Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c4.114

c4.114

The teacher was also under obligation to fulfil his duty towards the pupil. Not only was he to love him as his own son, but he was to give him full attention in the teaching of the sacred science, and withhold no part of it from him.⁶ He was not to use the pupil for his own purposes except in times of distress. After the rite of initiation has been performed his first duty was to instruct the pupil in the rules of personal purification, of conduct, of the fire worship, and of the twilight devotions. There is a passage in Manu⁷ referring to the behaviour of the teacher towards his pupil which contains some excellent advice. It runs as follows:—