Vedic Period Research Articles

Rereading minor women characters of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata through their contemporary adaptation in the novels of Kavita Kane

This study explores the changes in the portrayal of minor women characters in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to that of the contemporary fictional narratives of Kavita Kane. Women’s struggle, except in the Vedic period, expresses their endeavor for self-reliance and individuality. It also carries their subsequent efforts to camouflage or appropriate the patriarchal norms to be at peace with society. The struggle of marginalized women in epic stories—whether misrepresented, represented, or silenced—is now being brought to light by reframing their roles as protagonists who assert themselves, fight for their rights, and challenge the pre-determined social and cultural expectations that have caused their oppression in a male-dominated society. These stories prompt us to question gender and class-based discrimination by highlighting female characters’ neglected mental abilities.

The Great Goddess: An Evolution from Cosmogony to Cosmology

Hindu Religious thought has always been deeply concerned with the ‘idea of femininity’. Hindu beliefs and practices have identified the feminine both in the material world and the divine world. The history of the development of goddesses from the early Vedic period to contemporary worship plays into certain debates and discussions about what it means to have a certain concept of divinity in a tradition. This paper aims to understand the historical and thematic development of The Great Goddess/Devī/Mahādevī as the source of ultimate cosmic powers. To reach my aim, I have divided this paper into two major sections: First, the analysis of the iconographies of twelve major Goddesses (starting from the early Vedic period to the Pūrāṇic and Epic Tradition), namely, Uṣas, Rātri , Pṛthivī, Aditi, Sarasvatī, Vāc, Nirṛti, Śrī-Lakṣmī, Pārvatī, Dūrgā, Kālī, and Mahādevī (the lengthiest section of the paper). Second, I have traced (with the help of the analysis from the first section) the cosmogonies associated with these twelve individual goddesses to project a final single goddess who is the cause of this Cosmos. The Early Vedic Goddesses are depicted as ‘givers, helpers, mothers, nurturer figures’ but gradually in the Pūrāṇic and Epic Tradition they are partially involved in the process of creation, as the śakti of their male counterparts. Finally, the Devī-Māhātmya and Devī Bhagavata Pūrāṇa delineate the picture of an independent goddess, The Great Goddess/Devī/Mahādevī. This Great Goddess emerged as the embodiment of śakti, prakṛti, and māyā, therefore is the cause of this universe.

Curriculum and Pedagogy in Indian Knowledge System: A Relevance Educational Practice for Today's Educational Scenario

India has had a rich tradition of education and learning since ancient times, especially during the Renaissance period, which was the golden age of Indian culture. The principle of karma holds great importance in the Indian education system and has evolved during the transition. The four Vedas, namely, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda were configured through ideals, practices and conduct. In the Vedic period, two methods of teaching were prevalent, first, the oral/verbal method, and second, the method based on thinking (contemplation). Bloom's taxonomy defines three domains: learning, cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Ancient education systems are also based on three domains, developing higher- order learning by building lower-level cognitive skills. Ancient to modern education. The current Higher Education 2020 also suggests a multidisciplinary approach on similar lines. The Vedic period saw teaching being student-centred. Listening, understanding and discussion method of oral work, reasoning used gave rise to generalization and application of knowledge. Santiniketan which follows the philosophy of Naturalism in its curricular dealings. Many other experiments of Gurukul's system are being explored in different parts of the country. It becomes imperative that we learn from our past and adopt ways of designing our curriculum and pedagogy to meaningfully address societal needs. What are the academic subjects from the past that can be included in the present day curriculum? How can the curriculum be based on Indian teachings? What instructional strategies can be integrated from the past? Through the answers to these questions, we can prepare better citizens for an advanced society by introducing an educational practice relevant to today's educational scenario. Because in ancient times, educational practices included such subjects which have relevance even today.

INDIAN BERBERRY DARUHARIDRA- AN ENLIGHTENMENT OF SYNONYMS FROM NIGHANTU

Naming a plant is a crucial step similar to calling a person to give them a unique identity. The name of any drug is based on its appearance, morphological and unique characteristics. It helps in the identification of a vast collection of plants. Since Vedic times, drugs have been named from time to time according to their special features like Udabhavbhodhak (Name of the origin), Swaroopbhodhak ( Morphological characters), Gunabhodak (Knowledge of properties), Karmabhodhak ( Pharmacological actions). Different synonyms are given in Samhitas and Nigantus according to their description. In Nama-Rupa gyana, additional synonyms (Prayaya) of drugs are compiled. Daruharidra (Berberis aristata DC.) is a plant with yellow wood growing in upper Himalayas .Berberis means a plant of a genus that comprises the berberries and aristata is a plant with rough leaves and stem. It resembles yellow colour like Haridra. It has some of the famous synonyms are Darvi, Panchpacha, Peetdaru, Peetchandanam, Kaleyak etc.

A CLINICAL STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF VEDANA STHAPANA MAHAKASHAYA GHANA VATI AND YASHTIMADHU GHRITA VARTI IN POSTOPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT OF ARSHA

Arsha or Haemorrhoid is nowadays, the most common anorectal disease worldwide. A haemorrhoid condition and Arsha's characteristics can be related. The disease Arsha can be traced back to the Vedic period. It is a disease that tortures people as an enemy. The extensive list of etiological elements, including mechanical lifestyle, nutrition, diet, habits, and indulgences, as well as the comprehensive explanation of its pathophysiology, is evidence of our Acharyas' great vision, profound insight, and scientific understanding. For the treatment of arsha roga, Acharya Sushruta said chaturvidha sandhanopaya, Shastra Karma, or surgery is one of these four techniques. Any surgical or non-surgical procedure that is performed causes excruciating pain that can be classified as post-operative pain and necessitates immediate medication to provide pain relief. In Ayurveda, the ability of the practitioner to relieve a patient's pain or suffering following surgery is still a disadvantage. An effort was undertaken to treat post-operative discomfort following shastra karma effectively. Patients experience excruciating pain after Ksharsutra ligation. To treat the post-operative pain in Arsha, the patients in the current study who had undergone Ksharsutra ligation were given the prescriptions Vedana sthapana mahakashaya ghana vati orally and Yashtimadhu Ghrita Varti locally. This study tried to assess the analgesic effect of Vedana sthapana maha kashaya ghana vati and Yashtimadhu Ghrita Varti to get relief from the post-operative pain in arsha

JATAMANSI (NARDOSTACHYS JATAMANSI DC. ): INSIGHT OF ITS MORPHOLOGY AND ITS MEDICINAL USE IN AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is a traditional system of natural health care that originated in India's ancient Vedic times. Its primary emphasis is on disease prevention and maintaining mankind's health. In Ayurveda, various medicinal plants have been mentioned to cure diseases. The precious medicinal plants are the backbone of the Ayurvedic system of medicine. One such medicinal plant, Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi DC.), has remained an all-time favourite of Vaidya's since ancient Vedic times to treat diseases. It is an endangered, primitive, and therapeutic herbal agent belonging to the family Valerianaceae and has been reported to have many therapeutic activities like Antioxidant, Antifungal, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective. It is a well-known drug in the list of Medhya drugs. This review article summarises the potential benefits of this medicinal plant as reported in offline and online literature. The review also highlights the need to use this plant in the Ayurvedic system of medicine and prospects for further research.

An Analysis of Vedic Period in Terms of Physical Activities and Their Symbolism in the Rigveda Scriptures.

An Analysis of Vedic Period in Terms of Physical Activities and Their Symbolism in the Rigveda Scriptures.

Issues and Challenges before Higher Education in Bihar: An Empirical Study

Indian Knowledge Tradition believes that education is not just the beginning of the spiritual life of mankind, but it is also the training of human soul. It aims at all round development of an individual. Education plays an important role in shaping a country’s socio-economic growth. India is one of the fastest growing economies with a huge human resource. With such vast human capital, the scope of higher education is very much wider in comparison to the other countries. We, in India have the tradition of believing and recognizing “Maa Saraswati” as the goddess of knowledge. We have Vedas, Upanishads, puranas in our core value system. The Bhagwad Gita enlightens and guides mankind in the gravest of life’s problems and awakens not just human mind but also enlightens human soul. The role of women scholars in the Vedic era in developing and enriching Indian tradition cannot be undermined. Takshashila is regarded as the oldest university in the world. While Nalanda, Vikramshila in Bihar are the examples of many distinguished centers of higher education centers in India, which were way ahead of times. The main aim of such higher education institution was to impart Vedic knowledge which leads to spiritual growth. The glory can be traced from the writings of many of the foreign travelers who came to visit Bharat during those times in order to not just see the prevailing higher education system but also to attain knowledge. Our modern education system is largely based on colonial legacy and English education pattern. The foreign invasion and the British rule destroyed traditional Indian educational system in a planned way. According to UNESCO, there are around 235 million students enrolled in different universities around the world. If India is willing to become a super power someday it will only be through knowledge-based society. In this paper we will be discussing the issues and challenges before the higher education system in Bihar. There are 17 state Universities in Bihar, each university has broadly two types of colleges- namely Constituent college and Affiliated college. Constituent Colleges are more or less like Government College and Affiliated colleges are like Private college. This research is primarily focused on the constituent colleges. Present paper seeks to highlight different issues and hindrances before the higher education system in Bihar e.g. Low Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), inadequate Pupil-Teacher ratio, delayed session, poor attendance of students in college, absence of proper laboratory facility, NAAC accreditation, implementation of National Education policy 2020 etc. This is an empirical research based on observational methodology. Higher education has experienced expansion both in terms of institutions and enrolment over the period of time, but it has not been sufficient. Present higher education system has total disconnect from our great ancient tradition. Innovative and transformative strategies need to be implemented on priority basis at the higher education level.

Standard manufacturing process of Aadityapaka Guduchi Taila with unique Pakavidhi (Aadityapaka): a Sneha Kalpana

Abstract BACKGROUND: Since the Vedic era, Ayurveda has promoted natural components to develop a healthy lifestyle and eradicate the disease’s underlying cause by restoring homeostasis. Recently, the acceptability of herbal formulations has grown profusely and garnered global attention. Ayurveda system is enriched with single herbs and polyherbal formulations prepared with different processes. Standardization of a polyherbal formulation process is more essential. Aadityapaka Guduchi Taila (AGT) is a formulation of Chakradutta for Hair fall and is prepared with a peculiar manufacturing process using sunlight. METHODS: AGT was prepared after proper identification and authentication of ingredients as per the standards mentioned in the API. Pharmacognostic and pharmaceutical analyses were carried out to adequately assess the finished product from the viewpoints of efficacy, and quality. RESULTS: The oil prepared from Aadityapaka vidhi was dark orange in color, Ugragandha (strong) in odor pertaining to Jatamansi, and had a greasy consistency. The loss of oil was observed more in the process due to the powder texture of the ingredients. CONCLUSION: There are very few scientific references reported for the Adityapaka process (oil prepared in sunlight). The current study illustrated the standardization of AGT process. The study may be employed as a reference for future research.

Phytochemical and Chromatographic Studies in the Latex Milk Powder of P. Daemia. Linn

India being a rich and varied flora of medicinal plants since the Vedic period. The present study deals with the scientific validation of P. daemia.Linn with special reference to its pharmacognostical and phytochemical investigations. This is commonly known as P. daemia, figure and is known to have medicinal properties, also even used as home remedies in the rural and the remotest parts of the India Qualitative & Quantitative analysis for nutritional value and amino acid detection for both sample has been estimated & detected TLC finger prints of latex of at 366 nm (before derivatization) & Rf values in TLC finger prints of latex at 254 nm (after derivatization) has been studied for both Samples. Latex is applied externally on chronic infected wounds to alleviate edema, pain and to promote the healing; therefore an attempt has been made to carried out the detailed quality control and assurance of the drug followed by HPTLC profiles, HPTLC profile of P. Daemia latex milk powder observed under 366 nm & 254 nm shows the variety of results A – C (Gautala forest,) B - Aurangabad (M.S.) Sample A, B & C.

Usefulness and challenges of distance learning system in classical music

There has been a great tradition of music education in India since the Vedic period. In ancient times, music education was given only through the Gurukul system. Later, in the Middle Ages, the Gharana or Sampradaya system came into existence. The music that has reached us today has been transmitted in the form of oral tradition throughout generation to generation. In the present era, with the development of technology, music education is also changing. Due to today’s increasing population, the importance of technology in the field of education has revolutionized various aspects of our lives. Gurmukhi arts like music are being taught by today’s resources. In today’s era, teaching music through distance mode is the need of the hour for the promising music students of the country. The mobile revolution and the availability of the internet have opened important doors for this. Distance education system is a method of education that transcends geographical boundaries and exists as a powerful tool in providing quality education. The present paper aims to explore the potential of distance education in the field of music education, highlight its benefits, challenges and the ways in which it can be beneficial to music students and teachers.

Religion in the later Vedic period

Religion in the later Vedic period

AN OVERVIEW OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES COMMONLY USED AS TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN BANGLADESH

Medicinal herbs have been utilized since the Vedic period. Approximately 75% of people in rural areas of Bangladesh utilize traditional medicines in some capacity. Bangladesh is the home to over 10,000 different varieties of medicinal plants. The use of herbal and ayurvedic medicines predates humankind. There is substantial evidence of the historical relationship between man and his hunt for pharmaceuticals in nature, including written records, surviving monuments, and even the first plant medicines. The use of plants as a source of research in the search for active compounds for medicine has been proven to have a significant scientific output. An analysis of the scientific literature indexed in various databases concerning medicinal plants clearly shows that in the last 20 years, progress has been rapid, with a peak in the last century. Although there is a vast list of beneficial plant species for humans, this review article attempted to concentrate on describing the traditional medical applications of a few chosen plant species in Bangladesh.

Vedic period Education and culture

Indian culture, full of feelings of human welfare and world welfare, is one of the oldest cultures in the world. Vedic education and culture have been praised in the country and abroad. Indian culture and education are contained in Vedic literature. A well-organized form of education is visible in Vedic literature. The main objective of education at that time was to develop good values and civilization. Through education, the all-round development of high ideals like morality, philanthropy and feeling of public welfare was to be done in human beings. The aim of the form of education during the Vedic period was to develop a high character by assimilating high ideals and ideas. Education means: learning or acquiring knowledge. Education is the natural, balanced and dynamic development of man's internal powers, which is the statement of the great educationist "Pestology".

Ayurveda and New Education Policy Present and Future Prospects

Education in India remained a very much concerned and organized subject since the Vedic period and was continued under the observance and teachings of "Gurus" mostly in temples, gurukuls (schools), ashramas, pathshala, or Matthias. In such a system of education in gurukuls, etc., the main focus was on the holistic development of the people under the Guru (teacher) along with professional, vocational, and spiritual education. This type of education used the person to make useful for the society and the ultimate aim always remained as Moksha (salvation). There was no system of formal degrees or certificates at that time and a student trained by a perfect guru was acceptable to society and administration as well. For higher studies, students used to study in viharas or universities such as Nalanda and Takshashila. The current government introduced the National Education Policy 2020 under the Ministry of Human Resource Development. This strategy aims to modernize the 34-year-old education system and school policies that are already in place. Instead of focusing on getting high marks, this approach takes into account the actual conditions in the nation and places an emphasis on personality development, creativity, and innovation. The first education policy of the twenty-first century, NEP 2020, replaces the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. This policy, which is founded on the fundamental pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability, aims to transform India into a thriving knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs, and focused on bringing out the unique capabilities of each student. It also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Project Udbhav: Integrating Ancient Wisdom with Modern Indian Military Pedagogy

Throughout history, humanity has seen many destructive wars, especially in India. Early wars in India were fought by the people of the Indus Valley civilization, who were skilled in building forts for defense. Hindu civilization had a rich knowledge of warfare, military strategies, and martial arts. Ancient political thinkers considered War as an extension of politics, a fallout of interstate relations. Strategies were both offensive and defensive. The ancient Indian thinkers instated war as a means of increasing royal glory and outright conquest. The battles depicted in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata provide valuable information about the warfare mechanism of the ancient period. 'Project UDBHAV,' a collaborative effort between the Indian Army and the United Services Institution of India (USI), and the government of India, emphasized the project's significance, aiming to revisit India's ancient military thoughts. The initiative seeks to synthesize ancient knowledge, particularly from texts like Chanakya's Arthashastra and Thirukkural, with modern military practices. Examining historical campaigns, leaders, and examples like the Naval Battle of Saraighat, the paper highlights the enduring relevance of ancient Indian military strategies. The paper will also focus on contemporary military practices addressing modern challenges and the importance of Indian historical strategies in tackling diplomatic complexities.

Guduchyamritavalyamrita (गुडूच्यमृतवल्यमृता): A Classical Assess

Introduction- Through Ayurveda, Indian culture has demonstrated the efficacy of its therapeutic methods. India has a vast variety of plants that include therapeutic properties. These plants' medical capabilities have little, if any, adverse effects. This has motivated researchers to continue their work using the Indian System of Medicine. One of such proven herb is Amruta which is identified as Tinospora cordifolia. The present work compiles the information from various ancestral texts available, in a holistic approach. Material and Methods- All the Brihatryai, Laghutrayi, Samhita, Nighantu and available modern research work was considered for the review. Results /Discussion- Guduchi have been used since Vedic era for different purposes. In Samhita it is used in treatment of many diseases and majorly in Rasayan Karma, Acharya Charak and Vagbhatta described it as a Medya Rasayan. Conclusion- Guduchi is considered as rasayan and one of the four drugs stated as Medya Rasayan by acharya charaka, it helps in maintaining health of humans. Guduchi has anti-pyretic, anti-diabetic, rejuvinative, anti-inflammatory and many other properties. It should be consumed regularly to get its Rasayan effect.

Traditional and Contemporary uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Psoralea corylifolia Linn.

Background: Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia Linn.) is an endangered and traditionally important medicinal plant of the family Fabaceae. It is used worldwide for the treatment of several ailments due to the presence of various bioactive constituents that are mainly concentrated in the seeds and fruits of plants. It has been used since time immemorial as a popular drug for shvitra (leukoderma), kustha (skin diseases), osteopathy, rejuvenation, aphrodisiac, etc. Materials and Methods: Primarily, classical texts of Ayurveda including Brihat trayi (The greater triad), Laghu trayi (The lesser triad), and Nighantu (Lexicons) were reviewed. Establishing an overview, library resources, and online collections of books and other online databases such as Pubmed Central, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, ERIC, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, DOAJ, JSTOR, Henari, Google Scholar, NepJoL were explored with search words like “Bakuchi”, “Psoralea corylifolia” for its botanical characteristics, traditional and contemporary uses, pharmacognosy, phytochemical constituents, pharmacology, toxicology, and agricultural and miscellaneous aspects. Results and Discussion: It was found that Psoralea corylifolia has been used since the Vedic period for the treatment of various skin diseases like psoriasis, and vitiligo in Ayurveda and several metabolic and systemic diseases in Traditional Chinese Medicine, by its various names and formulations. Furthermore, under appropriate dosages no any toxic effect of the plant was reported in an animal experiment conducted by Uthirapathy and Ahamad. Conclusion: The seed of P. corilifolia Linn is commonly used in skin diseases such as Switra (leukoderma), Vicharchika (psoriasis) whereas anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-lipogenic, anti-tuberculous, anti-carcinogenic, memory enhancing, anti-venom and aphrodisiac has also been reported as its major pharmacological activities. Clinical trials can be further conducted to evaluate the pharmacotherapeutics of P. corylifolia to develop the well-established evidence-based therapy

Ancient Taxila University: Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions

The bell of the world's first university in Taxila has been ringing incessantly. However, concrete evidence and historical impacts are yet to be found. Nevertheless, references to a prestigious educational institution in Taxila are frequently encountered in texts. The Buddhist storytellers of South India have selected distant Taxila as the "University Town" to fulfill the demands of the story. After the decline of Taxila and other Buddhist cities at the hands of Mehrkula in the sixth century A.D., the organization and structuring of Hindu literature began to be carried out with great zeal and enthusiasm. Taxila was presented as an ancient Vedic city through the mythical events of Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Vayu Purana. During the British era, archaeological excavations were carried out in Taxila, but no traces of a Buddhist university or Vedic era were found. When English historians expressed their reservations about Indian history, nationalist Hindu historians became active in glorifying the greatness of ancient India. The mythical Buddhist University was presented as an ancient Vedic university. Characters such as Panini and Chanakya were introduced as teachers. With the resurgence of Hindutva in India, Taxila's Vedic university has also been given a new life. Indian history is being rewritten once again to establish the historical reality of Deva Mala. This article will not only dispel misconceptions about Taxila University but also reveal the fact that the tradition of formulating Vedic doctrine, which began after Christ, continued until the 20th century, and the ancient Taxila University was an important part of this continuum.

Ancient Indian Universities “Institutional Repository” to Create Global Visibility for Learning and Research – Review-Based Analysis

Purpose: Ancient higher education has excellent teaching and research. Takshila University has produced scholars such as Chanakya, author of the great book Arthashastra, Panini, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and grammarian, Charaka, the father of Indian medicine, Surgeon Jivaka Kumarabhattaa, Sharada Peetha Temple University has 5000 scholars like Kumarajiva Buddhist scholar, Thonmi Sambhota and Library, Pushapagiri University, Kanthalloor Sabha in Kerala, and Ujjaini University Alumni Brahmgupa and Bhaskar II. Dipankar Sri-Jnana, a prominent Vikramasila scholar, released over 200 volumes, while Mithila, a centre of Brahminical culture, produced intellectuals like Jagaddhara, who created writings such as Gita and Gita Govinda. These are the world's oldest institutions; no Institutional Repositories were discovered during the Vedic period, but the Buddhist period gave rise to Institutional Repositories, which house collections of books on various subjects. Scholars and students rely on institutional repositories. Takshashila University students come from all across Aryavrat, as well as from places like Greece, Arabia, Japan, Indonesia, Mongolia, and China. Nalanda University specializes in Buddhist education, but it also offers other courses. It contains a massive Institutional Repository of manuscripts from many curricula and Sanskrit texts totalling 5,00,000 shlokas. During the fifteenth century, Tibetan scholar Taranatha wrote about the nine-story library of Nalanda University with 9 million manuscripts and the Saraswati Mahal manuscript library of Tanjore in his travelogues about the Nalanda institutional repository namely Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi, and Ratnaranjaka located in a complex called 'Dharmaganja'. The University Institutional Repository provides services to its members and community to threaten the institution's visibility, standing, and public ideals. Design/ Methodology/Approach: This is a literature-based paper that investigates ancient university research academics' contributions to Institutional Repositories established around the world to create visibility. Findings and Results: Ancient University Institutional Repositories are the house of millions of manuscripts, Sanskrit text, and its slokas contributed by alumni of the university and Scholars. Originality/Value/Novelty: The article's case study and literature studies disclose the Ancient University Repository and researchers' and teachers' contributions to the repository. Type of Paper: Literature Review.