Lecture on Indian Knowledge System (IKS)

Introduction

Lecturer: History teacher specializing in area studies and Indian knowledge systems
Audience: Primarily faculty members
Focus: Importance and transmission of IKS to Europe and Asian countries
Invocation practice: Brief mention of personal tradition of starting lectures with invocation
Starting Point: Introduction to the concept of IKS and related topics

Mahakavya Raghuvamsa
- Around 1564 stanzas, divided into 19 sections (Cantos or Sargas)
- Canto 1-10: Brief history of the lineage of the protagonist Raghu
- Canto 10-15: Depicts abduction of Sita (Ramayana theme)
- Canto 16-19: Successors of Rama - Lava and Kusha
- Literary example: Invocation to Rudra and its deeper meanings
- Importance of Sanskrit: Words carry historical and situational meanings

Ramayana's Geographical References
- Transoxania: Modern Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.)
- Kabul: Modern Iran
- Mention of kings and historical geography
Jambu Dweepa
- Detailed knowledge of India's geography 7000 years ago
- Peninsula: Concept present in IKS, referred to as Dweepa
- Modern countries mentioned: Java, Bali, Sumatra, Indonesia, Philippines
Greater India Influence
- Spread and influence covering Southeast Asia, potentially South America

Cultural and Historical Transmission
- Often done through stories and paradigms
- European misinterpretation and rewriting of Indian history
- Identification of problems caused by British historians
Modern System Integration
- Disconnection and lack of integration with modern scientific paradigms
- Issues with standardizing data
- Fragmentation and loss of knowledge due to various reasons

Raj Vedam: Indologist, American, promotes storytelling tradition as historical pedagogy
Sir William Jones: Translated major Sanskrit texts, imperfect translations
- Europeans often missed nuances of IKS, leading to misunderstandings
Foreign Contributions
- Arabs acted as carriers of Indian knowledge to Europe
- Perpetuation of 'Providence Theory' by Europeans

Astronomy: Aryabhata's contributions
- Helio-centrism, formulas, algebra, trigonometry
Architecture
- Temple architecture (Vimana, Kailasa Temple)
- Importance beyond religious significance (economic, administrative, social centers)
Continued Civilization
- Evidence in modern archaeological finds (e.g., Rakigari, Keezhadi)

Need to adapt and use IKS in modern times
Promote a scientific approach to understanding and integrating IKS
Emphasis on continuous dissemination and encouragement of using time-tested knowledge in daily life

The lecture concluded with a call to incorporate IKS in daily and academic life, promoting awareness, and scientific investigation.