Education in Ancient India c5.20

c5.20

² Usually teachers were allowed to watch the conduct and calibre of the new entrants for about six months or a year; but after that period they were bound to start instructions. If they did not do so, they were saddled with all the sins of the students they were keeping in suspense; cf. संवत्सरोषिते शिष्ये गुरुर्ज्ञाननिर्दिशन् । हरते दुष्कृतं तस्य शिष्यस्य वसतो गुरुः ॥ Kurma P. in VMS., p. 515 Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna, chap. 2, allows only a six months' period of waiting for medical students. Longer periods of waiting like 5 or 32 years that we sometimes come across in Tantras (e. g Tantrarāja-tantra, II. 37-8) and Upanishads (e. g. Ch. Up. VIII. 7. 2. 3.) were intended for those who aspired to be initiated in secret and esoteric philosophical doctrines, and not for ordinary students.