A brahmana must be very, very learned scholar by reading Vedic literature; and pathana, and teach others of the Vedic literature. Therefore it was the custom of the brahmanas — they would not accept anyone's service. They will sit down anywhere and open a school for teaching Vedic literature. Pathana, pathana. He will personally become learned, and he will teach others. And the students, they will go from door to…, brahmacari, door to door for begging, "Mother, give me some alms." And they will give, because their students are there in the gurukula or catuspathi. So whatever they will bring, that will be cooked and offered to Krsna, and the prasadam will be distributed amongst themselves. This was the process, not twenty rupees' fee and give some bribe to enter into the school, and that is also all rascal education. No. First-class education, without any fee, from the realized soul — that was educational system, varnasrama-dharma.

From Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.27 — January 4, 1975, Bombay