Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c8.51

c8.51

‘Satra.’ The *Satra* was a sort of a national festival of the Vedic times and operated as a potent factor for the moral and spiritual uplift of the community, for the progress of its literature and education. All the learned philosophers and Ṛishis of those days gathered at the *Satra* and enchanted the vast audiences of crowds that flocked to it by their thrilling recitation of Vedic Mantras, chanting of Sāmans, an discourses on Brahma. Thus it was a sort of a religious and philosophical Congress that held a continuous session for the whole year and gave scope to the promulgation and propagation of Vedic literature References to such learned Assemblies or Sabhās in the Rigveda [x, 71, 2, 5, etc.] are dealt with below. But the *Satra* was not also devoid of its social side. The Yajamāna, the householder celebrating the ceremony, would be throughout the year giving generously of his abundance by a free feeding of the poor and lavishly entertaining his learned guests as part of the ceremony. Thus Vedic religion was incentive to social service, sacrifice, and liberality. We may recall in this connection the impassioned Rigvedic hymn in praise of Charity [x, 117].