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Lecture 02: Indian Knowledge System (IKS) : Concept , Sources , and Traditions — Transcript

by IIT Roorkee July 2018 · 2,573 words · 529 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00[music]
0:11[music]
0:20[music]
0:25>> So, Namaskar friends and welcome once
0:27again. We are into lecture number two.
0:30In the previous lecture we talked about
0:32soft skills and
0:34also tried to find a link between soft
0:36skills, the contemporary formulations
0:39and Indian knowledge system. Well
0:41friends, Indian knowledge system of late
0:43has emerged as one of the major concerns
0:47of Indian academic and why not? It is a
0:52treasure house of all the wisdom that is
0:55contained for ages
0:58regarding our civilization and culture.
1:01So, Indian knowledge system uh
1:04when we talk about we need to understand
1:07how do we conceptualize it, what are its
1:10sources and what are its traditions. So,
1:14Indian knowledge system
1:16for short we call it IKS, it must be
1:19understood not as a fixed canon of
1:22ancient text but as a living evolving
1:25civilizational knowledge framework
1:28that integrates philosophy, science,
1:30ethics, aesthetics and everyday
1:33practice.
1:34So, we need not to just understand that
1:37Indian knowledge system just refers to
1:39our scriptures.
1:41It is much more than that because it
1:44combines philosophy, science, ethics,
1:46aesthetics, everyday practice as well.
1:49It operates through an integrated
1:52epistemology
1:54where knowledge is always tied to life,
1:57conduct, and cosmic order. And that is
2:00why it remains relevant even now as one
2:04of the greatest scholars of modern times
2:08uh who has done extensive work in the
2:11area of IKS, Professor Kapil Kapoor
2:14argues, Indian knowledge is
2:17culturally embodied, meaning it exists
2:20simultaneously in texts, language,
2:22rituals, and lived traditions. So, it is
2:26not only about, you know, the
2:29uh texts or scripts.
2:31It is also about our traditions and our
2:36rituals and everything.
2:38So, similarly, Ananya Vajpeyi shows that
2:42Indian intellectual traditions are
2:44fundamentally concerned with the
2:46formation of the self through ethical
2:48and reflective practices rather than
2:51abstract theorization alone. So, let us
2:55try and find out when we talk about
2:59epistemology,
3:01knowledge as transformation, a
3:03distinctive feature of Indian knowledge
3:05traditions is that epistemology is
3:09inseparable from ethics and
3:11transformation. So, you know, the study
3:14of knowledge is not abstract. It is, you
3:19know, concretely grounded in our
3:21traditions, in our dispositions, in our
3:25achar vyavahar. So, the theory of
3:28pramanas, means of valid knowledge,
3:31includes perception, that is pratyaksha,
3:35inference, that is anumana,
3:37and testimony, that is sabda. But these
3:40are not merely technical categories.
3:42They are tied to how one cultivates
3:45judgment and clarity. As J.N. Mohanty
3:49emphasizes that Indian philosophy treats
3:52knowledge as a process of
3:55self-cultivation,
3:56not just cognitive acquisition.
4:00So, knowledge is not looked at as a
4:02degree. It is looked at as
4:05self-improvement
4:07or self-cultivation.
4:09Likewise, S.N. Dasgupta demonstrates
4:11that classical Indian schools
4:13engaged in rigorous debate over what
4:16constitutes valid knowledge, showing a
4:19highly developed intellectual culture.
4:22You might come across many such
4:24intellectual debates where, you know,
4:27there were shastrarth, we used to call
4:29it.
4:30And through that, knowledge was
4:32criticized, critiqued, and established.
4:35So, if we talk about Indian knowledge
4:38system, we are talking about Vedic
4:40knowledge, which is a foundation of
4:42thought, society, and skills.
4:44The Vedas represent the earliest
4:47structured
4:48articulation of Indian knowledge.
4:51But, they are not merely religious
4:53texts.
4:54They are repositories of cosmology,
4:57social organization, communication
5:00practices, and ecological awareness.
5:04Like the Rigveda's famous line,
5:07Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti.
5:10That means, truth is one, sages call it
5:13variously. So, it reflects an early
5:17commitment to pluralism and intellectual
5:20humility, which is foundational for
5:23dialogue and tolerance.
5:25In Yajurveda, with its detailed ritual
5:29instructions, it develops organizational
5:32and leadership skills,
5:34requiring coordination, timing, and
5:36collective participation. The Samaveda
5:39transforms knowledge into music,
5:42cultivating aesthetic sensibility and
5:45emotional regulation. Likewise, the
5:48Atharva Veda includes healing practices
5:51and everyday concerns, indicating a
5:54practical orientation towards well-being
5:57and health. So,
6:00Fritz Staal argues that Vedic rituals
6:03function as systems of cognitive
6:05training,
6:06enhancing memory,
6:09precision, and discipline. And so, the
6:13Vedic corpus, in a way, reveals that
6:16early Indian knowledge was already
6:18concerned with communication,
6:20leadership, emotional intelligence, and
6:23well-being, not just metaphysical
6:27speculation. And that is why they're so
6:30important when we talk about soft
6:33skills. The second storehouse of Indian
6:38knowledge system has been the
6:40Upanishads.
6:41Upanishads, self-knowledge and inner
6:44leadership. Upanishads make a shift from
6:47external ritual to internal reflection
6:50and philosophical inquiry, redefining
6:54knowledge as self-realization.
6:57So, statements such as
6:59Tat Tvam Asi, that is that thou art,
7:03from the Chandogya Upanishad, emphasizes
7:06the unity of individual and universal
7:09reality. Patrick Olivelle explains that
7:12the Upanishads initiated a tradition of
7:16introspective
7:17inquiry, where knowledge is gained
7:20through dialogue, questioning, and
7:22contemplation,
7:24rather than authority alone. Friends, if
7:28we look at the way we function in modern
7:31world, the group discussions, the
7:34meetings, the informal discussions, they
7:38all point to the fact that if we need to
7:42take an informed decision, we need to
7:45discuss to gain insight into a matter,
7:48which is so explicitly
7:51contained in our Upanishads.
7:54So, this has profound implications for
7:57leadership and soft skills. The
7:59Upanishadic ideal is not a commanding
8:02figure, but a self-aware, composed
8:05individual
8:07capable of clarity under pressure.
8:10The third source we can talk about are
8:13our epics. Ethical complexity and
8:16applied knowledge are contained in these
8:21epics. So much so that they continue to
8:24guide us even today. And whenever there
8:28are very complicated situations where we
8:31are not able to take take an informed
8:34decision,
8:35we refer to these uh epics and we find
8:40answers to our problems. The Indian
8:43epics function as applied knowledge
8:46systems presenting ethical dilemmas,
8:49leadership challenges, and social
8:52conflicts in narrative form. In the
8:55Mahabharata, the phrase Yato Dharmastato
8:58Jayah,
8:59where there is Dharma, there is victory.
9:02So, they are talking about practicing
9:06something that is lawful, that is
9:09truthful, that is
9:11moral, that is ethical,
9:13and that will only ensure victory. So,
9:17it encapsulates the idea that ethical
9:20alignment, not immediate success,
9:23determines true outcomes.
9:26The Bhagavad Gita, one of the
9:28overarching, you know, uh treatises
9:32uh to come out of
9:34the preachings of Lord Krishna during
9:36Mahabharata you know
9:39is considered to be all providing and in
9:43fact has answers to all our questions.
9:47It addresses decision-making under
9:49crisis
9:51where Arjuna must act despite moral
9:53ambiguity. In the Ramayana, leadership
9:56is framed through relational ethics.
9:59Ram's decision
10:01you know, his his decisions emphasize
10:04duty, restraint, and responsibility. At
10:07the same time, Hanuman's role highlights
10:10communication excellence, loyalty, and
10:12emotional intelligence. So, Paula
10:15Richman shows how multiple Ramayana
10:17traditions reinterpret these values,
10:21demonstrating the adaptability of
10:23ethical knowledge. So, these epics have
10:26been
10:27interpreted and reinterpreted in
10:29different in Indian traditions and they
10:32have all found them relevant despite
10:36diverse conditions. Niti and Artha
10:39traditions, we can talk about pragmatic
10:42intelligence.
10:43Texts like Arthashastra and Panchatantra
10:46present a shift towards pragmatic and
10:49strategic knowledge. The Arthashastra
10:52provides detailed insights into
10:54governance, diplomacy, and risk
10:57management emphasizing realistic
11:00assessment of power and human behavior.
11:03Roger Walsh describes Kautilya as one of
11:07the earliest political realists. So,
11:11even now, Arthashastra can provide us
11:15insights into some strategic decisions
11:20that we take as part of uh companies or
11:24professionals. The Panchatantra through
11:27storytelling teaches communication
11:29strategy, foresight, and adaptability
11:32making complex ideas accessible.
11:35Bhartrihari's Niti Shataka, as I
11:38referred to in the earlier lecture as
11:41well,
11:42it adds a reflective dimension focusing
11:46on self-control and
11:48speech ethics and social conduct. So,
11:51together these texts show that IKS
11:54includes a strong tradition of applied
11:58intelligence, decision-making,
12:00persuasion, leadership, and social
12:03navigation
12:05and can come handy in broadening our
12:08understanding of soft skills
12:12and cultivation of many of these soft
12:14skills and their successful implication
12:18implementation in our professional life.
12:21We can also talk about the other
12:24traditions in IKS, that is Natya
12:27Shastra. Natya Shastra, rasa and
12:30effective knowledge, emotions as ways of
12:33knowing. The Natya Shastra is much more
12:36than a manual
12:37on drama or dance, as many people
12:40believe. It is one of the most
12:42sophisticated text in Indian knowledge
12:45system for understanding emotions,
12:48communication
12:50communication embodiment, and societal
12:54or social cognition. So, it is
12:56attributed to Bharat Muni.
12:58It theorizes natya, performance
13:01as a knowledge system that educates
13:04perception, refines sensibility, and
13:08disciplines emotional life.
13:10So, you know, we talk about
13:12communication skill. Now, communication
13:15skill is a performance and if the
13:19communication skill is not refined
13:23if it is not emotionally balanced or
13:27disciplined, then obviously there is a
13:30danger of miscommunication.
13:33So, the most influential contribution of
13:37Natya Shastra
13:38is the theory of rasa, which is often
13:41translated as aesthetic release or
13:45effective essence or emotional savor.
13:48So, emotions are not random
13:50psychological states, but structured,
13:53communicable, and cultivable
13:56experiences.
13:58So, friends, if you want to be
14:00successful in your relationships, your
14:02communication has to be proper. And for
14:05proper communication, understanding the
14:08mood of communication is very, very
14:11important. And in that, our
14:14understanding of rasa can really, you
14:17know, make it effective. Through the
14:20interplay of vibhava, that is
14:22determinants, or anubhava, that is
14:25consequence, and uh vyabhichari bhava,
14:29that is transitory states, performance
14:32generates a refined emotional cognition
14:36in the spectator. So, when we talk
14:38about, you know, our communication being
14:41audience-specific,
14:43understanding of audience, engagement of
14:46audience
14:47is very, very important. So, this means
14:51rasa is not feeling in a casual sense.
14:54It is an epistemology of affect where
14:57knowledge emerges through embodied
15:00emotional experience. Selden Pollock
15:03interprets rasa theory as a profound
15:05system of emotional cognition and shared
15:09interiority,
15:11where the audience learns not by
15:13abstract propositions, but by inhabiting
15:17emotional worlds. Similarly, Kapila
15:20Vatsyayan argues that the Natya Shastra
15:24reveals how performance functions as a
15:27civilizational pedagogy training
15:30communities in ethical feeling and
15:33social perception. So friends, this is
15:36again a very powerful treatise in the
15:40study of soft skills. Then
15:43vernacularization as epistemic shift.
15:47The emergence of bhakti and vernacular
15:49traditions. Vernacular traditions are
15:51our native regional traditions. So the
15:54emergence of bhakti and vernacular
15:56traditions marks a major epistemic
15:59transformation in our Indian knowledge
16:01system where authority shifts from
16:04text-based knowledge to lived
16:07experiential
16:08and linguistically accessible forms.
16:12This is not merely a linguistic change
16:15but a restructuring of who can produce,
16:18access,
16:19and validate knowledge. So sort of
16:22democratization of knowledge.
16:25Sheldon Pollock conceptualizes this as a
16:28process of vernacularization.
16:31Where regional languages like Tamil,
16:33Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, uh Bengali,
16:37they all become vehicles of intellectual
16:40and spiritual discourse.
16:43This shift challenges the earlier
16:44monopoly of Sanskrit as the language of
16:47knowledge and ritual authority. The
16:51Tamil bhakti corpus, particularly the
16:54Nayanmars and
16:56uh Alvars, represents one of the
16:58earliest examples of this
17:01transformation. Texts like Divya
17:04Prabandham articulate intense emotional
17:07experience in the vernacular, collapsing
17:10the distance between the sacred and the
17:13everyday.
17:14Similarly, in North India, figures like
17:17Kabir and Ravidas critique the ritualism
17:20and exclusivity
17:22of textual knowledge system. Kabir's
17:25couplets reject both the scriptural
17:28orthodoxy and institutional religion,
17:31and they are
17:33based on the experiences of life, and
17:37although apparently they look so simple,
17:41they are so in-depth. For instance, both
17:50So, what cannot be learned by, you know,
17:54reading volumes of books can be learned
17:57in the school of life.
18:00The compassion, the love, the kindness
18:03can teach us more than a thousand books.
18:07So,
18:08Bhakti as embodied knowledge,
18:10experience, emotions, social critique,
18:13Charlotte Baudville argues that Kabir's
18:16poetry creates a counter discourse to a
18:19scriptural authority, privileging
18:21experience, anubhav,
18:24over textuality, that is shastra. So,
18:27Bhakti traditions foreground embodied,
18:30affective, and relational modes of
18:33knowing, where devotion, Bhakti, becomes
18:36a legitimate epistemological path.
18:39Unlike Vedic ritualism or Upanishadic
18:43abstraction, Bhakti locates knowledge in
18:46emotion, experience, and everyday
18:49practice. For instance, the Tamil poet
18:52saint Andal expresses devotion through
18:55intimate personal longing, transforming
18:59theology into lived emotional
19:02experience. Similarly, Tukaram's
19:06abhangas in Marathi articulate ethical
19:10reflection, social critique, and a
19:13spiritual insight in everyday language.
19:16Karen
19:17Basil's notes that bhakti reconfigures
19:22knowledge as relational between devotee
19:25and divine rather than hierarchical or
19:28institutional.
19:29Then oral and ecological knowledge
19:31systems, memory, environment, and lived
19:34epistemologies.
19:35A defining feature of our Indian
19:37knowledge system is that this knowledge
19:39is not confined to written text. Rather,
19:43it is transmitted, preserved, and
19:46transformed through oral, performative,
19:49and ecological practices and traditions
19:51as well.
19:52So, the Vedic tradition itself was
19:54preserved for centuries
19:56through highly sophisticated oral
19:59techniques.
20:01We used to call them shruti. Shruti
20:04means that which is heard.
20:06And smriti, that which is remembered.
20:10So, recitation methods such as
20:12Ghanapatha ensured phonetic precision
20:16and error correction, demonstrating that
20:19orality was not inferior
20:22to writing,
20:24but a rigorous knowledge system in its
20:27own right. And as Frits Staal argues
20:32again that Vedic oral traditions
20:34represent one of the most complex
20:37mnemonic and cognitive systems in human
20:41history, where knowledge is preserved
20:44through
20:45patterned repetition, rhythm, and
20:48embodied practice.
20:50Plurality, Shastrarth, and knowledge
20:53through debate. So, Indian knowledge
20:55system evolved not through consensus,
20:58but through a structured disagreement,
21:00dialogic inquiry, and formal debate
21:03traditions. As I said, it It quite
21:06democratic that way where not one
21:10tradition tried to dominate other
21:12traditions rather the knowledge was
21:15cultivated through debates and inquiries
21:18and dialogues.
21:20So, in fact much of the Indian
21:22textuality from the Upanishadic dialogue
21:25to Buddhistic scholasticism,
21:28then logic, Nyaya, inference, Mimamsa,
21:32hermeneutics
21:34and Vedantic commentaries
21:37is fundamentally shaped by argument and
21:40counter argument. The classical
21:42institution for this is Sastrarth. So,
21:46there used to be Sastrarth in which
21:48people used to present their views and
21:52used to counter each other's views and
21:55then ultimately they used to converge at
21:58a certain point resulting in the
22:02knowledge that was enriched by their
22:06arguments and their dialogues.
22:09So, we find that the classical
22:11institution for this was Sastrarth, a
22:15disciplined mode of philosophical debate
22:17in which rival schools tested their
22:21claims through logic, script- scriptural
22:24interpretations and experiential
22:28reasoning. Traditional forms of Vad
22:31that is truth-oriented
22:34debate, Jalpa that is competitive
22:38debate,
22:39and Vitanda
22:41pure refutation. They show that
22:43disagreement itself was methodologically
22:48theorized in our Indian
22:50tradition. Commentary as debate, the
22:53textual DNA of Indian thought. While
22:55many civilizations possess debate
22:57traditions, the Indian case stands out
23:00because entire knowledge system is
23:03structurally structurally built upon
23:07commentary, reputation, and
23:09sub-commentary. Adi Shankaracharya
23:12comments on the Upanishads, Brahma
23:14Sutras, and Bhagavad Gita while debating
23:17Mimamsa and Buddhist schools. Then,
23:21Kumarila Bhatta develops his arguments
23:24largely through reputation of
23:27Buddhist epistemology.
23:29Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika
23:33is itself a text built on dismantling
23:37metaphysical positions
23:39through dialectic device. Abhinavagupta
23:43reworks Bharata's rasa theory
23:46through extensive reinterpretation.
23:48Even bhakti poets
23:50debate a scriptural authority through
23:54verse. A bhasya is not simply
23:57explanatory.
23:59is often something that becomes
24:02more philosophically influential than
24:05the base text itself. Bhasya was the
24:08commentary. Commentary on the original
24:10text. Jonardon Ganeri calls this the
24:14argumentative
24:15texture of Indian thought, where ideas
24:18remain alive
24:20precisely because
24:22they remain contestable. So, at no point
24:26in time the thought process stops or
24:30rigidity in thought process comes. It
24:33flows like a flowing river, and you
24:36know, keeps on
24:38replicating itself. So, uh this is about
24:43the Indian knowledge system, dear
24:46friends. These are the rich sources from
24:49which we will draw our inferences
24:52while talking about different facets of
24:55soft skills. These are the references
24:59for your understanding and further
25:01reading. We will continue this
25:03discussion in the next class when we
25:05take up another topic relating to soft
25:09skills and we'll try to understand it
25:12using our knowledge of Indian knowledge
25:15system. So till then, thank you very
25:18much.
25:20>> [music]
25:34[music]
25:39[music]

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