Education in Ancient India c3.28

c3.28

The Theory of Three Debts : The interesting theory of three debts, which has been advocated since the Vedic age, has effectively served the purpose of inducing the rising generation to accept and maintain the best traditions of thought and action of the past generations. The theory maintains that the moment an individual is born in this world, he incurs three debts, which he can discharge only by performing certain duties. First of all, he owes a debt to gods, and he can liquidate it only by learning how to perform proper sacrifices and by regularly offering them. Religious traditions of the race were thus preserved. Secondly, he owes a debt to the rishis or savants of the bygone ages and can discharge it only by studying their works and continuing their literary and professional traditions. The rising generation was thus enabled to master and maintain the best literary and professional traditions. The third debt was the debt to the ancestors, which can be repaid only by raising progeny and by imparting proper education to it. Steps were thus take to see that the rising generation became an efficient torch-bearer of the culture and traditions of the past.