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Swadesh Pujyate Raja, Vidwan Sarvatra mJeose Hetpeles jepee, efJeeve meJe&$e Hetpeles
Pujyate
This verse widely quoted in India illustrates the significance of education in India. The education system of Vedic period has unique characteristics and qualities which were not found in the ancient education system of any other country of the world. According to Dr. F. E. Key, To achieve their aim not only did Brahmans developa system of education which, survived even in the events of the crumbling of empires and the changes of society, but they, also through all those thousands of years, kept a glow of torch of higher learning In the words of Dr. P. N. Prabhu, Education in ancient India was free from any external control like that of the state and government or any party politics. It was the kings duties to see that learned Pundits, pursued their studies and performed their duty of imparting knowledge without interference from any source what so ever
2. Character Development
In no period of the History of India, was so much stress laid on character building as in the Vedic period Vyas Samhita states, The result of education is good character and good behaviour. A conquest does not make a hero nor studies a wise woman. He who has conquered his senses is the real hero. He who practices virtue in really wise.Wisdom consisted in the practice of moral values. Control of senses and practice of virtues made one a man of character. Moral excellence could come only through praticising moral values. Example was better than precept. The teacher and the taught were ideals of morality, for both practiced it all through their lives.
period of studies he was required to become ahouseholder and to perpetuate his race and transmit his culture to his own off springs. 6
4. Personality Development:
The Guru in the ancient times realized that the development of personality is the sole aim of education. Human personality was regarded as the supreme work of God. The qualities of self-esteem, self confidence, self restraint and self respect were the personality traits that the educator tried to incukate in his pupils through example.
1. Rigveda:
RIK means parise. Rigveda contains praises for the dieties like indra, agni, Rudra and the two Ashwini gods, Varuna, Maruti, Savitru and Surya. Tapping the energies of the nature is given high importance in Rigveda. It contains 1017 hymns (poems) to it praise thegods. 7
2. Yajurveda:
Yajuish means rituals. Yajurveda contains different rituals and sacrifices to beconducted to pacify gods. When a mantra is recited and its power is felt, then to make the mantra useful, a certain type of offerings to be done to the concerned god. Yajurveda explains about these offerings to be made to gods through Agni (fire). 3. Sama veda: Sama means song. Samveda contains verses to be sung. These verses are built in their root from using the 7 notes. Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni which are the basis of the classical music now existing in India. These notes aid the liberation of soul by stimulating the energy centres (chakras) in the human body.
4. Atharvaveda:
Atharvaveda contains useful rituals to attainworldly happiness. It contains description of diseases, how to cure them, sins and how to remove their effects and means of acquiring wealth. Athavaveda is more applicable to modern society since it deals with different subjects like science, Medicine, Mathematics, Engineering, Technology etc. The knowledge and wisdom of the Vedas is said to have been revealed by God to the enlightened ones. The Vedas have been translated in almost all the major languages of they written? These questions are being debated since long. Many commentators have expressed their views on these issues but the commentary written by Soyan is accepted as most authentic. He as explained the meaning of Veda in his book entitled Krishna Yajurveda. According to Sayan veda is a symbol of that thing through which one attains his objective and protects oneself from bad traits, undesirable things and behaviorus. Vedas have their own characteristics features. Through them we are able to know about the culture, civilization life and philosophy of people in ancient India. Vedas symbolise the chief objective of human life which has been deliberance from this world of truths and deaths. This objective has always been unchangeable. The Indian philosophy of life, has never accepted life as purposeless. The deliberance of soul has been the chief objective of this philosophy of life from time immemorial. This fact is very clear from the study of Rigveda. The contents of the Veda may be categarised under the following three heads: 2. The jnana or knowledge and Wisdom 3. The karma or actions or code of conduct8 4. The upasana or dedication and devotion to God
The vedas are intended to serve a different purpose they have to be learnt by heart understanding the correct way of pronouncing the Mantra, by listening to the rendering of the Mantras by the guru (teacher). The veda mantra so learnt should become the guide in our daily life in our Karma-aanushtaana, Tapas, Isvara aaradhana etc. If, in India, the vedas retain their original vitality even today, it is because these hymns are being continuously repeated by student and teachers of the vedas, and the purity of the sounds and accents of the worlds are retained in that process. It is only by practicising, the vedas injunctions that we can obtain the grace of God, both for our individual welfare and for the welfare of the whole world.
The study of the vedas has been confined in these days to a few professionals (Purohits) who are not even accorded a proper status in society. The vedas are the roots of our religion. All other paraphemalia, like feasts and festivals are like the leaves and fruits of that tree. Though embedded in mud, the internal core of the roots is as fresh and fragrant as the fruits and flowers on the top. To us Veda adhyayana and their employment in the sacraments of our daily life are important. For that purpose it is necessary to learn them by heart, understand their meaning and recite them in the prescribed manner. The purpose of veda is to understand Him. To propogate the transcendental knowledge of the absolute truth is the purpose of veda. The real purpose of the vedas is to direct one back home, back to Godhead. The purpose of vedas is to gradually bring one to the point of Nivrtti. The vedic instruction, the whole vedic instruction is for this purpose, to know what is God, what is our relationship with God and how to act in that relationship. If we follow the regulations given in the vedas, then automatically we reach to the highest stage of perfection that is the purpose of vedas.Therefore you will find different subject matter dealt in vedas, and unless we have a bonafide teacher of the vedas, it is very difficult to understand vedic language and take advantage of it.
The ancient Indian education system was successful in preserving end spreading its culture and literature even without the help of art of writing. It was only because of the destruction of temples and monasteries by invaders that the literature was lost.The cultural unity that exists even today in the vast sub-continent is due to successful preservation & spread of culture. The education system infused a sense of responsibilities and social values. The ancient education system achieved its aims to the fullest extent.Ancient education emerged from Vedas. The basis of Indian culture lies in the Vedas.