प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

V] EDUCATIONAL CENTRES AND INSTITUTIONS 109·
teacher's house by day ; special classes were held for
them at night.
**Subjects of Study :—**As stated above, Taxila
provided only higher education and students went
there for specialisation only. Jīvaka had gone to the
city for studying medicine and surgery and two youths
from Benares had repaired there for studying
archery and elephant lore. The three Vedas, grammar,
philosophy and eighteen sippas were the principal
subjects selected for specialisation at Taxila. Among
the latter were included medicine, surgery, archery
and allied military arts, astronomy, astrology,
divination, accountancy, commerce, agriculture,
conveyancing, magic, snake charming, the art of
finding treasures, music, dancing, and painting. There
were no caste restrictions on the choice of subjects ;
Kshatriyas used to study the Vedas along with
Brahmanas and the latter used to specialise in archery
along with the Kshatriyas. A Brahmana royal priest of
Benares had once sent his son to Taxila not to
learn the Vedas but to specialise in archery (Jā. N. 522)
Later History and Destruction : We know very
little about the educational activities of Taxila
subsequent to the beginning of the Christian era.
But it is very probable that it continued to flourish
down to the end of the Kushāṇa rule (c. 250 A. D.)
The Little Yueh-chis, who succeeded the Kushāṇas
in the government of Taxila, were barbarous
chiefs, as their coins indicate, and the cause of
education must have suffered under their unenlightened
administration. At the beginning of the 5th century
A. D. when Fa Hsien visited the place, there was
nothing there of any educational importance.¹
Worse days, however, were in store for this Queen

1. Legge, Fa Hsien, p. 32