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.
