# Vedic Learning

Vedic learning, also called Sanskrit learning and Sanskrit education, 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.

## Centers of learning
### Pathashala

In a pathasala, children are taught in Sanskrit by Brahmins. In India, the term pathasala has become synonymous with the term Vidyalaya which refers to school. Before British rule, along with gurukulas, pathasalas served as primary educational institutions in India. Pathasalas were non-residential in nature, where as gurukalas were residential.

### Gurukula

The training of a student started from Upanayana ritual, which traditionally was performed between four and nine years of age by an acharya, marking the admittance of a student into Gurukula. A gurukula is the household of a teacher (acharya), where young Brahmins studied the Vedic texts and traditions with their teacher. They had to leave their old names and paternity recognitions, and were given new names and recognitions according to the lineage of the Gurukul. After the upanayana ritual, the students were supposed to maintain strict celibacy, which is was helpful in controlling the senses and the mind. The Acharya took care of his students like a father, and imparted proper education, training and guidance to them. The students had to study in the Gurukula for minimum of 12 years. The daily routine consisted of bathing, Yajna, Poojan, Bhiksha (going out for alms), serving the Guru (teacher ), reading Vedas.
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.
Some major examples of the Gurukul were Yajnavalkya Ashram, Kapil Ashram, Gautam Ashram, Pundrik Ashram, Shaunaka Mahashala Vishwamitra Ashram, Shandilya Ashram, and Vyasa Peetha.

### Centres of learning

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.