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| === Chores and Social Duties === | | === Chores and Social Duties === |
− | While a student sharpened his mental skills, ancient educationalists also emphasized on instilling responsibility in a student by the inculcation of civic and social duties. At the gurukula, no one led a self-centered life. Students participated in community activities starting from cleaning yajna untensils, maintaining the ashrama, tending to cows and animals coexisting with them and performed agricultural duties (see [[Dhaumya (धौम्यः)|Dhaumya]]'s students). Thus humility, compassion to all, team spirit, sharing with others, self-reliance, problem-solving were the naturally and unconsciously inculcated values in them. The whole of Shikshavalli of Taittriyopanishad stresses the importance of duties of the student and the famous convocation address in 11th Anuvaka of Taittriya Upanishad, sums up the importance of these duties starting with Speaking the truth and Practicing Dharma.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads with the Commentary of Sankaracharya, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha, Taittriya)''. Mayavati : Advaita Ashrama ([https://archive.org/details/EightUpanishadsVol.1BySwamiGambhirananda/page/n277 Page 266])</ref> <blockquote>सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर । स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । (Tait. Upan. 1.11.1)<ref>Taittriya Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80 Shikshavalli Anuvaka 11])</ref></blockquote>A student is enjoined to perform his duties as a son, a husband, a father conscientiously and efficiently. His wealth is not to be utilized solely for his own or family's wants, he is taught to be hospitable and charitable with duties even to the other creatures and beings. | + | While a student sharpened his mental skills, ancient educationalists also emphasized on instilling responsibility in a student by the inculcation of civic and social duties. At the gurukula, no one led a self-centered life. Students participated in community activities starting from cleaning yajna untensils, maintaining the ashrama, tending to cows and animals coexisting with them and performed agricultural duties (see [[Dhaumya (धौम्यः)|Dhaumya]]'s students). Thus humility, compassion to all, team spirit, sharing with others, self-reliance, problem-solving were the naturally and unconsciously inculcated values in them. The whole of Shikshavalli of Taittriyopanishad stresses the importance of duties of the student and the famous convocation address in 11th Anuvaka of Taittriya Upanishad, sums up the importance of these duties starting with Speaking the truth and Practicing Dharma.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads with the Commentary of Sankaracharya, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha, Taittriya)''. Mayavati : Advaita Ashrama ([https://archive.org/details/EightUpanishadsVol.1BySwamiGambhirananda/page/n277 Page 266])</ref> <blockquote>सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर । स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । (Tait. Upan. 1.11.1)<ref name=":2">Taittriya Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80 Shikshavalli Anuvaka 11])</ref></blockquote>A student is enjoined to perform his duties as a son, a husband, a father conscientiously and efficiently. His wealth is not to be utilized solely for his own or family's wants, he is taught to be hospitable and charitable with duties even to the other creatures and beings. |
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| Professions were based on highest codes of honour, which laid stress on the civic responsibilities of their members. A physician was to serve selflessly, and a warrior was not to attack his opponent indiscriminately. Moral values were so greatly enmeshed in the social fabric that Governments were there only to monitor the larger enforcement of the system.<ref name=":0" /> | | Professions were based on highest codes of honour, which laid stress on the civic responsibilities of their members. A physician was to serve selflessly, and a warrior was not to attack his opponent indiscriminately. Moral values were so greatly enmeshed in the social fabric that Governments were there only to monitor the larger enforcement of the system.<ref name=":0" /> |
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| Ancient rshis were clear and convinced that no good results would follow if education was begun late in life. <blockquote>नाति षोडशमुपनयीत प्रसृष्टवृषणो ह्येष वृषलीभूतो भवतीति। (Jaim. Grhy. Sutr. 1.12)<ref name=":1">Jaiminiya [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Grhyasutras] </ref></blockquote>A boy who begins his education at 16 years of age is not likely to bring any credit to his teachers. | | Ancient rshis were clear and convinced that no good results would follow if education was begun late in life. <blockquote>नाति षोडशमुपनयीत प्रसृष्टवृषणो ह्येष वृषलीभूतो भवतीति। (Jaim. Grhy. Sutr. 1.12)<ref name=":1">Jaiminiya [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D Grhyasutras] </ref></blockquote>A boy who begins his education at 16 years of age is not likely to bring any credit to his teachers. |
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− | During childhood, as proved by modern sciences also, mind is pliable, memory is keen and intellect is receptive; the foundational habits of a child can be moulded to form good habits which will remain with him for the rest of his life. [[Upanayana (उपनयनम्)|Upanayana]] samskara at the right age was laid down by in starting from Dharmasutra texts summarized for the present day in the Nibandhanas like Dharmasindhu etc. <blockquote>सप्तमे ब्राह्मणमुपनयीत पञ्चमे ब्रह्मवर्चसकामं नवमे त्वायुष्काममेकादशे क्षत्रियं द्वादशे वैश्यं... (Jaim. Grhy. Sutr. 1.12)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote> | + | During childhood, as proved by modern sciences also, mind is pliable, memory is keen and intellect is receptive; the foundational habits of a child can be moulded to form good habits which will remain with him for the rest of his life. [[Upanayana (उपनयनम्)|Upanayana]] samskara at the right age was laid down by in starting from Dharmasutra texts summarized for the present day in the Nibandhanas like Dharmasindhu etc. <blockquote>सप्तमे ब्राह्मणमुपनयीत पञ्चमे ब्रह्मवर्चसकामं नवमे त्वायुष्काममेकादशे क्षत्रियं द्वादशे वैश्यं... (Jaim. Grhy. Sutr. 1.12)<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>It was |
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| === Education should be thorough === | | === Education should be thorough === |
− | Education was rightly regarded as the knowledge source of illumination and was expected to enable its recipients to successfully meet and solve the difficulties and problems of life. Therefore education should be thorough and efficient, not limited to imparting general knowledge of a number of subjects, ideally it was to train experts to handle different branches of knowledge. Since printing was not known, commiting the knowledge to memory was required and highly emphasised so that it stead throughout their life. To ensure this, personal attention to each student and practical training was insisted to maintain a high degree of proficiency.<ref name=":0" /> | + | Education was rightly regarded as the knowledge source of illumination and was expected to enable its recipients to successfully meet and solve the difficulties and problems of life. Therefore education should be thorough and efficient, not limited to imparting general knowledge of a number of subjects, ideally it was to train experts to handle different branches of knowledge. Since printing was not known, commiting the knowledge to memory was required and highly emphasised so that it stead throughout the life of the person. To ensure this, personal attention to each student and practical training was insisted to maintain a high degree of proficiency.<ref name=":0" /> |
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− | Education is a continuous process | + | === Education is a continuous process === |
| + | Once learnt in studentship education was either continued lifelong by a certain set of students of Vedas and many others progressed to learn other shastras and professional education. Thus we see that development of memory played a very important role and it was stipulated that every dvija graduate should recapitulate daily a portion of what he had learnt under the guidance of the Guru. At the time of Samavartana (end of studies or convocation) he is reminded not to neglect his duty of daily revision or Svadhyaya, as extolled in the famous Taittriya Upanishad Shikshavalli given below.<blockquote>स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः। ... स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् । (Tait. Upan. 1.11.1)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>During rainy season every graduate was expected to devote extra time to his studies |
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| Education involves active cooperation of the student | | Education involves active cooperation of the student |