An overview of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS)
Did you know our Sanatan Dharma has its own curriculum like any other university degree that you get?
It’s called IKS - “Indian Knowledge Systems” & here’s the tea.
So basically, our ancestors had mapped every field of human knowledge into a system called the 14 Vidyasthanas, which literally means "abodes of knowledge."
Underneath these 14 Chaturdasha Vidyas, we had 64 Kalas - specific applied skills - giving you a complete map of every career and subject a person could pursue.
For the 14, we start with the 4 main classes or lineages of the Veda - Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharv.
And then we have the 6 Vedangas - the supporting "limbs" that let you actually decode and apply Vedic verses. They are:
1) Shiksha - phonetics, the science of correct pronunciation.
2) Vyakarana - grammar, the rules governing language.
3) Chhandas - the study of poetic schemes & metres like Gayatri and Anushtubh.
4) Nirukta - etymology, tracing the origin of words.
5) Kalpa - ritual manuals, the applied "how-to" of rites.
6) Jyotisha - astronomy and timing, including making predictions.
On top of these, we add 4 Upangas - essentially the social sciences of the ancient world. They are:
1) The Puranas, storybooks that teach us what the cosmos looks likes & which morals or ethics we should follow
2) Nyaya - the science of logic, helping us verify if our knowledge is correct.
3) Mimamsa - which explains how rituals or karmakanda should be done
4) And Dharmashastras - texts like the Manusmriti and Naradasmriti, codifying social and legal conduct.
So that's the full 14. And some traditions extend this further with 4 Upavedas, the applied sciences.
They are Ayurveda (medicine, health & long life), Dhanurveda (military science), Gandharvaveda (music and performing arts), and Arthashastra (politics and economics).
But we’re not done yet. The 64 Kalas cover from Natya (drama) to Sangita (music) to metallurgy, perfumery, and cryptography.
There’s more, we also have the 4 Upavedas, which are the practical applied sciences of our culture:
Ayurveda - medicine, health
Dhanurveda - archery, weapons & military
Arthashashtra - politics, governance, economics
Gandharvaveda - music, acting, dance (performing arts)
And then there’s Itihasa (study of history like Ramayana, Mahabharata), Kavya (poetry), Sahitya (literature).
And don’t forget the 6 Darshanas (philosophies of Hinduism like Vedanta, Yoga, Samkhya). And Tantras, Agamas (Shiva) and many more texts!
Unfortunately, centuries of invasion & disruption burned down this empire of knowledge. But many institutions are now rebuilding it brick by brick, with IKS or Indian Knowledge Systems receiving government backing under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
In fact, if all this makes you curious, I’m sharing more about it daily so follow my page & share this for more!