IKS Series : Book-1  

Foundations of Ancient Indian Learning

Chapter-1: Introduction to Caturdaśa Vidyāsthānas – The 14 Branches of Ancient Indian Learning 

Overview of the fourteen branches of knowledge in ancient India; classification into 4 Vedas + 6 Vedāṅgas + 4 Upāṅgas (Purāṇa, Nyāya, Mīmāṁsā, Dharmaśāstra); historical and philosophical significance; holistic nature of Indian education system.

Chapter-2: The Ṛgveda – Structure, Content and Introductory Insights 

Oldest of the four Vedas; division into 10 Maṇḍalas, 1,028 Sūktas, and about 10,600 Ṛcas; deities praised (Indra, Agni, Soma etc.); philosophical hymns and cosmic order (Ṛta); role as foundational Vedic text.

Chapter-3: The Yajurveda – Rituals, Formulas and Significance 

Focus on sacrificial rituals; two main branches – Kṛṣṇa (Black) Yajurveda and Śukla (White) Yajurveda; prose mantras (Yajus) and verses; key texts like Taittirīya Saṃhitā, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa; practical application in yajñas.

Chapter-4: The Sāmaveda – Melodies, Chants and Musical Heritage 

Veda of melodies and musical recitation; mostly derived from Ṛgveda hymns set to tunes; divided into Pūrvārcika, Uttarārcika, etc.; foundation of Indian classical music (Sāma-gāna); role of Ud gātṛ priest.

Chapter-5: The Atharvaveda – Spells, Medicine and Everyday Wisdom 

Knowledge of everyday life, healing, protection, and sorcery; contains 20 kāṇḍas with about 6,000 mantras; includes medical hymns, charms against diseases, and philosophical speculations; distinct from ritualistic focus of other Vedas.

Chapter-6: Vedāṅgas – Overview, Names and Objectives 

Six auxiliary disciplines (Vedāṅgas) supporting Vedic study; names: Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Nirukta, Chanda, Jyotiṣa, Kalpa; objective – correct understanding, pronunciation, interpretation, and application of Vedic texts; scientific and systematic character.

Chapter-7: Śikṣā – Phonetics and the Scientific Nature of Pronunciation 

Science of phonetics and phonology; precise rules for articulation, accent (svara), quantity, and euphonic combination (sandhi); scientific study of sound production in Sanskrit and influence on other Indian languages; key texts – Pāṇinīya Śikṣā, Yājñavalkya Śikṣā.

Chapter-8: Vyākaraṇa – Grammar and Its Scientific Foundations 

Science of grammar; Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī as the most systematic grammatical treatise; algebraic rules, meta-language, and generative grammar; scientific analysis of word formation, syntax, and morphology; impact on world linguistics.

Chapter-9: Nirukta – Etymology and Word Derivation 

Science of etymology; Yāska’s Nirukta as the foundational text; methods of deriving meanings of Vedic words; explanation of obscure terms through synonymy, derivation, and contextual analysis; scientific approach to Vedic interpretation.

Chapter-10: Chanda – Prosody and Metrical Science 

Science of Vedic meters; classification of metres (Gāyatrī, Anuṣṭubh, Triṣṭubh, Jagatī etc.); rules of syllabic quantity, pāda structure, and rhythm; mathematical precision in versification; texts like Piṅgala’s Chandaḥsūtra.

Chapter-11: Jyotiṣa – Astronomy, Astrology and Mathematical Insights 

Vedic astronomy and calendrical science; calculation of time, planetary positions, eclipses, and muhūrtas; texts like Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa of Lagadha; scientific observations and mathematical models for ritual timing.

Chapter-12: Kalpa – Rituals, Ceremonies and Procedural Knowledge 

Science of ritual procedure; four main divisions – Śrauta-sūtras (public sacrifices), Gṛhya-sūtras (domestic rites), Dharma-sūtras (social/ethical codes), Śulba-sūtras (geometry for altars); systematic and rule-based ritual science.

Chapter-13: Purāṇa – Introduction to Ancient Lore and Narratives 

Role of Purāṇa as one of the fourteen branches of learning; supplementary to Vedas; encyclopedic character covering cosmology, mythology, genealogy, ethics, and dharma; importance in transmitting cultural memory.

Chapter-14: The 18 Mahāpurāṇas – Names and Five General Characteristics 

List of 18 major Purāṇas: Brahma, Padma, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Bhāgavata, Nārada, Mārkaṇḍeya, Agni, Bhaviṣya, Brahmavaivarta, Liṅga, Varāha, Skanda, Vāmana, Kūrma, Matsya, Garuḍa, Brahmāṇḍa; five characteristics (pañca-lakṣaṇa): Sarga, Pratisarga, Vaṃśa, Manvantara, Vaṃśānucarita.

Chapter-15: Nyāya, Mīmāṃsā and Dharmaśāstra – Philosophical and Legal Branches 

Nyāya – logic and epistemology (Gautama’s Nyāya-sūtra); Mīmāṃsā – Vedic ritual hermeneutics (Jaimini’s Mīmāṃsā-sūtra); Dharmaśāstra – codes of conduct and law (e.g., Manu, Yājñavalkya, Parāśara); their role in the 14 vidyāsthānas.

Chapter-16: Upavedas and Other Śāstras – Subsidiary Knowledge Systems 

Four Upavedas: Āyurveda (medicine – linked to Ṛgveda/Atharvaveda), Dhanurveda (military science – Yajurveda), Gāndharvaveda (music & dance – Sāmaveda), Sthāpatyaveda/Śilpaśāstra (architecture – Atharvaveda); brief introduction to major śāstras (Arthaśāstra, Alaṅkāraśāstra, etc.); practical and applied extensions of Vedic knowledge.

Professional Note

Authors may submit chapters other than those listed above, provided the proposed chapter aligns with the overall theme and objectives of the book.