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

288 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [App.
This of course was not the original idea. The
ritual was intended to correspond in a very great
degree to the modern convocation function. Only
those who have passed their examination are at present
admitted to the convocation ; only those who had
finished their education were in the beginning honoured
with the privilege of Samāvartana. Our authorities
prescribe no definite age for this ritual. The duration
of the student-life varied with different courses and
students, as has been already shown in Chapter IV ;
and so no fixed age could be prescribed for this ritual.
An interesting Preliminary : Samāvartana cere-
mony is as simple as it is significant. An auspicious
day was selected and the student was required to shut
himself up in a room throughout the morning. This
appears to be a queer procedure, but it was due to the
desire to save the sun the humiliation of being con-
fronted with a superior lustre. The belief was that
the sun can shine only with the lustre he borrows from
the Snātakas (graduates), who have completed their
education$^1$. What better compliment can be
conceived for edudation ?
The Procedure . The student came out of his room
at the midday, cleansed his mouth and shaved his
head and beard. He then relinquished his girdle
(mekhalā), deer-skin (ajina) etc., which were the
insignia of the student's order. The period of strict
discipline was now over and the teacher himself,
who had sternly refused him the use of a number
of luxuries, now came forward to offer them to him.
He himself gave him a bath in fragrant water. It
was followed by an offer of new clothes. Ornaments,

1. Cf. एतदहःस्नातानां ह वा एष एतत्तेजसा तपति तस्मादेनमेतद-
   हर्नाभितपेत्। Bh. G. S., II. 1. 8.