Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c16.48

c16.48

The meaning of this injunction may be twofold. The Veda is to be studied and understood as well, like any other book we read. This can, however, be done by studying the Veda under a qualified teacher. But there is no injunction to study the *Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā* as a means of knowing the sense of the Veda. The second meaning of the Vedic injunction is that the Veda is merely to be learnt by heart, which "merely enjoins the making oneself master of the literal words of the Vedic text without any care to understand the meaning which they may convey", regarding the Veda simply as a work good in itself with its reward in heaven.