Caturdasavidyasthanas
An Introduction
With the advent of Western Education, the ancient Indian traditional learning went into oblivion. As a result, the native people of Bharatavarsha are, more or less, ignorant about their rich traditional resources of knowledge. This Indica Course is an effort to attempt the revival of our great tradition.
It is our great fortune to have “Mahamahopadhyaya”, “Sastra Bhaskara” Dr. Korada Subrahmanyam initiate learners into this exercise.
So if you are a learner keen on an understanding of our fourteen विद्यास्थानानि, this is the course for you.
Faculty
Fourteen abodes of Knowledge ( चतुर्दशविद्यास्थनानि ) are enumerated in याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृति ( 1-3 ):
पुराणन्यायमीमांसाधर्मशास्त्राङ्गमिश्रिताः । वेदाः स्थानानि विद्यायाः धर्मस्य च चतुर्दश ॥
विष्णुपुराणम् (3-6-29 ) adds four उपवेदाः
अङ्गानि वेदाश्चत्वारो मीमांसान्यायविस्तरः । पुराणं धर्मशास्त्रं च विद्याह्येताश्चतुर्दश ॥
आयुर्वेदो धनुर्वेदो गान्धर्वश्चेत्यनुक्रमात् । अर्थशास्त्रं परं तस्मात् विद्या ह्यष्टादश स्मृताः ॥
There are
- Four / five वेदाः — ऋग्वेद – शुक्लयजुर्वेद – कृष्णयजुर्वेद – सामवेद – अथर्ववेद ।
- Six वेदाङ्गानि — शिक्षा – व्याकरणम् – छन्दः – निरुक्तम् – ज्योतिषम् – कल्पः ।
- Six आस्तिकदर्शनानि — सांख्य – योग – न्याय – वैशेषिक – पूर्वमीमांसा – उत्तरमीमांसा ( वेदान्तः ) ।
- Six नास्तिकदर्शनानि – चार्वाक- बौद्ध ( 4 ) – जैन । Eighteen पुराणानि ।
- Four उपवेदाः – आयुर्वेद् – धनुर्वेद – गान्धर्ववेद – अर्थशास्त्रम् ।
With the advent of Western Education, the ancient Indian traditional learning went into oblivion. Native people of Bharatavarsha have simply forgotten the rich traditional resources of knowledge.
Each one of the above listed system is an ocean by itself and all of them are, in fact, intertwined.
As highlighted in the first verse above, these are not only to be considered as abodes of knowledge but also abodes of धर्म, a concept unique in Indian tradition , which is नित्य / immutable.
Instead of blaming the past, it is better to try for the revival of the great tradition. This Indica Course is being offered against this background.
Learners will gain information related to all fourteen विद्यास्थानानि ।
Other विद्यास्थानानि, viz नास्तिकदर्शनानि and उपवेदाः will also be touched upon.
Faculty
Prof. Korada Subrahmanyam
“Mahamahopadhyaya”, “Sastra Bhaskara”Dr. Korada Subrahmanyam is the recipient of the “Vedavyasa Sammanam”.
He served at the Center for Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies (CALTS) since October 1988.
He studied the texts of 18 Vidyasthanas as per the Gurukulapaddhati, from the age of five, and went on to set an example as an excellent blend of Oriental and Occidental types of Education.
He completed Bhashapraveena (Telugu & Sanskrit – 1975) and joined Andhra University Sanskrit Department in 1976, from where he received his Doctorate in Vyakarana in 1982. His Doctorate Thesis won the Best Thesis Award.
Dr. Subrahmanyam has been a recipient of numerous medals and prizes throughout his academic journey.