Siddhanta: An Introduction to Bharatiya Knowledge Systems

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Siddhanta, broadly means accepted knowledge - knowledge that humanity has accrued over millennia, with use, validation and application. Such knowledge has been systematically created, curated, used and amplified in and around the geography of what is now called the Indian Subcontinent. There are some peculiar features to this accrued knowledge that make it different from what is considered mainstream modern knowledge. Yoga, meditation and many other practices of modernity emanate from Indian sources, not to mention the origins of numbers, Mathematics and other domains. All of these are very visible contributions of Bharat's (India's) knowledge, but much more lies in store, unexplored to its full potential and waiting to be engaged with, by all of humanity.

The knowledge from India has been studied during the colonial era, and still continues to be studied in various universities across the world in forms and methods that are alien to the knowledge life-cycle of this 'Siddhanta' or India's native knowledge and learning traditions. The historical arc of India's knowledge evolution and its influence on what is now considered modern (Western) knowledge are all being negotiated in the context of modern narratives. In this process, new sources of truth are emerging along with the uncovering of past misunderstandings and motives.

Modern Bharat, as part of her civilisational self-discovery, is navigating the haze created by centuries of motivated scholarship, intellectual colonization of generations and the might of modern narratives. Technology has now enabled communication and engagement on a level playing field with the prevailing systems of narrative-making including global academic and media infrastructure as well as motivated information sources.

The peculiarities of Indian knowledge comes from its goals and methods, characterized by the very peculiar goal of balance and sustainability of the Universe, often indicated by the overarching term "Dharma". The primary understanding is that consciousness is the building block of the universe and internalizing this comprises the different forms of knowledge. Since the understanding of 'what it means to be human' and 'what a human is supposed to be vis-a-vis the world' is different, much of the modern narratives of materialism are engaged in a head-on conflict at a very fundamental level. India's knowledge systems provide a meaningful approach towards resolving this conflict.

This primer is meant as an Introduction only. We hope this will provoke deeper engagement with India's knowledge systems and the use of this knowledge for global harmony and universal happiness (dharma).