Indic Philosophy of Life

45 Hours

Credits: 3

L-T-P ratio: 3-0-0

Hours: 45

Course designer: Prof. Dr. Nagaraj Paturi

Objectives

Pursuing “philosophy of life” by itself as one of the Indic knowledge systems
Understanding the same (Vedic worldview) as the context of various Indic knowledge disciplines being pursued

To understand the spirit behind the so-called “Unity in Diversity” in the demographic patterns, settlement patterns, inter-group interactions of Indian society
Perspective of how that can help the contemporary world as a role model
To understand the spirit behind the lifestyle or day-to-day life of Indians from a Vedic perspective
To understand the ideas about life before death and life after death that govern the motives of individual and social actions of Indians from a Vedic perspective

1. As reflected in settlement patterns: urban, rural and tribal; nāgara, grāmya, āraṇya/pārvata:

Reference to tribal life in various scriptures, poetic and other kinds of pre-modern Samskrit works
References to urban-rural, rural-tribal and urban-tribal interface in various pre- modern Samskrit texts
Mahabharata and Ramayana: references to multiple lifestyles, particularly, Mahabharata as a book of cultural relativist understanding of diverse lifestyles
Contrast with urban-centric, uniformity imposing, messianic, globalizing, philosophies

Puruṣasūkta and human body model of social structure
Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ vs birth-based views
Arjuna-Aśvatthāma
Svadharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ: all svadharmas are dharmas, as such can bestow puṇya etc.
Dharmavyādha-upākhyānam (pativratā-upākhyānam) from Araṇyaparva

3. As reflected in Trivarga and Caturvarga (Pravṛtti and Nivṛtti; Iha and Para) balance:

3a. Pravritti/Iha:

No negation or looking down upon trivarga view
Due consideration for artha and kāma:
o Foundation in Vedas
o Continuity in later texts
Artha as power and wealth
View of arthasādhana in various sources:
o Acquisition of power as legitimate
o Purpose of Power: “Kṣatām trāyate iti kṣattraḥ”
Acquisition of wealth as legitimate:
o Purpose of wealth
o Dāna: Praise of dāna right from Śruti, all through the ancient Sanskrit texts
Kāma (sexual or general pleasure) as legitimate (dharmabaddha)
Kāmasādhanā as puṇya-giving
Paňcāgnividyā

3b. Pravritti / Iha: Dharma:

Dharma as the means/path/method for artha and kāma
Method as goal
Dharma as end in itself (not necessarily a step towards mokṣa)
Dharma as a means for puṇya (as such, a means of svarga or uttamajanma)
Dharma-centrality of Vedic philosophy of life
Mīmāṁsā view as karma-centric view, dharma-centric view and yajňa-centric view
Yajňa-centrality right from Vedas
o Extended meaning of yajňa: vratas in Purāṇas
o Vṛkṣāropaṇa, taṭākoddhāra etc. as vratas
o Gārhasthya as yajňa: yajamāna as the common word for householder

3c. Para-pravṛtti: Afterlife (non-mokṣa afterlife):

Cycle of birth and death
Paralokas:
o Pitṛloka
o Punnāma naraka
Svarga and naraka
Various Deva-gaṇas such as yakṣa, gandharva and Devalokas
Āditya-vasu-rudrādi-lokas
Āditya-vasu-rudrādi-rūpas
“kshiṇe puṇye martyaloke viśanti”
Śrāddha rituals
Marriage as a duty towards pitṛs through giving birth to offspring and thus delivering
the pitṛs from the naraka of waiting to be born again

3d. Para-nivṛtti: Mokṣa-oriented afterlife:

Brahmaloka
Mokṣa, various mokṣalokas
Śāśvata-brahmaloka-prāpti
Vedānta as Mokṣa-śāstra
Upaniṣads and understanding of mokṣa aspect of afterlife
Dharma and karma as a step towards mokṣa
“na hi kaścit kṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt”
Dharma > punya as essential even for a mokṣa seeker
Gita: Various paths for Mokṣa
o Equal status of all paths
o Paths as mutual alternatives
Spiritual paths: Each path for each: Karma-mārga, Jňāna-mārga, Bhakti-mārga, Rāja- yoga or Yoga-mārga, Tantra-mārga etc.

3e. Iha and para as a pair:

Iha and para as twin goals for puṇya-oriented activities
Bhakti (iṣṭadevatā, kuladevatā, grāmadevatā, rāṣṭradevatā; household worship,
collective temple worship) for iha-para vs bhakti for mokṣa

3f. Gītā: Samanvaya of Pravṛtti and Nivṛtti, Trivarga and Caturvarga:

4. Karma theory:

Various understandings and misunderstandings
Karma-yoga different from Karma theory
Daivam – Puruṣakārah
Encouragement for puruṣakāra while recognizing Daiva
Karma theory as puruṣakāra-motivating but not fatalistic justification of the existing conditions

5. Violence and non-violence:

6. View towards nature: