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

278 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [App. heart of his pupil and prayed that there should be a perpetual and perfect accord between them.¹ All this was intended to emphasise that the relations between the teacher and the pupil were sacred and not mercenary and progress in education was possible only if there was complete harmony, sympathy and whole-hearted communion between the teacher and the taught. Teaching and Significance of the Savitri (Gayatri) Mantra: Then followed the actual initiation of the student in the Vedic studies, which was done by teaching him a prayer to the sun (Sāvitrī-mantra); this is popularly known as Gāyatrī-mantra on account of its metre. This prayer, which every student and householder had to recite morning and evening, runs as follows:— Tat savitur vareṇyām bhargo devasya dhīmahi Dhiyo *yo naḥ prachodayāt.*²

1. H Gr. S., 1. 5. 11.
2. Early authorities like Pā. Gr. S., II. 3. 10 prescribe the same prayer to the sun for the students of all the castes. Later writers begin to prescribe a different Mantra for the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas, probably influenced by the theory that Trishtubh metre is appropriate for the Kshatriya and the Jagatī for the Vaishya. The tradition however is not unanimous about these Mantras and may be taken to be unreliable as far as the early period is concerned. The following Mantras are prescribed by different authorities for the Kshatriya:— आ कृष्णेन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मर्त्यं च । हिरण्येन सविता रथेन देवो याति भुवनानि पश्यन् ॥ (According to Medhātithi on Manu, II. 38) हिरण्यपाणिः सविता विचर्षणिुरुभे द्यावापृथिवी अंतरीयते । अपामीवां बाधते वेति सूर्यमभि कृष्णेन रजसा द्यामृणोति ॥ (According to Nārāyaṇa on S. Gr. S. II. 5) The Mantras for the Vaishyas are said to be the following:— विश्वा रूपाणि प्रतिमुंचते कविः प्रासावीद्भद्रं द्विपदे चतुष्पदे । वि नाकमख्यत्सविता वरेण्योऽनु प्रयाणमुषसो विराजति ॥ (According to Medhātithi on Manu II. 38, Śātātapa and Laugākshī quoted in VMS., p. 430 and Aparārka on Yāj I. 15) P. T. Q.