Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c4.130.2

c4.130.2

Max Müller states ¹ that even nowadays, when there are not only manuscripts but also a printed text, the Vedas are still passed on in the Brāhmanic families by oral tradition. When one considers the enormous bulk of the sacred literature it would seem an almost impossible task for it to have been preserved all through so many centuries in this way. Still we know it was done and is being done down to the present time. We need not be surprised at the long period of twelve years which was considered necessary to become acquainted with even one Veda. Max Müller quotes ² from a letter which he received in 1878 from an Indian gentleman giving an account of the system as it was then. ‘A student of a *Ṛgveda Śākhā*, if sharp and assiduous, takes about eight years to learn the *Daśagranthas*, the ten books, which consist of (1) the *Saṃhitā* or the hymns; (2) the *Brāhmaṇa*, the prose treatise on sacrifices, etc.; (3) the *Āraṇyaka*, the forest-book; (4) the *Gṛhya-Sūtras*, the rules on domestic ceremonies; (5-10) the six *Angas*, treatises on pronunciation, astronomy, ceremonial, grammar, etymology, and metre. A pupil studies every day during the eight years, except on the holidays, the so-called *anadhyāya*, i.e. non-reading days. To complete the work in eight years he would have to learn about 12 *ślokas* of 32 syllables each every day.’ Professor R. G.