Part-I Art and Culture
(A book for IAS aspirants from an IAS aspirant)
Orthodox Philosophies
(Samkhya, Yoga, Vaishesika,
Nyaya, Vedanta, Mimamsa)
Unorthodox Philosophies
(Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka,
Ajivika)
Bhakti Movements
Sikhism
Sufism
Literatures
Travelers
K S Tiwari
,Preface
This book will give the reader the detailed knowledge about Indian Culture since ancient times as
the book has been designed with topics mostly asked in civil services exam and arranged in an
organized manner
This book will also help to boost knowledge about Indian culture and will help those who are
preparing for any other government exam in which General Studies is asked.
,Table of Contents
• Religion and Philosophy
• Hinduism
• Philosophies in Hinduism- Orthodox and Unorthodox
• Bhakti Movements
• Sikhism
• Sufi Movements
• Literature
• Hindu Literatures
• Buddhist Literatures
• Sangam Literatures
• Travelers
• Ancient India
• Medieval India
,
,
,What Upnishad says about attaining Salvation?
• In Upnishad, there are 3 ways of attaining Salvation –
• Gyan (Knowledge)
• Karma (Work)
• Bhakti (Devotion)
Bhakti is related to the term Prapatti (surrender). It is a philosophical concept of
Bhakti mentioned in Upnishad.
,• With time, two types of philosophies emerged-
• Orthodox Philosophies (Aastika)
• Unorthodox Philosophies (Nastika)
• After 6th century BCE, 6 orthodox religio-philosophical systems developed.
• They all accept the authority of Vedas.
• These 6 systems are-
• Samkhya
• Yoga
• Vaishesika
• Nyaya
• Vedanta
• Mimamsa
, Samkhya
(Enumeration)
• Oldest Philosophy
• Founder - Maharishi Kapila
• Does not believe in the existence of God
• Believes in the Doctrine of Karma and Transmigration of Soul.
• Believes in dualism
• Talks about two realities-
• Purusha (Spirit) - Eternal or Pure Consciousness
• Prakriti (Nature) - Substance or Realm of Matters
Prakriti consists of 3 categories of qualities-
• Sattva (Harmony)
• Rajas (Activity)
• Tamas (Inactivity)
• As per this philosophy, life or jiva is a state in which Purusha is bonded to
Prakriti through the glue of desire and end of this bondage is Moksha.
Dualism in Samkhya vs Dualism of West
• Dualism in Samkhya talks about fundamental difference between
Consciousness and Matter whereas Dualism of West talks about fundamental
difference between mind and body.
, Yoga
• Founder - Patanjali
• Yoga => Samkhya + Divinity
Yoga School accepts the Samkhya Philosophy but is more theistic than the Samkhya
as it also includes the divine entity to the Samkhya’s elements of reality.
• Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali is known as Raja Yoga.
• Yogasutras, written by Patanjali is the basis of this philosophy.
• Yogasutras became the basis of Astanga Yoga
• There are 7 main branches of Yoga-
• Raja Yoga (Classical Yoga) - Starts from mind
• Jnana Yoga (Buddhi Yoga) - Virtually identical with
spiritual path of Vedanta
• Karma Yoga - Emphasis on work
• Bhakti Yoga - Emphasis on devotion to God
• Tantra Yoga - Related to Tantras
• Mantra Yoga - For Concentration of Mind
• Hatha Yoga - Starts from Body
Therefore, the purpose of yoga is to balance the mind and body.
• Patanjali’s Yoga sutras derives the concept of 8 limbs which are the core
characteristics of practically every Raja Yoga variation which are practiced
even today. These are-
• Yama (5) (5 Teaching of Jainism) • Niyama (5)
• Asana (Meditation) (To be Seated) • Pranayama (Suspending breathe)
• Pratyahara (Abstraction) • Dharana (Concentration)
• Dhyana (Meditation) • Samadhi (Liberation) (bliss)
, Vaishesika
(A Kind of Atomism)
• Founder- Maharishi Kanaad
• Deals in details with Padarth or Matter
• As per this philosophy, “All objects in the physical universe are reducible to
a finite number of atoms.”
• This system independently developed from Nyaya philosophy but both are
later merged because of their closely related theories.
• However, in its classical form, the Vaishesika school differed from Nyaya in
one crucial respect- ‘Nyaya accepts 4 sources of valid knowledge whereas,
Vaishesika accepts only two sources, i.e., perception and inference.’
• The Vaishesika school classified the matter or padarth into 6 categories and
1 more added later-
• Dravya (substance)
• Guna (Quality) (17 in number)- (can’t exist independently)
• Karma (Activity)
• Samanya (Generality)
• Visesa (Particularity)
• Samavaya (Inherence)
• Abhava (Non- Existence) (added later)
Vaishesika vs Modern Atomic Theory
Vaishesika says, behavior of atoms is guided by the supreme being whereas,
the modern atomic theory says, behavior of atoms is based on electron,
proton and neutron.
(A book for IAS aspirants from an IAS aspirant)
Orthodox Philosophies
(Samkhya, Yoga, Vaishesika,
Nyaya, Vedanta, Mimamsa)
Unorthodox Philosophies
(Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka,
Ajivika)
Bhakti Movements
Sikhism
Sufism
Literatures
Travelers
K S Tiwari
,Preface
This book will give the reader the detailed knowledge about Indian Culture since ancient times as
the book has been designed with topics mostly asked in civil services exam and arranged in an
organized manner
This book will also help to boost knowledge about Indian culture and will help those who are
preparing for any other government exam in which General Studies is asked.
,Table of Contents
• Religion and Philosophy
• Hinduism
• Philosophies in Hinduism- Orthodox and Unorthodox
• Bhakti Movements
• Sikhism
• Sufi Movements
• Literature
• Hindu Literatures
• Buddhist Literatures
• Sangam Literatures
• Travelers
• Ancient India
• Medieval India
,
,
,What Upnishad says about attaining Salvation?
• In Upnishad, there are 3 ways of attaining Salvation –
• Gyan (Knowledge)
• Karma (Work)
• Bhakti (Devotion)
Bhakti is related to the term Prapatti (surrender). It is a philosophical concept of
Bhakti mentioned in Upnishad.
,• With time, two types of philosophies emerged-
• Orthodox Philosophies (Aastika)
• Unorthodox Philosophies (Nastika)
• After 6th century BCE, 6 orthodox religio-philosophical systems developed.
• They all accept the authority of Vedas.
• These 6 systems are-
• Samkhya
• Yoga
• Vaishesika
• Nyaya
• Vedanta
• Mimamsa
, Samkhya
(Enumeration)
• Oldest Philosophy
• Founder - Maharishi Kapila
• Does not believe in the existence of God
• Believes in the Doctrine of Karma and Transmigration of Soul.
• Believes in dualism
• Talks about two realities-
• Purusha (Spirit) - Eternal or Pure Consciousness
• Prakriti (Nature) - Substance or Realm of Matters
Prakriti consists of 3 categories of qualities-
• Sattva (Harmony)
• Rajas (Activity)
• Tamas (Inactivity)
• As per this philosophy, life or jiva is a state in which Purusha is bonded to
Prakriti through the glue of desire and end of this bondage is Moksha.
Dualism in Samkhya vs Dualism of West
• Dualism in Samkhya talks about fundamental difference between
Consciousness and Matter whereas Dualism of West talks about fundamental
difference between mind and body.
, Yoga
• Founder - Patanjali
• Yoga => Samkhya + Divinity
Yoga School accepts the Samkhya Philosophy but is more theistic than the Samkhya
as it also includes the divine entity to the Samkhya’s elements of reality.
• Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali is known as Raja Yoga.
• Yogasutras, written by Patanjali is the basis of this philosophy.
• Yogasutras became the basis of Astanga Yoga
• There are 7 main branches of Yoga-
• Raja Yoga (Classical Yoga) - Starts from mind
• Jnana Yoga (Buddhi Yoga) - Virtually identical with
spiritual path of Vedanta
• Karma Yoga - Emphasis on work
• Bhakti Yoga - Emphasis on devotion to God
• Tantra Yoga - Related to Tantras
• Mantra Yoga - For Concentration of Mind
• Hatha Yoga - Starts from Body
Therefore, the purpose of yoga is to balance the mind and body.
• Patanjali’s Yoga sutras derives the concept of 8 limbs which are the core
characteristics of practically every Raja Yoga variation which are practiced
even today. These are-
• Yama (5) (5 Teaching of Jainism) • Niyama (5)
• Asana (Meditation) (To be Seated) • Pranayama (Suspending breathe)
• Pratyahara (Abstraction) • Dharana (Concentration)
• Dhyana (Meditation) • Samadhi (Liberation) (bliss)
, Vaishesika
(A Kind of Atomism)
• Founder- Maharishi Kanaad
• Deals in details with Padarth or Matter
• As per this philosophy, “All objects in the physical universe are reducible to
a finite number of atoms.”
• This system independently developed from Nyaya philosophy but both are
later merged because of their closely related theories.
• However, in its classical form, the Vaishesika school differed from Nyaya in
one crucial respect- ‘Nyaya accepts 4 sources of valid knowledge whereas,
Vaishesika accepts only two sources, i.e., perception and inference.’
• The Vaishesika school classified the matter or padarth into 6 categories and
1 more added later-
• Dravya (substance)
• Guna (Quality) (17 in number)- (can’t exist independently)
• Karma (Activity)
• Samanya (Generality)
• Visesa (Particularity)
• Samavaya (Inherence)
• Abhava (Non- Existence) (added later)
Vaishesika vs Modern Atomic Theory
Vaishesika says, behavior of atoms is guided by the supreme being whereas,
the modern atomic theory says, behavior of atoms is based on electron,
proton and neutron.
