The document outlines the principles and features of Vedic education in ancient India, emphasizing its long-standing tradition and significance in self-realization and personal values. It details the methods of instruction, the role of the Gurukul system, and various disciplines taught, highlighting education's focus on moral development and cultural preservation. Key concepts such as Upanayana, discipline, and the comprehensive curriculum are also discussed, showcasing Vedic education as a structured and holistic system of learning.

1. Vedic Education in Ancient India
Dr. Sankaranarayanan Paleeri
Asst. Professor and Head
Dept of Social Sceince Education
NSS Training College, Ottapalam, Kerala
Ph: 9946681761
Email: paleeri@gmail.com
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2. Objectives
By these slides, learner may acquaint with:
• the ancient educational tradition and culture of India
• the philosophy of ancient Indian education
• the overall understanding of distinct features of Vedic
Education
• the notions like Upanayana, Ashram, Sammelan, Gurukul
and so on.
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3. India has a very long history of
educational experiences
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4. Ancient India was a big geographical region. The territorial
boundaries of ancient India extended from Gandhara to
Kanyakumari
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5. • Almost same type of education
existed through out India in
very ancient period and we call
it period of Vedic Education
• Vedic education has a very long history.
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6. • Vedic Education is rooted in prehistoric
period.
• It is the most ancient Indian education system
• The sources of Vedic education are many. The
sources include Vedas, Vedangas, Upvedas,
Upanishads, Smrithis, Brahmans, Bagwad
Gita and Philosophical thoughts.
• The philosophy or Darshans included Veda,
Upanishad, Nyaya, Vyseshika, Samkya, Yoga,
Mimamsa and Charvaka.
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8. Vedic Education
• Vedic education considered Learning
as a process to attain self-realization
and self- actualization.
• The Vedic epistemology propagated
true knowledge and knowledge that
emancipate the human nature.
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9. Epistemological concept of Vedic
education
In Vedic period,
Knowledge of the
self was considered
highest form of
knowledge.
In other word it is
called Atma Jnan or
Brahma Jnan.
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10. Axiology of Vedic Education
• In Vedic era high priority given to values.
• Man with values were treated as the ‘real
man’
• The axiology of the Vedic era did not
distinguish social values and personal
values.
• Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram (Truth,
Goodness and Beauty) were treated as
universal eternal values
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11. Vedic Metaphysics
• The Vedic philosophy treated reality a divine
perfection.
• Devine reality revealed based on the learning of
and through Vedas.
• Vedas were considered Holy Scripts
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12. Vedic Metaphysics
• The reality developed
on the basis of
explanations of Vedas
and Upanishads.
• It is followed the
method of the Sravan
(hearing), Manan
(Meditation) and
Nididhyasa
(Realization).
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13. Characteristics of Vedic Education
• Vedic Education is the premier formal education system in the world
• The Vedic system of education developed with specific syllabus, curriculum, plan of
action and methodology
• Vedic Education was independent. States (means Kings of that time) never interrupted
the schemes and plans of education.
• Vedic education developed with Gurukul system
• Education in Gurukul extended from six to fourteen years.
• Education at Gurukul was fully and compulsorily residential
• Vedic system had an induction ceremony to enter the schooling and that was known
“Upanayana" or “Upanayan”
• Students must observe Celibacy (Brahmacharya) during the period of education
• Since the Vedic education system was residential, teacher (Guru) paid full attention to
the psychological and needful make-up of their students while teaching and also in their
life.
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14. Characteristics of Vedic Education
• During Vedic Period most encouraged method of discipline was self-discipline
• Students must go out to accept alms (Biksha) from the public. (All students,
irrespective of their socio-familial status, must accept alms. It was a very
powerful step to eradicate arrogance from the learner’s mind)
• There were three types of educational institutions in ancient India: (a)
Gurukul (b) Parishad (3) Sammelan
• The system of education was mostly teacher centered.
• Syllabus in the Vedic education included proper pronunciation and recitation
of the Veda, grammar, composition, versification and rhythm, understanding
of secrets of nature, reasoning, logic, the Vedic mathematics, the sciences, and
the skills necessary for an occupation
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15. Features of Vedic Education
Higher learning in specific disciplines
were also existed in the Vedic period
that included medical knowledge,
Danur vidya (martial arts and
weaponry) and Jyothi Sastra (astro-
physics) and Ayur Veda.
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16. What was Upanayana?
Upanayana or Upanayan of the Vedic period is
different from its meaning of the present period.
Now it is a ceremony related with Brahmins.
Earlier it was an induction programme of
education, that must be followed by all students
who join with the education system. Upanayana at
the period of Vedic Education followed by all
students irrespective of their caste.
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17. Students’ Life in Gurukul
• A student in Guru’s Ashram had to partake in all house hold activities
with Guru.
• Child had to care the cattle in Ashram, beg for food, and look after the
sacred fire and etc.
The resident student must have to follow certain principles like respecting
the family members of Guru, participating the prayer sessions, two times
bath every day, speak the truth only, abstain from mundane passions and
do not blame others.
• Life at Gurkul was treated as the journey to attain the truth
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18. According to Vedic system, education was a process of man making.
It was oriented to develop a man ‘a man of responsibilities and
divinities’
Specific Objectives of Vedic Education were:
• Provide training to youngsters in the performance of their social,
political, economic and religious duties.
• Skill development in specific areas of learning. For eg: Dhanur
Vidya, Ayur vidya…
•It also aimed preservation and transformation of culture,
character and personality development.
• Inculcation of moral ideals in individual
•Learning the Holy Scripts was an another major aim
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19. Methods of Teaching & Learning during Vedic Period
• Memorization was the popular learning method
• A type of Critical Analysis–
this means Analysis made on existing knowledge by the learners with the
help of experts.
• Another methods were the Introspection, Story telling and Question &
Answer method.
Typical type of Seminars were also used as method of teaching
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20. Curriculum in Vedic Education
Researches in the area of Vedic Education are found out that
some specific disciplines were included in the curriculum in the graded
forms in accordance with the stages of education.
The subjects taught included Anthropology,
Astronomy, Economics, Epistemology, Ethnology, Geology, Humanities,
Mathematics, Military Science Medical Knowledge and herbal plants.
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