History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.107.3

v4.c62.107.3

VIII at page 44) the Mahākṣatrapa is said to have attained great fame by his deep study, retention, and actual practice of grammar, artha (either lexicography or politics), music, logic and other vidyās and to have been a fine rider of horses, elephants, chariots and a great adept in wielding the sword and shield and in wrestling⁶¹. The personal attainments of Samudragupta (in Gupta Inscriptions No. 1 pp. 12, 15-16) show how thorough the education of at least some princes was or at least what the ideal about their education was. Vide H. Dh. vol. II. p. 364 for the education of princes and Dr. Beni Prasad's 'Theory of Government in Ancient India' p. 218 for an ideal course of education for a prince quoted from the Buddhist work, Sūtrālaṅkāra of Aśvaghoṣa. The Nītivākyāmṛta⁶² adds a long list of the accomplishments which a prince should possess viz. all scripts, valuing of jewels, knowledge of arms &c. On reading the ideal courses prescribed for the education of the prince by ancient Indian writers one cannot help feeling that they were probably actuated by the same sentiments that are attributed to Socrates by Plato in his 'Republic' (tr. by Jowett, ed. of 1875, vol. III. p. 357) viz.