Vedic Texts and The Knowledge Systems of India

Indian knowledge Systems and the Veda doctrines of Advaita in the Vedic Hymns Vedic texts and the philosophical systems of India A quest for nationalism in the Vedas exploring the Mandala of Visvamitra in the Rgveda Vedic roots of Spirituality and Bhakti Vedic texts and the Buddhist Law of Karma Vedic Texts and literary tradition of Sacrifices in Brahmanas, Reflections of the Vedic Ideas/Ideals on the Sculpture, Painting and Architecture of India, Vedic Episodes in Malayalam poetry, Rituals of Yajna in Kutiyattam Purappatu, Influence of Vedic traditions on Indian culture an overview divino cosmic power of Tapas in the rgveda Secularism problems and challenges the importance of Vedic studies.

Dr. C.M. Neelakandhan
B. 1952, M.A. Sanskrit Sahitya (University of Calicut, 1975), First class and First Rank, M. Phil. Sanskrit (Kerala University, 1976), Ph.D. Sanskrit (University of Calicut, 1985), teacher for 31 Years. Now Reader in Sahitya and Reader in charge of Vedic Studies at S.S.U.S., Kalady, Kerala. Guided many students for M. Phil and Ph.D., discovered several unpublished works in Sanskrit, participated and presented papers in many national and international seminars, delivered lecture series in many Universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Karnataka University, Dharwar. Published / edited 12 books and several research papers. Member / Chairman of Statutory Bodies and Doctoral Committees of several Universities. Organized many national seminars, workshops, short term courses and public lectures. Member / Chairman of many cultural organizations. Co-ordinator of the National Seminar on Vedic Studies at Kadavallur Anyonyam, Kerala from 2002 onwards. Has carried out successfully many projects of national and international importance like the audio/vedio documentation of the Keraliya Jaiminiya Sämaveda tradition for 95 hours for the S.S.U.S., Kalady. Has won many awards.

Dr. K. A. Ravindran
B.1968, M.A. Sanskrit Sahitya first class and second rank (Calicut University, 1990), M.Phil. Sanskrit (Calicut University, 1993). Sub-editor of the revised third edition of the Sanskrit - Malayalam dictionary of Kanippayyur Sankaran Namboothirippad. Now senior lecturer in Sanskrit Sahitya, S.S.U.S. Kalady and working partly in the department of Vedic Studies. Ph.D. in Sanskrit in 2005 from 5.513.5., Kalady. Author/editor of five works. Co-ordinator of many workshops and National seminars.

School of Vedic Studies was started in Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady in 1997, along with some other similar Schools of study and research. It was one of the objectives of this school of study and research on Vedas, to collect, preserve and publish Vedic and allied texts which are still kept in the manuscript form. Accordingly the research project of audio/video documentation and preservation of the Jaiminrya Samaveda chanting tradition followed by the Kerala Namboothiris was successfully completed in two phases as its first major project. The whole matter containing 95 CDs is now kept in the Library of S.S.U.S. Kalady and is available for academic and research purposes. The recorded CDs contain only chanting in Mpeg format in its original form. They have to be converted into interactive CDs incorporating the text in Sanskrit with English translation, transliteration, graphics and word by word index of the Mantras. This project of remaking of Sämaveda in interactive CD ROM has been undertaken by Vedic Studies, S.S.U.S Kaladyas the second major project, and is going on now, with the financial assistance from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. We also received assistance from Cultural Ministry for various other projects like financial support to the students of M. A. Vedic Studies, setting up of Department Library, conducting seminars and publishing the text of Jaiminiya Sãmaveda Kerala version.

Many seminars, short term courses, public lectures, workshops and guest lectures on various topics connected with Vedas were/are being conducted by Vedic Studies in the different centers of the University and in selected places all over Kerala, to create an awareness on Vedas and different knowledge systems included in Vedic literature, among the academic community and the public.

In 2005, the University started M. A. in Sanskrit-Vedic Studies. The course is, perhaps, the first of this kind in South India. Portions from all the texts like Samhitas, Brãhmanas, Aranyakas, Upanisads and Vedãñgas are introduced in the course. Also modem topics like linguistics, interpretation of Veda - ancient and modem, manuscript logy etc. are also taught as part of the course either as core course or elective one.

The most salient feature of the course is that one course for M. A. Sanskrit-Vedic Studies is fully devoted for introducing the traditional chanting ofall the Vedas. Traditional scholars are appointed as Guest faculty in the University for the purpose. Thus Vedic chanting is imparted to all irrespective of caste, creed or gender in an academic level.

Recently Vedic Studies got some financial assistance from UGC and it was sanctioned for the project: Preservation Techniques of the Rgveda Chanting of Kerala. The aim of this project is to collect the published and unpublished works related to the preservation techniques of the Rgveda chanting, like Thntam, Trini, Trisandhã etc., practiced by the Nambutiris of Kerala and to publish Ihem in Devanagari script.

One national seminar was conducted by Vedic Studies at Kalady as part of this project. It was organized from 9th to II, December2009 on the topic: Vedic Texts and the Knowledge Systems of India. Celebrated scholars n Sanskrit, Veda, History and Cultural Studies from different Universities and academic institutions all over India participated in the seminar as source persons.

Selected papers presented in the seminar are collected, edited and presented here as a book entitled Vedic Texts and the Knowledge Systems of India. Some other articles of reputed scholars, related to the subject and presented in Vedic Studies at different occasions, are also included in this Collection.

We are extremely thankful to the scholars who co-operated with us in bringing out this edition. We express our gratitude to the authorities of UGC for providing financial support to Vedic Studies, without which the ting of the seminar and publishing this book would not have been a We are also thankful to the honorable Vice Chancellor of the University for his Foreword to the present edition. Thanks are due to all authorities of the University and Heads and members of the various of Sanskrit in the University for their help and encouragement for bringing out this edition in a successful way.

I have great pleasure in writing this foreword to the present anthology of articles entitled ‘Vedic Texts and the Knowledge Systems of India’ being published by Vedic Studies of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.

This book contains articles on various topics related to Vedic Studies presented in the National Seminar and other occasions in Vedic Studies, S.S.U.S. Kalady by celebrated scholars in Veda, Sanskrit, History and Cultural Studies from all over India. The contributors include Prof (Dr.) G. C. Thripathi, Dr. Kumkum Roy, Dr. Veluthat Kesavan and Dr. V. S. Shukla from Delhi, Prof (Dr.) G. U. Thite, Dr. Bhagyalatha Pataskar and Prof. (Dr.) Nirmala. R. Kulkarni from Pune, Dr. Parineetha Deshpande from Mumbai, Dr. K. B. Archak from Dharwar, Dr. N. Veezhinathan from Chennai and scholars of Kerala including those from S.S.U.S. Kalady. The articles cover various topics connected with Vedic Studies in an interdisciplinary manner, by which only the real contribution of the Vedic lore can be assessed with its relevance and use in the present day.

I congratulate Vedic Studies Dept. of the University for bringing out this collection, for carrying out various research projects of national and international importance and for organizing several activities like seminars, workshops, extension lectures and Vakyarthasadas regularly in the University and other Vedic institutions in Kerala. Jam sure that this work will be welcomed by the scholarly world with great enthusiasm.