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TAKSHASHILA - World's First & Oldest University
2700 years back a huge university existed in the ancient India where over 10,500 students from all across the world came for higher studies. It was an important Vedic /Hindu & Buddhist center of learning... (1/11) @LostTemple7
2700 years back a huge university existed in the ancient India where over 10,500 students from all across the world came for higher studies. It was an important Vedic /Hindu & Buddhist center of learning... (1/11) @LostTemple7
Takshashila University date back to the 5th or 6th Century BC. As per Ramayana, the city name Taksasila came from Taksa, who was the son of Bharata, the brother of the Lord Rama. It is believed that Taksa was the first ruler of the kingdom Taksa Khanda and founder of Takshashila
The campus accommodated students who came from as far as Babylonia, Greece, Arabia and China and offered over 64 different fields of study like Vedas, grammar, philosophy, Ayurveda, agriculture, surgery, politics, archery, warfare, astronomy, commerce, futurology, music, dance.
According to Buddhist Jakata over 10,000 students used to study at university campus at a time. There were even curious subjects like the art of discovering hidden treasure, decrypting encrypted messages, etc
Admission into this university was purely based on merit. Students were admitted to this university at the age of 16 after they had completed their basic education.Entrance exam to Takshashila was very difficult and only 3 out of every 10 students passed the admission test.
Chanakya -
The famous treatise ArthaShastra (Ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in Sanskrit) by Chanakya, is said to have been composed in Takshashila itself. He was also mentor and Professor of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
The famous treatise ArthaShastra (Ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in Sanskrit) by Chanakya, is said to have been composed in Takshashila itself. He was also mentor and Professor of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
Vishnu Sharma-
He was the another great student from the same university. The author of the great book that teaches the art of political science in the form of simple beautiful stories called the Pancha Tantra (meaning the five techniques).
He was the another great student from the same university. The author of the great book that teaches the art of political science in the form of simple beautiful stories called the Pancha Tantra (meaning the five techniques).
Panini -
He was an expert in language and grammar and authored one of the greatest works on grammar ever written called Ashtadhyayi
He was an expert in language and grammar and authored one of the greatest works on grammar ever written called Ashtadhyayi
Jivak -
was another genius who came out of the Takshashila university. He was a doctor and an expert in pulse reading. Jivak was the personal physician of Buddha and also cured the Nadi Vran of Buddha. There are over 15000 handwritten manuscripts of Jivak’s expertise.
was another genius who came out of the Takshashila university. He was a doctor and an expert in pulse reading. Jivak was the personal physician of Buddha and also cured the Nadi Vran of Buddha. There are over 15000 handwritten manuscripts of Jivak’s expertise.
The role of Taxila University as a center of knowledge continued under the Maurya Empire and Greek rule (Indo-Greeks) in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE.
The destruction of Toramana in the 5th century CE seem to have put an end to the activities of the University.
The destruction of Toramana in the 5th century CE seem to have put an end to the activities of the University.
Being near the north-west frontier of India, Takshashila had to face the brunt of attacks and invasions from the north and the west. Thus the Persians, Greeks, Parthians, Shakas and Kushanas laid their destructive marks on this institution.
