Ancient education system

• The teachings was done in gurukulas

• The Gurukula System was an important
concept associated with pursuit of studies in
ancient India.
• A gurukula was a place where a teacher or a
guru lived with his family and establishment
and trained the students in various subjects.
The gurukulas usually existed in forests.
 Ancient education

• The focus was on studying logic

• Admission into the gurukula was not an easy process.
A student had to convince his guru that he had the
desire, the determination and the required
intelligence to pursue the studies and had to serve
him for years before he was admitted into the school
and initiated into the subjects.
• Students in the gurukulas were subjected to rigorous
discipline.
 Ancient education
• Lower caste people were not permitted to
study any subject outside their occupation. In
the early Rigvedic period, some gurus were
broadminded enough to admit some low caste
children as their students
 Ancient education
• Hinduism emphasizes the importance of verification of
truth through personal experience
• In ancient India a number of subjects other than religion
were taught to students as a part of their general study.
These included subjects such as mathematics, medicine,
metallurgy, magic, music, art of warfare, sculpting,
temple building, commerce, pottery, weaving and so on.
Since the occupations were based upon castes, children
were initiated into the secrets of their traditional
vocations from a very early age.
 Ancient education
• 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".
• Sanskrit was the language of teaching. It was
supposed to be the language of learned men
 Ancient education
• . The academies of higher learning were known as 'Parisads'. The
education system involved of three basic processes, which
included 'Sravana', 'Manana' and 'Nidhyasana'.
• In the 'Sravana' stage of education, students received 'shrutis'
knowledge, which was passed orally from one generation to
another.
• The second stage was 'Manana' which means that pupils had to
think themselves about what they have heard. They have to make
their own inferences and assimilate the lesson taught by their
teacher into the life.
• The third stage 'Nidhyasana' means complete comprehension of
truth and its use in the life
 The ancient education was based on

Sacred scriptures
• Shruthis
• Smrithis
 Shruthi
• Shruti (lit: that which is heard)primarily refers to the Vedas,
which form the earliest record of the Hindu scriptures.
• While many Hindus revere the Vedas as eternal truths
revealed to ancient sages some devotees do not associate
the creation of the Vedas with a god or person.
• They are thought of as the laws of the spiritual world, which
would still exist even if they were not revealed to the sages.
• Hindus believe that because the spiritual truths of the Vedas
are eternal, they continue to be expressed in new ways
 shruthis
• There are four Vedas. The Rigveda is the first
and most important Veda. Each Veda is
divided into four parts: the Samhita, which
contains sacred mantras. The other three
parts form a three-tier ensemble of
commentaries, usually in prose and are
believed to be slightly later in age than the
Saṃhitā. These are: the Brahmanas,
Āranyakas, and the Upanishads.
 The teachings of upanishad’s
• Nishkam karma
• Work is worship
• Help others
• Self motivation
 Smritis
• Hindu texts other than the Shrutis are collectively called the
Smritis (memory). The most notable of the smritis are the
epics, which consist of the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana.
• The Bhagavad Gītā is an integral part of the Mahabharata
and one of the most popular sacred texts of Hinduism. It
contains philosophical teachings from Krishna, an incarnation
of Vishnu, told to the prince Arjuna on the eve of a great war.
• The Bhagavad Gītā, spoken by Krishna, is described as the
essence of the Vedas.
• However Gita, sometimes called Gitopanishad, is more often
placed in the Shruti, category, being Upanishadic in content.
• The Smritis also include the Purānas, which illustrate Hindu
ideas through vivid narratives.
Objectives of education in ancient India

• Piety and righteousness

• Formation of character
• Development of personality
• Develop civic and social duties
• Promote social efficiency and happiness
• Preservation and spread of national heritage
and culture
 Guiding principles of management and
ancient educational system
• Creativity promotes view points
• Thinking big helps achieve big things
• Attitude towards learning as a way of life
• Ability to manage and short term conflicts
• Leadership traits
 Science and human values
• Swami Vivekananda said
• Man’s development lies in rising above both
external nature and internal nature
He can rise above external nature through
science and technology
He can rise above internal nature through ethics
and morals
 Science and tradition
• Even in the Vedic ages our gurus realized the
importance of science and human values
• They aimed at right utilization of scientific
resources
Traditional view point on science and human
values