Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c5.34

c5.34

With regard to the length of the course we are told that ‘the prince shall observe celibacy till he becomes sixteen years old. Then he shall observe the ceremony of tonsure and marry’. If the investiture with the sacred thread took place in accordance with the regulations given in the *Dharmasūtras* in the eleventh year after conception, the course would thus last six years, which is much shorter than the twelve years prescribed as necessary for the *Brahmachārī* to learn one Veda. It is, of course not impossible that the study, of Vārta and Daṇḍanīti at least may have been continued even after marriage.