The world’s first university

[Guest guest]

This article has been takeen from

 

www.hinduism.co.za

 

University (The world’s first university)

Takshashila (Taxila)

 

Around 2700 years ago, as early as 700 BCE there existed a giant University at Takshashila, located in the northwest region of India.

 

Not only Indians but also students from as far as Babylonia, Greece, Syria, Arabia and China came to study.

 

68 different streams of knowledge were on the syllabus.

 

Experienced masters taught a wide range of subjects.

 

Vedas, Language, Grammar, Philosophy, Medicine, Surgery, Archery, Politics, Warfare, Astronomy, Accounts, commerce, Futurology, Documentation, Occult, Music, Dance, The art of discovering hidden treasures, etc.

 

The minimum entrance age was 16 and there were 10,500 students.

 

The panel of Masters included renowned names like Kautilya, Panini, Jivak and Vishnu Sharma.

__________________________

 

Taxila University

 

Takshashila, (later corrupted as Taxila),one of the topmost centers of education at that time in India became Chanakya’s breeding ground of acquiring knowledge in the practical and theoretical aspect. The teachers were highly knowledgeable who used to teach sons of kings. It is said that a certain teacher had 101 students and all of them were princes! The university at Taxila was well versed in teaching the subjects using the best of practical knowledge acquired by the teachers. The age of entering the university was sixteen. The branches of studies most sought after in around India ranged from law, medicine, warfare and other indigenous forms of learning. The four Vedas, archery, hunting, elephant-lore and 18 arts were taught at the university of Taxila. So prominent was the place where Chanakya received his education that it goes to show the making of the genius. The very requirements of admission filtered out the outlawed and people with lesser credentials.

 

At a time when the Dark Ages were looming large, the existence of a university of Taxila’s grandeur really makes India stand apart way ahead of the European countries who struggled with ignorance and total information blackout. For the Indian subcontinent Taxila stood as a light house of higher knowledge and pride of India. In the present day world, Taxila is situated in Pakistan at a place called Rawalpindi. The university accommodated more than 10,000 students at a time. The university offered courses spanning a period of more than eight years. The students were admitted after graduating from their own countries. Aspiring students opted for elective subjects going for in depth studies in specialized branches of learning. After graduating from the university, the students are recognized as the best scholars in the subcontinent. It became a cultural heritage as time passed. Taxila was the junction where people of different origins mingled with each other and exchanged knowledge of their countries.

 

The university was famous as "Taxila" university, named after the city where it was situated. The king and rich people of the region used to donate lavishly for the development of the university. In the religious scriptures also, Taxila is mentioned as the place where the king of snakes, Vasuki selected Taxila for the dissemination of knowledge on earth.

 

Here it would be essential to mention briefly the range of subjects taught in the university of Taxila. (1) Science, (2) Philosophy, (3) Ayurveda,(4) Grammar of various languages, (5) Mathematics, (6) Economics, (7)Astrology, (8) Geography, (9) Astronomy, (10) Surgical science,(11) Agricultural sciences, (12) Archery and Ancient and Modern Sciences.

 

The university also used to conduct researches on various subjects.

 

 

Submitted by: Rakesh

[Guest guest]

yes, and the muslims destroyed it

just as they did bamian buddhha moorti.

 

 

[Guest guest]

And westerners claim that we are backward and uneducated.

[Guest guest]

> And westerners claim that we are backward and uneducated.

 

Oh, we don't claim all South Asians are that way.

 

Just you. ;^p

 

 

[Guest guest]

yes, India had the oldest university. What the use ? Did we use anything that we learnt. Look at what we have done wrong before point finger at others.

Nothing is wrong yet, If West Germany and East Germany can get together after so many years why cant we ? I think, We as a nation should grow up and put aside our petty differences.

[Guest guest]

if nationalism and hindu fanaticism is the future, this is the sign that many have learnt anything from this university and ancient bharata varsa (the real meaning is "the world") culture