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

II] SOME EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND POSTULATES 45
was not the mother tongue of the Shudras, it was feared
that Vedic hymns would be transformed out of recognition,
if they were transmitted orally in Shudra families from
generation to generation. In the eyes of the theologian,
this would be a great disaster. Later on when female
education began to lag behind, and women as a class ceased
to be educated in Sanskrit, it is interesting to note that the
Brahmana theologians did not flinch from placing their
own mothers, wives and daughters in the category of the
Shudras and declaring unhesitatingly that they also were
unfit for Vedic studies. Theological animus or pride was
thus not at the root of the exclusion of the Shudras and
women from the Vedic education. Nor did it amount to
a total denial of religious education; for women and
Shudras were permitted to get religious enlightenment
from the study of Smṛitis, Epics and Purāṇas.
Conclusion: It will be thus seen that with the
exception of the exclusion of the Shudras from the Vedic
education, the caste system for a long time did not result
in restricting professions to particular castes. This was
but natural. Teaching may be a fit profession for
Brahmanas, but if some of them were intellectually
inferior, their birth could not impart to them the necessary
efficiency as teachers. Even a Brahmana writer therefore
is constrained to observe that dull Brahmana children
should follow the profession of the Kshatriya or the
Vaishya.¹ Ambitious Brahmanas also could not be pre-
vented from following the military profession, where
glittering prizes awaited the successful adventurer. A
Brahmana priest of holy Benares is to be seen sending his
son to Taxila to learn archery, because it was predicted
1 राजन्यवैश्यकर्म विद्याहीनः । G. D. S., 1. 6. 16.