Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c12.s6.9

c12.s6.9

**Rules of Vedic Study.** We shall now consider the methods of teaching, the rules of Vedic study implied by what is technically termed *Anuvāchana*. These rules are best explained in the *Śāṅkhāyana Grihya Sūtra* [ii, 7, 18-27]. In the first place, the text of a hymn of the Rigveda is taught the student. Secondly, the Rishi, Deity, and Metre of the hymn are indicated to him. In this way the teacher is to go on reciting the hymns, belonging to each Rishi, or each Anuvāka, which make up the lesson for each day. There seem to have been, however, shorter lessons for the students of other castes who had no intention of becoming Vedic scholars. For these students, a day's lesson might comprise an Anuvāka of the Kshudrasūktas or short hymns of the Rigveda (i.e. the tenth Maṇḍala); or as much as the master may think fit for them; or it was still further whittled down to the first and last hymn of a Rishi or an Anuvāka, the study of which would by a sort of fiction be regarded as the study of the whole portion belonging to that Rishi or the entire Anuvāka; or, lastly, it might be even only one verse of the beginning of each hymn (of the collection belonging to a Rishi or making up an Anuvāka).