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The Gurukula system which necessitated the stay of the student away from his home at the house of a teacher or in a boarding house of an established institution, was one of the most important features of Bharatiya Shikshana vidhana. Sharira (शरीरम् । Body), Manas (मनः । mind), Buddhi (बुद्धिः । intellect) and Atma (आत्मा । spirit) constitute a human being; the aims and ideals of Prachina Bharatiya Vidya Vidhana or Ancient Indian Education system were to promote their simultaneous and harmonious development.<ref name=":0">Altekar, A. S. (1944) ''Education in Ancient India.'' Benares : Nand Kishore and Bros.,</ref> In this article we discuss the Gurukula set up, the aims of such educational system, the persons involved, and the syllabus taught under their guidance.

The Gurukula system which necessitated the stay of the student away from his home at the house of a teacher or in a boarding house of an established institution, was one of the most important features of Bharatiya Shikshana vidhana. Sharira (शरीरम् । Body), Manas (मनः । mind), Buddhi (बुद्धिः । intellect) and Atma (आत्मा । spirit) constitute a human being; the aims and ideals of Prachina Bharatiya Vidya Vidhana or Ancient Indian Education system were to promote their simultaneous and harmonious development.<ref name=":0">Altekar, A. S. (1944) ''Education in Ancient India.'' Benares : Nand Kishore and Bros.,</ref> In this article we discuss the Gurukula set up, the aims of such educational system, the persons involved, and the syllabus taught under their guidance.

== विद्या ॥ Vidya or Education ==

== विद्या ॥ Vidya or Education ==

[[Vidya (विद्या)]] regarded as general education in common parlance, is the source of that Jnana which leads its recipients to successfully overcome difficulties and problems of life and in the Vedanta terms it is that knowledge which leads one on the path of Moksha. It was therefore insisted to be thorough, efficient with the goal of training experts in different branches. Since printing and paper were unknown, libraries and books did not exist, training essentially focused on developing memory that would stand good stead throughout the student's life.<ref name=":0" />   

Vidya (विद्या) regarded as general education in common parlance, is the source of that Jnana which leads its recipients to successfully overcome difficulties and problems of life and in the Vedanta terms it is that knowledge which leads one on the path of Moksha. It was therefore insisted to be thorough, efficient with the goal of training experts in different branches. Since printing and paper were unknown, libraries and books did not exist, training essentially focused on developing memory that would stand good stead throughout the student's life.<ref name=":0" />   

=== ऋणत्रयसिध्दान्तः ॥ Rna Siddhanta ===

=== ऋणत्रयसिध्दान्तः ॥ Rna Siddhanta ===

# ऋषिऋणम् ॥ Debt to the Rshis of the bygone ages can be discharged by studying their works and continuing their literary and professional traditions. Thus the literary traditions are preserved.

# ऋषिऋणम् ॥ Debt to the Rshis of the bygone ages can be discharged by studying their works and continuing their literary and professional traditions. Thus the literary traditions are preserved.

# पितृऋणम् ॥ Debt to the Pitrs or ancestors can be repaid by getting married to raise progeny and impart education to them. Thus the family tradition is preserved.

# पितृऋणम् ॥ Debt to the Pitrs or ancestors can be repaid by getting married to raise progeny and impart education to them. Thus the family tradition is preserved.

Taittriya Samhita mentions the three debts as follows.<blockquote>जायमानो वै ब्राह्मणस्तृभिर्ऋणैर्ऋणवाञ्जीयते । यज्ञेन देवेभ्यो ब्रह्मचार्येण ऋषिभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः ॥ (Tait. Samh)</blockquote><blockquote>jāyamāno vai brāhmaṇastr̥bhirr̥ṇairr̥ṇavāñjīyate । yajñena devebhyo brahmacāryeṇa r̥ṣibhyaḥ prajayā pitr̥bhyaḥ ॥ </blockquote>Steps were taken to see that the rising generation became an efficient torch bearer of the culture and traditions of the past. Body, mind, intellect and Atma constitute a human being; the aims and ideals of ancient system of education were thus to promote their simultaneous and harmonious development.  

Taittriya Samhita mentions the three debts as follows.<blockquote>जायमानो वै ब्राह्मणस्तृभिर्ऋणैर्ऋणवाञ्जीयते । यज्ञेन देवेभ्यो ब्रह्मचार्येण ऋषिभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः ॥ (Tait. Samh)</blockquote><blockquote>jāyamāno vai brāhmaṇastr̥bhirr̥ṇairr̥ṇavāñjīyate । yajñena devebhyo brahmacāryeṇa r̥ṣibhyaḥ prajayā pitr̥bhyaḥ ॥ </blockquote>Steps were taken to see that the rising generation became an efficient torch bearer of the culture and traditions of the past. Body, mind, intellect and Atma constitute a human being; the aims and ideals of ancient system of education were thus to promote their simultaneous and harmonious development.

== गुरुकुलव्यवस्था ॥ Gurukula System ==

== गुरुकुलव्यवस्था ॥ Gurukula System ==

=== गुरुकुललक्ष्याणि ॥ Aims of Gurukula ===

=== गुरुकुललक्ष्याणि ॥ Aims of Gurukula ===

Gurushishya Parampara was the heart of the dharmika system of education in ancient times. From ashramas in the forests to temples in the villages to purely educational cities such as Kashi and Kanchi, it was this Gurukula system that brought to us (in the present day) the great cultural heritage that we still have.  Its aims were multidimensional and far-reaching. The colonial era rulers having plundered the nation, in an attempt to break down the Bharatiya samajika vidhana (social fabric) targeted the education system in the name of reforms and upliftment of the downtrodden. The [[Aims of Gurukula System (गुरुकुलव्यवस्थायाः लक्ष्याणि)|Aims of Gurukula System]] were lofty and kept in view the holistic development (physical, mental and social) of the student.

Gurushishya Parampara was the heart of the dharmika system of education in ancient times. From ashramas in the forests to temples in the villages to purely educational cities such as Kashi and Kanchi, it was this Gurukula system that brought to us (in the present day) the great cultural heritage that we still have.  Its aims were multidimensional and far-reaching. The colonial era rulers having plundered the nation, in an attempt to break down the Bharatiya samajika vidhana (social fabric) targeted the education system in the name of reforms and upliftment of the downtrodden. The Aims of Gurukula System were lofty and kept in view the holistic development (physical, mental and social) of the student.

=== Location of a Gurukula ===

=== Location of a Gurukula ===

=== गुरुः ॥ Guru or Preceptor ===

=== गुरुः ॥ Guru or Preceptor ===

<blockquote>वित्तं बन्धुर्वयः कर्म विद्या भवति पञ्चमी । एतानि मान्यस्थानानि गरीयो यद्यदुत्तरम् । । २.१३६ । । (Manu. Smrt. 2.136)<ref name=":3">Manusmriti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>vittaṁ bandhurvayaḥ karma vidyā bhavati pañcamī । etāni mānyasthānāni garīyo yadyaduttaram । । 2.136 । ।</blockquote>Possession of Wealth, Family (blood-relations), Age, Actions and Learning being the fifth are the Manyasthanas (मान्यस्थानानि । abodes of respect) with increasing weightage respectively. (i.e., Vidya is the highest abode of respect in comparison to Actions and so on).   

<blockquote>वित्तं बन्धुर्वयः कर्म विद्या भवति पञ्चमी । एतानि मान्यस्थानानि गरीयो यद्यदुत्तरम् । । २.१३६ । । (Manu. Smrt. 2.136)<ref name=":3">Manusmriti ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 2])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>vittaṁ bandhurvayaḥ karma vidyā bhavati pañcamī । etāni mānyasthānāni garīyo yadyaduttaram । । 2.136 । ।</blockquote>Possession of Wealth, Family (blood-relations), Age, Actions and Learning being the fifth are the Manyasthanas (मान्यस्थानानि । abodes of respect) with increasing weightage respectively. (i.e., Vidya is the highest abode of respect in comparison to Actions and so on).   

=== अनध्ययनम् ॥ Anadhyayana or Holidays ===

=== अनध्ययनम् ॥ Anadhyayana or Holidays ===

A systematic list of holidays from studies goes back to very early times and include generally the [[Anadhyayana (अनध्ययनम्)|Anadhyayana]] days of the month which were 6 days in a month - the two astami (eight day) and Chaturdashi (fourteenth day) tithis of the fortnight, the amavasya (new moon day) and purnima (full moon day) days (Manu Smrt. 4.113 and 114). <blockquote>पौर्णमस्य्-अष्टका-अमावास्या-अग्न्युत्पात-भूमिकम्प-श्मशान-देशपति-श्रो त्रिय-एकतीर्थ-प्रयाणेष्व् अहोरात्रम् अनध्यायः ॥ (Baud. Dhar. Sutr. 1.11)<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF Baudhyayana Dharmasutras]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>paurṇamasy-aṣṭakā-amāvāsyā-agnyutpāta-bhūmikampa-śmaśāna-deśapati-śro triya-ekatīrtha-prayāṇeṣv ahorātram anadhyāyaḥ ॥</blockquote>Apart from these at times of robbery in a village, cattle lifting, natural calamities, during thunders and rainstorms, death of the Raja or a Brahmana of the village, arrival of guests and during village celebrations, vedic study is paused. Gradually in due course of time the number of holidays reduced due to the curriculum getting heavier. While abnormal weather conditions prevented loud recitation, silent reading of non-Vedic subjects was allowed. While Vedic study had to be paused, non-Vaidika subjects could be studied on Anadhyayana days.<ref name=":0" />

A systematic list of holidays from studies goes back to very early times and include generally the [[Anadhyayana (अनध्ययनम्)|Anadhyayana]] days of the month which were 6 days in a month - the two astami (eight day) and Chaturdashi (fourteenth day) tithis of the fortnight, the amavasya (new moon day) and purnima (full moon day) days (Manu Smrt. 4.113 and 114). <blockquote>पौर्णमस्य्-अष्टका-अमावास्या-अग्न्युत्पात-भूमिकम्प-श्मशान-देशपति-श्रो त्रिय-एकतीर्थ-प्रयाणेष्व् अहोरात्रम् अनध्यायः ॥ (Baud. Dhar. Sutr. 1.11)<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF Baudhyayana Dharmasutras]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>paurṇamasy-aṣṭakā-amāvāsyā-agnyutpāta-bhūmikampa-śmaśāna-deśapati-śro triya-ekatīrtha-prayāṇeṣv ahorātram anadhyāyaḥ ॥</blockquote>Apart from these at times of robbery in a village, cattle lifting, natural calamities, during thunders and rainstorms, death of the Raja or a Brahmana of the village, arrival of guests and during village celebrations, vedic study is paused. Gradually in due course of time the number of holidays reduced due to the curriculum getting heavier. While abnormal weather conditions prevented loud recitation, silent reading of non-Vedic subjects was allowed. While Vedic study had to be paused, non-Vaidika subjects could be studied on Anadhyayana days.<ref name=":0" />