Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c4.165

c4.165

The ideal in ancient times thus seems to have been that the *parishad* should consist of at least ten persons, but a smaller number might be regarded as sufficient in case of necessity. Thus *Parāśara*, another ancient authority,¹ says that ‘four or even three able men from amongst the Brāhmans in a village, who know the Veda and keep the sacrificial fire, form a *parishad*. Or if they do not keep the sacrificial fire, five or three who have studied the Vedas and the Vedāngas, and know the law, may well form a *parishad*. Of old sages who possess the highest knowledge of the divine self, who are twice-born, perform sacrifices, and have purified themselves in the duties of the Veda, one also may be considered as a *parishad*.’