Siksha Sarovar

Siksha Sarovar (sikshasarovar.com) is a free educational web application that helps students in India learn programming and prepare for academic and competitive exams. The platform offers structured coding courses (C, C++, Python, Java, HTML, CSS, PHP, Power BI, AI, Machine Learning, Data Science), complete university curriculum notes for BCA/MCA students with previous year question papers, Class 10 and Class 12 CBSE/HBSE school notes, and dedicated preparation material for SSC, UPSC, Banking, Railway and other government exams. Browsing the site is completely free and requires no account. Users may optionally sign in with Google solely to save their learning progress, quiz scores and personal preferences across devices.

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Siksha Sarovar is a free e-learning platform for coding courses, BCA university notes and competitive exam preparation. Optional Google sign-in saves your learning progress across devices.

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1.1 Introduction to Indian Knowledge System

Lesson 1 of 26 in the free Introduction to Indian Knowledge System notes on Siksha Sarovar, written by Rohit Jangra.

What is the Indian Knowledge System (IKS)?

The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is the vast, interconnected body of wisdom, methods, and disciplines that developed in the Indian subcontinent over more than 5,000 years. Unlike modern Western knowledge which tends to fragment subjects into silos, IKS treats knowledge as an integrated whole — uniting philosophy, science, art, ethics, and spirituality.

Two Fundamental Categories of Knowledge

Ancient Indian thinkers classified all knowledge into two great streams:

CategorySanskrit TermMeaningExamples
Higher KnowledgePara VidyaKnowledge of the Eternal/Absolute (Self, Brahman)Upanishads, Vedanta, Yoga
Lower / Practical KnowledgeApara VidyaKnowledge of the empirical worldMathematics, Astronomy, Ayurveda, Grammar, Logic

Importantly, Apara Vidya is not "inferior" — it is the means by which one prepares the mind for Para Vidya.

The 14 + 4 = 18 Branches of Vidya

According to the Vishnu Purana and other texts, classical Indian education recognised 18 Vidyas (knowledge branches):

        ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
        │           18 VIDYAS (Knowledge)             │
        ├──────────────────┬──────────────────────────┤
        │   14 Para-Vidyas │      4 Upa-Vidyas        │
        │   (Foundational) │      (Applied/Skill)     │
        ├──────────────────┼──────────────────────────┤
        │ 4 Vedas          │ Ayurveda (Medicine)      │
        │ 6 Vedangas       │ Dhanurveda (Defence)     │
        │ Mimamsa          │ Gandharvaveda (Arts)     │
        │ Nyaya            │ Arthashastra (Economics) │
        │ Dharmashastra    │                          │
        │ Puranas          │                          │
        └──────────────────┴──────────────────────────┘

Why Study IKS Today?

  1. Indigenous Innovation: Concepts like zero, decimal system, plastic surgery, and yoga originated here.
  2. Holistic Worldview: IKS sees the human, society, and nature as one continuous fabric — a perspective desperately needed in the age of climate crisis.
  3. Civilisational Continuity: Unlike many ancient cultures (Egyptian, Mesopotamian) whose traditions died out, the Indian tradition is still living — its languages, texts, and practices remain in active use.
  4. Ethics and Values: Concepts of Dharma, Ahimsa, Satya offer ready-made ethical frameworks for modern decision-making.

Course Objectives

  • To provide an overview of different knowledge systems originated in India.
  • To introduce a comprehensive understanding of Indian ethics and values.