Vital role in the upliftment of the society To secure a progressive balance and harmony of

growth - unique concept viz. the “Purushartahs”. Purushartha is translated to mean a human

goal, an object of desire, consciously pursued. This significant concept of development upholds

the legitimacy of man’s desire for economic security (artha) and sensuous aesthetic satisfaction (kama) and spiritual welfare (moksha).

INTRODUCTION

Education in Ancient India began around the

3rd century BC AIM:-'training for completeness of life' and the

molding of character of men and women for the battle of life.

The Vedas, Puranas, Ayurveda,Yoga, Kautilya's Arthasahtra are only some of the milestones that the traditional Indian knowledge system boasts of.

The formal admission ceremony was known as

'Upanayana'. With the accomplishment of this ceremony the

child had to leave his home for the 'ashrama' where he would receive education.

It was supposed to be the re-birth of the child and was known as 'Dvijya', which means, "twice born".

The priest class, the Brahmins, were imparted

knowledge of religion, philosophy, and other ancillary branches while the warrior class, the Kshatriya, were trained in the various aspects of warfare. The business class, the Vaishya, were taught their trade and the lowered class of the Shudras was generally deprived of educational advantages.

The age-limit for this purpose, ranged between five and sixteen for Brahmins, six and twenty-two for Kshatriyas, eight and twenty-four for Vaishya.

Monastic orders of education

The pupil must find the teacher. He must live

with him as in member of his family and is treated by him in every way as his son

The knowledge was to be got, as the Bhagavad Gita says, by obeisance, by questioning and serving the teacher.

The Vedas included the Sanskrit language which in turn became the language of classical learning.

GURUKUL SYSTEM

The academics of higher learning were known as 'Parisads'.

Education was reduced to the three simple processes of Sravana, Manana and Niddhyaasana.

Sravana - listening to the truths as they fell from the lips of the teacher.

Knowledge was technically called Sruti or what was heard by the ear and not what was seen in writing.

Manana - the pupil has to think out for himself the meaning of the lessons imparted to him orally by his teacher so that they may be assimilate fully.

Nidhyasana - complete comprehension by the pupil of the truth that is taught so that he may live the truth and not merely explain it by word.

The Rig Veda is established as the earliest

work not merely of the Hindus, but of all Indo-European languages and humanity

Foundation of plain living and high thinking. The main subject was the Veda. The teacher

would instruct handful of students seated on ground. For many hours daily they would repeat verses after verses of the Vedas till they attain mastery of at least one of them

Princes and other leading Kshatriyas were trained in all the manifold sciences to make them fit for government. Most boys of the lower orders learnt their trades from their fathers.

RIGVEDIC EDUCATION

Eg:- Prayers like Gayatri mantram touch the

highest point of knowledge and sustain human souls to this day

These show considerable literary skill, originality of design and insight into religious needs.

Women were regarded as perfectly eligible for the privilege of studying the Vedic literature. Music and dancing was also taught to them.

Some of the hymns of the Rig Veda are the composition of twenty sage-poetesses.

The Vedic women received a fair share of masculine attention in physical culture and military training.

Learning was also prompted by discussions at

public meetings which were a regular of rural life, and were addressed by wandering scholars known as Carakas.

These scholars toured the country to deliver public discourses and invite discussion.

Takshashila was a noted center of learning A full-fledged Asrama is described as consisting of

several Departments which are enumerated as following:

Agnisthana - the place for fire-worship and prayers

Brahma-sthana - the Department of Veda

Vishnusthana - the Department for teaching Raja-Niti , etc.

Mahendrasthana - Military Section

Vivasvata-sthana - Department of Astronomy

Somasthana - Department of Botany

Garuda-sthana - Section dealing with Transport and Conveyances

Kartikeya-sthana - Section teaching military organization, how to

form patrols, battalions, and army.

EDUCATION IN THE EPICS

Panini the famous grammarian of the 7th

century B.C. and Kautilya, the authority on Arthasastra, of the 4th century B.C., and Charaka, a medical teacher of repute were students of Taxila.

The account of education in the Sutra period will not be complete without the consideration of the evidence of the grammatical literature as represented in the works of Panini.

PERIOD OF PANINI

• Taxila – medical studies• Mithila• Nalanda• Vallabi• Vikramasila• Jagaddala• Odantapuri• Nadia• Madura • Kanchi• Benares - religious teachings

UNIVERSITY OF ANCIENT INDIA

The Hindus were the first nation to establish hospitals, and for centuries they were the only people in the world who maintained them.

Taxila, situated in the north-west, had naturally become a center of military training

There was considerable inter provincial and foreign trade going on in the ancient times. The maritime activity of ancient India were considerable, and the trade with South East Asia, Egypt, Greek and Rome was very profitable to India during the early centuries.

The concept of zero, decimal and Pythagoras Theorem were all developed here

OTHER FACTS

The spread of Jainism, Buddhism, Bhakti and

Sufi movements did have some liberating effects on the condition of the women, sudras and atisudras.

But it is the English language and the reformation movements of the 19th century that had the most liberating effect in pre-independent India.

On the basis insights obtained from our journey through ancient Indian educational processes we may say that the goals of educational philosophy for tomorrow should be: • to educate students so that they are able to develop a holistic personality • to inculcate a love for nature and respect for all forms of life • not to condition the students in any particular

belief, either religious, political or social, so that their minds may remain free to ask fundamental questions, enquire and learn

CONCLUSION