प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

98 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch. the times of the Peshwas in the 19th century. Bajirao II, the last of the Peshwas, used to spend 5,00,000 of rupees in giving charity to learned Brahmanas. 'But' says Elphinstone, 'the Dakshiṇā formed only a small portion of his largesses to Brahmanas and the number of persons devoted to Hindu learning and religion who were supported by him exceeded what would be readily supposed'.¹ Government help in indirect Forms : Governments used to help the cause of education in many indirect ways also. They used to offer scholarships to students to enable them to complete their education.² Often they used to hold literary tournaments and offer rich rewards to successful scholars.³ In making appoint- ments they used to show preference to men of learning ; it is well known that many of the officers of the Guptas were good poets or students of politics.⁴ Of course it was not possible for governments to absorb all graduates in their service ; those who could not be employed in administrative posts used to get some monetary help to enable them to start their lives.⁵

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1. Elphinstone's minute quoted at p. 5 of the Report of the Bombay Provincial Committee, Education Commission, 1882.
2. सर्वविद्याकलाभ्यासे शिक्षयेद्भृतिपोषितान् । समाप्तविद्यं तं दृष्ट्वा तत्कार्ये तं नियोजयेत् ॥ Śukra, I. 368 Some of the Taxila students were state scholars ; J. No, 522
3. Kings Janaka of Mithilā and Ajātaśatru of Benares are, for instance, known to have done this ; Br. Up. II. 1. 1 Vikramāditya and Harsha are also famous for inviting learned men for literary affrays.
4. Harisheṇa, the author of the Allahabad praśasti was holding the post of a judge; Śāba, a minister of Chandragupta, II, was a poet and an expert in Nītiśāstra. See Gupta Inscriptions, Nos. 1 and 5.
5. This practice, for instance, prevailed at the court of Valabhi in the 7th century A. D. ; see I-tsing, p. 177-8