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

I] THE CONCEPTION AND IDEALS OF EDUCATION 19 thus enabled to master and maintain the best literary and professional traditions. The third debt was the debt to the ancestors, which can be repaid only by raising progeny and by imparting proper education to it₁ Steps were thus take to see that the rising generation became an efficient torch-bearer of the culture and traditions of the past. Other Methods to Preserve Cultural Traditions: The emphasis laid on obedience to parents, respect to elders and teachers and gratitude to savants of the bygone ages also helped to preserve the best traditions of the past. Especially significant in this connection are the rules about svādhyāya and ṛishitarpaṇa; the former enjoin a daily recapitulation of at least a portion of what was learnt during the student life and the latter require a daily tribute of gratitude to be paid to the literary giants of the past at the time of morning prayers. In later times, when archaic Sanskrit ceased to be understood and abstract and abstruse philosophy failed to appeal to masses, a new type of literature, the Purāṇas, was composed to popularise national culture and traditions among the masses. It was daily expounded to the masses in vernaculars, and as a consequence the best cultural traditions of the past filtered down to and were preserved by even illiterate' population. Devotional literature in vernacular also served the same function. Conclusion : Body, mind, intellect and spirit consti- tute a human being; the aims and ideals of ancient Indian education were to promote their simultaneous and Harmonious development. Men are social beings ; ancient Indian education not only emphasised social duties but also promoted social happiness. No nation can be called ¹ जायमानो वै ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिरृणैऋणवाञ्जायते । यज्ञेन देवेभ्यो ब्रह्मचर्येण ऋषिभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः। T.S., see also S.Br., 1:5.5