2024-2025 Indian Knowledge Systems Course Instructor: Dr.
Tejaswi Katravulapally, PhD
Spiritual and Esoteric Insights
Week-# Title of the topic Course Objectives
I. Veda - Tree of Eternal Wisdom 9 weeks
a) Introduction to IKS
Week-1 Introduction b) Chaturdaśa vidyāsthānās - 14 modes of encoded Universal Wisdom
c) Purpose and aim of IKS - relavence in the present day
a) Four Vedas - their overview
Week-2 VEDAS b) Vedas in Modern Context - Why to understand the Veda?
c) Seers (inspirational authors) of the Vedas
a) 4-fold division: Samhita-Brāhmaṇa-Āraṇyaka-Upaniṣad
Week-3 Vedic Framework b) 6-fold key: Sīkṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Nirukta, Kalpa and Jyotiṣa
c) 4 Upavedas: Āyurveda, Dhanurveda, Gāndharvaveda and Sthāpatyaveda
a) Purusha Sūktam - The hymn of Cosmic Person
Week-4 Rig Veda - HYMNS b) Srī Sūktam - The hymn of Cosmic Power
c) Suparṇa Sūktam - Hymn of the Majestic Bird
T
a) Concept of Yajña in the Veda: External and Internal
E
Week-5 Yajur Veda - YAJÑA b) Some of the misconceptions removed
R
c) Internal Yajña for the busy modern life
M
a) Birth of Indian classical music from Sāma Veda
1
Week-6 Sāma Veda - MUSIC & Atharvaṇa Veda - Applied Veda b) Carnatic music - its basic elements
c) Prctical applications of elements of Veda as suggested by Atharvaṇa Veda
a) Fundamental arithmatic calculations: Yuga, Samvatsara, Tithis, Vāra,
Nakṣatra, etc.
Week-7 Jyotiṣa - Astrological Key to the Veda b) 27-fold division of space arpund the Earth - Nakshatras (Asterisms)
c) Principles of Planets, Sun and Moon - in our spirituo-psycho-physiology
a) Ten principal Upaniṣads and the essential message(s)
Week-8 Upaniṣads - Philosophical Key to the Veda b) Māṇḍūkya Upanishad - The Grandeur of Om
c) Taittirīya Upaniṣad - Teachings on how to be a true Bhāratīya
(according to the ancient seers)!
a) Āyurveda - the health science
Week-9 Vedic Sciences b) Mathematics in Sulba sutras, etc
c) Other Science marvels - plant science, healing science, etc.
II a. Darśanās - Six Schools of Philosophy 3 weeks
a) Summary view of 6 schools of Indian Philosophy
Week-10 Ṣaḍ-Darśanās - 6 philosophical systems b) Yoga-Sānkhya-Nyāya
T c) vaiśeṣika-pūrva mīmāmsa-uttara mīmāmsa
E
a) Theory of 5-Kośās (sheaths) and 5-Prāṇās (life currents)
R
b) Set of Āsanās and their health benefits - focus on
M Week-11 Āsana and Prāṇāyāma for holistic wellness
Sūrya Namaskāra and few other imp āsanās
2a c) Set of Prāṇāyāma practices and their health benefits
Week-12 --- PROJECT OUTLINE --- Temple architecture in India - trends from ancient to modern
II b. Purāṇās - Prop Roots of the Vedic Tree 6 weeks
a) Sage Veda Vyasa and composition of Purāṇas
Week-13 Introduction b) Purāṇās as key to the Veda rather than just mythological stories
c) Aṣṭādaśa purāṇās - 18 formulas for understanding the Vedic essence
a) The concept of God Trinity - Trimūrtī
Week-14 Concept of tangible GOD b) Worship of trinity goddesses - consorts of Trimūrtī
c) Concept of Daśāvatārās - Ten incarnations
a) Order of creation
T
Week-15 Focus on Vishnu Purāṇa b) Calculations pertaining to Formation of Stars, Planets and life on Earth
E
R c) Life-lessons from the teachings of Vishnu Purāṇa
M a) Sānkhya of Kapila: Creation as the interplay of Puruṣa and Prakṛtī
Week-16 Focus on Bhāgavata Purāṇa-1: Nature of Reality b) Story of Puranjana: The eternal story of Man on Earth
2b
c) Conversation of Vidura and Maitreya
a) Cantos of Bhāgavata and fetal development
Week-17 Focus on Bhāgavata Purāṇa-2: Scientific Beauties b) Theory of evolution and the correlation to different dynasties
c) Astronomical explorations: śimśumāra chakra of 5th canto
a) Order of creation
Week-18 Focus on Vishnu Purāṇa b) Calculations pertaining to Formation of Stars, Planets and life on Earth
c) Life-lessons from the teachings of Vishnu Purāṇa
III. Itihāsās - The backbone of Indian culture and literature 9 weeks
a) Sage Vālmīki and the origin of Rāmāyaṇa
Week-19 Rāmāyaṇa - an introduction b) Six Kāṇḍās -- a summary view
c) Befriending few divinely characters from Rāmāyaṇa
a) Symbolism in the scripture - Ayodhya, Rama, Sīta, Hanuma, etc.
Week-20 Rāmāyaṇa's underlying import b) More about Lord Rama and his Dharma
c) Scientific pebbles hidden in Rāmāyaṇa
a) Teachings of Viśvāmitra - Astras and śastrās
Week-21 Special teachings from Rāmāyaṇa b) Teachings of Vaśiṣṭha - Yoga Vāṣiṣṭha
c) Teachings of Agastya - Āditya Hṛdayam
a) Sage Veda Vyāsa and the composition of Jaya
Week-22 Mahābhārata - an introduction b) The spiritual theme in the Mahābhārata
T c) 18 parvās - an overview
E
a) Aśvinī-Stotram: Astrological key to the Veda
R
Week-23 Astrological and astronomical similies in Mahābhārata b) Daksha's daughter - story of the constellations
M
c) Legend of Tāra - Moon - Jupiter, etc.
3 a) Sanatsujāta - the firs mond-born son of Creator Brahmā
Week-24 Sanaysujātīya - Nature of reality b) Dhṛtarāṣṭra's agony and Sanatsujāta's teachings on life and death
c) Lessons interpreted to modern context
a) Bhagavadgita - The song celestial and its placement in the Mahabharata
Week-25 Bhagavadgīta - An inroduction b) Essence of each of the 18 chapters of Gīta
c) Mundane and Spiritual dimensions of the Gīta
a) Exploring multitudinous beauties in creation
Week-26 10th chapter of Gīta - splendours of creation b) Meditations pertaining to linking external world and internal world
c) Deeper understanding of scriptural terms - suggestive key for further explorations into Gīta
a) Gīta for the youth and youthful mind in us
Week-27 Essential Shlokas of Gita for daily living b) Modern day problems and Gīta's solutions
c) Some practical instructions for self-training into the art of blissful living
IV a. Tantra - The Mystic Cult 4 weeks
a) Mantra - the science of sound
Week-28 Tantra-Mantra-Yantra b) Yantra - the science of sacred geometry
c)Tantra - the seamless weaving of cosmic energy into the fabric of existence via sheer WILL
a) Worship of the world mother Lalitā - Sti Vidya
T
Week-29 Focus on Shakteya traditions b) Srichakra and Saundarya lahari
E
R c) Dasa maha vidyas
M a) Kundalini - the evolutionary energy
Week-30 Science of Kundalini and 6 Chakras b) Shatchakra nirupana - the science of 6 vortices of energy
4a
c) Occult Anatomy of the scriptures
a) Concept of Vidyas and how it is different from modern view of knowledge
Week-31 32 Vidyās in IKS b) 32 vidyas in brief - 1
C) 32 vidyas in brief 2
IV b. The Ways of Worship and Sanctification of life 5 weeks
a) Purpose of worship and different styles of worship
Week-32 Ṣoḍaśopacāra Pūja: 16-fold worship b) Elements of 16-fold worship - Arghya, Panīya, Dhūpa, Dīpa, Naivedya, etc.
c) Deeper understanding of scriptural terms - suggestive key for further explorations
a) Viṣṇu Sahasranāma
Week-33 Sahasranāma: The way of praising the GOD with 1000 names b) Lalitā Sahasranāma
c) Nāmāvaḷi - Aṣṭottara-śata , Triśatī, etc.
T
E a) Sanctification of life via sacraments and duties
R Week-34 Ṣoḍaśa-Samskāra: The 16 sacraments from Birth to Death b) 16 Sacraments: Garbhādāna, Pumsavana, Upanayana, Vivāha, etc.
M c) Relavence and adaptation of the 16-Samskārās in the. modern day
a) Dvijatva - Second birth - Upanayana
4b
Week-35 Special focus on Upanayanam and marriage (Yajurvedic tradition) b) Concept of marriage and elements in Vedic style of marriage
c) Ancient principles to lead a modern life of austerity and that of marriage
a) Bringing down the essence of IKS to every person in the Country via the mode of festival
Week-36 Festivals and their spiritual significance b) Some festivals and related spiritual insights - Sankrānti, Gurupūrṇima, Diwāli, Gaṇeṣ Chaturthi, etc.
c) Patriotic festival - Independence Day and Republic Day to remind us all that we are the
ONE Bhāratīya in the heart!
The END - Yet - a new Begenning!
