Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c5.23

c5.23

At some time, however, between 500 B.C. and the rise of the Mauryan dynasty (321 B.C.) there seems to have been a considerable development of Kshatriya education. The science of politics had grown up, and much more attention was given to fitting young princes for the duties of their high office. We have a valuable picture of this education in the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. The number of authorities whose different opinions he quotes and sometimes refutes shows how the science of politics had developed, and amongst other things there was a considerable interest as to what was the best kind of education for a young prince to receive. It is not impossible that this development in royal education may have been a result of the desire of some Indian rulers to improve the efficiency of their kingdoms in view of the possibilities of Persian invasion from the west, for the Indus valley had been annexed and formed into a satrapy by Darius (521-485 B.C.), and the raid of Alexander (327-324 B.C.) would have stimulated this desire. But whether this was so or not, it seems certain that a considerable development of royal education took place about this period.