Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c11.s6.17

c11.s6.17

Thus the Kshatriya was normally and primarily concerned with those subjects of study which would give him a training in the occupations he had to follow. In the lists of subjects of study referred to in the literature of the period (as discussed above), those termed *Kshatravidyā* (the science of the ruling class, of polity or administration), *Ekāyana* (as interpreted by Śaṅkara, viz. *Nīti-śāstram*) or *Dhanur-veda* were therefore suitable for the Kshatriya. But it would appear from the evidence that the Kshatriya had to depend upon Brahmin teachers even for instruction in those subjects. Nārada, when he approaches Sanatkumāra for instruction, informs him of his mastery of those subjects [*Chhānd.*, vii, 1], while the Brahmin priest is elsewhere [*Śatap. Br.*, xiii, 4, 3] represented as teaching the people (irrespective of classes and castes) even such subjects as Sarpa-vidyā, Magic, Devajanavidyā or fine arts.