Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c17.51

c17.51

**Failures of Scholarship : Yavakrīta.** The story of Yavakrīta [iii, 135] emphasizes the indispensable need of a teacher in the acquisition of knowledge which the Upanishads also insist upon. In the story, Yavakrīta engaged in the severest asceticism for obtaining the knowledge of the Vedas, because he thought that study under a teacher would require a long time for the purpose. Indra admonished him by saying: "The way you have adopted is not the proper way. Go and learn the Vedas from a preceptor." Finding his advice still going unheeded, he conveyed to Yavakrīta a sensible image of his folly by attempting the impossible feat of bridging the river Gaṅgā by means of hands.