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

234 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
powers of this period. and so the age may be con-
veniently described as the age of the Nandas and
Mauryas. The third period will extend from c. 200
B.C. to c. 500 A.D. It may be described as the age
of the Dharmaśāstra, as most of the leading works on
this subject were written during this period. It can
also be described as the age of the Śuṅgas and the
Sātavāhanas, the Vākāṭakas and the Guptas, as these
were the leading political powers of the period. The
fourth period will extend from c. 500 A.D, to c. 1200
A.D. It may be described as the age of the Purāṇas
and digests (Nibandhas), as society was guided mainly
by the theories and practices recommended in these
works. Politically India was divided into many
small kingdoms during this age. Kings Harsha and
Bhoja were the most prominent rulers during this
period. The age therefore may be described as the
age of Harsha and Bhoja. We shall now proceed to
describe the condition of education as a whole in each
of these four periods.
THE VEDIC PERIOD :
(upto c. 1,000 B.C.)
Condition of Culture and Education : This age
marked the beginning of Indian culture, literature and
science and so naturally not much progress was made in
the different departments of knowledge. Its literary and
scientific achievements were naturally less dazzling
and comprehensive than those of the succeeding age.
People of this period however had a very keen desire
to make progress in the realm of knowledge. They
had realised that it was intellectual efficiency and
equipment that was most essential for progress in
culture and knowledge. It was emphasised that gods