Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c12.s4: His Daily Routine of Duties

Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c12.s4

Language
English

His Daily Routine of Duties

c12.s4.1

The student is to rise from his bed before his teacher¹ and before sunrise² in the last watch of the night.³ Penances are prescribed for the sin of sleeping when the sun rises, or sets, or when the teacher is awake.

c12.s4.2

¹ *Vi.*, xxviii, 13; *Ba.*, i, 3, 21.

c12.s4.3

² *Āp.*, ii, 12, 13–14; *Ga.*, xxiii, 21; *Vas.*, xx, 4; *Ba.*, ii, 7, 16; *Vi.*, xxviii, 53; *Manu*, ii, 220.

c12.s4.4

³ *Āp.*, i, 5, 12.

c12.s4.5

Then he is to bathe and purify himself.⁴ He is not to sport in the water whilst bathing, but must swim motionless¹ or plunge into the waters like a stick.² He must not wash his body with hot water for pleasure, but if it is soiled by unclean things, he might clean it with earth or water in a place where he is not seen by a guru.³ He is not to use any bathing powder or the like for cleaning himself. The bath has to be taken three times a day.⁴

c12.s4.6

⁴ *Manu*, ii, 176; *Ga.*, ii, 8–9.

c12.s4.7

¹ *Āp.*, i, 2, 30; *Ba.*, i, 3, 39–40.

c12.s4.8

² *Vi.*, xxviii, 5.

c12.s4.9

³ *Āp.*, i, 2, 28–9.

c12.s4.10

⁴ *Va.*, vii, 17; *Ga.*, ii, 8.

c12.s4.11

His next duty is to perform his morning devotions (*sandhyā* or muttering the Sāvitrī). This must be done with a concentrated mind in a pure place outside the village, and in a standing posture, and in silence. The prayer is to begin from the time when the stars are still visible, and to end when the sun rises. The evening prayer is also to be similarly performed from the time when the sun still stands above the horizon until the stars appear.⁵

c12.s4.12

⁵ Manu, ii, 101, 222; *Ga.*, ii, 10–11; *Va.*, vii, 16; *Āp.*, i, 30, 8; *Ba.*, ii, 7, 13–14.

c12.s4.13

Returning home after his twilight devotions, the student is to offer libations of water to gods, sages, and manes, worship the images of the gods, and place fuel on the sacred fire.⁶

c12.s4.14

⁶ Manu, ii, 176

c12.s4.15

**Restrictions.** He must avoid the following *luxuries*: perfumes, garlands, anointing his body, applying collyrium to his eyes, use of shoes, umbrella, parasol, and carriage, and sleep in the day-time.

c12.s4.16

There are laid down many *moral* injunctions which the student must obey. He must avoid singing, playing musical instruments, and dancing, at which he must not even look [Āp., i, 3, 11]. He must not go to the assemblies (for gambling, etc.), nor to crowds assembled at festivals.

c12.s4.17

Certain virtues or moral qualities are specified for his cultivation and practice. He must avoid idle disputes and gossiping, backbiting and lying. He must be free from sexual desire, anger, envy, covetousness. He must not injure animate beings. He must talk with women only so much as his purpose requires. He must be forgiving, untired in fulfilling his duties, modest, possessed of self-command, and devoid of pride.

c12.s4.18

**Behaviour towards Teacher.** There are rules regulating the behaviour of the student towards his teacher. He must always obey his teacher except when ordered to commit crimes which cause loss of caste. He must not contradict him. He must occupy a couch or seat lower than that of his teacher. When he meets his teacher after sunrise (coming for his lessons), he shall embrace his feet, and shall study, after having been called by the teacher, and not request the teacher to begin the lesson. He must not stretch out his feet towards him but, according to some, he may, if the teacher be lying on a bed. He shall nöt address the teacher whilst he himself is in a reclining position, but he may answer the teacher sitting, if the teacher himself is sitting or lying down. And if the teacher stands, he shall answer him after having risen also. He shall walk after him if he walks, and run after him if he runs. He shall not approach his teacher with shoes on his feet, or his head covered, or holding implements in his hand, except when on a journey, or occupied in work. He shall approach his teacher with the same reverence as a deity, without telling idle stories, attentive, and listening eagerly to his words. He shall not sit either too near to, or too far from, his teacher, nor with his legs crossed. In the presence of his guru, he is to avoid covering his throat, leaning against a wall, stretching out his feet, spitting, laughing, yawning, and cracking the joints of his fingers. He must not sit with his teacher to the leeward or to the windward of him, but may sit with his teacher in a carriage drawn by oxen, horses, or camels, on a terrace, on a bed of grass or leaves, or a mat, on a rock, on a wooden bench or in a boat.

c12.s4.19

*Rules of Study.* From the regulations governing the life of the student in the home of his preceptor, we now pass on to the regulations governing his studies.

c12.s4.20

The student must commence his study in the morning, embracing the feet of his teacher both at the beginning and end of his lesson. After having received permission, he will sit down to the right of his teacher, turning his face towards the east or towards the north. Then the Sāvitrī is to be recited, together with the syllable *Om* before the instruction in the Veda is begun. The student must be very attentive the whole day long, never allowing his mind to wander from the lesson during the time devoted to studying. During the time for rest (which he has, after attending to his studies and the business of his teacher, as has been indicated above), the pupil is to give his mind to doubtful passages of the lesson learnt.

c12.s4.21

*Courses of Study.* The courses of study included the "*whole* Veda", together with "the Rahasyas" as stated by Manu [ii, 165]. There were also accompanying various kinds of austerities and vows prescribed by the rules of Vedic study. By the "*whole*" Veda, as already stated, the commentators understand the four Vedas with the six *Angas* or the *ritualistic* treatises comprising Phonetics (Sikhshā), Rituals proper (Kalpa), Grammar (Vyākarana), Etymology (Nirukta), Prosody (Chhanda), and Astronomy (Jyotisha), and the *esoteric* treatises such as the Upanishads; or one entire *Śākhā* of Veda, consisting of the Mantras and the *Brāhmaṇa*. By the term *Rahasyas* are meant esoteric treatises, the Upanishads, or the secret explanations of the Veda. According to Vishṇu [xxviii, 34–5], the student must first acquire by heart one Veda, or two Vedas, or all the Vedas, and thereupon the Vedāngas. If, without studying the Veda, he applies himself to another study, he degrades himself and his progeny to the state of a Śūdra. In another place, he discusses the comparative merits of the different subjects of study which include the hymns of the Rigveda, the Yajus texts, the Sāman melodies, the Atharvaveda, as well as the Purāṇas, Itihāsas, Vedāngas, and the Institutes of Sacred Law [xxx, 34–8]. In yet another passage [ib., 43], the knowledge imparted to the pupil is stated to be of three kinds, viz. worldly knowledge (relating to poetry, rhetoric, and the like subjects), sacred knowledge (relating to the Vedas and Vedāngas), and knowledge of the Supreme Spirit.

Linked texts (6)