Introduction to Indian Knowledge

System
 Module 1
Bharatavarsha- A Land of Rare
Natural Endowments

Lecture 1.
The idea of Bharatavarsha
 Bharatvarsha
❑Bharatvarsha" is an ancient name for the Indian
subcontinent, which includes present-day India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of
Afghanistan.

❑The term "Bharatvarsha" has its roots in Hindu

mythology and historical texts.
 Bharatvarsha
❑Bharatvarsha is a translation of the Vedic word
Bharata, which signifies Bharata's homeland

❑ The phrase, which had its beginnings in the Vedic

era, developed subsequently, during the Epic and
Puranic eras.
 Bharatvarsha
❑Later, the same geographic area was referred to as
Hindustan, and during the British era, this region
became known as India.
 Bharatvarsha in Vedic, Epic and Puranic texts
❑The name Bharatvarsha comes from the mythical
emperor Bharata, who is thought to have governed
over an extensive region.

❑Bharatvarsha is frequently portrayed as a sacred

land connected to numerous deities, sages, and key
events in Hindu mythology and religious writings
including the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
 Bharatvarsha in Vedic, Epic and Puranic texts
❑The concept of Bharatvarsha has changed over the
years as various civilizations, empires, and
kingdoms have shaped the history of the area.

❑Powerful empires like the Mauryas, Guptas, and

Mughals rose and fell in ancient India, leaving a
mark on the country and its inhabitants
 Bharatvarsha in Vedic, Epic and Puranic texts
❑Bharatvarsha has a long history of blending various
languages, faiths, and cultural customs.

❑ Major religions including Hinduism, Buddhism,

Jainism, and Sikhism have called it home

❑ Islam, Christianity, and other religions have all

arrived in the country and had an impact, creating a
diverse tapestry of customs and beliefs.
 Bharatvarsha in Vedic, Epic and Puranic texts
❑The idea of a united India has frequently been
linked to the concept of Bharatvarsha.

❑Many Indian independence activists and

visionaries, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal
Nehru, and Subhash Chandra Bose, were inspired
by the concept of Bharatvarsha.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
❑ India,or Bharatvarsha, is a country with
exceptional natural resources.

1.Forests:India has a significant forest cover that

includes a variety of forest types, including
mangrove forests, deciduous forests, and tropical
rainforests.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
2.River and Waterbodies: India has a vast network
of rivers, including well-known ones like the Ganga,
Brahmaputra, and Yamuna, which are essential for
irrigation, the production of hydroelectric power, and
transportation.
The nation is also renowned for its beautiful lakes,
including as Vembanad Lake in Kerala, Chilika Lake
in Odisha, and Dal Lake in Kashmir.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
The three major Himalayan rivers, the Ganga, the
Sindhu, and the Brahmaputra, as well as their
tributaries, carry a significant amount of silt that
supports life into India

The silt of the Himalayas generated the Sindhu

Ganga plain, the most fertile region of its size in the
world.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
3. Coastal Areas:India has a long, 7,500-kilometer
coastline that is home to beautiful beaches, plains
along the shore, and mangrove forests.

The spectacular marine biodiversity found in the

Gulf of Mannar, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
and the Lakshadweep Islands is well known.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
The western plain, known as the Konkan in its
higher and Malabar in its lower portions, is rather
small, with an average width of only around 70
kilometers.

The eastern plain is wider and is covered by the

Kalinga, Andhra, and Cholamandalam regions from
the north to the south.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
4. Himalayan Range:The highest mountain range in
the world is the Himalayas

The three highest points on Earth's surface are found

there: Gowri-Shankar, commonly known as Mount-
Everest, at 29,141 feet (8848 m), Kanchenjunga, at
28,150 feet (8598 m), and K2, at 28,150 feet (8598
m).
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
5.Deserts and Arid regions:One of the greatest
desert areas in the world is India's Thar Desert,
which is situated in the country's northwest.

The desert also displays a rich cultural tapestry

thanks to its nomadic communities, festivals, and
folk traditions.
 A Land of Rare Natural Endowments
6.Natural Wonders :The Western Ghats, the Nilgiri
Mountains, the Dhauladhar Range, and the rock
formations of Hampi are just a few of the
breathtaking natural wonders that can be found in
India.
These attractions offer breathtaking views in
addition to having historical and cultural
significance.
 Learning from lecture 1
❑The natural resources of India are of enormous
ecological and cultural worth.

❑ Bharatvarsha's rich natural history adds to its

appeal as a travel destination for adventurers,
nature lovers, and those who like wildlife from all
over the world.
 Exercise
Q1. State importance of Indian Knowledge (2M)

Q2. Explain the idea behind Bharatavarsha(5M)

Q3. Enlist and explain Rare Natural Endowments of

Bharatvarsha(5M)
THANK YOU
 The VEDA

❖The Vedas are the lengthy collections of sacred

writing that go back to ancient India and are written in
Vedic Sanskrit.
❖According to legend, the Vedas were verbally
transmitted from one generation to the next. As a
result, they are often referred to as Shruti (श्रतु ि )
 Types of VEDA

There are four types of VEDA.

1) Rig Veda (ऋग वेद )
2) Sama Veda (साम वेद )
3) Yajur Veda (यजवु ेद )
4) Atharva Veda (अथवववेद )
 Importance of VEDA

Rig Veda (ऋग वेद )

It comprise a knowledge of the culture, rituals,
cosmology, and philosophy of ancient India.
Sama Veda (साम वेद )

The Samaveda is a compilation of chants and melodies

derived from the Rigveda
 Importance of VEDA

Yajur Veda (यजवु ेद )

The Yajurveda contains passages and directions for

carrying out sacrifice ceremonies.

The Krishna (Black) Yajurveda and the Shukla

(White) Yajurveda are its two principal branches.
 Importance of VEDA

Atharva Veda (अथवववेद )

It includes a variety of content, such as prayers,

spells, healing methods, and philosophical musings.
 Vedic Literature

The Vedic literature can be classified into the

following categories:
1)The four Vedas (चार वेद )
2)The Brahmanas (ब्राह्मण)
3)The Aranyakas (आरण्यक )
4)The Upanishads (उपतितिदा)
 The Brahmanas (ब्राह्मण)

They are a type of Sanskrit literature that are

embedded within each Veda that employs myths and
stories to explain and advise Brahmins on how to
perform Vedic rituals.
 The Aranyakas (आरण्यक )

In Sanskrit Aarnyak means Forest Books.

They interpret sacrifice rites in a symbolic and

philosophical manner
 4)The Upanishads (उपतितिदा)

Upanishida means Wisdom. There are total 108

Upanishidas. Upanishads play a significant role in
elucidating the ideas of "Atman" and "Brahman.
 The Itihaas : Ramayan and Mahabharat

There are two Hindu epics which are considered as

crucial works for providing moral and Philosophical
directions. RAMAYAN & MAHABHARAT
 RAMAYAN

❖King Dasharath had four sons , Ram being the

oldest one.

❖However, he spent fourteen years in exile as a

result of conflict in his family.
 RAMAYAN
❖He willingly left for exile along with his wife Sita
and his younger brother Lakshmana as a
responsible son.
❖Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the demon king of
Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka), while Sita was in
exile.
 RAMAYAN

❖In his search for Sita, Rama befriended Hanuman,

a monkey-human god, who was a great help to the
prince.

❖Finally, after a bloody battle, they were successful

in taking down Ravana and rescuing Sita
 RAMAYAN

Sita had to walk through fire to demonstrate her

chastity before Rama was willing to take her back,
thus this was not the end of the story. Fortunately,
she was able to do so and was unharmed thanks to
the assistance of the gods.
 MAHABHARAT

The Hastinapura Kingdom's struggle between two

bands of brothers, which culminates in a huge battle,
is essentially the subject of the Mahabharata

The five sons of Pandu, the legitimate ruler of the

Hastinapura Kingdom, are known as the Pandavas
 MAHABHARAT

ARJUN,YUDHISTIRA, BHIM, NAKUL SAHDEV

were five pandavas (Son of Pandu)

Kauravas are Pandu's older blind brother Dhritarashtra's

one hundred sons. DURYODHANA, the oldest of the
Kauravas, serves as the narrative's main antagonist.
 MAHABHARAT

Yudhistira bet everything and lost when Duryodhana

called the Pandavas to a dice game.

As a result, the Pandavas were forced to spend a

total of thirteen years in exile, during which time
they prepared for battle.
 Life lesson from RAMAYAN

Value Unity and Relationships .

Embrace All.

Stay Away from Negative People.

Forgiveness Trumps Revenge.

Victory of Good over Evil.

 Life lesson from MAHABHARAT

Stand by what's right; even fight for it.

Half knowledge can be dangerous.

The eternal bond of friendship.

Bad company can ruin your life beyond imagination.

 SHLOKA

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते र्ा फलेषु कदाचन ।

र्ा कर्मफलहे तुर्ुर्
म ाम ते संगोऽस््वकर्मणि ॥
अर्ामत तेरा कर्म करने र्ें ही अधिकार है , उसके फलों र्ें
कर्ी नहीं। इसललए तू फल की दृष्टि से कर्म र्त
कर और न ही ऐसा सोच की फल की
आशा के बिना कर्म क्यों करं
 EXERCISE

Q1) Differentiate between the Itihasa and

Vedas(2M)

Q2) Discuss the two epics of Ramayana and

Mahabharata.(5M)
THANK YOU
 Module 1
Bharatavarsha- A Land of Rare
Natural Endowments

Lecture 2.
The Puranas & Upnishads
(पुराि व ् उपननषषदा)
 PURAN

Puranas are a collection of myths, mythologies,

genealogy, cosmologies, and stories about numerous
gods and heroes.

There are 18 significant Puranas.

 PURAN

1) Vishnu Puran 2) Bhagavta Puran 3) Shiv Puran 4)

Narad Puran 5) Skanda Puran 6) Vayu Puran 7) Garaud
Puran 8) Matsya Puran 9)Padma Puran 10) Agni Puran
11)Brahma Puran 12)Varah Puran 13) Linga Puran 14)
Vaman Puran 15)Kurma Puran 16)Markandey Puran
17)Brahma Vaivarta Puran 18)Brahmanda Puran.
 Upanishida
The Upanishads are a body of mystical and philosophical
writings that are regarded as the pinnacle of Vedic wisdom.

In the Upanishads, sages and seekers converse on issues

including the nature of reality (Brahman), one's identity
(Atman), their connection to the collective unconscious, and
the routes to self-realization and release (Moksha).
 Upanishida
Chhandogya Mandukya
Svetasvatara Prasna
Mundaka Kena
Maitri Katha
Aitareya Isa
Kaushitaki Brihadaranyaka
Taittiriya
 Upanishida

1)Chandogya Upanishad: It is a sanskrit texts

embedded in Chandogya Brahmana of the Sama
Veda of Hinduism. It includes concepts of Chanting
of Aum, Good and Evil, space, spirituality.
 Upanishida

2)Svetasvatara Upanishad : The Svetasvatara

Upanishad derives its name from the sage who
taught it.

This Upanishad teaches the unity of the souls and

world in the one Supreme Reality.
 Upanishida

3) Mundaka Upanishad: This book is a part of the

Atharva Veda as well. The name derives from the
verb "mund," which means "to shave," suggesting
that anyone who comprehends the Upanishads has
been stripped of their ignorance.
 Upanishida

4) Maitri Upanishad:

This makes mention to the Hindu trinity of gods—

Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma—as well as the transient
nature of the world.
 Upanishida

5) Aitareya Upanishad: This is a verse from the Rig

Veda. The goal is to remove the reader from the
superficial aspects of the actual act and help him
realize the underlying significance of the yagnya
(fire rite).
 Upanishida
6) Kausitaki Brahmana Upanishad:
This text's primary focus is on demonstrating how
knowledge is the key to liberation.
 Upanishida

7) Taittriya Upanishad: This Upanishad, which is a

segment of the Yajur Veda, is divided into three
vallis. While Brahmananda valli and Bhrigu valli
focus on self-realization, the shiksha valli addresses
the phonetics of the chants.
 Upanishida

8) Mandukya Upanishad: The Mandukya is a

beautiful treatise that discusses the concept of Aum
and its importance in many states of being, including
waking, dreaming, and sleep without dreams.
 Upanishida

9) Prashna Upanishad: This Atharva Vedic text is

titled Prashna, which is Sanskrit for "question.

10) Kena Upanishad: The name of this Upanishad

comes from the first word kena, or by whom
 Upanishida

11) Katha Upanishad :This Upanishad, which is also

known as the Kathakopanishad, uses a tale (katha)
about a young Brahmana boy named Nachiketa and
Yamaraja to illuminate the realities of this world and
other realms.
 Upanishida

12) Isha Upanishad: The Absolute's relationship to

the world (Paramatma) is highlighted.

13) Brhadaranyaka Upanishad: Most people agree

that the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is the most
significant of all the Upanishads.
 Difference between Vedas and Puranas

The Puranas are collections of religious legends,

whereas the Vedas are the sacred text that has been
passed down orally. Vedas are Shruti scriptures, which
translates to mean that they were written down based on
what was "heard." Puranas, in contrast, are Smriti,
which means "what is remembered."
 Exercise

Q1) Explain The Purnas.(2M)

Q2) Difference between Vedas and Puranas.(2M)

Q3) Discuss the all the 13 Upnishads.(5M)