Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c11.s6.20

c11.s6.20

Similarly, there is but little evidence regarding the character of the education that the Śūdras received, although there is much evidence pointing to the undoubted results of such education in the economic development of the country as regards agriculture, pasture, cattle-rearing, and the numerous arts and crafts of civilized life.¹ In the list of subjects, too, for the period, we find mention of one termed *Deva-jana-vidyā* which, according to Śaṅkara, included some of the fine arts like dancing, singing, playing on musical instruments, perfumery, dyeing and the like, and, therefore, just the subjects in which the Śūdra was interested. The evidence seems also to point out that the teachers of those subjects were the Brahmins themselves, for the *Chhāndogya* mentions Nārada as a master of same, while, in the *Śatapatha* passage already referred to, the Brahmin is stated to be teaching similar secular subjects to circles of pupils that included even usurers (probably Vaiśyas), fishermen, snake-charmers, bird-catchers (Śūdras), and men unlearned in the scriptures.