About the Book
The present book is primarily meant to generate interest in the general readers regarding the Education in Early India. With this end in view the book encompasses the analytical survey of academic discipline right from the Vedic period upto 1200 A.D. The author has meticulously assembled and analysed all the facts in right historical perspective and specified the relevant source material to buttress his historical approach. Above all, he has historical parameter in mind that the status of the society whether open or close, backward or progressive is to be ad-judged by the quantum of education of their pupil. Accordingly, special care has been taken to marshalled the relevant facts to stand up to the scrutiny of the standard. All the historical facts have been scientifically arranged into seven chapters. The book opens with the introduction, high-lighting the importance of "Education in Indian" Social system. The first chapter deals with the "Social and Historical Background of Early Indian Education". In this chapter the scholar has analysed the classification of social structure based on Varnashram system. The "Concept of Education" has been dealt at length in the second chapter. The third chapter alludes the "Aims and importance of education in early India" while the fourth one dwells much upon the "General Principles of Education" in Philosophic perspective. The author in chapter fifth of the book has painstakingly projected the "Female Education in Early India". He is of the view that Female Edu-cation play a pivotal role in reconstruction of society to pave the way for all round development of their offspring on which the progressive society is founded for posterity. The "Growth of Medical Science in Early India as an integral part of education has received a serious attention in the sixth chapter of the book. Medical Science emerged in India from time immemorial as an indispensable branch of knowledge in epistemological sense of the term. The author is not content with illustration of Medical Education to the benefit of society at large, but to offer practical suggestions how to evolve the education system through the formation of character, self-confidence and development personality in line with the scientific spirit and temperament of the Modern Cybernetics.
About the Author
Arun Kumar did his Post-Graduate from the Patna University in 1993. Thereafter he obtained his doctoral degree from the Magadh University. To his credit he published several articles in the national and the international journals. Some of his articles are (i) History of Medical Science In Ancient India (ii) Intelligence Services Under the Maurya's(iii) The Re-publics of India: Strength and Drawbacks (iv) The Concept of Education in Early India (from Vedic period upto 600 A.D.). At. Present he is the member of the Indian His-tory Congress.
Preface
The present book is primarily meant for general readers who have some interest to know about Education in Early India. It surveys in detail about the concept and practices of education right upto 1200 A.D. and takes into account the recent studies by expertise on the subject. I express my deepest gratitude to Prof. Vijay Kumar Thakur, Department of History, Patna University for having read the draft of the book and improved the contents through his erudition wherever needed. I am very grateful to Dr. Shiva Jatan Thakur, University Professor, Department of English, Patna University and former member of Bihar Public Service Commission for sparing his precious time to peruse the language of the book with necessary modifications. I would also like to thank Prof. L.P. Yadav, Magadh University and Prof. Ajay Kumar Singh, Department of History, Patna University, Patna for their continued interest and suggestion during the course of my work. I use this opportunity to appreciate academic support in pursuit of my work for the several institutions Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna. Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Jainism and Prakrit Learning at Vaishali, Sinha Library, Patna University Library and A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies and Research, Patna.
Introduction
The Educational System in Early India was based on the conception of Brahmacarya, which laid greater emphasis on Acharya than mere learning. The system was established on the tie of constant association between the teacher and the taught. The Sanskrit word for pupil was anteversion, while acarya? stood for the preceptor. A student was known by the word Brahmachari. The religious student belonging to the caste of Brahmana, Kshatriya or Vaisya was known by the term Varni.3 As a pupil, he was known as Chatra because his duty was always to be at his teacher's service and to protect him from harm like an umbrella. The anteversion was to lead the life of a regular Brahmachari in the house of his teacher. Special hostels for female students had also come into existence (Chatrisala i.e., Lady's Hostel). In Early India the educational system embodied the method of oral teaching and committing texts by heart. This system prescribed the ancient learning through the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation, before it was stored up in the form of manuscripts. The success of oral tradition (Stuti) lies in the faith-sacred words have a value and should be treasured up in memory.
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