Darsanodaya: Early Indian Thought (A Rare Book)

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The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of his Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamiji under the auspicious of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Established in 1981, Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of the ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra— Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than seventy till now), are Six Vol’s. of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Vol’s of Agama-Kosha, Three Vol’s. of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha- Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing "Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha" an Encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art, and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad- based and multi—disciplinary.

I An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm-Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kula type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these, Institutions are over l00 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age—old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the Sixty-seventh of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a well- known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore and the Department of Indian Culture in the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (USA). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management. Bangalore; and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi; he has served on the Agama Board) Govt. of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana the Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1985 Raiyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita—Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi.

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a Play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on Iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English publications are three Val’s of Encyclopedia of Indian Medicine, (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai). Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and `Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi). Consciousness in Advaita. and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore). Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six vol, s. Agama-Kosha in twelve vol’s, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples i in three vol’s.

He is at present engaged in a project on Rigveda- darsana (four volumes of which have appeared), He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one—man shows.

Kalpatharu Research Academy, which was established in 1981, has made a mark in the world of Indological studies by Research & Publishing more than seventy books of lasting value for students and scholars in the field. These Publications pertain to the traditional wisdom of Veda and Agama. Besides, an independent series of volumes on Rgveda-Darsana (four volumes of which have already been brought out), several volumes under the broad title Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha are also being prepared, some of them having already appeared. The Academy has reason to be gratified, for all these books are being very well received.

The present volume deals with the origin of Indian thought in the Upanishads. It has been given the title Darsanodaya, for it gives an account of how philosophical systems in India developed. This is a valuable contribution to the field of Indian Philosophy. The Academy is grateful to Vidyalankara, Sastra—Chudamani, Sangita—Kalarathna, Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having kindly prepared this volume, as he has done the other volumes of the Academy. His help to the Academy has been invaluable.

We are beholden to the great and saintly personality of Sri Sri Sri Bharati—Tirtha—Mahaswamiji, the Jagadguru of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham and the Chief Patron of the Academy. His blessings have been our good fortune and treasure. We are also grateful to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sarada Peetham and Chairman of Kalpatharu Research Academy, for his constant interest in our work.

We are deeply indebted to the authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India, for their generous financial assistance. We also thank the Govt. of Karnataka for their support in our endeavor.

We thank the Omkar Offset Printers, Bangalore, for producing this volume neatly and expeditiously, as they have done the other publications of the Academy.

The present book deals with the early philosophical speculations in the Indian subcontinent. The early thought-structure is founded on the Upanishads; and it developed in the earliest of the Indian systems of philosophy, Samkhya and Yoga, which were also offshoots of the Upanishads. The metaphysical and psychological orientations of the Upanishads on the basis of spiritual absorption and experience have been the focus of attention in this book. The medicinal philosophy as crystallized in Ayurveda has emerged from the Samkhya-Yoga complex. A detailed account of this early line of thought has also been included here.

The Author is indebted to Shri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji, Director of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore for having pursuaded me to prepare this book for publication by the said Academy. He acknowledges the assistance willingly given by the Printers of the Book. He is also grateful to the Chief Patron of the Academy and the Head of Sri Sarada Peetham, Sri Sri Sri Bharati-Tirtha Maha Swamiji and to the Chairman of the Academy, Shri V.R. Gowrishankar, (Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sarada Peetham).