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

X] PERIOD-WISE SURVEY 235
would be friends of only those who are wise and learned.
Those only were regarded as learned who could not
only recite the texts but also understand and interpret
them. Every householder of the age therefore natu-
rally regarded the education of his children as a sacred
duty. No distinction was made in this connection
between boys and girls; the education of both received
the same attention at least upto the higher stage.
Ordinarily the guardian discharged his duty to teach
his wards so regularly and successfully that no necessity
was felt for a long time either for the professional
teacher or for the public school. Secular literature was
yet to be developed and so the literary course was
predominently religious. People however had an open,
free and enquiring mind and were eager to explore
new realms of knowledge. Great emphasis was laid
on the proper development of debating powers ; boys
and girls who were successful in debates were highly
honoured. Education however did not produce mere
talkers but transformed its recepients into man of
action as well. This would become quite clear from
the successful manner in which the Aryans of the age
spread their culture and extended their political influ-
ence. The Aryan community was a compact and
homogenous one during this period, and there was not
much difference in the educational level of the diffe-
rent classes. Priests however generally used to speci-
alise in literary and religious education. Warriors and
agriculturists also received some literary education,
but it was naturally not so deep or wide as that of the
priests or the poets. They used to devote the greater
part of their educational course in mastering the art
of war, or the processes of agriculture or the methods
of arts and crafts. The followers of the latter were
held in high esteem : some of them like Aśvins and