Features of Vedic Education in India a brief note

 

Education in Ancient India: The Vedic Period

 

 

The most ancient Indian education system is known as Vedic Education, named so because of its connection with the early and later Vedic period.

Historically it is difficult to pin point on the exact time when the Vedic Education system emerged. Some historians observe that the Vedic education had existed from 3500 BC to 600 AD. According to some other viewpoints, it had existed from 1600 BC to 600 AD. There are also some claims that the Vedic education system dates back even to 6000 BC or before. Anyhow, the Vedic education system continued to exist up to 400 – 600 AD with gradual changes through three major facets, early Vedic Education, Later Vedic Education and Brahmanic Education. It could be factually observed that the Vedic Education might be the oldest formal education system in the world.

Philosophy of Ancient Indian Education

Education in ancient India had emerged in accordance with the Vedic Philosophy, its ultimate aim being the obtaining of Liberation, or Moksha. It was essentially the education that aimed at the refinement of the mind and never for the mundane life.  Education was supposed to free the human being of all earthly bondages.  The mind or ‘chitha’ is the cause of both bondage, and liberation. If one loses control over mind, it leads to bondage. Control of mind is the path towards ultimate Liberation. Education was supposed to be a way for ‘Citha Vruthi Nirodh’ – controlling the mind.

In the Vedic period, learning did not mean merely the acts of ‘reading and writing.’  Learning was equal to the realisation of one’s own self; education was a process of self-realisation and self-actualisation. The axiology of the Vedic era did not distinguish the social values and the personal values. Both the personal and social values were part of the proclaimed universal eternal values – Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram (Truth, Goodness and Beauty).

The Vedic philosophy treated reality as a Divine Perfection. Vedas were considered as Holy Scripts. The theory of metaphysics was revealed to the disciples through the learning of Vedas. Oral transmission of knowledge was the accepted system. The concept of ‘the reality’ had developed based upon the Vedas and Upanishads. They were monistic in character. It is followed the method of the Sravana (Hearing), Manana (Meditation) and Nididhyasa (Realization).

Characteristics of Vedic Education

            Vedic Education was developed through years of refinement. The Vedic Education had almost all attributes that a modern education system possesses.  Some of the specific features of Vedic Education are given below:

·       Vedic Education was developed with Gurukul or Gurukula method

·       The education of an individual commenced with a ceremony called Upanayan or Upanayana (or, the Induction Ceremony)

·       Education in the Gurukul extended from six to fourteen years

·       It was fully and compulsorily residential

·       Students were directed to observe Brahmacharya (Celibacy) during the period of education

·       Since the Gurukul system was residential, the teacher (Guru) paid full attention to the psychological and physical make-up of their students

·       Most encouraged method of discipline was self-discipline

·       Students were sent to accept alms (Bhiksha) from the public. (All students, irrespective of their socio-familial status, had to go for seeking alms. It was a very powerful step for eradicating the arrogance, egotism and superiority feelings from the learner’s mind) 

·       There were three types of educational institutions in ancient India: (a) Gurukul (b) Parishad (3) Sammelan

·      Syllabus in the Vedic Education included proper pronunciation and recitation of the Veda, the rules of Sacrifice (Yajna), grammar, composition, versification and rhythm, understanding of secrets of nature, reasoning logic, the Vedic Mathematics, the sciences and the skills necessary for an occupation.

·      Subjects of Study included four Vedas, six Vedangas (limbs of Vedas), the Upanishads, the Darshans (schools of philosophy) like Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Samkya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta, epics, Puranas, legends, history and Tarka Shastra (logic). Areas like Darshans had become part of the education only in the later Vedic period.

·       later part of the period that included medical knowledge, and applied sciences like- Ayurveda, Dhanurvidya (martial arts and weaponry) and Jyothishastra (astro-physics).

 

Upanayan or Upanayana

In Vedic Education, Upanayan was the induction ceremony of the students’ education. The commencement of education was usually marked by a ceremony called ‘Vidyaramb’ by worshipping Goddess Saraswathi, the deity of Vidya, or Knowledge. At the ceremony, the first letters of the alphabet were introduced ceremoniously to the child. It was only after the ceremony of Upanayan that the child could leave the parents’ home and start schooling, staying in the house of the teacher. After Upanayan, which is considered a very sacred ceremony, the child offered himself to the Guru, for availing education.

  During the early Vedic period, Upanayan was open to all members of the society, but during the Later Vedic and Brahminic period it became limited to the members of students from upper caste communities.

Education in the Gurukul or Guru’s Ashram

Details about the student’s life in a Gurukul are available from many texts such as puranas, upanishads and epics and specifically from smritis (smruthi) like Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti.  A student in the Guru’s Ashram had to partake in all the house hold activities with the Guru. The inmate student had various duties, like caring for the cattle, collecting the food, collecting the fire wood, helping to prepare food and looking after the Yagagni (the Sacred Fire). The resident student had to follow certain principles like respecting the family members of the Guru, taking  bath two times every day, speaking  truth only, finding happiness in simple food, follow simple life styles, participating the prayer sessions and abstaining from mundane passions and withdraw from blaming others. Life at Gurkul was a journey to attain the ultimate Truth.

Vedic system of education was mostly teacher-centered, with each center of education being known by the name of the Guru. Disciples in the Ashram were under the sole guidance and control of the Guru, both in life and in learning.

 

Did Caste System Exist in Vedic Education?

The influence of caste in the ancient education system is still a topic of discussion. Experts offer different views while discussing the caste system in the Vedic period education.  It is observed by many educationalists and historians that during the early stages, the caste system did not hold much influence over the Vedic Education system. In those early days, students from all sects and strata of society were allowed to access the education programmes. But in the later Vedic and Brahminical periods, opportunities for education began to be denied for the people from the lower castes. Some historians are of the opinion that both the early and later Vedic Education was not characterised by any cartelistic and caste influence. Later, along with the emergence of Brahminical education, the caste system began to gain considerable impact on the educational scenario. Some historians have observed that caste system in education begun to get prevalent only during the last centuries of BC and the early AD. But the Varna system was already in existence there.

Aims of Vedic Education

In ancient India, education was not burdened with any pre-planned, mundane aims of material objectives. It was just the process of a ‘Man-Making Education,’ which aimed to develop a mundane individual to ‘an active individual of responsibilities and divine powers.’

The major aim of education during the Vedic period was to provide training for the youngsters in performing their social, political, economic and religious duties. It also aimed at the preservation of culture, transformation of character, personality development and the inculcation of moral values. Of course, there were certain classified aims like learning the Holy Texts, learning the Purusharthas, acquiring values, learning epics and puranas, understanding Rajyathanthra (politics of ascendency) and knowing about the life after death.

Methods of Learning

A close relationship existed between the pupil and the teacher in that period. The teacher would pay individual attention on his students and used to teach them according to their individual aptitudes and capabilities. Oral transmission of knowledge was the most common method of teaching. The different methods of learning were –

·       Memorisation– The preliminary stage of learning was the process of learning the sacred texts by heart through an infinite number of repetitions and rehearsals, both by the teacher and the taught.

• Critical Analysis  – A critical analysis was made on the existing knowledge.
• Introspection – The student had the opportunity to look back at his own knowledge and capabilities. The combined process of Sravana (listening), Manana (contemplation) and Nididhyasa (concentrated contemplation) of the truth so as to realize it was another method to study Brahma Vidya (Vedanta).
• Story telling – Use of stories and parables to explain philosophies and principles was the most popular method of that time. The use of ballads was also very common in that period.
• Question and Answer Method – In this method, the students would ask questions and the teacher would discuss at length on the topics, clearing their doubts. It was the same as the modern Socratic Method.
• Seminars – The students gained and expressed knowledge through talks, elocutions, debates and discussions which were held at frequent intervals.

Period of Study

Mastering the Vedas took 12 years normally. Hence, depending upon the wish and capacity of the student to learn more subjects, the period of study varied from 6 to 12 years or more. A learnt student was called Snataka and the graduation ceremony was called Samavartana.

Types of Teachers

            Classifying the teachers during the Vedic period is not an easy task. Based upon the method of their approach, they could be broadly classified as follows –  

• Upadhyayaka was the one who adopted teaching as a profession to earn his livelihood
• Charakas were scholars who taught at various centers. They were wandering scholars who toured the country teaching and seeking of higher knowledge.
• Guru was the one who used to lead a family life and earn his livelihood after imparting education to his disciples. It must also be noted that the term Guru was also used broadly to represent all types of teachers of that time. 
• Acharya was a type of teacher who taught his pupil without charging fee from them.
• Sikshaka was a teacher who gave instruction in arts like fine arts, music and dancing.

Concluding Note on Aims, Ideals and Objectives of Vedic Education

            The major features of the Vedic Education system could be summarized as follows:

·         Vedic Education considered Moksha (Liberation) and Self-Realization as the ultimate aims of education

·         Education in ancient India trained the individual in such a way as to prepare him for attaining the greater objectives of Liberation, or, acquire oneness with the Paramatma (the Universal Soul), to be liberated from the cycle of births & deaths.

·         Vedic Education aimed at infusing Piousness and Religiousness in the minds of the pupils.

·     Vedic Education had also aimed to train individuals for making a livelihood like many vocational activities.

·         Character formation and development of value sense – Education was regarded as a means of inculcating values such as obedience to elders, respectfulness, truthfulness, honesty and temperance.

·       Significant stress on Social duties - Individual student had to perform his duties towards the society in many capacities conscientiously and efficiently.

·         Development of all-round personality through (a) Self-restraint (b) Self-confidence (c) Self-Respect (d) Discrimination and judgment    

·     Teachers had the role of Spiritual as well as Intellectual Guides

·         Opportunities were provided for the education of women, but there had no equality of opportunities as it was availed to male people.

Autonomy of Educational Institutions and teachers was a very special feature of the Vedic period education. Teachers had the complete authority over the admission and assessment of students. The teacher was the sole pedagogic authority who decided whether the student was fit for admission and also whether he had completed the studies meritoriously.

·      While the Upanayan (Upanayana) was the initial ceremony of education, the Samavartan (Samavartana) was the convocation.

·         Process of Instruction was based on three steps – 1. Sravana  2. Manana 3. Nididhyasan.

Sravana:  Listening to words of texts as they were uttered by the teacher.

Manana: The process of deliberation or reflection of the topic which was taught.

Nididhyasana:  The highest stage or a meditation on the knowledge.