Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c4.50

c4.50

As in the *Brāhmaṇas*, the necessity for a long period of studentship is recognized. Thus Indra is said to have lived with Prajāpati as a pupil no less than one hundred and five years.⁴ The actual duration of studentship was coming to be recognized as twelve years.⁵ During this period of twelve years we are told that Śvetaketu studied all the Vedas, which differs from the later regulation of twelve years for each Veda. In the case of Śvetaketu, however, it may have been only the hymns of the three Vedas that he learned, as this is what his father expected from him.⁶ In the same *Upanishad*, however, we have what seems to be an exhaustive list of all that was studied in those days, and which includes a good deal more than a knowledge of the hymns of the three Vedas.⁷