Education in Ancient India c14.s2.44

c14.s2.44

Acceptance by the Teacher : The scholar was then brought before his teacher who asked him whose Brahmachārin⁴ (student) he was. The young boy naturally replied to the preceptor that he was the latter’s disciple. The preceptor then used to correct him and asked him to note that he was the pupil of gods Indra and Agni, the most popular and powerful among the Vedic deities⁵. When formally taking charge of the pupil by seizing his right hand, the teacher used to announce that he was doing so with the command and concurrence of God Savitṛi.⁶ The teacher then touched the heart of his pupil and prayed that there should be a perpetual and perfect accord between them.¹ All this was intended to emphasise that the relations between the teacher and the pupil were sacred and not mercenary and progress in education was possible only if there was complete harmony, sympathy and whole-hearted communion between the teacher and the taught.