Indian Knowledge System

1. Indian Knowledge System –
21UHS600C/ 22UHS600C
Dr. Adarsh S. Chatra
Associate Professor
Dept of Civil Engg., BEC Bagalkote

2. Brihadeeswara
Temple
• Located in Thanjavur.
• Dedicate to Lord Shiva
represented as a huge ‘Lingam’.
• The main temple tower is 216
ft high and the tallest of its kind
in the world.

3. Do we need Indian
Knowledge system?
1. Preserving Cultural Heritage
• Ayurveda, Yoga, Vastu Shastra, traditional farming, mathematics, and astronomy
etc.,
• Preserving and promoting this heritage ensures that future generations remain
connected to their roots.
2. Sustainability and Environment
• Traditional Indian agricultural practices, water management systems (e.g., step
wells, rainwater harvesting)
• These can be integrated into modern solutions for environmental challenges.

4. Do we need Indian
Knowledge system?
3. Complementing Modern Science
• Indian contributions to mathematics (e.g., the
concept of zero, algebra), medicine (e.g.,
Ayurveda, surgical techniques by Sushruta), and
metallurgy are timeless.
• Integrating these with modern science can
create innovative and holistic solutions to
contemporary problems.
4. Wellness and Holistic Living
• Practices like Yoga and Ayurveda offer physical,
mental, and spiritual well-being.
• These systems are increasingly recognized
globally for their role in addressing lifestyle
diseases, stress, and mental health.
Sushruta, 800 BC,
Father of Surgery.

5. Do we need Indian
Knowledge system?
5. Cultural Diplomacy
• Promoting IKS globally strengthens India’s soft
power.
• Yoga is already a global phenomenon, and
Ayurveda and traditional arts are gaining
recognition. This fosters cross-cultural dialogue
and enhances India's influence on the global
stage.
6. Economic Potential
• Industries based on IKS, such as traditional crafts,
Ayurveda, and Yoga tourism, have significant
economic potential.
• Reviving these sectors can boost rural and small-
scale industries.

6. Do we need Indian Knowledge system?
1

7. Do we need Indian
Knowledge system?
• Indians were extraordinary in steel making until
17th century
• The Indian Wootz steel was used to
manufacture what was famously known as
‘Damascus blades’.
• Originally, they came from either Southern India,
where the steel-making techniques used were
first developed.
• The term "Damascus steel" traces its roots to the
medieval city of Damascus, Syria, perhaps as an
early example of branding.
Damascus blades

8. Importance of
Ancient Knowledge
• Due to the major changes in educational system in
India introduced around 200 years, there was
abrupt end to the process of knowledge
transmission.
• If the underlying knowledge systems are abruptly
withdrawn from society, the cultural practices will
be rudely jolted.
• Ancient knowledge system provides a head start
to society to March on the highway of the
innovation and new knowledge creation.
Source: Mahadevan et al. 2023

9. Importance of Ancient
Knowledge
• Identity - Ancient knowledge helps preserve and
reinforce a community’s identity by connecting people to
their historical roots. For instance, India's contributions
to mathematics (e.g., the invention of zero) and medicine
(Ayurveda) instill pride and a sense of belonging,
strengthening national and cultural identity.
• Culture - Cultural traditions, art forms, and languages
are deeply rooted in ancient wisdom. Practices like yoga,
classical music, and traditional crafts have been passed
down for generations, fostering a rich cultural heritage
that shapes societal values and practices today.
Source: Mahadevan et al. 2023

10. Importance of Ancient
Knowledge
• Received Wisdom - Ancient knowledge systems encapsulate
centuries of accumulated wisdom, providing insights into
sustainable living, health, governance, and philosophy. For
example, the texts of Chanakya (Arthashastra) offer timeless
lessons on governance and economics that remain relevant
even in modern policymaking.
• Economic Value - Traditional knowledge has immense
economic potential, contributing to industries like Ayurveda,
handicrafts, heritage tourism, and organic farming. The global
wellness industry, heavily influenced by Indian traditions like
yoga and Ayurveda, generates billions of dollars annually,
proving the economic significance of ancient wisdom. Source: Mahadevan et al. 2023

11. Defining Indian
Knowledge System
• Indian - the turn Indian will mean the indigenous source of
knowledge generated by the Indian society. The current political
formation called India is of recent courage in hand it alone does
not qualify to be called Indian.
• The term Indian points to the undivided Indian subcontinent, we
mean the geographical area spanning from Burma on the east
to the modern day Afghanistan in the West and Himalayas in the
north to the Indian Ocean Hindi South.
• This region has common cultural literary, and social practices
and has witnessed a continuous exchange of people and ideas
among them throughout history of undivided India,

12. Defining Indian
Knowledge System
• For example – Chanakya Could get educated in Takashila
in the western part of the sub-continent and be
instrumental in establishing a powerful Mauryan empire
with Pataliputra as the capital in the Eastern part.
• Similarly, Panini or Sanskrit grammarian from Gandhara
northwestern corner of undivided India could influence the
thinking of people in the entire country on the Sanskrit
language
Takshashila is a city in the
Pothohar region of Punjab,
Pakistan.
Pataliputra adjacent to modern-
day Patna, Bihar

13. Defining Indian Knowledge
System
• Knowledge – Knowledge which is always tacit; it primarily arises in
the form of the wisdom of the knowledge seekers.
• Knowledge can be obtained by personal experience by solving
them.
• The times the one obtains knowledge by means of observation of
events experimentation and analysis.
• Knowledge me or may not be converted to literary format.
• The knowledge can be preserved and transmitted through oral
tradition without loss.
• India has rich tradition of folklore practices even to date, that
belongs to this category.

14. Defining Indian Knowledge System
• System - system me a structured methodology and a classification scheme to access the
available corpus (Collection of texts) of knowledge.
• The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is structured into various interconnected systems that
contribute to different aspects of life, including education, science, governance, medicine, and
spirituality.
• This vastness throws the challenge as the seeker may be clueless as to where to begin and
how to proceed.
• Therefore the available knowledge needs to be collected, grouped and arranged logically.

15. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Source: Mahadevan et al. 2023

16. The IKS Corpus – A
Classification Frameworks
• Knowledge is available both
in formal literary sources
and informal non literary
sources.
• One of the major sources is
the Vedic and allied
literature which we shall
designate as Sanaatana
Dharma literature mainly in
Sanskrit languages.
• The second major literature
Source is the literature on
other dharmic traditions.
• The non literary sources
predominantly available
through which set of oral
traditions found throughout
the country.

17. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
• Sanatana-Dharama- Core Literature
• This comprises a vast repository of knowledge
starting with the Vedas, known as Shruti.
• The Vedic corpus each orally nature and is still
transmitted using oral methods, these have been
later systematically documented in return form.
• The 6 schools of philosophical thought, known as
Darshanas developed their basic assumption from
the Vedas.

18. The IKS Corpus – A
Classification
Frameworks
Sanatana-Dharama- Other Literature
• The other literature consists of works that
addressed key issues of day to day life such as
health, Wellness, science, engineering, technology
direct aided societal progress and development,
and aesthetics and art forms.
• Basic and applied sciences (mathematics,
astronomy, plant sciences)
• Engineering and technology (metal working
technology, shipbuilding, dams and watershed
management, alchemy, cosmetics, perfumes, dyes,
town planning and architecture) .

19. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Sanatana-Dharama- Other Literature
• Health, Wellness and Psychology (Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga hrudaya).
• Neeti shastra is a collection of literature that informs the society of the good code of living
through poetic versus and stories.
a. Samanya neeti deals with elements how good living, and the role of ethics and morality in life.
b. The famous panchatantra and the works of bharthari are some representative examples of this
category of literature.

20. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Sanatana-Dharama- Other Literature
• Public administration deals with idea of governance of
state and public policy measures required for
administration.
a. Manu-smriti provides reach information on governance
and administration.
b. Arthashastra compiled during 3rd century BCE is a
seminal work and is triggered further in the area.
• Aesthetics, kavya’s and performing arts is another area
with rich contributions.
a. The Sanskrit knowledge language is the vehicle through
which the entire knowledge corpus of presented.

21. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Other Dharamaic Tradition
• Other Dharmic traditions have stayed out of the Vedic
framework but have immensely contributed to IKS India
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.
• The Buddhist literature and the Jain literature dealt with
religious concepts in its canonical text, however words
in which many issues such as mathematical concepts
maritime activities and alchemy are also discussed

22. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Regional Literature
• The separation of regional languages
in this Figure is only for convenience.
• Ideally, it could be included under
Sanathana Dharma.
• The 8th schedule of the Indian
constitution has listed 22 languages
of the country in each of these
languages there is a huge corpus of
religious, philosophical and And other
literature.

23. The IKS Corpus – A Classification Frameworks
Oral Traditions
• The Oral Tradition in the Indian Knowledge System
(IKS) refers to the method of transmitting knowledge
through spoken word, recitations, and memorization
rather than written texts.
• The Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda,
Atharvaveda) were transmitted orally for centuries
before being written down.
• Knowledge was passed down from guru (teacher) to
shishya (student) through direct oral teaching and
practice.
• Complex memorization methods, such as Mnemonics
and Rhythmic Patterns, were used to retain vast texts.
• Puranas, Jataka Tales, Panchatantra, and
Kathasaritsagara were shared through oral storytelling
traditions, shaping moral and ethical values.
• Folk songs, bhajans, and epics were recited in local
languages to educate and entertain communities.

24. Chaturadasha-Vidyasthana or 14-Vidyasthana
Oral Traditions
• The core literature which falls under the
category of Sanathan Dharma is further
classified into 14-Vidyasthana.
• The components of 14 part knowledge
contains the 4 Vedas (and their Upa-
vedas), the 6 Vedangas, Puranas, the
Dharma shastras, Nyaaya in needs
detailed form and Mimamsa (both
Poorva and Uttara portions)

26. Vedas
• The Vedas are the oldest sacred
scriptures IKS, composed in
Sanskrit between 1500 and 500
BCE.
• The word Veda means
"knowledge" or "wisdom" in
Sanskrit.

27. Vedas
The Vedas are divided into four
main collections:
1. Rigveda – Hymns and praises to
deities.
2. Yajurveda – Rituals and sacrifices.
3. Samaveda – Melodic chants for
worship.
4. Atharvaveda – Spells, charms, and
practical knowledge.

29. Vedangas - 06

30. Vedangas - 06
• The Vedangas are six auxiliary disciplines of Vedic studies that help in understanding and
preserving the Vedas.
• They serve as tools to interpret, chant, and apply Vedic knowledge correctly.
1. Shiksha (Phonetics & Pronunciation) – Focuses on the correct pronunciation, intonation, and
articulation of Vedic chants.
2. Vyakarana (Grammar) – Establishes the rules of Sanskrit grammar, with Panini’s Ashtadhyayi being
the most significant text.
3. Nirukta (Etymology & Lexicon) – Explains the meaning of difficult Vedic words, with Nirukta by
Yaska being the most famous text.
4. Chandas (Meter & Prosody) – Studies the structure and rhythm of Vedic hymns
5. Jyotisha (Astronomy & Astrology) – Deals with timekeeping, planetary motions, and auspicious
timings for rituals.
6. Kalpa (Rituals & Procedures) – Provides guidelines for performing Vedic rituals, including Shrauta
Sutras, Grihya Sutras, and Dharma Sutras.

31. Puranas and Itihasas
• The Puranas and Itihasas are important Indian scriptures that preserve historical,
religious, and moral teachings through stories, legends, and divine narratives.
• They provide deeper insights into cosmology, philosophy, and dharma (righteousness).
• The 18 Mahapuranas (Major Puranas).
• Itihasa means "thus it happened," referring to historical narratives.
• There are two great Itihasas: Ramayana and Mahabharata.

32. Dharma Shastras and Smriti
• The Dharma Shastras and Smritis are ancient Indian texts that provide guidelines on
ethics, social duties, law, and moral conduct.
• They form the basis of Indian legal system and governance, ensuring that individuals
and society follow the path of Dharma (righteousness).
• Smriti (स्मृति) means "that which is remembered.“
• Smritis are Rulel books with specific operating guidelines how to uphold the dharmic
principles into action and what are the consequences of not doing so.

33. Darshanas
• It is a natural quest for everyone to understand 3 forces at
operate and interact with one another: an Individual (Jeeva),
the Universe(Jagat) and a large force governing the other
two (Ishwara).
• The Darshanas are six classical schools of Indian
philosophy that provide systematic interpretations of reality,
knowledge, and liberation.
• The Six Classical Darshanas
1. Nyaya
2. Vaisheshika
3. Samkhya
4. Yoga
5. Purva Mimamsa
6. Vedanta