365bet娱乐

Education was not denied to women. After the ceremony of Upanayana parents entrusted their male children to a guru for education. However, women Vedic scholars like Maitreyi and Gargi are mentioned in

19 the Vedic literature. This may be considered as rare instances or exception to the general condition. Brahmanas started their education at the age of eight, Ksatriya at the age of to ten and Vaisyas were at the age twelve. Normally the education extended upto twelve years. The first duty of the student was to stay at the house of the preceptor obeying his orders. Further he had to go about begging for food/alms. Other duties of the pupils were tending the sacred fire at his Guru's house and keeping its flame. They collected sacred Samidha, grass and dry wood from the forest to feed the fire. The flame was symbolic of intellectual and spiritual illumination. The next duty was that of tending the group of cows belonging to the Guru grazing the forest. The gurukula system insisted that a disciple has to live in the house of the guru and lead the chaste life of Brahmacharin, whose principal duties were to study and serve the teacher. The student got a thorough, moral and intellectual training by his constant association with his guru. The disciple lived under the control of teacher. They had to obey the orders of guru. The rigid external impositions and hard work were meant to create inner discipline. He had to overcome passions like sex, unnecessary sleep, anger, and so on. Simple living and high thinking were the motto of his life.

20 Correct pronunciation, phonology and elementary grammar were taught during the first stages of Vedic education. Thereafter study of Vedas were given importance. Along with the Veda, Ithihasa and Purana were also taught as well as the subjects like Siksa, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas and Jyotisa. The Upanisads contain several lists of topics which might have been taught in the gurukulas. These included logic, mathematics, Chronology, Military science, science of snake, knowledge of portents, and various rituals related to gods and demons. According to Chandogya Upanisad, great importance was given to the study of Ethics. Lessons in morality were given to students with a view that the character of student may become strong and cultured. 8 As the duties of varna were defined towards the end of the age of the samhitas, the subjects of study chosen by each varna tended to be appropriate to the duties designed to those particular varnas. For example the profession of Brahmanas was the teaching of Vedas and conduct of Yagas. They were better trained in those areas of study. Ksatriyas were given lessons in the matters of war, administration and justice and kings like Janaka were considered as authority of Brahmanical wisdom also. The method of teaching was mainly oral. Guru recited Vedas loudly, he giving the proper pronunciation and stress. The pupils listened to them carefully and repeated. The disciple was asked to repeat the portion without error.

21 Memorising the text was given prime importance in this method. The students should recite the relevant passages of Vedas during the ceremonies. This proficiency is achieved by constant practice or repetition and Nidhidyasana or marking in the mind. Discussion, debates and question answer methods were followed in this system without these methods enigmatic method, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad, Aphoristic method, in the Mundakaupanisad, Etimological method in the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad Mythical method in the Kathopanisad and Analogical method (Yajnavalkya), Dialectical method, Synthetic method Monological method and adhoc or temporises methods are used in some 9 Upanisad commonly. Most of the Upanisads are arranged in the mode of discourses. The preceptor always gave instructions on various topics as demanded by the nature and context of the discourses. The subjects related to spirituality demanded control of senses, meditation, and use of symbols. The topics related to worldly affairs were taught by observation, right use of senses, experimentation and application. The Upanisads taught brahmavidya, knowledge of Brahman. They discussed the profound means of self realization. Normally gurukulas were set in largely unpopulated areas like mountain valleys, banks of rivers and forests. eg. Naimisha forest. Videha of Janaka was a prominent seat of Brahmanical wisdom. There learned

22 Rsis and scholars took part in religious discussions. 10 Where Saunaka and his disciples lived in the hermitage of Kanva in the valley of Himalaya. It was a duty for a student to work and earn something for his lively hood. Therefore these gurukulas were more or less self depended. After the completion of education there was a custom of giving teachers daksina or fees often student from rich families contributed generously to the gurukulas. Gathering fruits and eatables from the forest, making milk and milk products, collecting food by begging, accepting daksinas for conducting sacrifice, and minor types of cultivation were some of the main sources of income. The rulers of that period excempted the property of asramas from tax and contributed the income of several villages to meet the expenditure of these institutions. The guru considered sisya as his own son and the sisya in turn revered the guru as his father. 11 'Thou art our father, who carries us over the infinite ocean of our ignorance. Salutation to the supreme Rsi, Salutation to the supreme Rsi'. The student paid such a homage to their gurus. This shows the modesty and humanity on the part of the student and the high regard they paid to their reverd gurus and this is what education stands for: "Vidya dadati vinayam" learning begets modesty. The teachers is to be revered

23 more than parents because the parents are merely the sources of out gross physical birth while the preceptor is the source of illumination of our mind leading to reach the ultimate goal of life. The preceptor gives the pupils spiritual birth whereas the worldly father is the progenitor of 12 biological birth. The gurukula was a second home for the students. The guru put a fatherly control over the life of the sisya. The pupils wanted to please the guru and they were ready to do any act ordered by him. The blessing of the guru was necessary for the fulfillment of education. Students living with guru's family were counted on par with the guru's family members. The students maintained close friendship and even developed a common brotherhood. Often one of the disciples married the daughter of the guru and became a member of gurus family. They went though various experiences of happiness and sorrow. The young child, who was admitted to the gurukula, after a couple of years, was transformed in to a young man of wisdom and practical knowledge, which were necessary to form of his future life. The students followed a collective life in the gurukula. The daily routine was filled with certain rituals and ceremonies and duties and service. They studied Vedas and concerned topics in the early morning from the guru. This session continued up to midday. In the evening they were employed in various services. It was a custom to listen to the distinguished visitors who came

24 to the gurukula. This type of interaction between scholars from various parts of the country boosted the academic atmosphere of the gurukula.