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

II] SOME EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND POSTULATES 41
Kshatriya Viśvāmitra family. In the Upanishadic period
Kshatriyas took an important part in the development of
philosophy and were the exclusive custodians of many
esoteric doctrines, which Brahmanas could learn only from
them and not without some difficulty.¹ There are several
cases of Brahmanas approaching renowned Kshatriya
teachers like Aśvapati, Janaka and Pravāhaṇa Jaivali as
humble students of philosophy and religion.² We should
therefore note that the caste system succeeded in making
Vedic and religious education a monopoly for the Brah-
manas only at about 300 B. C. Nor was it a lucrative
monopoly in practice; it was a monopoly to beg.
The income of even the most famous Vedic teachers was
a precarious one and compared very poorly with the gains
of a successful merchant or a captain.
Brahmanas as Teachers of Non-Vedic Subjects :
Smṛitis lay down that Brahmanas should not follow the
professions of Kshatriyas and Vaishyas except in times
of difficulties. This would naturally imply that Brahmanas
did not figure as teachers in military or commercial lines.
How could one become a teacher in a profession which
one was not expected to follow ? For a long time, how-
ever, Brahmanas were following a number of non-Vedic
pursuits and professions and also figuring as their teachers.
What can be more incompatible with the Brahmanical ideal
of piety and religiousness than the military profession ?
And yet we find Brahmanas figuring as teachers of the
military science. The Pāṇḍava and Kaurava heroes, who
fought so bravely in the Mahābhārata war, were not
trained by any Kshatriya teacher; their preceptor, Droṇā-
chārya was a Brahmana. Brahmanas, who were trainers

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1 Ch. Up., V. 3. 7; Br. Up. II. 1.15
2 Br. Up. II. 1.14, IV.1.1, Ch. Up. IV. 4.1, etc