Why The Indian Knowledge Systems for Global Futures Part 2
IKS in Action
Apart from the classical arts with their dance, music, martial arts etc IKS constitutes many other areas of knowledge too that we see all around us. From the grand temples of Modhera, Martand, Khajuraho, Chidambaram and Thiruvananthapuram to the Root Bridges of Meghalaya, the Siddha medicine of Tamil Nadu, anything that is replicable, scalable and is universally applicable is IKS in action. We practice this in our daily lives too when we learn an age-old recipe from our grandmother, or try a local herbal treatment to treat our cough. We propagate IKS when we wear handloom textiles, or wear authentic regionally designed jewelry or perform our weddings as per vaidika mores. Each area is a world in itself. When we look at the temples for example:
“They include numerous and voluminous texts dealing with the temple tradition — construction, art and architecture, iconography of the images, as well as the daily, fortnightly, monthly, and annual rituals and festivals observed in the temples. Above all, they discuss the underlying philosophy of the entire system. The Āgama literature divides into Śaiva (pertaining to lord Śiva); Vaiṣṇava (pertaining to lord Viṣṇu); Śākta (pertaining to goddess Śakti); Bauddha; and Jaina Āgamas.”
This article offers an overview of IKS meant not just for Indians who want to know more about their heritage and how it will be applicable to their lives but also for those interested in alternative ways of being, of thinking and learning. For people who want to bring in some meaning to their BANI-VUCA (brittle anxious neurotic indefinite volatile unstable chaotic ambiguous) life. This is the post COVID world and there are very few answers. One of the very few time tested answers to live a fulfilling life with growth, prosperity and self actualization has been proven time and again in the sacred land of Bharat. The broad overview presented here will enable readers to choose a different educational methodology for their children, a holistic pedagogy that allows them to bloom to their full potential. It will enable educators to break free from an either-or exclusive approach and take up an and/too inclusive approach.
Establishing the Case - Criticality of IKS for Society
A. S. Altekar says that the objective of Vedic education was to approach knowledge as:
“..a third eye of man, which gave him insight into all affairs and taught him how to act. In the spiritual sphere, it led to salvation; in the mundane sphere, it led to all-round progress and prosperity…”
IKS systems focus on joy first and foremost as they are rooted in consciousness that is described as sat-cit-ananda, aananda being joy. For which there is no opposite, as it is poorNam complete in itself. This pedagogy is rooted in inclusivity, plurality and one-ness. Stressing the need for diversity, allowing all forms of thoughts and belief systems their place under the sun, yet maintaining that all this is manifestation of the one and only focuses on Integral Unity (Being Different, Rajiv Malhotra) rather than force fitting a synthetic unity on two irreconcilable thought streams.
Defining the Indian Knowledge Systems
India: bhaarata desha is defined as the tract of land with Himalayas to the north and the oceans to the south:
uttaram yatsamudrasya himadraishchaiva dakshinam varsham tatbhaaratam naama bharati yatra santatihi
Knowledge: vidya and jnana are two words that are common in bhaarateeya languages, evolving from the root word vid: jnanae, vicharanae, laabhae. Thus vidya is that which is to be known, is to be reflected upon and is useful. While jnana is vidya with awareness from the root ‘jna’ to know. The knowledge itself is divided into infinite knowledge of the Self - para vidya and the finite knowledge of the world - apara vidya. These appear both as literary and non- literary traditions. The literary traditions are the 14 vidyasthanas (details) and the non-literary are the oral traditions, folklore, traditional medicinal practices etc. There are also archaeological and epigraphical sources available. IKS is defined as the umbrella term for the indigenous knowledge that took root and flowered in the Indian subcontinent and includes the knowledge systems produced and practiced by all the dharma panthas (Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs), along with that of all the janajatis and vanavasis.
The Hierarchy of IKS:
adhyatma vidyaa (para) leads to shreyas, long term permanent gain - underlying wisdom of consciousness
14 vidyaasthaanas (apara) leads to preyas, long term temporary gain - theoretical wisdom impacting application
kalaa (apara) leads to preyas, long term temporary gain - based on skills and practice
This is education for the whole being and also for sustainability.
Systems: Since this vast amount of knowledge in various streams has been codified and classified with a definitive framework we call these as systems. And all the streams in these systems are complete in themselves, compact and also interconnected, paving the way of interdisciplinary studies.
The IKS systems have been kept alive by two unique pedagogical methods: guru-shishya parampara and vrddha vyavahara. The gurukula system was prevalent all across the sub continent with a school in every village funded and patronized by the village community itself. As per Dharampal’s The Beautiful Tree, a compilation of records from the British Gazettes of that time (from the Bengal and Madras Presidency), students from shoodra jati outnumbered those of the braahmaNas which can come as a surprise to many. The students were also taught Maths, Sciences, Language along with their religious texts. Thus the knowledge flowed downstream from the teacher to the student and permeated the whole land.
Knowledge was also shared informally in families which practiced a certain profession hereditarily, similar to the guilds of Germany such as shreni, sangha or gana of traders; weaving, goldsmithy, blacksmithy, agriculture, temple building, vedic chanting…and so on, all owe their knowledge pool and intellectual property to their ancestors, which gave them an unbroken knowledge tradition for safekeeping along with a non-competitive profession. Craftsmen and agriculturists were powerful organizations that shared information and resources and were more often than not very well to do.
This was before the British uprooted such gurukulams from every village and replaced it with the Macaulay recommended standard schooling system, which then started the rat race that we know of today- to learn English and get into the civil service to become a clerk and mimic the colonizer. Alas! It continues to this day. Which is where the intervention by the NEP 2020 is a welcome sign.
That India had perhaps the oldest and most enduring traditional system of education and that it was subject to multiple attacks is now known (Singh, 2022). However, what is relatively not appreciated is that the gurukulas of bhārata continue to thrive despite resistance in mainstream society. In fact they are now growing in number and innovation, once again. Before we get to public policy, let us understand the perspective of the gurukula teaching and the intergenerational knowledge flow that happened uninterrupted for thousands of years in this bharata, and continues to this day.
This is the dharma dRShTi with which every act was acted upon. This gives the IKS systems a just and righteous worldview, with which an individual’s conduct is measured, leading to a society and culture which bases itself on humane values. Keeping dharma as central to one’s being, one pursues the life’s goals enumerated as purusharthas in shaastra: dharma, artha, kaama, moksha. All humans crave for security and pleasure, and need it to survive, but doing so with righteousness is what dharma professes and after having done so, it shows us yet another goal that is unique to IKS - moksha.
This is liberation, it is freedom, in the here and now. shaastra tell us that anyone can be free from the cycle of birth and death, from the vagaries of this world this samsara, by adhering to a certain saadhana, having bhakti, doing karma yoga and applying yama-niyamas to rid oneself of raag-dvaeShas, such that one is eligible for jnana and thus moksha. To be free from any want, to be free from fear and insecurity is possible when we know that there is no other, dvaitaad vai bhayam bhavati - such a promise is permanent, it is not a temporary heavenly abode that one visits, this is a permanent awareness of oneness, that can usher in peace, harmony and love in this world.
IKS stresses on harmony with oneself, with others, and with the environment, by being more of a contributor rather than being only a consumer and also focussed on personal transformation via experiential knowledge practices. This is therefore very much in tune with the philosophy of oneness that it presupposes - the oft quoted ‘unity in diversity’ is in fact a reality that is extolled by our upanishads.
Authored by Kavita Krishna Meegama. Published by Brhat.