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

IV] EDUCATIONAL ORGANISATION AND FINANCE 91
folly.¹ Specialisation had come into field early; it was
not necessary for a person to master several Vedas or
several branches of knowledge. It was feared that if
this was indiscriminately encouraged, some students
would be tempted to prolong their education indefinitely,
especially since society used to provide them with free
boarding and lodging.² The case of teachers and
professors was different; they had already become
earning and useful members of society. They were
expected to be life-long students and acquire efficiency in
several branches.
Life-long studenthood: Actuated by spiritual
motives, some persons in ancient India used to observe
life-long celibacy and devote their time entirely to
religion and education.³ They were known as Naisṭhika
Brahmachārins. Their primary motive was spiritual
salvation, but it was to be achieved not by penance or
meditation, but by the dedication of a life of chastity to
the cause of the sacred lore. Unmoved by praise or
reproach, they carried on their work, without mixing
much with the mundane world and its affairs. Their
sole concern was a thorough acquisition of knowledge.
1 Cf. कृष्णकेशो ह्यग्नीनादधीतेतिश्रुतेः । Bau. Dh. S., I, 2, 31.
Śabara thinks that only eunuchs can contemplate the
'postponement of marriage to the age of 48. Cf. अपुंस्त्वं
प्रच्छादयन्तश्चाष्टाचत्वारिंशद्वर्षाणि ब्रह्मचर्यं चरितवन्तः । On P.M., 1, 3,
2 Cf. विना कुटुंबभरणात्तपोविद्यार्थिनः सदा ।
द्वीपे निवासितव्यास्ते बद्धा दुर्गेऽदरेऽथवा ॥ Śukra, IV. 1, 105.
3 Some of the medieval writers, who did not know the real object
of Naishthika Brahmacharya, have recommended it to dumb,
deaf and impotent persons, who could not marry. पंग्वादीनामनंशत्वा-
दसामर्थ्याच्च शास्त्रतः।नियतं नैष्ठिकत्वं स्यात्कर्मस्वनधिकारतः ॥ V M S. p. 551.
Aparārka, Madana and Mādhava have however pointed out how
this view is wrong.