India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c10.s2.2

c10.s2.2

*IDEALS.* The ideals of learning must have played an important part in the moulding of educational activities. Both the teacher and the taught (*āchāryāntevāsinaḥ*) were inspired by the literary and cultural ideals of their age. We get from Pāṇini a graphic picture of the types of literature then developed, *viz.* Chhandas and Brāhmaṇa works, Vedāṅga literature like Kalpa and Vyākaraṇa, secular works and poetry, dramaturgical treatises and stories (IV.3.110-111), *gāthās* and *ślokas* (III.2.23). Students would prepare themselves for the study of one or other of these different classes of literature (*tadadhīte*). In the sphere of teaching, there were different classes of teachers dealing with the several classes of literature, *e.g.* *āchārya* for the esoteric knowledge of the Veda, *śrotriya* for recitation, *pravaktā* for *prokta* literature, *ākhyātā* imparting religious teaching, *anūchāna* for the Vedāṅgas, and *adhyāpaka* carrying on general teaching work. But from the point of view of scholarly attainments a large number of specialists in each branch of learning were coming into existence. In fact from Pāṇini's account of specialist scholars we learn that each text or subject of knowledge was represented by the learned men who had mastered it (*tadveda*, IV.2.59). For example, there is mention of experts in the various Soma sacrifices (*kratus*), named after the particular ritual which they had mastered, as *āgnishṭomika*, *vājapeyika* (IV.2.60); the reciters of *uktha* and the various forms of orthoëpic recitations of Chhandas texts, as the *krama-pāṭha* and *pada-pāṭha* (IV.2. 61); exponents of the Brāhmaṇa and Anubrāhamaṇa works (IV.2.62), and Sūtra works (IV.2.65) dealing with the several classes of scientific literature. The Vedāṅga literature was represented by its specialists, such as *vaiyākaraṇa*, (grammarians), (VI.3.7), *nairuktika*, (etymologists), and *yājñika*, (experts in Kalpa or ritual) (IV.3.129). Patañjali's elaborate list of works in the *vārttikas* appended to *sūtra* IV.2.60, shows the tendency towards specialization carried to extremes in his time, mention being made of experts in ornithology (*vāyasa-vidyā*), bodily signs (*aṅga-vidyā*), knowledge of cows (*go-lakshaṇa*), horses (*aśva-lakshaṇa*), military science (*kshattra-vidyā*). Multiplication of works had advanced and each is spoken of in terms of its exponent. Even the story literature had its devotees, *e.g.* *Yāvakrītika* (adept in the story of Yavakrīta, (related in the Vanaparva, Chs. 133-38, *A.B.O.R.I.*, XXI.282); *Yāyātika* (proficient in the legend of Yayāti, cf. examples on VI.2.103), *Vāsavadattika* (well-versed in the romance of Vāsavadattā), and *Saumanottarika* (a special student of the romance of Sumananottṛā, related at length in Buddhist literature (*Dict. of Pāli Proper Names*, I.361). Pāṇini himself refers to special works dealing with *ākhyāna* material (VI.2.103).