Jaina System of Education

Author(s): Debendra Chandra Das Gupta
Publisher: Bharti Mahavidyalaya

Page 75

LECTURE VII
THE EDUCATION OF THE PRINCES.
In a tuly platonic spinu as it were the ancient and mediaeval rulers of India approached the problem of the education of the future guardians of the States or more explicuty the pinces and the princesses on whom the destiny of the country mainly depended, in a spirit of conformity with scientific principles, all the more so in an aristocratically and autocratically governed States of India Those autocratic rulers of India were in most cases themselves highly cultured and 11ghtly enough they appreciated the benefit of learning and patronised it with judicions liberality But education like charity begins at home, and they began by bestowing an elaborate attention to the education of their children from the cradle or more exactly from the embryoni stage in the womb. The futune mother was well fed, well provided with light, refreshment, recreation, and an atmosphere favourable to the health of the focus This reveals both an insight and foresight and a uue understanding of the mature and the magnitude of the problem of education in the true sense of the term From a passage quoted below we can form an unmistakable idea of the thorough knowledge of the prenatal conditions that must be fulfilled by an ideal mother Thus the consort of Andhaga-Vanhi, king of Baravai took special care during her pregnancy stage "She nourished herself according to place
and time with substances neither to chill no too hot, noi too acrid, nor too pungent, nor too asti ingent, noi too soui, nor too sweet, but pleasant in seasonable use, with food, covering, perfumes, and garlands, such as were good for the unborn babe, moderate, wholesome, nutritious for the unborn babe, using special and soft beds and couches, staying in pleasantly retired and agreeable places of abode, her longings excellent, her longings fulfilled, duly honoured, entirelly gratified, dispelled, and removed, free from sickness, sori ow, delusion, diead, and terror, she comfortably carried unborn babe Then, after the passing of nine months and seven and a half days and nights, queen Dharını bore a baby delicate of hands and feet, his body perfect and in no wise lacking in its