Education in Ancient India c5.22

c5.22

¹ The Smritikaustubha narrates how a teacher was condemned to be a mango tree in his next existence for his failure to impart Vedic knowledge; cf. स चूतवृक्षो विप्रोडभूद्विद्वान्वै वेदपारगः । विद्या न दत्ता विप्रेभ्यस्तेनैव तरुतां गतः । There is an obvious subtle humour in the retribution imposed upon the teacher who would not give what he possessed to others; as a mango tree he would have to give all fruits to others and retain none for himself.