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Education in Ancient India c14.s1: Section A. Vidyārambha Ritual (Saṅskāra)

Education in Ancient India c14.s1

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Section A. Vidyārambha Ritual (Saṅskāra)

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¹ The original authorities for the information given in this section are the following:—*Viramitrodaya*, Saṅskāraprakāśa, pp. 321 ff; Aparārka on *Yājñavalkya-smrti*, I, 13; *Smritichandrikā*, Saṅskārakāṇḍa, pp. 67 ff; *Saṅskāra-ratna-mālā* of Gopīnāthabhaṭṭa.

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Its Time and Nature: Vidyārambha Saṅskāra, which is described by some authorities also as Aksharasvikaraṇa, was performed, as the name would suggest, at the commencement of the primary education. Fifth year, which is usually regarded as suitable for the beginning of the primary education, was the time prescribed for it.² If the ritual had to be postponed on account of unavoidable difficulties, it had to be performed at least before the Upanayana (Initiation or Thread Ceremony).³ An auspicious day was selected for the purpose. The ritual was a simple one, requiring the young boy to worship Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, Vināyaka, the god of learning, and the tutelary deities of his family. Some authorities prescribe a sacrifice, but probably it was not performed everywhere. The worship of the deities was followed by that of the primary teacher and the boy was then handed over to him. The teacher used to make the boy write on rice all the alphabets with the help of a specially prepared golden or silver pen. Suitable presents made to the teacher and the Brahmanas invited for the ceremony marked the termination of the ritual.

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² The Bismilla Khani ceremony, which the Muslims perform at the beginning of the primary education, is also performed in the 5th year, or to be more correct, on the 4th day of the fourth month of the fifth year. It was performed on this day in the case of Humayun; J.A.S.B., 1935, p. 249.

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³ द्वितीयजन्मनः पूर्वमारमेताक्षरासुन्धीः । Brihaspati in *VMS*.

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The Ritual non-existent in early Times : Why : Vidyārambha is thus the earliest Saṃskāra in the student’s life, but is does not, like Upanayana, go back to hoary antiquity. The authorities, which prescribe and describe this ritual, are as late as the second millenium of the Christian era.¹ It appears indeed very strange that the earlier works like the Grihya-sūtras and the Dharma-sūtras, which have laid down rituals for such relatively insignificant occasions like *Grihya-nishkramana* (when the child is first taken out from the house), and *anna-prāśana* (when it is first given food), should have failed to associate the commencement of the primary education with any religious ceremony. The reason, however, is not far to seek. Upanayana Saṃskāra, which existed even in the Vedic age, marked the beginning of education in pre-historic times. There was thus no necessity to prescribe a different Saṃskāra like *aksharasvīkarana* (learning of the alphabet) for the simple reason that the alphabet was then probably unknown.²

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¹ Viśvāmitra, Brihaspati, Mārkandeya, etc., who are quoted by these authorities, cannot be much earlier, as would be clear from the astronomical details mentioned by them. Such details make their appearance only after the 7th or the 8th century A.D.

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² The view of Dr. Bühler and others that alphabet was not known in India before c. 800 B.C. has now to be abandoned in view of

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The education of children therefore naturally commenced not with the learning of the alphabets, but with the memorising of the sacred hymns, which were the most valued possession of the Aryans and constituted almost their entire literature. Under these circumstances, the Upanayana, which was prescribed at the commencement of the Vedic studies, could be the only ritual to be performed at the commencement of education.

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When and Why Evolved : In the course of time the Vedic Sanskrit ceased to be the spoken language, the sciences of exegesis and grammar were developed, and the art of writing was invented or became known. Even the memorising of the Vedic hymns required some previous elementary education. Upanayana could therefore no longer mark the beginning of education and a different ritual called Vidyārambha began to be recommended for the commencement of primary education. This must have taken place at a fairly early date; the fact that the ritual is recommended only by very late authorities is probably to be explained by the circumstance that it was for a long time combined with chaula or tonsure ceremony,¹ This combination was

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¹ Cf. i वृत्तचौलकर्मा लिपिं संख्यानं चोपयुञ्जीत । Arthaśāstra, I. 2 [On prince's education]. ii स वृत्तचौलश्चलकाकपक्षरैर्भात्यपुत्रैः सबयोभिरन्वितः । लिपेर्यथावद्ग्रहणेन वाङ्मयं नदीमुखेनेव समुद्रमाविशत् ॥ Raghū. III. 7. iii [ लवकुशयोः ] निवृत्तचौलकर्मोथ तयोर्द्वयोरमितराशितो विद्याःसावधानिन मनसा परिनिष्ठापिताः । Uttararāmacharit, Act II.

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(Continued from the last page) the Indus Valley discoveries. There is clear cultural evidence to show that the art of writing was known in the later Saṁhitā period (c. 1600-1200 B.C.); see Ojha, Prāchīna-lipi-mālā, pp. 1-16. There is no evidence to show that the art of writing was known in the early Vedic period (2500-2000 B.C.). The Aryans were probably ignorant of that art when they entered India and it may be eventually proved that they learnt it from the "Indus people."

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facilitated by the fact that the time for the ritual, the 4th to the 7th year, was suitable also for the commencement of primary education. The number and nature of the locks of hair to be kept at the time of the tonsure ceremony had close connection with the Vedic sages with whom the family was believed to be connected¹; this may also have suggested a synchronisation of the commencement of primary education with the celebration of the *chaula-karma*.

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¹ Cf. यथर्षि शिखां विदधाति । *A. G. S.*, XVI, 6: दक्षिणे कपर्दो वसिष्ठानां उभयतोऽत्रिभार्गवकाश्यपानां पंचचूडा आंगिरसाम् । *V.G.S.*, section 4.

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