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

152 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
Sanskrit became so irresistible that some kings like the
Guptas went to the extent of ordering the use of that
language even in their harems¹. Prakrits ceased to
be used for public documents and even the Buddhists
and the Jains disregarded the advice of the founders
of their religions and began to compose works in
Sanskrit. The revival of Sanskrit during this period
produced results more or less similar to those brought
about in Europe by the discovery and study of the
classics during the time of the Renaissance. All the
attention of the educated classes was devoted to the
cultivation of Sanskrit. This led to the neglect of
vernaculars through which alone the masses could be
approached. This eventually tended to confine educa-
tion only to higher classes.
Preliminary Sanskrit Course : The study of the
different branches of knowledge that were flourishing
in this age was preceded by a preliminary course in
Sanskrit. After the Upanayana ceremony at about the
the age of 8, all students used to memorise a few
important Vedic hymns necessary for their daily or
ceremonial needs. Then they used to devote four or
five years to the study of elementary Sanskrit grammar
and literature. At about the age of 13 or 14, the
student used to be able to understand Sanskrit works
on subjects like logic, philosophy, poetics, astronomy
and mathematics. He then used to select one of these
subjects for specialisation and devote about ten years
to its study.
Popularity of Grammar and Astrology : Among
the subjects cultivated during this period, the courses
of advanced grammar and astronomy-cum-astrology
were very popular, as attested to both by Yuan

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1. Kāvyamīmāṁsā, p. 50.