Fundamentals of Indian Sociology

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A Critical evaluation of the Science of Etymology as found in Vedic Literature

Vedic Etymology contains a critical evaluation of all the etymology found scattered over the vast Vedic Literature. These derivation ha often been regarded as ‘nonsense’, having no philological value at all, On critical examination, however, the present work has found them not only to be of utmost, philological value but even of great help to — interpretation of Vedic text.

Sanskrit text with Transliteration, English Commentary along with Explanatory Notes, Relevant Appendices etc.

Vedic Upanishads represent the profound essence, the succulent juice and the perennial spiritual philosophy of the Vedas, expounded and elucidated to make them practical and accessible for spiritual aspirants. They are magnificent, stupendous, forceful and powerful instruments in the hands of true seekers that provide spiritual foresight and vision of the ultimate truth and reality. The Upanishads are integral part of the Vedas; each Veda has a number of Upanishads in it. The present series classifies these Upanishads in true Vedic tradition, I,e. they are listed and separated into different volumes strictly according to the Vedic sequence of the Vedas. In this edition each volume, extensive appendices have been added to elucidate the different concepts in simple words. Concepts such as Om, Naad, Naadis, Chakras, Yoga, Atma, Viraat, Moksha etc. are all elaborately explained in these separate appendices. A Mantra index in Romanized version is also included in each volume.

‘Society results from the evolution of labour’

The healthy progress of the society is made possible by the fearless and alert participation of every single component. This is like the harmonious combination of various musical notes that finally culminate in a melodious composition; a magnificent embodiment of the unity in diversity

Dr. Fatah Singh (D.Litt, B.H.U. 1944) was born on July1913 at Bhadeng Kanja, Pilibhit (UP.) India. As a director of Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute-Jodhpur, he edited 33 old manuscripts. His 90 original works have so far been published, some of them as series in magazines and others books.

Honored by several prestigious National awards, he flashed on the National & International horizon with his in-depth Vedic knowledge. He interpreted 1500 original excavated Indus seals and deciphered the Indus script in 1968 and conclusively proved for the first time that the Indus civilization was a carry over of Vedic civilization which existed throughout India not just in the Harrapa & Mohanjodaro of Sindh.

Dr. Singh passed away at the age of 95 on Feb 5, 2008 is survived by two Sons and two daughter.

Seeing to the rapidly changing scenario of modern Indian and world society it was deemed necessary to translate in English the “Bhartiya samãjshastra: Mooladhar” written inilindi by my father late Dr. Fateh Singh jig which was published in 1953.

After independence the so-called modern intellectuals have managed to divide and disintegrate the Indian society as to put a question mark on our very survival. The country which was known all over the world for its social values and ethics has became a haven for the corrupt who have permeated in every sphere of life.

Some serious thought is to be given for regaining the prestige and honor over to us by our illustrious ancestors! Is the message given by the ancient sages regarding the Vedic social structure and values still important and relevant? Can we fight modern terrorism by following suggestions provided by those eminent thinkers?

I am fully confident that the answers are given in this book. Seeing the necessity to involve the right thinking\ intellectuals all over world the wish of my father to trans1at his work in English was done before his demise on Feb 5, 2008 by Dr. Sharad Rajimwale of J.N. Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Unfortunately, I could not manage to publish it in my father’s presence. Now Chaukhamba Publishing House, New Delhi, has very thankfully taken the responsibility to publish this treatise both in English and Hindi in Year of birth century of Dr. Fateh Singh I, I am very grateful to them for making this colossal task simple for me.

Written more than five decades ago, the late Dr. Fatah Singh’s small and plain-looking book is packed with a wide range of significant expositions which hold relevance to the troubled times of present day society. The author’s devotion to his chosen riled of Vedic scholarship and his persistent endeavor to link its significance with modern India’s social problems is well-known. The present book symbolizes this quest. Anchored in the classic Indian perceptual framework his writings clear the mists that surround many a western presupposition about the formation of society and the structural aspects, leading the reader into clarity of perceptions. Right from the beginning the author’s systematic approach prepares a irony ground enabling a better analysis of the gaps in the western formulations of definitions in the opening chapter from where he proceeds to debunk them. Ancient Indian wisdom regards social organization capable enough to bring together various elements of human material with a purpose to canalized its energy in a complex grid of interdependent relations. At this point it should be noted that the book was written in the early years of 1950s which means that the western scholars and their works mentioned are those that represented the ‘latest’ advances made in the field at that time. Names like H.G Wells, E.C Hedge. C.A Edwards, G. Simmer, S.K.Chatterjee, D.Halden and so on appear to hold only a historical interest now, but by and large the general stand of western scholars over all these years is far from radically changed. Dr. Fatah Singh’s stand shares little of these explanations., He delves deep with all the profound seriousness of a social scientist into those sources of scholarship which have lain hidden from the vision of .grater part of the world. The reader cannot, but be struck with the novelty of the discussions that develop a new sociological groundwork radicalizing his basic concepts about certain vital problematic. These not only deviate from the canonical sc; ciological schools perpetually facing new challenges, but seek to establish a counter-discourse. For instance, in the first chapter itself the author attempts to relate the individual’s inner world with social units when he affirms that human behavior is simply an expression of his inner world and no scientific investigation can offer adequate solution without taking into account this fact. Throughout the book attempt has been made to create an expansive and inclusive frame of perception taking into account modem scientific temper and amalgamating it with the broad theoretical bedrock derived from Vedic sources highlighting the strength of harmonious community life that remain encoded in the ritualistic practices. An extremely complex system of these practices and customs involving symbolic codes permeate the multi-ethnic fabric of India’s religion-social universe and remain enshrined in the scriptural tomes and dissertations. Interdependency of the individual and society in its organized manifestation is graphically explained in the second chapter’ through simple illustrations of human body and its various parts as they occur in Purina discussions. With amazing insight the author takes us along a voyage into the rich world of the Vedas to reveal the significance of what goes on in our body, why is it called Ashtiichakrã hardware pun (Eity) of the devas or gods as propounded in Atharvaveda , and what is the significance of the term purusha. The elaborate analyses of physiological processes in terms of yaiña procedures, homa and sansrawan lead to the wider domains in which the vital sensory channels like karmendniya and jñanendriya are ever operative. In a style easy for the lay reader to comprehend, the complex processes of interfusion between the physical and spiritual energies (which the western canonical writings have habitually been separating) the chapters lead from individual arena to larger playground of societal dynamics. From the outset the learned author takes a position from where he is able to differentiate what is morally right from wrong, what one must discard and what must be followed. This leaves a lot of polemical confusion out of the mirse, the kind of ambiguous deliberations that mark so of modern sociological debate.

Indian sociological scene has been dominated by western Effluences both in theoretical and methodological fields. It has cleanly been realized that the South Asian social realities contain —notable divergences of fundamental nature from those obtaining in the west or other non-European communities. Therefore in understanding them and tackling the problems arising out of them a different approach is needed. Modern sociologists are rather late in realizing this, their tools and viewpoints still flounder in evolutionary stages working out those constructs which would be capable of answering to the typical social exigencies of the Indian sub-continent. In these challenging times some attempts have been made by serious scholars to develop a distinct sociological perception appropriate to the diversified social patterns of our country. Dr. Fatah Singh’s present book appears to embody the pioneering effort in this respect. By making a systematic presentation of epistemological systems, theories and standpoints in the ancient Vedic and Puranic schools he has dispelled many misconceptions about them which arose and accumulated over centuries of neglect mainly due to west’s misrepresentation of our philosophical systems. This is a necessary step which paves the way for their better emanation among all levels of readers. In this way his service to the sociological scholarship of this sub-continent can undoubtedly be termed as valuable. .

It is hoped that the book will help younger scholars and interested lay readers to get easy access to those Sanskrit works whose dominantly sociological concerns have been fore grounded by the author, and thereby create an alternative Indian sociological discourse to remove the inadequacies of the well- entrenched western schools of thought. Thus one hopes the future researchers will find enough impetus and direction in it. .

Translating the original Hindi book certainly must have been a challenging task for the obvious reason that it is difficult to find equivalents of many Sanskrit terms in English; nor must it be practicable to retain the Sanskrit vocal’s for they tend to create semantic obscurity if indulged in too liberally. It is hoped that the book in its translated avatar has succeeded in preserving the basic message and thrust which venerated late Dr. Fatah Singh wished to convey and readers will be benefited from reading it in the same way that they do reading the original Hindi.