(गीता प्रकाशन द्वारा प्रकाशित कृत साझा संकलन "KAMPAN SHABDHOAN KA" )
Indian civilization has always attached great value to knowledge-witness its amazingly large body of intellectual texts, the world’s largest collection of manuscripts, its attested tradition of texts, thinkers and schools in so many domains of knowledge. In Srimadbhagwad Gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that knowledge is the greatest purifier and liberator of the self.[1]India’s Knowledge tradition is ancient and uninterrupted like the flow of the river Ganga, from the Vedas to Sri Aurobindo, knowledge or Jnana has been at the center of all rational and speculative inquiry in India.[2]
Three terms
are closely connected in all discussions of knowledge-darsana, janan and vidya.
Darsana, philosophy is the “system”, the point of view, which yields/leads to
jnana, knowledge. When knowledge gathered about a particular domain is
organized and systematized for purposes of, say, reflection and pedagogy, it is
called vidya, “discipline”. The entire body of organized knowledge is divided
into two sets in the Mundakopanisad- para vidya and apara vidya.[3]The
Indian Knowledge System is a rich and diverse collection of knowledge, beliefs
and practices developed over thousands of years in the Indian subcontinent. It
is rooted in the ancient texts of Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas, and has
evolved through the contributions of various civilizations and cultures.
The Indian Knowledge System also places a strong
emphasis on self-realization and inner transformation. This is achieved through
practices such as meditation, yoga, and the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
Despite the influence of modernization, the Indian Knowledge System continues
to be a vital part of India society and serves as a source of guidance and
inspiration for individuals and communities. Its teaching on compassion,
harmony, and balance have helped shape Indian Culture and continue to influence
the global community.
According to the Hindu tradition, the various philosophical ideas that
were developed in the philosophical systems originated in the Vedas, a body of
text that were composed possibly around two thousand years before Common Era.
While the Vedas contain a myriad a different themes, ranging from hymns for
deities and rules of fire sacrifices to music and magic, there is no doubt that
one finds in them an exemplary spirit of inquiry into “the one being” (akam
sat) that underlies the diversity of empirical phenomena, and into the origin
of all things (was there being or
nonbeing at the beginning). There are also predefinitions of concepts of rta
(truth or moral order), Karma and afterlife, and the three qualities (gunas),
sattva, rajas and tama, constituting nature (Prakrti). It is in the Upanisads(
a group of texts composed after the Vedas and ranging from 1000 B.C.E. to the
time of Gautama, the Buddha) that the thinking, while still retaining its
poetic flavor, develops a more strictly philosophical character.
Bharatiya Darshan may appear to be a small book by
ordinary standards but it contains a wealth of revelations about the absolute
principles of Divine Vedas, which have emanated verily from the mouth of God
Himself. The Hindu System of Knowledge of Truth or Reality are not just a
matter of traditional reverence or blind faith. It is the end product of the
most advanced and lofty thinking, and a unique special science. The Darshanas
contain the fundamental values of Sanatana Dharma or the Ancient Code of
Conduct. The Rishis and Acharyas who created all these DArshanas did so out of
their actual first-hand experiences of these Truths. All the Darshans are based
on the Vedas. The repeated application in real life of the teachings of the
Darshanas facilitates the eventual understanding of the Vedas with relative
ease. In short it may be said that application of the teachings of the Vedas,
the Upanishads and Holy Texts such as the Bhagwad Geeta and others can only be
done through the repeated practice of the reachings of these Darshans.
In
the Land of Bharath (India), there are different traditions of religion and
philosophy handed down in regular succession. Although the exposition and
interpretations of all the Darshanas are different from one another, they have
a common goal which is to acquire knowledge of the highest truth and to attain
supreme bliss. All the Darshanas have their own separate codes of conduct and
propriety. Consider a tree which has many different branches and although they
are not all alike, some being small and some being big, the flavour of all the
fruits of that tree is the same. This is because all the branches have the same
roots. In the same way, the roots of all the different Darshanas are the Vedas.
Whereas if some Darshana contains the direct testimony of the Vedas, in some
other Darshana, we will find testimony of the Vedas in an indirect way through
the traditional teachings handed down in regular succession of Acharyas of that
order. However, in all the Darshanas, we find an elaboration of the Vedas
alone. The Vedas are without beginning and they are eternal. They cannot be
comprehended fully by ordinary people. Therefore, from time-to-time, verily God
himself as well as great men have made efforts to explain the tenets or
established truths of the Vedas. As a result of their efforts, various Darshana
traditions arose and began to be passes down in regular succession.
The
word ‘darshan’ terminates in the verb ‘drush’ which is ‘to see’. The word
‘darshan’ means to know, to inspect or examine, or to view with due respect.
The Sanskrit saying ‘Drushyateanenaitidarshanam’ defines darshan as that which
enables one to see. One can see in two ways namely the large, coarse viewpoint
or the minute, subtle, and delicate viewpoint. When we see with our external
eyes, it is called the macro or coarse vision. When we see with our subtle
internal eyes, which are also termed as ‘divine eyes’, ‘the eyes of knowledge
‘, or the ‘eyes of wisdom’, it is called the micro or fine vision. The macro
and the micro visions constitute the instruments used in the study of any
subject. In other words, if any truth exists, one can determine its veracity
only by examining it with both the macro as well as micro visions.[4]
According
to the Indian System of Philosophy, 9 Darshanas or Visions are considered the
most important. These 9 Darshanas are divided into two categories. The first
category is the one which has faith in and reverence for the Vedas and
considers the Vedas as being beyond the need for proof or verification. The
other category is the one which has no belief in the Vedas and does not
consider the Vedas as infallible or authoritative and seeks independent proof.
On this basis, the Darshan Shastra or Scriptures of Indian Philosophical Vision
are divided into two main groups namely Astik or Theist (Believers) and Nastik
or Atheist (Non-believers). It is generally accepted that the Darshanas which
repose absolute faith in the authority of the Vedas and who draw conclusions
based on the heard scriptures i.e., the Vedas are the Astik Branches of Indian
Philosophy. The other category; in which the respective founder Acharyas, not
accepting the Vedas as the authority, have drawn conclusions based on their won
intellect and reasoning; constitutes the Nastik Branches of the Darshans. In
the Astik Branches there are six Darshanas as follow:
(1) Nyaya Darshan, (2) Vaisheshik Darshan, (3) Samkhya Darshan (4) Yoga Darshan (5) Purvamimamsa and (6) Uttarmimamsa.
The Nastik Branches consist of 3 Darshanas as follows: (1) Charvak Darshan, (2) Bauddha Darshan and Jain Darshan
The Nyaya
sutras attributed to Gautama, called also Aksapada, and the Vaisesika sutras
attributed to Kanada, called also Uluka, represent the same system for all
practical purposes. They are in later times considered to differ only in a few
points of minor importance. So far as the sutras are concerned the Nyaya sutras
lay particular stress on the cultivation of logic as an art, while the Vaisesika
sutras deal mostly with metaphysics and physics. The Samkhya is ascribed to a
mythical Kapila, but the earliest works on the subject are probably now lost.
The Yoga system is attributed to Patanjali and the original sutras are called
the Patanjala Yoga Sutras. The general metaphysical position of these two
systems with regard to soul, nature, cosmology and the final goal is almost the
same, and the difference lies in this that the Yoga system acknowledges a God
(Isvara) as distinct from Atman and lays much importance on certain mystical
practices (commonly known as Yoga practices) for the achievement of liberation,
whereas the Samkhya denies the existence of Isvara and thinks that sincere
philosophic thought and culture are sufficient to produce the true conviction
of the truth and thereby bring about liberation.
The
Purva Mimamsa (from the root man to think- rational conclusion) cannot properly
be spoken as a system of philosophy. It is a systematized code of principles in
accordance with which the Vedic texts are to be interpreted for purposes of
sacrifices. The Vedic texts were used as mantras (incantations) for sacrifices,
and people often disputed as to the relation of words in a sentence or their
mutual relative importance with reference to the general drift of the sentence.
The sutras of Mimamsa are attributed to Jaimini and Sabara are Kumarila Bhatta
and his pupil Prabhakara, who criticized the opinions of his master so much,
that the master used to call him guru (master) in sarcasm, and to this day his
opinions pass as guru-mata, whereas the views of Kumarila Bhatta pass as
Bhatta-mata. The Hindu Law accepts without any reservation the maxims and
principles settled and formulated by Mimamsa.
The
Vedanata sutras, also called Uttara Mimamsa, written by Badarayana, otherwise
known as the Brahma-sutras, form the original authoritative work of Vedanta.
The word Vedanta means ‘end of the Veda,’ i.e., the Upanishads, and the Vedanta
sutras are so called as they are but a summarized statement of the general
views of the Upanishads. The most famous commentator of Vedanta sutras is
Sankara and the darshan propound by him called Adwaita Vedanta.[5]
Charvak
Darshan is rooted in materialism. It accepts the direct evidence of the senses
as the only valid source of knowledge. In this world, whatever we experience
with our sense organs is deemed as direct perception. Therefore, basic matter
is regarded as the only philosophical truth in the charvak Darshan. Ishvar,
soul, heaven, hell, eternal life as also ‘maya’ or ‘cosmic illusion or
nescience’ etc are directly imperceptible. ConsequentlyCharwaks don not accept
such concepts as valid. Bauddha darshan and Jaina Darshans are contemporary.
They also don’t believe in God and authenticity of Vedas. They have their own
metaphysics and epistemology. Bauddha
Darshan and Jaina Darshana both are very famous out of India and followed by
many other countries too.
Conclusion
The Vedic Knowledge of the Truth or
Reality lies at the very root of the Bharatiya Darshana. Without knowledge of
the truth or reality, neither dharma nor the Faith or the Tradition can survive
and last. Knowledge of the Truth or Reality reveals the inherent form and
nature of that substance or living being and its secret.[6] So
Bharatiya Darshan teaches us about the origin of the world, elements and how we
can got know our reality or what we are in real. How can we get rid of worldly
sorrow.So to know our reality everyone should study Bharatiya darshan.
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[1]Srimadbhagvad Gita, 4/33, 37-38.
[2]Sri Aurobindo says in his letter, “We Indians born and bred in a country where Jnana has been stored and accumulated since the race began, bear about in us the inherited gains of many thousands of years…” India’s Rebirth,(1905), p.14.
[3] Mundakopanisad, 1/1/4.
[4]Swami Satya Prasad Dasji, ‘Indian Philosophy’, Sadguru Mhant Swami Sri DharmnandanDasji, P. 11-15.
[5]Dasgupta, Surendranath, ‘A History of Indian Philosophy’, Cambridge university press, 1969. P. 69-72
[6]Radhakrishnan S. ‘Indian Philosophy part II, Oxford University Press, 2008, P.240.
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© Dr. Rishika Verma
Assistant professor
Department of Philosophy
Hemavati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University
Srinagar (Garhwal) Uttarakhand-246174
Email Id: rishika.verma75@gmail.com
Mobile no.: 9990469933
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