Aims and objectives of formal education (Introduction)

In the Vedic literature we find three words viz. Śikṣā, Adhyayaṇa and Vinaya, which conjointly, correspond to modern word education. The word Śikṣā comes from the root Śikṣa, which means to learn. The word Śikṣā almost fifty times appears in Ṛgvedic hymns. In the Vedas it means ‘to learn’, ‘to practise’ and ‘to recite’. In the Upaniṣad it means the science of pronunciation of letters, accents and the like^[1]. In the Upaniṣad we find the word Śīkṣā but not Śikṣā. The Śaṅkarabhāsya of Taittirīya Upaniṣad mentions that ‘Śikṣaiva Śikṣā’, that means the word Śīkṣā and Śikṣā are the same^[2]. To this point the Ṛgvedic hymn VIII.103.5 gives the expression that ‘Yadeṣāṃanyo anyasya vācaṃ śāktasyeva vadati śikṣamāṇaḥ’. Here the word śāktasyeva = śikṣamāṇaḥ refers to the teacher, who has the ability to teach his knowledge by uttering and pronouncing the Vedic text and his pupils recite this Vedic text from his lips^[3].

The word Adhyayaṇa is the substitute of the word Śikṣā. It comes from the Brāhmaṇa, Upaniṣad and Sūtra literatures; it means ‘to go near’ and also it expresses the idea of pupils’ going to some teacher for education. The Bālamanoramā commentary on Bhattoji-diksita’s Siddāntakumudi^[4] defines this technical term in the sense of repetition by the pupil of the syllables in the order in which they issue from the lips of his teacher. The word Vinaya which means ‘to lead out’ in a particular way. Thus it literary means ‘an action in which (inborn faculties) are led out (i.e. trained) in a particular manner’, or ‘an action in which (one) leads (oneself) in a particular manner’. The first and the second meaning are identical with that of ‘education’ and the third word expresses the idea of formation of character; and these three words really make up the whole idea of education in ancient period^[5].

Acquisition of proper or absolute knowledge, development of personality and above all formation of character are the main aims of education in ancient period. But besides this, many other proximate aims like religious education, inculcation of civic and social duties, promotion of social efficiency and preservation of culture and heritage were also desired to be attained through education in ancient age. It is a fact that in ancient age religion played a vital role. All the teachers are usually priests. At the time of Convocation ceremony, the teacher addresses his students and takes oath that they must do and follow their civic duties and responsibilities and preserve the culture and heritage which remains as the objective of education in ancient period.