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→Student Discipline
* powerful reinforcement through examples of great personalities
* powerful reinforcement through examples of great personalities
=== Student Discipline ===
==== Student Discipline ====
There is a misplaced impression that education system in ancient India suppressed personality development by imposing a uniform course of education enforcing it with an iron discipline (Page 12 of <ref name=":0" />). Although theoretically practice of hereditary profession was advocated freedom to enterprising individuals was never restricted. Restrictions on the whole Brahmana community to devote twelve years to the task of memorizing the Vedic tests was also not compelled, only a section of them dedicated themselves while the rest of the community learnt those sections of veda mantras that were to be used on the daily basis and were allowed to choose subjects of their choice such as tarka, nyaya, vedanta and other shastras. Kshatriyas and Vaishyas never took seriously to the Vedic learning and trained in the requisite shastras like the Brahmanas. It is wrong to conclude from passages (such as Manu. Smrt. 2.168 and 3.1) that Manusmrti emphasizes that the vedic study was compelled for Brahmanas <blockquote>योऽनधीत्य द्विजो वेदं अन्यत्र कुरुते श्रमम् । स जीवन्नेव शूद्रत्वं आशु गच्छति सान्वयः । । २.१६८ (Manu. Smrt. 2.168)</blockquote>A dvija who does not study the vedas and takes up efforts to study other shastras, such a person, while living, attains the state of a shudra along with his descendents.<ref>Pt. Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917) ''The Manusmriti or Manavadharmashastra (Hindi Translation)'' Lucknow: Nawal Kishore Press ([https://archive.org/details/ManuSmritHindi-GpDwivedi/page/n191 Adhyaya 2 Sloka 168])</ref>(Page 456 of Reference <ref>Mm. Ganganath Jha (1920 - 1939) ''Manusmrti with the Manubhashya of Medathithi, English Translation. Volume 3, Part 1 Discourses 1 and 2.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass</ref>). Here the context of the passages have to be considered while arriving at a conclusion.
There is a misplaced impression that education system in ancient India suppressed personality development by imposing a uniform course of education enforcing it with an iron discipline (Page 12 of <ref name=":0" />). Although theoretically practice of hereditary profession was advocated freedom to enterprising individuals was never restricted. Restrictions on the whole Brahmana community to devote twelve years to the task of memorizing the Vedic tests was also not compelled, only a section of them dedicated themselves while the rest of the community learnt those sections of veda mantras that were to be used on the daily basis and were allowed to choose subjects of their choice such as tarka, nyaya, vedanta and other shastras. Kshatriyas and Vaishyas never took seriously to the Vedic learning and trained in the requisite shastras like the Brahmanas. It is wrong to conclude from passages (such as Manu. Smrt. 2.168 and 3.1) that Manusmrti emphasizes that the vedic study was compelled for Brahmanas <blockquote>योऽनधीत्य द्विजो वेदं अन्यत्र कुरुते श्रमम् । स जीवन्नेव शूद्रत्वं आशु गच्छति सान्वयः । । २.१६८ (Manu. Smrt. 2.168)</blockquote>A dvija who does not study the vedas and takes up efforts to study other shastras, such a person, while living, attains the state of a shudra along with his descendents.<ref>Pt. Girija Prasad Dvivedi (1917) ''The Manusmriti or Manavadharmashastra (Hindi Translation)'' Lucknow: Nawal Kishore Press ([https://archive.org/details/ManuSmritHindi-GpDwivedi/page/n191 Adhyaya 2 Sloka 168])</ref>(Page 456 of Reference <ref>Mm. Ganganath Jha (1920 - 1939) ''Manusmrti with the Manubhashya of Medathithi, English Translation. Volume 3, Part 1 Discourses 1 and 2.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass</ref>). Here the context of the passages have to be considered while arriving at a conclusion.
Students were taught to be self disciplined and instilled with value systems from a very young age based on their personal capacity.
=== Development of Personality ===
The development of personality was one of the important aims of the education system. He was instilled with self-confidence, self-respect by inculcating the virtue of self-restraint and by fostering the powers of discrimination and judgement. The student was always reminded to be the custodian and torch bearer of the culture of the race and its welfare depended upon his proper conduct of his duties. Supporting a poor student was the sacred duty of the society. Students were given utmost importance in society for they were the future custodians of the society.
==== Influence of Self-confidence ====
The Upanayana ritual used to foster self-confidence by pointing out that divine powers would cooperate and support a student if he did his duty well. Poverty was not a limiting factor, for people respected and were morally obligated to support the ideal students who subsisted by begging his daily food. Gurukula system also supported the students who resided with the Guru's family and actively participated in household chores and service to Guru. Willingness to perform activities according to his capacity developed self-reliance and identify his expertise areas. Self-reliance is the mother of self-confidence and the ancient educational system sought to develop it in a variety of ways. Educational system was such that problems such as uncertainty of the future prospects, overcrowding in a particular discipline of study, cut-throat competition in professions were unknown and did not dampen the self confidence of the students.<ref name=":0" />
==== Influence of Self-restraint ====
The element of self-restraint, primarily inculcated by the system, arose from simplicity in life and habits. The value of essential needs of food, clothing and shelter were well provided. All his student life a brahmachari was taught to engage in learning skills to enable him to be an efficient and healthy grihastha in his grihasthashrama. A brahmachari was allowed to have recreations that were not to be frivolous and lead a life of perfect chastity.
== References ==
== References ==