140 On the Introduction of Writing into India. [No. 2, 



Veda has not been rightly comprehended, if it haa been learnt from 

 writing, or been received from a Sudra."* 



How then was the Veda learnt ? It was learnt by every Brahman 

 during twelve years of his studentship or Brahmacharya. This, 

 according to Gautama, was the shortest period, sauctioned only 

 for men who wanted to get married, and to become Grihasthas, 

 Brahmans who did not wish to marry were allowed to spend forty - 

 eight years as students. The Pratis'akhya gives us a glimpse into 

 the lecture-rooms of the Brahmanic colleges. "The Guru," it is 

 said,t " who has himself formerly been a student, should make his 

 pupils read. He himself takes his seat either to the east, or the 

 north, or the north-east. If he has no more than one or two pupils, 

 they sit at his right hand. If he has more, they place themselves 

 according as there is room. They then embrace their master, and 

 say, 'Sir, read !' The master gravely says ' Om,' i. e. ' Yes.' He 

 then begins to say a pras'na (a question), which consists of three 

 verses. J In order that no word may escape the attention of his 

 pupils, he pronounces all with the high acceut,§ and repeats certain 

 words twice, or he says ' so' (iti) after these words." 



* Kumarila, Tantra-Varttika, i. 3. p. 86. 



t Pratisakhya du Rig veda, par A. Regnier, Journal Asiatique, 1856. Chapitre 

 XV. 



J If the metre is pankti, the pras'na may consist of two or three verses ; if 

 the metre is longer than pankti, two verses only constitute a pras'na ; if a hymn 

 consists of one verse, that by itself forms a pras'na. Samayas, i. e. passages 

 which have occurred before (and are sometimes left out in the MSS), are count- 

 ed, if they consist of a complete verse. Two Dvipadas are counted as one verse, 

 and, as the Commentator adds (v. 12.), the two half-verses of each Dvipada-line 

 are to be joined in recitation, and only if there is one odd Dvipada-line remain- 

 ing, a pause is to be made at the end of the first half- verse. If there are some 

 verses remaining at the end of a hymn, they may be joined to the last pras'na ; 

 if there are more than two verses, this is optional. 



§ The only words which, in the Sanhita-patha, would be likely to escape the 

 pupil's attention are monosyllables consisting of one vowel only, and that a vowel 

 not changed into a semi-vowel, in which form it would be more audible. This 

 would restrict the rule regarding repetition to the two words a and u. Thus 

 for prd, which is pra -f- d, the Guru would have to say prd dor prd d Hi. Instead 



