The literal meaning of ‘Gurukul’ is ‘the family of the Guru’ or ‘the lineage of the Guru’. But it has been used for centuries in the sense of educational institutions in India. The history of Gurukuls includes the history of protecting India’s education system and knowledge of science. In the development of Indian culture, the beliefs of four Purusharthas, four Varnas, and four Ashrams were not only interdependent for the accomplishment of their objectives, but Gurukul was also a great seeker in their success.

​

By yajyas and rituals, #Brahmins, #Kshatriyas, #Vaishyas, and #Shudras, children of all clans, varnas, and society, were taken to Gurukuls at the age of 6, 8, or 12 years (#Yagnopaveet, #Upanayana or Upavit). Sitting nearby, they used to receive education as brahmacharis. The Guru, fulfilling their mental and intellectual rites, would teach them all the scriptures and useful disciplines and in the end, after giving initiation, they would get married and sent them back to perform the various duties of the household.

Carrying out various responsibilities of the society, he used to take measures to attain the Trivarga.

 

Gurukuls had an important contribution to the development of Indian civilization and culture. Gurukuls were often run by Brahmin householders both inside and outside the villages or cities. Grihastha scholars and sometimes even Vanprasthi would attract learners from far and wide and keep them in their families and with them for many years (ideal and legislation were up to twenty-five years) and educated them.

​

As a reward, the Brahmacari child either offered his services to the Guru and his family or would have paid only the fee at the time of completion. But gifts containing such financial rewards and other things were given as Dakshina only after initiation and before starting the Guru Vidya Daan, neither the visitor asked for anything from the students nor returned any student from his door without them. The doors of the Gurukuls were open to all the deserving students, rich and poor.

​

His inner life was simple, reverent, devotional, and renunciation. The disciple would learn from the Guru’s personality and conduct by being an interlocutor (by staying near). In the Gurukuls, all the scriptures and sciences known till then were taught and upon completion of the education, the Guru would test the disciple, give initiation, and after completing the Samavartan Sanskar, send it to his family. The disciples would give Dakshina to the guru according to their power while walking, but poor students were also freed from him.

​

Many such discussions are found in the Pali literature, from which it is known that kings like Prasenjit donated many villages to those Vedanishnat Brahmins, who ran Gurukul for the distribution of Vedic education. This tradition was often continued by most of the rulers and there are many inscriptions of the Gurukulas running in the villages donated to the Brahmins of South India and the teachings taught in them. The developed forms of Gurukuls were Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramshila, and Valbhi University.

​

It is known from the travel details of the Jatakas, Huevenesang, and many other references that in those universities, students from far and wide used to come to study from the world-famous teachers there. #Varanasi was the main center of education since very ancient times and till recently there have been hundreds of Gurukuls, Pathshalas and Annakshetras kept running for their sustenance. This condition remained in Bengal and Nasik and many cities of South India.

​

In the era of the Indian national and cultural renaissance that started in the 19th century, many Gurukuls were established on the tradition of ancient Gurukulas and they played an important role in spreading the national spirit. Although the system of ancient Gurukuls cannot be re-established in modern conditions, yet their ideals can be adopted with necessary changes.