Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c5.51

c5.51

This education was kept by the Brāhmans closely in their hands, and the various *Sūtras* and *Śāstras*, which have come down to us, written, of course, by Brāhmans, again and again insist on the duty of the Kshatriyas to protect and give honour to the Brāhmans. It was forbidden to a Kshatriya to teach,³ and though the injunction in Manu that the king should learn¹ ‘from the people the theory of the various trades and professions’ seems to imply that in the subject of *Vārta* others besides Brāhmans might be called in to give instruction to the young princes, and this would seem probable also in the matter of military skill, yet Brāhman control dominated throughout. The king was in fact practically enjoined to regard himself as a pupil even after he had assumed his position as a ruler. Thus in Kauṭilya’s *Arthaśāstra*² we are told--