It includes the educational importance of the Ancient Educational institutions of India - Takshashila, Nalanda and Valabhi.

1. Ancient Educational Institutions:
Takshashila, Nalanda and Valabhi
Image Courtesy: The Mysterious India
Dr Rajnikant Dodiya
Asst.Prof.
HMPIETR
BEd English
Sem-I
Unit-1

2. About Takshashila or Taxila
• The oldest among all universities in India
• A centre of learning as early as during 700 B.C.
• Its name is derived from Taksh – the son of Bharata
• Now it is in North-Western Pakistan
• Archaeological site now and UNESCO also declared it
as a heritage site in 1980
• Archaeologist Alexander Cunningham discovered this
place in mid 19th century

3. Aims of Each Institute
• To impart higher education
• To provide learnings of scriptures and ancient
books
• To facilitate the comprehension of the content
of the Vedas and the sacred books
• To impart education of arts and silpas (crafts)

4. Curriculum
• Vedas (three Vedas – Rigveda, Samveda,
Yajurveda) and Silpas (Crafts)
• Explanation books on Vedas’ content
• Vedas’ six auxiliary sciences – (1) The Science of
correct pronunciation; (2) Aphoristic literature
guiding the performance of various rites and
sacrifices; (3) Grammar; (4) Astronomy;
(5)Prosody (study of rhythm) and (6) Etymology
(study of origin of words)

5. • Studies of 18 Silpas
• According to one source, the Silpas or crafts were as
follows : Holy tradition and secular law, Sankhya, Nyaya
(law) Logic, Vaiseshika (Atomic theory of creation),
Arithmetic, Music, Medicine, four Vedas, Puranas
(Antiquities), Iti- hasas (History), Military Art, Poetry and
Conveyancing.
• A study of various references shows that the following
crafts were taught in this university : Conveyancing or
Law, Mathematics, Accountancy, Agriculture, Commerce,
Cattle breeding, Smithy, Carpentry, Medicine arid
Surgery, Archery and allied Military arts. Astronomy,
Astrology., Divination, Magic, Snake charming, Art of
finding hidden treasures, Music, Dancing and Painting.

6. Role of Teachers
- Takshasila became famous because of learned
teachers.
- Each teacher was an institution in himself and
enjoyed complete autonomy in his work.
- His authority was final in fixing up the duration of
the course, in directing the courses of studies, in
selecting or rejecting students and in laying down
rules for guiding the day-to-day work.
- As each teacher was an authority on the subject of
his specialization, there was little scope for any
conflict of interests or competition among them.

7. - Their excellence attracted hundreds of students from all
over the continent
- They have immense knowledge worth knowing in those
days.
- The studies terminated when the teacher was satisfied
with the achievement of his student and there was no
rigid regulation of any sort to regiment the duration of
the 10 course.
- There were also some cases where teachers advised
students to leave their studies, because they could not
fit themselves in the social, intellectual or moral
atmosphere of their schools, which were invariably
located in the teachers' private houses.

8. Historical significance of each of them with
reference to education
• A centre of learning including religious teachings of
Buddhism.
• Known majorly for its higher education
• the curriculum comprising of the study of ancient
scriptures, law, medicine, astronomy, military science and
arts.
• Free admission for all castes except the Chandalas (the
fifth caste)
• No restriction about the choice of subject which entirely
left to students
• The dictum – “knowledge for knowledge’s sake’ was
followed

9. • Complete democracy reigning in this university.
Different classes and castes were merged in the
democracy of learning.
• A common code of rules and observances prescribed for
students irrespective of their social or economic status.
• Teachers were thirsting for pupils and offering prayers
for receiving such pupils
• Its great students include Panini (the great grammarian
of Sanskrit), Chanakya (known as Kautilya and the
minister of Chandra Gupta Mourya, Jivaka (famous
physician)

10. Nalanda Vidyapith

11. About Nalanda Vidyapith
• ‘nalam’ means lotus – the symbol of knowledge
• ‘da’ means giving
• Nalanda means ‘giver of knowledge
• Ancient center of learning in India
• Established in Fifth century by Kumar Gupt – I
• Located at Nalanda in Bihar. Buddha stayed at this place of
Nalanda
• First residential university in the world with capacity of
10000 students and professors
• It had temples, meditation halls, classrooms and big
libraries
• Students from all over the world to study at Nalanda

12. Curriculum at Nalanda
• Subjects like Astronomy, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Math’s,
Yoga, Veda
• Buddhist as well as non-Buddhist subjects. Study of
Mahayana and Hinayana.
• Tantra was a very popular subject at this university
because we hear oi many scholars writing works on
Tantra, others studying them and still others copying
and translating them into the languages of the north.
Tantras deal with the use of mystic syllables and words
as well as magic.

13. • Other subjects studied in this University were the
Vedas and their six auxiliaries. Medicine,
Grammar, Sankhya, Philology, Law, Philosophy
and other miscellaneous subjects.
• There were some institutions for primary
education run by the university where six-year
olds were admitted. Such students learnt
Sabdavidya or Grammar of the Sanskrit language.

14. Library at Nalanda Vidyapith
• Three buildings: (1) Ratnasagar, (2) Ratnadadhi
and
(3) Ratnaranjak
• Hundred thousand Books on Religions, literature,
astrology, astronomy and medicine available
• Destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1197. Burned for
three months and 9 million books were burned.

15. Destruction of Vidyapith
• Destroyed three times by kings and rebuild
twice by King Harshvardhan
• Complete destruction was done by
Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1197. His army
burned alive the monks and students.

16. Teachers and students
• It is stated that at one time there were 10,000 monks
staying at Nalanda. Of these, 1,510 were teachers and
the remaining 8,500 were students belonging to
various levels of attainments and studying various
subjects. It has been pointed out that there were on
an average a hundred lectures or discussions every
day. On an average the number of students per
teacher was seven or eight and it must have been very
convenient to give individual attention to students.

17. • The names of Teachers are: Nagarjuna,
Vasubandhu, Dinnaga, Padmasaihbhava,
Shantarakshita, Aryadeva, Rahulabhadra, Asanga,
Jayadeva, Chandrakirti, Dharmapala, Gunamati,
Sthiramati, Prabhamitra and Jinamitra are
traditionally associated with this famous
university.

18. Historical significance of each of them with
reference to education
• Attracted many scholars from different parts of the
country and the world
• Teaching was done through the methods of debates and
discussions
• Students studied Vedas and fine arts, medicine,
mathematics, astronomy, politics and art of warfare
• Knowledge considered as sacred and no fees was charged
• Imparting education was the highest form of donation
• Entrance examination system for admission at Nalanda

19. • There is also departments for primary and secondary
education where young students were freely admitted
• For all these students a very high standard of morality
was prescribed and students at Nalanda were taken as
models of morality, and during the long existence of
seven centuries not a single case of guilty rebellion has
been reported.
• Begging was prescribed because of its educational
advantages as was the case in Hindu institutions. There
the student begged not for himself but for the support
of his school. Its educative value lay in the fact that it
produced in the pupil a spirit of humility and
renunciation.

20. Valabhi Vidyapith
• Once a capital of the state and an international port
• A rich place of trades and business
• Situated in Saurashtra in Gujarat
• Established by Maitrak Kings and contributed a lot by
them in developing this place in all areas especially
trade and education
• These kings constructed hostels, libraries for students
• The funds necessary for running the University were
made available by the citizens of the place, many of
whom were very rich and generous.

21. Historical Importance and Curriculum
• Imparted in subjects like Niti (Political science.
Statesmanship), Varta (Business, Agriculture),
Administration. Theology, Law, Economics and
Accountancy.
• Education of 18 various subjects including four Vedas,
six Vedangs, Puranas, Law, Epistemology, etc.
• Jain philosophy and Bauddh philosophy were also
added after some time in curriculum in which 72
different subjects were taught which include –
reading, writing, calculation, grammar, astrology,
chemistry, logic, medical science, history, music,
painting, magic, hypnotism, trade, theatre, Sanskrit,
etc.

22. • Teachers at Valabhi include names like Sthirmati,
Gunmati, Shri Mallavadi Suri (Jainacharya), Skandswami
(Expert of Rigveda) and Nagarjuna
• Valabhi was known for freedom and liberty for all
people and it was also seen in its administration of
education services.
• Students were coming from all over the country to learn
various subjects. They live at the vidyapith and learn by
debates and discussions with the teachers and other
scholars.