Introduction
Veda means knowledge. Vedic literature comprising the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda, is the most ancient repository of knowledge composed in the Sanskrit language. Apart from the four Samhitas mentioned here, there is the literature known as Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads.
This entire Vedic corpus is preserved by oral tradition, which renders the name ‘Shruti’ to it. Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) has the Vedic corpus as its foundation. The four Vedas, six Vedangas, Purana, Dharmashastra, Nyaya and Mimamsa are collectively known as 14 Vidyasthanas. This camp of ten days aims at introducing the Vedic Suktas to a seeker.
Facilitator
Prof. Gauri Mahulikar is the Academic Director at CIF and the Dean of Faculty at Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth. Prof. Mahulikar was the Gurudev Tagore Chair of Comparative Literature Professor and former Head of Department of Sanskrit at Mumbai University. She holds a Doctorate in Sanskrit on ‘Vedic Elements in Puranic Mantras and Rituals’. An author who has published eight books and over 90 research articles in English, Marathi, Hindi and Sanskrit, Prof. Mahulikar has mentored several doctoral students; sixteen of whom have successfully earned their doctorates.
She was instrumental in launching courses in Manuscriptology, Bhakti Literature and Mysticism in the Sanskrit Department, and has coordinated a UGC funded project on ‘Digital Preservation of Palm Leaf Manuscripts’ (2010-2015).
Prof. Mahulikar was awarded the Maneckji Limji Gold Medal for her dissertation on ‘Ancient Greek Dramas and Bharata’s Natyasastra’ from Mumbai University. Some of the many awards that Dr. Mahulikar has been awarded are the ‘Ramakrishna Award’ by the Canadian Education Foundation, Ontario for the propagation of Sanskrit (2003); Guru Gaurav Puraskar by Kalasadan, Mumbai (2011); Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit Sadhana Puraskar by Maharashtra State Government (2013); Adi Sankaracarya Puraskar awarded by H.H. Sri Jayendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham (2014); Savitribal Phule Puraskar by Mumbai University (2015); and the Indira Behere Puraskar by Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune (2015).
Objectives
- Introduction to 14 Vidyasthanas
- A brief idea of the Vedic deities
- Vedic Suktas praising Agni, Indra, Varuna, Vishnu and Rudra
- Translations of the Vedic Suktas and various interpretations