Unit 1
Unit 1
Unit 1
Introduction
UNIT 1
By:
Mr. Hirdesh Sharma
JIMS, Greater Noida
Do we need Indian Knowledge System?
• IKS is not about merely knowing about some ancestral (पैतक ृ )
knowledge.
• It is about protecting revised wisdom (संशोधित ज्ञान), economic
security and national pride.
• India has a long surviving civilizational history to at least 5000-8000
year back.
• There is an impression that all knowledge that we benefit from has
originated from west. (This is not true)
Do we need Indian Knowledge System?
• Indians were extraordinary in steel making until the 17th century. The
Indian ‘wootz’ steel was used to manufacture what was famously
known as ‘Damascus blades’.
• Due to major changes in the educational system in India introduced
about 200 years back, there was a rather abrupt (आकस्मिक) end to the
process of knowledge transmission.
Importance of Ancient Knowledge
• Ancient (प्राचीन) knowledge is the accrued knowledge over several
generations and preserved in formal and informal means.
• Formal means include documented knowledge and informal means
include several values and practices through oral traditions.
• Ancient knowledge provides a head start to society to march on the
highway of innovation and new knowledge creation.
Importance of Ancient Knowledge
Importance of Ancient Knowledge--
Identity- It defines the context for several aspects of the day to day living of every
individual.
Culture- It is the manifestation (अभिव्यस्तत) of human intellectual achievement
regarded collectively by society over time.
Received Wisdom- Innovation and new knowledge creation for the society.
Economic Value- Transforming knowledge into economic values for the benefit of
the country.
Defining Indian Knowledge System
• IKS is generic phrase that covers practically everting about India.
• We have recorded history, abundant (िरपरू ) culture, literature and
social and community practices defining what Indian knowledge.
• Knowledge assets available in India from the pre-historic times to the
current day will all qualify to be part of the IKS.
• The term IKS has three words in it:
Indian
Knowledge
System
Defining Indian Knowledge System
Indian- By this term, we mean the indigenous sources of knowledge
generated by Indian society. The term ‘Indian’ points to the undivided
Indian subcontinent (Akhanda Bharata).
Knowledge- It is obtained by the insights gained by personal
experiences with life situations, facing problems and coming up with
means of solving them. Knowledge may or may not be converted to a
literary format. The tacit knowledge can be preserved and
transmitted through an oral tradition without loss.
System- Means a structured methodology and a classification scheme
to access the available corpus (कोष) of knowledge.
The IKS Corpus- A Classification Framework
The IKS Corpus- A Classification Framework
• There are many ways to define and identify what constitutes IKS.
• Ex:-
One approach to merely pick the important topics
representatively of knowledge corpus such as Vedas, Yoga, Vastu,
Silpa Sastras, Ayurveda, Buddhism and Jainism to define IKS.
Another approach is to select phrases such as Indian psychology,
Indian arts, dance, architecture and put together related works
into it to construct IKS.
NOTE:- These examples bring out the components of IKS.
The IKS Corpus- A Classification Framework
The usefulness of a classification framework depends on three factors:
Completeness, Compactness and inter-connectedness.
Completeness assures that all important components of IKS are
included in the proposed framework.
Compactness indicates the efficacy (प्रिाव) of the grouping of various
topics in KIS in logical manner.
Inter-connectedness brings logical relationship among the various
sub- classifications.
The IKS Corpus- A Classification Framework
Closer scrutiny of IKS knowledge repository provides us following
details:
The knowledge is available in both formal literary sources and
informal literary source.
Among the literature sources, we can identify three categories
I. Vedic and allied literature
II. Other Dharmic Traditions
III. Regional
The non literary sources is available through a rich set of oral
traditions found throughout the country.
Sanatana Dharma- Core Literature
This comprises a vast repository of knowledge starting with the
Vedas, Known as Sruti.
Although the vedic corpus is oral in nature and still transmitted using
oral methods.
The Vedas are considered foundational by the indian society.
Sanatana Dharma- Other Literature
The other literature consists of works that addressed key issues of
day to day life such as health, wellness, science, engineering,
technology that aided societal progress of development and art
forms.
This category covers several areas:
Basic and Applied Science
Engineering, Technology & Architecture
Health, Wellness, Psychology
Public Administration
Code of living
Other Dharmic Traditions
Other dharmic traditions have stayed out of the Vedic framework but
have immensely contributed to IKS in the religious, Philosophical and
other domains.
Two of them, the Buddhist and the Jain literature are noteworthy and
they have contributed right from 500 BCE to IKS.
Regional Literature
The separation of regional language in this figure is only convenience.
Ideally, it could be included under sanatana dharma.
Indian constitution has listed 22 languages of the country, in each of
these languages, there is a huge corpus of religious, philosophical and
other literature.
Ex:- Tamil literature has several contributions in the Sangam Period.
Oral Traditions
The diversity of cultural practices and regional preferences have
paved the way for oral traditions to preserve and transmit knowledge
across generations.
These have been primarily in the form of folklore artistic endeavors,
skillful jobs, foods and life practices and health.
Sanskrit has been dominant language for transacting knowledge for a
long time in india.
Chaturdaśa-Vidyāsthāna (चतुर्दश-ववद्यामथान):
A classification framework for the sanatana-dharama literature as we
have defined in the previous section is available within the resources
itself.
In this framework, the literature is systematically organized under 14
major divisions.
The components of the 14 part knowledge contain the four vedas
(and their upa-vedas), the six vedangas, puranas, the Dharma-
sastras, Nyaya.
Chaturdaśa-Vidyāsthāna (चतुर्दश-ववद्यामथान):
Vedas
The Vedas are the primordial source of knowledge in the scheme of
the Sanatan-dharma literature.
They are also known as Sruti.
Vedas provides the overall defining framework for living.
The upa-vedas are typically associated with the vedas on account of
the material being found in the respective Vedas.
Vedangas
To benefits fully from the Vedas some complementary tools and skills
are required.
These helps to understand the exact meaning an intent of what is
presented in the Vedas and follow them based on specific instructions
provided.
These are collectively referred to as Vedangas.
Darasanas
It is a natural quest for everyone to understand three forces that
operate and intract with one another: an individual (Jiva), the
Universe (Jagat), and a larger force governing the other two (variously
referred to as Isvara, Brahman etc.)
Darsana essentially means a philosophical thought or view.
There are six schools of philosophy in the sanatan-dharma literature.
Puranas and Itihasas
Puranas contains a rich repository of ideas that seek to explain
various aspects of the Vedic thoughts using detailed stories and
anecdotes (उपाख्यानों).
They present several socio-cultural ideas and practices of living.
The stories in the purans related to per-historic events.
Itihasas, related to historical events that have taken place which can
be associated with specific timelines.
As we know, Mahabharata and Ramayana are two well known
itihasas.
Dharma-sastras and Smrtis
A guide to lead a dharmic life based on the principles of the Veda is
required.
The dharmic principles engrained in the Vedic corpus are presented
in multiple formats in our knowledge traditions.
Smrtis are rule books with specific operating guidelines of how to put
the dharmic principles into action and what are the consequences of
not doing so.
Historicity of IKS
Dating of the Indian Literature is a major challenge for today’s
researchers.
Other related challenge is that most of the indian knowledge
repositories in the BCE (Before Common Era or Before Current Era or
Before Christian Era) were oral.
A useful source of data is to fix the Indian knowledge is the
astronomical references found in the texts.
Before 3000 BCE
This era is categorized as the dark edge for western civilization since
no evidence of any organized knowledge (either oral or written) is
available.
Earlier estimates of time periods for Vedas, puranas and the Itihasas
prove it be erroneous as new evidence and methods to date the
knowledge becomes available.
3000 BCE to 500 CE
This period roughly starts with the beginning of recoreded human
history as per the western context and extending as far as 500CE.
In an oral tradition, the entire knowledge is to be committed to one’s
memory.
Therefore, it needs to be concise, and specific.
500 CE to 1800 CE
During this era, Indians have significant strides in the area of
mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, spirituality.
Several contributions have also been made in other areas such as
alchemy, metalworking etc.
A Sample list of the IKS Repository
A Sample list of the IKS Repository
A Sample list of the IKS Repository
A Sample list of the IKS Repository
Some Unique aspects of IKS
• Nuances (बारीकियों) of an Oral Tradition:
IKS is by and large oral tradition. If knowledge needs to be transmitted orally,
it requires a few things.
In IKS a single work can provide simultaneously ideas on three streams:
Spiritual, Religious and Secular.
A large number of works in IKS are in verses set to a metrical (र्शांश) structure
irrespective of whether the subject matter is literature, mathematics, or
engineering.
Two important dimensions of oral traditions are:
Religious Vs Material Dimension
Spiritual Vs Material Dimension
Some Unique aspects of IKS
• Typical Presentation Style- Sutras, Encryptions:
This is used irrespective of whether the work is original or a commentary on
another work.
It is also independent of whether the subject matter is literature,
mathematics, or engineering.
Several innovation methods are used to make the message concise and
amenable (संक्षिप्त और उत्तरर्ायी) to a metrical presentation.
VEDAS
• The word Vedas is generally derived from the Sanskrit root vid.
• The word Veda can be derived from five verbal roots, these means:
To exist
To discriminate
To obtain
To know
To make
VEDAS
• Veda is transmitted orally and preserved intact from time
immemorial.
• Vedas have well-developed system of phonetics that has ensured its
preservation.
• Recognized by UNESCO as heritage.
• It is well-known that the Vedas are the oldest surviving literary works
in the whole world.
The four VEDAS
• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Atharvaṇaveda
Ṛgveda
• Ṛgveda is the oldest, largest and the main repository.
• Ṛgveda should be studied by one who want to understand Indian
Literature and spiritual culture.
• Lofty and interesting set of ideas found in Ṛgveda makes it
contextually relevant.
Yajurveda
• Yajurveda mainly focus on Yajna and a list of various Yajnas are found
in this Veda.
• Yajurveda is in two major branches: Krsna (Black) -Yajurveda and
Sukla (White) -Yajurveda.
• Yajurveda include anatomy, metals, constellation, seasons, numbers
and geometry, grains and yogic insights.
Sāmaveda
• The word Sāmaveda is derived form the Sanskrit word Sama
indicating ‘to please pacify or satisfy’, it refers to the singing of Rgveda
mantras.
• Sāmaveda has currently three branches: Kauthuma, Ranayaniya and
Jaiminiya.
• Sāmaveda is used to please the devatas by singing mantras after
making the offering.
Atharvaṇaveda
• Atharvaṇaveda has details on diseases and their cure.
• Paryers for prosperity and peace in the Vedas invariably included all
the living organism in the Universe, not just the mankind.
The Four Divisions of Each Veda
The Four Divisions of Each Veda
Samhita
• Each Veda consists of Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanisads.
• There were 25 women rishis who have composed hymns in Rgveda.
• Samhita constitutes the main portion of each Vedas and cosist of a
certain number of mantras presented in metrical form.
Brahmanas
• Brahmanas does not relate to the modern word ‘Brahmin’, used to
denote the caste.
• These are a collection of knowledge mainly confined to the issue of
ritual sand rites written in prose.
• Brahmanas prescribe the mantras from the Samhitas that need to be
recited for the rituals.
Brahmanas
Aranyakas
• Aranyakas inquire into the philosophical aspect of a yajna.
• Aranyakas are considered as bridge between brahmanas and
Upanisads.
• Aranyakas represent the Upasana kanda of the Vedas.
Upanisads
• Upanisads are philosophical treatises dealing with the ultimate
problems of life that every one of us confronts.
• The word Upanisads means sitting near a Guru and receiving his
wisdom through teaching-learning process.
• Over 1180 Upanisads were supposed to have been part of the vedic
corpus.
• 108 Upanisads in the four Vedas.
Upanisads
• The loftiest thoughts of the vedic seers are found in Upanisads.
• Upanisads pertains to the jnana-kanda of the vedas.
• There are 10 principal upanisads.
• The Maha-vakyas are found in the Upanisads.
Vedangas
• Vedangas texts help us decipher the Vedic texts and know their practical
applications, they have other values of practical applicability in other fields
also.
• There are six vedangas:
1) Siksa
2) Vyakarana
3) Chandas
4) Nirukta
5) Kalpa
6) Jyotisa
Vedangas
Siksa
• The word Siksa means to acquire knowledge.
• This has been described in Taittiriya Upanisad very briefly.
• Siksa-sastra, therefore, is a systemic approach to the art and practice
of phonetics.
• It defines the characterstics of the basic units of the sound of the
language known as varna.
Vyakarana
• Grammar is the foundational aspect of any language.
• TO understand the Vedic repository rules of grammar are required.
Vyakarana is one the Vedangas that deals with this issue.
• The term Vyakarana essentially means to divide, separate and
analyze.
Nirukta
• Nirukta is etymology, which is extracting the meaning of a word using
linguistic theories and considering phonetic changes.
• Nirukta is a collection of rarely used words in Vedas.
• Nirukta is the most ancient work available on etymology anywhere in
the world.
Chandas
• Rhythm is the key aspect of an oral tradition be it Vedic mantras or
music.
• Chandas is the metre of poetic composition.
• A Chandas (metre) can be viewed using three level hierarchy.
Syllables (aksara)
Padas
Metre
Kalpa
• Kalpa focused on several operational aspects of the issues discussed
in the Vedic Corpus.
• Kalpa can be thought of as a guide or user manual that provides
instructions and directions to lead all aspects of life including
personal, family and social dimensions.
• Following are the components of Kalpa:
Dharma-sutras
Grhya-sutras
Sulba-sutras
Srauta-sutras
Jyotisa
• Like several other ancient civilizations, Indians were using the natural
calendar which is based on keen observation of the sky with moon
and stars.
• This knowledge of the movement of stars and planetary bodies is
called jyotisa.
• Jyotisa-sastra is classified into vaidika (related to Vedas) and laukika
(related to the world).
Philosophical Systems
• The Philosophical systems provide a true worldview and a vision for
life and helps us resolve the issues that we face in our life.
• The teaching of the Upanisads suggest that attainment of the
knowledge of Brahman is the highest goal of human life.
Indian Philosophical Systems- Development
and Unique Features
• The beginning of the Philosophical inquiry in India can be traced to
the Vedic literature.
• Unlike the western counterpart, the indian Philosophical thought
closely intertwined with religious thought.
• The ultimate goal of the human life is clearly spelt out and the path
for attaining the same is also articulated in all the darsanas.
• Two generic classes of philosophical systems could be thought about;
Vedic schools of Philosophy and non-vedic schools (Jaina Philosophy,
Buddhist Philosophy etc).
Indian Philosophical Systems- Development
and Unique Features
Vedic Schools of Philosophy
• Vedic schools acknowledge the authority of the Vedic text whereas
Non-Vedic schools do not.
• The context for philosophical discussion is three inter-related
concepts of God-Universe-Individuals.
Vedic Schools of Philosophy
Samkhya and Yoga schools of Philosophy
• Samkhya-darsana- Purusa and Prakrti
• Yoga-darsana