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

288 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [App. This of course was not the original idea. The ritual was intended to correspond in a very great degree to the modern convocation function. Only those who have passed their examination are at present admitted to the convocation ; only those who had finished their education were in the beginning honoured with the privilege of Samāvartana. Our authorities prescribe no definite age for this ritual. The duration of the student-life varied with different courses and students, as has been already shown in Chapter IV ; and so no fixed age could be prescribed for this ritual. An interesting Preliminary : Samāvartana cere- mony is as simple as it is significant. An auspicious day was selected and the student was required to shut himself up in a room throughout the morning. This appears to be a queer procedure, but it was due to the desire to save the sun the humiliation of being con- fronted with a superior lustre. The belief was that the sun can shine only with the lustre he borrows from the Snātakas (graduates), who have completed their education$^1$. What better compliment can be conceived for edudation ? The Procedure . The student came out of his room at the midday, cleansed his mouth and shaved his head and beard. He then relinquished his girdle (mekhalā), deer-skin (ajina) etc., which were the insignia of the student's order. The period of strict discipline was now over and the teacher himself, who had sternly refused him the use of a number of luxuries, now came forward to offer them to him. He himself gave him a bath in fragrant water. It was followed by an offer of new clothes. Ornaments,

1. Cf. एतदहःस्नातानां ह वा एष एतत्तेजसा तपति तस्मादेनमेतद- हर्नाभितपेत्। Bh. G. S., II. 1. 8.