# Vedic Learning

Vedic learning is the tradition of oral transmission and study of the Vedic body of knowledge and texts and auxiliary traditions (vedanga), as preserved in the Vedas and the post-Vedic smriti and shastra.

## Vedas and vedanga

The Vedas, liturgical hymns of the Vedic people, were composed between in the early Vedic period (ca. 1500-900 BCE) by the Vedic people, and expanded with a vast corpus of explanatory and philosophical texts inthe late Vedic period (900-500 BCE). Vedanga are six auxiliary disciplines of Vedic studies, namely phonetics, meter, grammar, etymology, ritual instructiins, and astrology.

## Gurukula-tradition

Training took place in a gurukula, the household of teacher called Acharya. Young Brahmins admitted in the Gurukul had to leave their old names and paternity recognitions, and were given new names and recognitions according to the lineage of the Gurukul. Some major examples of the Gurukul were Yajnavalkya Ashram, Kapil Ashram, Gautam Ashram, Pundrik Ashram, Shaunaka Mahashala Vishwamitra Ashram, Shandilya Ashram, Vyasa Peetha ,etc.
Major important centres of Vedic learning were Taxila, Sharada Peeth, Kashi, Mithila and Nabadwip, and a number of centres in South India.

## Curriculum

The curriculum of the educational system was focused to learn Vedic mantras, knowledge of religious rituals like ‘Karamkanda’ ‘Havan’ and ‘Yajna’. The course of study was much more vast than of Vedic period. It included all the four branches of 'Vedas' and the study of Itihas, Puranas, Vyakaran, Arithmetic, Shradha-kalp, Astrology, Ethics, Demonology, Yajur Veda, Nyaya Shastra, Smriti, Jyotish, Astronomy, Mathematics, Indian Philosophy, Surgery, Medicine, Literatures, Warfare, Archery, Snake-charming etc.
According to Singh, citing Sukul (1974), Varanasi Down the Ages,
   During eleventh and twelveth centuries A.D. Sanskrit education at Varanasi was divided into two sections. In traditional Vedic pathashala special knowledge of Vedas, sahitya, vyakaran, philosophy, Nyaya, Mimansa, Sankhya, Yoga,Vedanta Vaisheshika, and astronomy and astrology or Ayurveda was given. In other pathshalas students were taught eighteen sippas or arts.

## Principles of education

In the Brahmanical System, education was free. There was a tradition of giving Gurudakshina to Acharya by his student who completed the study course of education. It was also not mandatory that Gurudakshina would be physical wealth, but it can be in any form. The education of a student started from Upanayana ritual. It was performed between four and nine years of age. After it, the student was sent to Gurukula for the study. In the upanayana an Acharya was assigned to the student. The Acharya took care of his students like father and impart proper education, training and guidance to them. The students had to study in the Gurukula for minimum of 12 years. There was regulated daily routine for students in the Gurukula. The motto before them was simple living and high thinking. A sense of discipline grew up among the disciples. The daily routine consisted of bathing, Yajna, Poojan, Bhiksha (going out for alms), serving the Guru ( teacher ), reading Vedas, etc. According to Atharvaveda proper rearing, education and suitable environment can bring everything to the students. Therefore in the Brahmanical education, building of character was given much attention. After upanayana ritual, the students were supposed to maintain strict celibacy. The strict celibacy was helpful in controlling of the senses and the mind. This led to the proper development of the personality of the students. The principles of education was not only theoretical but was also practical. The educational system was based on psychological principles so corporal punishment was considered as sin. Therefore, there was no corporal punishment in the educational system. In the Brahmanical system students were free to choose their specialisations according to their abilities. Karma-siddhanta and stratification of caste system had no effect on the courses of study in Brahmanical education.