Intuition as per the Indian shastras

Intuition नाम विशेष-ज्ञान-शक्तिः – यद् सामान्यतया इन्द्रियेभ्यः मनसा वा न ज्ञायते तस्य ग्रहणशक्तिः। अस्याः शक्तेः भारतीयवैदिकशास्त्रेषु कः विचारः इत्यस्य परिचयः अत्र दीयते, प्रधानतः साङ्ख्य-योग-दर्शनयोः। Intuition इत्यस्य संस्कृते नाम किं, स्वरूपं किं, तद् अस्माभिः शास्त्रीयरीत्या वर्धयितुं शक्य्ते वा, तद् कथं इत्येतेषां प्रश्नानां शास्त्रम् अनुसृत्य समाधानम् अस्मिन् वर्गद्वये संस्कृतमाध्यमेन संक्षेपेण दीयते। विषये तीव्रजिज्ञासा, सामान्यं संस्कृतज्ञानम् इत्येवम् अपेक्षितम्।

Course overview

• Delivery mode: Recording of live sessions for self-paced viewing
  • Instructor: Amit Rao, MIT SVS/ HUA MA Samskrit Student
  • Medium of instruction: Sanskrit, with some English
  • Duration: Two sessions of 1.5 hours each
  • Eligibility: Interest in the subject, working knowledge of spoken Sanskrit and Devanagari script

Introduction

Intuition is the ability to know things beyond the normal range of human senses and mind. It is actually the very foundation Indian civilization – the Vedas were not written by human thought, but were seen by the Rishis with their intuitive capacity. Indic shastras like Ayurveda and Jyotisha too contain stunningly accurately and minute details of human anatomy, astronomy and other natural phenomena, which were accessed by the Rishis using their inner vision. What is the nature of this ability? Can it be developed by us in a scientific manner, and if so, how? These questions will be explored in the context of Indian shastras, mainly the Sankhya and Yoga darshanas.

Expected outcomes

• Understanding the normal human knowledge process and its limitations
• Familiarity with the model of intuition according to Indian shastras
• Clarity on the key concepts of Sankhya and Yoga and how they relate to intuition
• Understanding the basic principles of Yoga and its roadmap to intuition and beyond

Topics at a glance

• Intuition – what, why, and where
• Sanskrit terms for intuition in different contexts
• Sankhya key concepts – 25 tattvas of creation, 3 gunas of nature, relation to intuition
• Model of intuition as per Indian shastras
• The various Yogic siddhis/anubhutis described as part of intuition and beyond
• Yoga key concepts – chitta, vritti, dhyana, dharana, samadhi, samyama
• Yoga path to intuition – ashtanga yoga, obstacles and remedies

Videos of 1st (From 12:56 in the video) & 2nd Session