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

II] SOME EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND POSTULATES 43 were required to memorise the few Vedic Mantras neces- sary for daily religious purposes and encouraged to devote their main energy to the development of new branches of knowledge like philosophy, grammar, and classical Sanskrit literature, where they were able to make substantial contributions, which still continue to be highly valued both in India and abroad. Vedic Studies of the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas; According to the Smṛiti rules, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas also had to pursue Vedic studies after their Upanayana. These however were never deep or prolonged. In some Jātaka stories, we no doubt read that some princes used to study all the three Vedas as well as eighteen practical sciences¹; in the Mahābhārata also we find that the Kaurava princes are represented as experts in Veda, Vedānta and the various branches of the military science (I. 118 and 133). A perusal of the relevant passages shows that the writers of the above works were more anxious to enumerate all the known branches of knowledge and represent them as being mastered by their heroes, than in narrating the actual state of affairs in their contemporary times. We have seen already that the Brāhmaṇas, who did not intend to follow the theological career, contented themselves with the knowledge of only a few Vedic hymns; Kshatriyas and Vaishyas must have done the same; in later life they had no prospect of becoming Vedic teachers, and for their military or commercial career Vedic educa- tion was not useful or necessary. Vedic and philosophical studies were included in early times in the curriculum of the prince, but they were left out in the course of time. From about the beginning of the Christian era, the

¹ Cf. सोळसवस्सपदेसिको हुत्वा तकसिलायां सिप्पंउग्गण्हित्वा तिण्णं वेदानं पारं गत्वा अट्ठारसानं विज्जट्ठानं निष्फत्तिं पापुनाति । Dummedha J. No. 50.