Dharmawiki Talks

Dharmawiki Talks is a series of talks on various topics in the Bharatiya Jnana Parampara or Indian Knowledge Systems organised by dharmawiki.org to reach out to inquisitive seekers of Bharatiya Jnana. This is an initiative of the IITB HoneyBee Project and we are thankful to our sponsors Ashok Goel Trust and the Hindu University of America for their continued Support.

Schedule

Dharmawiki Talks 2023

Samskaras: A Psycho-Social Perspective

Dharmawiki Talk 1: Samskaras: A Psycho-Social Perspective

The talk focuses on the Psycho-social perspectives associated with the age-old tradition of Samskaras. It begins with an explanation on the Indian concept of Self and connection of the four Purusharthas in this context. The purpose of Samskaras is then explained with the help of examples like Garbhadhana, Vivaha, etc. It emphasizes on their relevance today in terms of how they not only offer solutions to today's social problems but also help in the nivrtti of the individual Self.

See also: Samskaras (संस्काराः), Pre-natal Samskaras (जन्मात्पूर्वसंस्काराः), Childhood Samskaras (बाल्यावस्थे संस्काराः), Educational Samskaras (विद्याभ्याससंस्काराः), Vivaha (विवाहः), and Antyesti (अन्त्येष्टिः)

Read more at Category:Samskaras

भारतीय पंचांग एवं पाश्चात्य कैलेंडर का समीक्षात्मक परिशीलन

Dharmawiki Talk 2: भारतीय पंचांग एवं पाश्चात्य कैलेंडर का समीक्षात्मक परिशीलन

यह व्याख्यान भारतीय कालमापन का खगोलीय आधार, पंचांग के पाँच अंग, पाश्चात्य तथा भारतीय कालमापन के मूलभूत भेद और उनके परिणाम इन विषयों का वर्णन कर संकल्पनाओं का स्पष्टीकरण देता है ।

See also: Panchanga (पञ्चाङ्गम्), Tithi (तिथि), Day of the Week-Vara (वार), Asterism - Nakshatras (नक्षत्र), Yoga in Panchanga (पंचांग में योग), and Karana in Panchanga (पंचांग में करण)

Rutucharya: Adaptive Lifestyle for Holistic Health

Beginning with the explanation of the terms 'Rtu' and 'charya', the talk explains the concept of Rutucharya in relation to the concepts of time, the Panchamahabhutas, etc. It emphasizes on the integral relationship between man and nature, the importance of elemental balance, the dosha-season relationship, its effect on bodily agni and the need for Rutucharya to maintain that agni in a good state. It throws light on Rutucharya as the natural method to increase host immunity and how this age old knowledge of Rutucharya has been interwoven within traditional practices through an enumeration of the Vasanta Rutucharya.

See also: Rutucharya (ऋतुचर्या), Shishir Rutucharya (शिशिर ऋतुचर्या), Vasanta Rutucharya (वसन्त ऋतुचर्या), Greeshma Rutucharya (ग्रीष्म ऋतुचर्या), Pravrta Rtu (प्रावृट ऋतु), Sharada Rutucharya (शरद ऋतुचर्या), and Hemanta Rutucharya (हेमन्त ऋतुचर्या)

Shraddha and Bhakti: A Conceptual Exploration

The session begins with an overview of the various contexts in which the term shraddha is discussed in the Bharatiya Jnana Parampara and brings out the vyashti-samashti relation between the concepts of shraddha and bhakti. It explores the intricate relationship between the trigunas, manas and Shraddha, how they influence one's choices and thereby one's actions. That leads to the understanding of shraddha as being indispensable in Dharmic activities like Yajna, dana, tapa and karma. And further establishes shraddha is an absolute necessity for an aspirant of moksha both in the Jnana or Bhakti margas.

See also: Shraddha (श्रद्धा) and Trigunas (त्रिगुणाः)

Conceptualization of Self: Indian and Western Perspectives

The talk begins with an enumeration of the two levels of awareness ie. empirical and transcendental and explores topics like,

• different facets of the Self viz. atman, jiva and ahankara; how they are interrelated yet distinct
• different layers of the Self viz. Social, Biological, Psychological and Transcendental
• the Indian and Western perspectives of personality
• different aspects associated with Self viz. Sharira Traya, Panchakoshas, Avastha Traya
• Western Perspective of Self through the Freudian theory of Id, Ego and Super-ego
• Indian and Western perspective on the Social Self

The session culminates with a brief comparison of psychological constructs like

• action and karma
• mind and manas
• ego and ahankara

And an overview of the upcoming fields of study based on Ancient Indian Shastras.

See also: Indian Concept of Self, Jiva (जीवः), Atman (आत्मन्), Brahman (ब्रह्मन्), Purusha (पुरुषः), Sharira Traya (शरीरत्रयम्), Panchakosha (पञ्चकोशाः), Manas (मनः), and Karma (कर्म)

दिनचर्या - धार्मिक एवं आयुर्वैदिक अनुसंधान

इस प्रस्तुति में दिनचर्या का धार्मिक तथा आयुर्वेदीय दृष्टिकोण प्रस्तुत किया गया है। चौबीस घण्टे के भीतर मनुष्य को कैसे रहना चाहिए। भारतीय मनीषियों ने प्रातः काल उठने से लेकर रात्रि शयन पर्यंत की समग्र दिनचर्या को शास्त्रों में मुख्यतया निम्नभागों में विभजित किया जो कि इस प्रकार हैं -

• ब्राह्म मुहूर्त- Brahma Muhurta - Scientific Aspects (ब्राह्ममुहूर्त का वैज्ञानिक अंश)
• शौच विधि-
• बलवर्धक चर्या -
• आहार विधि -
• रात्रिचर्या -

दिनचर्या के धार्मिक एवं आयुर्वेदीय अंशों को प्रस्तुत व्याख्यान में प्रस्तुत किया गया है। दिनचर्या के बारे में जानने के लिये इस व्याख्यान को अवश्य सुनें एवं और अधिक जानकारी के लिये दिनचर्या से संबन्धित निम्न लेखों को पढ सकते है- Brahma Muhurta - Scientific Aspects (ब्राह्ममुहूर्त का वैज्ञानिक अंश), Vyayama_(व्यायामम्), Snana_vidhi(स्नान_विधि), Puja_And_Yoga_(पूजा_एवं_योग), Sandhyopasana - Scientific Aspects (सन्ध्योपासन का वैज्ञानिक अंश),