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Indian Knowledge System

By Suraj Belagali

Module 1 - Introduction to Indian Knowledge System (IKS) and Vedic corpus

Introduction to IKS

Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) - Introduction 1. Why Study IKS? Long History: IKS has a very l...

Indian Knowledge System in Action

Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in Action & Definition I. Examples of IKS in Action A. Brihadisvar...

Indian Knowledge System Corpus - A classification framework

The IKS Corpus - A Classification Framework I. Broad Divisions of the IKS Corpus Literary Part...

Historicity of Indian Knowledge Systems

Historicity of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) I. Challenges in Dating IKS Oral Transmission: Mo...

Salient Aspects of IKS

Salient Features of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) I. Oral Tradition and its Implications Prim...

Introduction to Vedas

Introduction to the Vedas I. The Nature of the Vedas A. Opening Mantras Begins with recitation ...

A Synopsis of the Four Vedas

A Synopsis of the Four Vedas I. Introduction Four Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Ath...

Sub-Classification of Vedas

Sub-classification of the Vedas I. Basic Sub-classification of each Veda Two Initial Levels: E...

Messages in The Vedas

Messages in the Vedas I. Overview Foundation of Sanatana Dharma: The Vedas are the foundational...

Introduction to Vedangas

Introduction to Vedangas I. The Need for Vedangas Vedic Language: The Vedic corpus, like a comp...

Vedangas I - Brief on Shiksha and Vyakarana

Prologue on Siksha and Vyakarana I. Siksha - The Science of Pronunciation A. Meaning of Shiksha ...

Vedangas II - Brief on Nirukta and Chhanda

Basics of Nirukta and Chandas I. Nirukta: Etymology and Lexicography A. The Need for Nirukta To...

Vedangas III - Brief on Kalpa and Jyotisha

Introduction to Kalpa and Jyotisha I. Kalpa - The Practical Guide A. Definition Kalpa serves as...

Distinctive features of A Vedic life

Vedic Life - Distinctive Features I. Addressing Misconceptions Not Austerity Focused: Vedic pe...

Module 2 - The Philosophical Systems

Introduction to Indian Philosophy

An Introduction to Philosophy in the Indian Knowledge System I. The Need for Philosophy Basic ...

Development of Indian Philosophical Systems

Development of Indian Philosophical Systems I. Context for Philosophical Inquiry Ultimate Happ...

Unique features of Indian philosophical systems

Unique Features of Indian Philosophical Systems I. Transmission and Development of Ideas Guru-S...

Vedic Schools of Philosophy

Vedic Schools of Philosophy I. Overview of the Vedic Darshanas Six Systems: The six systems of...

Sankhya approach of Indian Philosophy : A brief

Sankhya Approach to Philosophy I. Core Concepts Dualistic System: Sankhya is a dualistic trad...

Introduction to Yoga school of Philosophy

1. Introduction to Yoga Darshana Yoga is a significant Vedic tradition with philosophical princ...

Tenets of Nyaya School of Philosophy

Nyaya Philosophy 1. Introduction Nyaya is often paired with Vaisheshika due to shared concerns....

Principles of Vaisheshika Philosophy

Vaisheshika Philosophy 1. Introduction Vaisheshika is traditionally paired with Nyaya. Attribut...

Doctrine of Purva Mimamsa Philosophy

Purva Mimamsa Darshana 1. Introduction Purva Mimamsa (Dharma Mimamsa) is paired with Vedanta (U...

Thesis of Vedanta and a synopsis of Advaita

Vedanta & Advaita Vedanta 1. Introduction to Vedanta Vedanta is the most important and popular ...

Philosophy of Vishishtadvaita

Vishishtadvaita Philosophy 1. Introduction Vishishtadvaita is a sub-school of Vedanta. Shares t...

Ideology of Dvaita Vedanta philosophy

Dvaita Vedanta Philosophy 1. Introduction Dvaita Vedanta is another sub-school of Vedanta. Key ...

Tenets of Jaina Philosophy

Jaina Philosophy 1. Introduction Jaina Darshana is a non-Vedic philosophical system. Has its ow...

Doctrines of Buddhism

Buddhist Philosophy 1. Introduction Buddhism (Bauddha Darshana) is a significant non-Vedic phil...

Notions of Carvaka philosophy

Charvaka Philosophy 1. Introduction Charvaka Darshana (also called Lokayata) is the last of the...

Module 3 - Linguistics

Module 4 - Wisdom through the ages and knowledge framework

IKS as Gateways of ancestral wisdom

The Need for Ancestral Wisdom Challenging Prevailing Assumptions Addresses the question: Why lo...

Introduction to Puranas

Introduction Previous video: Explored the Gateway to Ancestral Wisdom. This video: Focuses on Pu...

The Puranic Repository

Classification of Puranas The Puranic repository is divided into three categories: Maha-Puranas...

Issues of interest in the Puranas

Introduction There are certain interesting aspects within Puranas that are relevant to various d...

Introduction to Itihasas (Ramayana and Mahabharata)

Introduction There is a fundamental difference between Itihasas (historical epics) and Puranas. ...

Key Messages in Itihasas

Key Messages from Ramayana Ramayana consists of seven Kandas. Bala Kanda Importance of knowin...

Wisdom through Niti Shastras

What are Nīti-śāstras? The word "nīti" originates from the Sanskrit root "nī" meaning "to lead."...

Wisdom through the Subhashitas

What are Subhāṣitas? Subhāṣitas are Sanskrit sayings or aphorisms that are "beautifully rendered...

Knowledge tradition in Indian Intellectual tradition

Understanding Knowledge In the Indian Intellectual Tradition, knowledge was created systematicall...

Prameyas: A Vaisesikan approach to physical reality

What are Prameyas? Prameyas are the legitimate objects of inquiry or the types of objects about w...

Dravyas: The Constituents of Physical Reality

Understanding Dravyas In the Vaisheshika system, Dravya, or substance, is the basic building bloc...

Attributes – The Properties of Substances and Action – The Driver of Conjunction and Disjunction

Gunas: The Properties of Substances Gunas, or attributes, are the properties that inhere in subst...

Samanya, Vishesha, Samavaaya

Here we explore the three important concepts in Vaiśeṣika philosophy: sāmānya (universal), viśēṣa...

Pramana : The means of valid knowledge in Nyaya philosophy

Here we delve into the concept of Pramāṇa in Nyaya philosophy, exploring the various ways we acqu...

Samshaya (Doubt) in Nyaya philosophy

Here we will explore the concept of Saṃśaya (doubt) in Nyaya philosophy and its role in knowledge...

Framework for establishing valid knowledge, through Nyaya system

Here we will try to understand the Nyaya Darshana's framework for knowledge creation, highlightin...

Deductive or inductive knowledge framework

Here we delve into the logical framework of Nyaya's argumentation model, specifically within the ...

Potential fallacies in the reasoning process

Here lets us understand the concept of Hetvabhasas (fallacies) in Nyaya philosophy, specifically ...

Siddhanta : Established tenets in the field of study

Here we will explore the concept of Siddhanta in Nyaya philosophy, which refers to established te...

Summary of the module

Let us now summarize the key concepts and frameworks discussed in the lesson on knowledge creatio...

Module 5 - Number System, mathematics and astronomy

Number systems and units of measurement in India : A historical overview

The Importance of Number Systems and Units of Measurement Robust number systems, units of measu...

Salient aspects of Indian Mathematics

Introduction This document explores the significant contributions of ancient Indians to mathemati...

Bhuta Sankhya system

Introduction The Bhūta-Saṃkhyā system is a unique approach developed in India to represent number...

Kaṭapayādi System: A Unique Method for Representing Numbers with Letters

Introduction The Kaṭapayādi system is an ingenious method developed in India for converting numer...

Measurements for time, distance and weight

Introduction This document explores the units of measurement used in ancient India for time, dist...

Pingala and the Binary system

Introduction This document explores the work of Pingala, an Indian scholar from the 2nd Century ...

Introduction to Indian Mathematics

Geometry in Ancient India Geometry was an ancient science in India, with evidence of complex con...

Unique aspects of Indian Mathematics

Introduction This document explores the unique aspects of Indian mathematics, highlighting its in...

Indian Mathematicians and their Contributions

Introduction This document provides a glimpse into the rich and continuous tradition of Indian m...

Algebra in Indian Mathematics

Introduction This document explores the contributions of Indian mathematicians to algebra, coveri...

Geometry in Indian mathematics

Pythagoras Theorem The Pythagoras Theorem, which states that the sum of the squares of the two s...

Binary mathematics and combinatorial problems in Chandah-Shastra

Introduction This document explores the contributions of Pingala, a 2nd Century BCE Indian schola...

Introduction to Indian Astronomy

The Fascination with the Sky Humans across the globe have been fascinated by the sky and its cel...

Elements of the Indian calender

Sidereal Period and Nakshatras The sidereal period of an object is the time it takes to complete ...

Notion of years and months in the Indian Calender

The Vedic Year The Vedic year, known as Shravana, consisted of 12 months, each with 30 days, tota...

Panchanga - The Indian calender system

Components of Pañcāṅga Pañcāṅga, the Indian calendar system, comprises five components: Tithi:...

Astronomical instruments (Yantras) in Indian Astronomy

A Gift of Astronomical Instruments In 1875-76, during his tour of India, the Prince of Wales rece...

Jantar Mantar of Raja Jai Singh Sawai

Introduction to Astronomical Instruments Ancient Indians developed various astronomical instrume...

Module 6 - Engineering and Technology

The rise and fall of great Indian technology

Here we will explore India's contributions to science and technology, specifically focusing on it...

Mining and ore extraction in Ancient India

Here we will focus on the mining and ore extraction techniques employed in ancient India, highlig...

Zinc extraction in Ancient India

Here we will delve into the historical significance of zinc extraction in India, highlighting the...

Copper and its Alloys in Ancient India

Here we will explore the historical significance of copper and its alloys in India, highlighting ...

Iron and steel in ancient India

Here we examine the historical significance of iron and steel in India, highlighting their extens...

Lost Wax Casting of Idols and Artefacts in Ancient India

Here we will focuse on the lost wax casting technique, also known as "Madhuchista Vidhanam" in Sa...

Apparatuses for Metal Extraction in Ancient India

Here we will focus on the various apparatuses used for extracting and processing metals in ancien...

Exploring India's Science and Technology Heritage

Here we discuss the science and technology heritage of India, emphasizing the need to go beyond t...

Literary Sources on Science and Technology in Ancient India

Here we explore the literary sources that shed light on the science and technology landscape of a...

Physical Structures as Evidence of Science and Technology Heritage in India

Here we explore the physical structures in India as tangible evidence of the country’s rich herit...

Temples as Examples of Science and Technology Heritage in India

Here we focus on temples as tangible examples of India's science and technology heritage. It high...

Watershed Management in Ancient India

Here we will explore the various water management and irrigation systems developed in ancient Ind...

Dyes, Paintings, and Perfumes in Ancient India

Here we explore the knowledge and practices related to dyes, painting technology, and perfumes in...

Surgical Techniques in Ancient India

Here we explore the history of surgical techniques in ancient India, highlighting the motivations...

Shipbuilding in Ancient India

Let us examine the history of shipbuilding in ancient India, drawing upon literary sources, trave...

The Status of Indigenous Science and Technology in India

Here we discuss the paradoxical situation of indigenous science and technology in India. Despite ...

Module 7 - Town Planning and Public Administration

Town Planning and Architecture in Ancient India

Introduction Here we focus on town planning and architecture in ancient India, drawing heavily fr...

Vastu-shastra: The Science of Architecture

Introduction Vastu-shastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture, deals with the art of pro...

The Eight Limbs of Vastu-shastra

Introduction Vastu-shastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture, is based on the concept o...

Town Planning in Ancient India

Introduction Here we will explore the principles of town planning in ancient India, drawing from ...

Temples in India: Marvels of Stone Architecture

Introduction Here we explore the architectural wonders of ancient Indian temples, showcasing thei...

Temple architecture in India

Temple Architecture in India Introduction Let us delve into the science and thought behind the ma...

Iconography in Indian Temple Architecture

Introduction Here we will focus on iconography, the art of idol making, which is a crucial aspec...

Raja Dharma: Introduction and Key Concepts

Introduction Let us explore governance and public administration in the Indian tradition, focusin...

Arthashastra: A Historical Perspective

Introduction Here we will see an overview of Kautilya's Arthashastra, a key text on public admini...

Elements of a Kautilyan State

Introduction Here let us explore the key elements of a state as envisaged by Kautilya in his Arth...

The King and the Amatya in Arthashastra

Introduction Here we focus on two of the seven elements of a Kautilyan state: the King (Swami) an...

Janapada and Durga: Territory and Fortified Capital

Introduction Here we will focus on two more elements of the seven elements of a Kautilyan state: ...

Kosha: Treasury and State Economy in Arthashastra

Introduction Here we will explore Kosha, the fifth element of a Kautilyan state, focusing on the ...

Danda: Law and Order and Security in Arthashastra

Introduction Let us examine Danda, the sixth element of a Kautilyan state, representing law and o...

Mitra: Allies and Foreign Policy in Arthashastra

Introduction Here we examine Mitra, the seventh and final element of a Kautilyan state, focusing ...

The Administrative Setup in Arthashastra

Introduction Here we will explore the administrative setup described in Kautilya's Arthashastra, ...

Relevance of Arthashastra in Contemporary Times

Introduction In this section we will discuss the relevance of Kautilya's Arthashastra in modern g...

New Page

Public Administration in Epics Introduction In this section we will explore public administration...

Module 8 - Health, wellness and psychology

Distinctive Thoughts on Health and Wellness in the Indian System

Introduction Here we will focus on the distinctive thoughts on health and wellness in the Indian...

Ayurveda's Approach to Health

Philosophical Foundation Ayurveda borrows philosophical concepts from two major schools of philos...

Ayurveda: Definition of Health

The Ayurvedic Definition of Health Ayurveda defines health as a state of balance in both physica...

Tri-doshas in Ayurveda

Introduction Here we will focus on the concept of tri-doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) in Ayurveda...

Role of Agni in Health

Agni: The Digestive Fire Agni, the digestive fire, plays a crucial role in maintaining health in...

Sapta-dhātavaḥ: The Seven Tissues

Introduction Here we focus on the concept of Sapta-dhātavaḥ (seven tissues) in Ayurveda. We will...

Psychological Aspects of Health in Ayurveda

Introduction Here we focus on the psychological aspects of health in Ayurveda, emphasizing the im...

Disease Management Elements in Ayurveda

Introduction Here we will explore the key elements and considerations in disease management accor...

Dinacharya: Daily Regimen for Health and Wellness

Introduction Here we will understand the concept of Dinacharya (daily regimen) in Ayurveda, which...

Importance of Sleep in Ayurveda

Introduction Below, we will understand the significance of sleep in Ayurveda for maintaining hea...

Food Intake Methods and Drugs

Introduction Here we focus on the importance of proper food intake methods and discusses the role...

Approach to Leading a Healthy Life

Introduction Here let us discuss the different approaches to leading a healthy life, comparing Ay...

Indian Approach to Psychology

Introduction Here we will explore the Indian approach to psychology, contrasting it with Western ...

Basic Tenets of Indian Psychology

Introduction Here we will explore the basic tenets of Indian psychology, highlighting its distinc...

The Triguna System and a Holistic Picture of the Individual

Introduction Here we explore the Triguna system in Indian psychology and how it provides a holis...

Prakriti and Its Evolution: Understanding the Nature of the Individual

Introduction Here we explore the concept of Prakriti (nature) and its evolution in Indian psycho...

The Panca-kosha Framework

Introduction Here we will explore the Panca-kosha framework in Indian psychology, a model for und...

The Four States (avasthās) of Consciousness

Introduction Here we explore the four states of consciousness as described in Indian psychology. ...

Consciousness Studies: The Indian Approach

Introduction This video lecture focuses on the Indian approach to consciousness studies, contrast...

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