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

II] SOME EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND POSTULATES 41 Kshatriya Viśvāmitra family. In the Upanishadic period Kshatriyas took an important part in the development of philosophy and were the exclusive custodians of many esoteric doctrines, which Brahmanas could learn only from them and not without some difficulty.¹ There are several cases of Brahmanas approaching renowned Kshatriya teachers like Aśvapati, Janaka and Pravāhaṇa Jaivali as humble students of philosophy and religion.² We should therefore note that the caste system succeeded in making Vedic and religious education a monopoly for the Brah- manas only at about 300 B. C. Nor was it a lucrative monopoly in practice; it was a monopoly to beg. The income of even the most famous Vedic teachers was a precarious one and compared very poorly with the gains of a successful merchant or a captain. Brahmanas as Teachers of Non-Vedic Subjects : Smṛitis lay down that Brahmanas should not follow the professions of Kshatriyas and Vaishyas except in times of difficulties. This would naturally imply that Brahmanas did not figure as teachers in military or commercial lines. How could one become a teacher in a profession which one was not expected to follow ? For a long time, how- ever, Brahmanas were following a number of non-Vedic pursuits and professions and also figuring as their teachers. What can be more incompatible with the Brahmanical ideal of piety and religiousness than the military profession ? And yet we find Brahmanas figuring as teachers of the military science. The Pāṇḍava and Kaurava heroes, who fought so bravely in the Mahābhārata war, were not trained by any Kshatriya teacher; their preceptor, Droṇā- chārya was a Brahmana. Brahmanas, who were trainers

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1 Ch. Up., V. 3. 7; Br. Up. II. 1.15 2 Br. Up. II. 1.14, IV.1.1, Ch. Up. IV. 4.1, etc