Education in Ancient India c4.65

c4.65

Smṛtis lay down that Brahmanas should not follow the professions of Kshatriyas and Vaishyas except in times of difficulties. This would naturally imply that Brahmanas did not figure as teachers in military or commercial lines. How could one become a teacher in a profession which one was not expected to follow? For a long time, however, Brahmanas were following a number of non-Vedic pursuits and professions and also figuring as their teachers. What can be more incompatible with the Brahmanical ideal of piety and religiousness than the military profession? And yet we find Brahmanas figuring as teachers of the military science. The Pāṇḍava and Kaurava heroes, who fought so bravely in the Mahābhārata war, were not trained by any Kshatriya teacher; their preceptor, Droṇācārya was a Brahmana. Brahmanas, who were trainers of horses and elephants, are mentioned in Smṛitis (Manu, III. 162). Jātakas also show that at Taxila, Brahmanas used to impart education in several practical professions like the military art, medicine and snake charming etc. both to Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.¹ Dhanurveda lays down that Brahmanas are as eligible to be the teachers of the military science as Kshatriyas (1.4). Being as a rule more intelligent than members of other castes, they must have shone in these lines also, as for instance was the case with Droṇāchārya. It was only in later times, from c. 500 A.D. onwards, that Brahmanas ceased to be teachers of useful arts and professions owing to the growing rigour of the caste system. This was rather unfortunate, for it prevented the utilisation of the intellect of one of the most intelligent classes in society for expanding the boundaries of knowledge in the domain of practical sciences.