajanti |(ⲹԲ ṣy)Ibid. X.71.8.
Misra, Babulal. Ѳٲ kālīn sikṣ� ṇālī,Prathibhā prakāśan, Delhi,2003,P.142.

[2]:

Kaurupāñcālo vā ayambrahmā brahmaputrḥ………………�.svaidāyaneneti śaunako ha svaidāyana āsa |Śatapatha 󳾲ṇa 11.4.1.2;
Janako ha vai vaidehḥ| brāhmaṇairddhāvayadbhi� samājagāma śvetaketunāruṇeyena somaśuṣmeṇa sātyayajñinā yājñavalkyena tānnhovāca kathaṅkathamagnihotrañjuhitheti…………………||Ibid.XI.6.2.

[3]:

ܻⲹԲ ṛhⲹūٰ I.1.1.12.

[4]:

ṇiԾ IV.4.100;
Misra,Babulal.Mahābhārat Kālīn Sikṣ� Praṇālī,Prathibhā prakāśan, Delhi,2003,P.144.

[5]:

Dutta, R.C. Civilization in Ancient India, Vol I, Motilal Banarasi Dass Publishers, Delhi,2007, P.163.

[6]:

䲹ٱٳܰṇām vedānām prāg uttamāttraya āśramin� pṛhga dharmavidasya etandaśāvarana貹ṣaityacakṣate ||Gautama ٳ󲹰ūٰ XXVIII.49.

[7]:

Daśāvarā vā 貹ṣa y� dharma parikalpayet……………�.trayaścāśramiṇḥ pūrve 貹ṣa 岹ś屹崥 ѲԳܲṛt XII.110-111.

[8]:

Mookerji, R.K. Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist), Motilal Banarasi Dass Publishers, Delhi 2011, P.222.

[9]:

Janako ha vaideho bahudakṣiṇena yajñeneje tatra ha kurupāñcālānā� Brāhmaṇ� abhisametā babhūvustasya ha janakasya vaidehasya vijijañsā babhūva kḥsvideṣām brāhmaṇānāmanūcāntam iti sa ha sahasramavarurodha 岹ś 岹ś pādā ekaikasyā� sṛngayorāvaddā� babhūvu� ||Bṛhadāraṇyaka 貹Ծṣa 3.1.1

[10]:

Avratānāmamantrāṇāṃ jātimātropajīvinām | Sahasraś� sametānā� 貹ṣaٳٱ� na vidayte||ѲԳܲṛt 12.114; ܻⲹԲ ٳ󲹰ūٰ I.I.I.16.

[11]:

Śٲٳrhāruṇey� pāñcālānā� samitimeyāya……………………sa ha gautamo rajñodharmeyāya tasmai ha prāptāyārahāñcakāra sa ha prāt� ga udeyāya t� hovāca mānuṣasya bhagvan gautama vittasya var� vṛnīthā iti sa hovāca tavaiva mānus� vitt� yāmeva kumārasyānte vācamabhāṣathāstāmeba me brahīti sa ha kṛcchībabhūva ||Cāndogya 貹Ծṣa V.3.1-6; Śٲٳraha vā āruṇey� pāñcālānā� 貹ṣaamājagāma……………�..tā� tvh� tubhy� vakṣyāmi ko hi tvaiv� bravantarmahati pratyākhyātumiti ||Bṛhadāraṇyaka 貹Ծṣa VI.2.1-7.

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