Vedic Education-Education During Vedic Age in India- Education and Vedic Age- Upanayana Ceremony- Aims of Education During Vedic Age in India-Curriculum of Vedic Education in India-Social Stratification in India

1. So let us start from the
great Vedic Age in India

2. Vedic Age is divided into two:
Early Vedic Age & Later Vedic Age

3. The Vedic Age is said
to have started
around 1700 B.C.
when Aryans came
from the central
Asian countries
(http://www.thought
dots.com/2009/09/10
/indian-history-vedic-
period/)

4. Some people say that Aryans came from
countries like Iran and Southern
Russia(http://adaniel.tripod.com/aryans.htm).
Some others say that they came from
Europe. And some others say that they
had been Indians in Origin

5. Those who are in favor of the Aryan Invasion
Theory are of the view that Dravidians who
had been the inmates of India before the
arrival of Arians, were farmers who hadn’t had
any sort of warfare skills, and Aryans invaded
North India and forced Dravidians to move to
the southern parts of India. They also keep the
view that Dravidians had been worshipping
what ever they had seen like trees, stones etc.
and it was Aryans who introduced Gods and
Goddesses in India

6. Though some view that the early Vedic Age is
from 1700 B.C., most of the historians view
that Early Vedic Age is from 1500 B.C. to 1000
B.C. during which the four great Vedas were
written. Actually the Vedic Age itself has been
named so on account of the scripting of the
Vedas.

7. The later Vedic Period is said to be the age
between 1000 B.C. and 600 or 500 B.C. This
age is also called the Epic Period, as the two
great Epics called Ramayana and
Mahabharata were scripted during this
period.

8. And it is said that during the early Vedic
Age, there had been no social stratification
on the basis of cast, and even education had
been given to all. And it is regarded that
gradually there emerged the supremacy of
Brahmanas, and consequently the cast
system, too, during the later Vedic Age or
the Epic Period.

9. Social Stratification During Vedic Age
What is Social Stratification?
Social stratification is the
process of dividing different
categories of a society into
different strata or layers in
hierarchical order on the
basis of their origin, belief,
ideology or economic status.
During Vedic Age in India, it
is said to have existed social
stratification on the basis of
their origin or birth, and
different sections were
divided into four castes such
as Brahmana, Kshatriya,
Vishya and Sudra.

10. Brahmins: Priests &
teachers-religious rituals-
giving advice to the rulers
Kshatriyas: Warriors &
Rulers- Safe guarding the
Kingdom-ruling
Vishyas: Farmers-traders-
merchants
Sudras: Laborers-
Peasents-Serving the
Upper Caste People
Four Castes
of Vedic Age

11. ‘Purusharthas’ were the
objectives or aims of life
during Vedic Age that a
human being had to keep
during his life time.(
Purusha= Human being,
Artha= Purpose)
Ashramas are another
concept during the Vedic
age which were the
different stages of life for
a human being.
Purusharthas & Ashramas
During Vedic Age

12. Four Purusharthas
of Vedic Age DHARMA
ARTHA
KAMA
MOKSHA
Righteousness
Wealth
Desire
Salvation

13. Four Ashramas
of Vedic Age BRAHMACHARYA
GRIHASTHYA
VANAPRASTHA
SANYASA
Studentship
Family Life
Retired Life
Life
Renunciation

14. Four Ashramas
of Vedic Age BRAHMACHARYA
Studentship
At this stage, a person has to be
away from Artha and Kama i.e.
all the worldly pleasure and
wealth. At this stage one learns
different aspects of Dharma to
be followed during the later life,
and ultimately to reach Moksha .

15. Four Ashramas
of Vedic Age GRIHASTHYA
Family Life
At this stage, a person
could have wife and
children. He can earn
wealth(Artha) and enjoy all
the pleasures including
sexual enjoyment(Kama).
But, still he has to follow
Dharma even when
enjoying Artha & Kama

16. Four Ashramas
of Vedic Age VANAPRASTHA
Retired Life
This is when a person
gradually withdraws from
Artha and Kama i.e. from
all the worldly pleasure so
that prepare for the next
stage called Sanyasa.

17. Four Ashramas
of Vedic Age
SANYASA
Life
Renunciation
This is when a person
completely gives up
all the worldly
pleasure.

18. Education During
Vedic Age
And keeping all these
factors in our mind, let
us look at the
educational scenario
during the Vedic age
in India.

19. Was Education
that Much
Important During
Vedic Age?
Actually the word
‘Veda’ was derived
from ‘ Vid’ which
means ‘ Knowledge’.
Hence the age itself is
known as ‘ Age of
Knowledge’.

20. Aims of
Education During
Vedic Age
ULTIMATE AIM
IMMEDIATE AIM
Preparation for
Moksha or Salvation
Preparation for
having Artha & Kama
Knowledge
Attainment
Attaining
Dharma
Warfare
Adminis-
tration
Trade
Craft

21. Preparation for Moksha or Salvation
So Different
Aims of
Education During
Vedic Age in
General are Knowledge Attainment
Cultivation of Dharma
Preparation for Family Life
Acquisition of Warfare Skills
Acquisition of Administrative Skills
Character Development
Promotion of Vocational Efficiency
Inculcation of Civic duties

22. Vedas, Vedangas,
Upanishads etc.
Archery, Horse-Riding,
Other Warfare Arts,
Administrative Principles
etc.
Agriculture, Trade,
Craftsmanship etc.
Brahmans
Curriculum of
Education During
Vedic Age
Kshatriyas
Vishyas

23. At the Age of 8
At the Age of 11
At the Age of 12
Brahmans
Upanayana
Ceremony
Kshatriyas
Vishyas
It is the initial ceremony of starting
education of a child during Vedic Age.
The child takes bath, wears the sacred
thread and sits before the Guru who
makes the child chant the Sarswathi
Manthra. And it was considered the
second birth of the child whose parents
would be Guru and his wife throughout
the studentship period.

24. System of
Education:
Gurukula System
It was a single teacher- multi
students system. The students
resided at the home of the Guru.
They had to offer all the sorts
services to the guru like washing
his cloths, cleaning his room and
home, fetching water, assisting
his wife in all the works etc. The
students would go for begging
alms so that to have the
livelihood for the Guru as well as
themselves. Studentship period
often remained for 12 to 15
years and for a maximum of 20
years

25. Methods of
Teaching During
Vedic Age
Oral Transaction was
the Prime Method of
Teaching Learning
Process
Discussion
Seminar
Sravana-
Manana-
Nithidhyasana
The student would listen care fully when
the Guru Recited something. Then he
would by-heart it by chanting it several
times. And finally he would indulge in deep
thinking by using his reasoning and
thinking capacity

26. Status of the
Teacher During
Vedic Age
The Guru or the teacher
enjoyed high status during
the Vedic Age. The guru
was placed just below to
God. The students used to
respect him in all the
senses. The students used
to go to bed only after
ensuring that the Guru had
slept. The society also used
to pay great respect and
honor to the Guru. The
Guru was addressed as ‘
Acharya’, ‘Guro’ etc.

27. Education and
People During
Vedic Age
It is said that all the people
had got opportunity to have
education during the early
Vedic age. But, during the
later Vedic Age, the lower
cast people were not
provided education.
Education was given in the
language of the upper caste
people i.e. Sanskrit. The
common folk were using
‘Pali’ a coloquial version of
Sanskrit during that time