Saṅgama - IKSHA Conclave

The contemporary world gives us the idea of complexity sciences for the articulation and functioning of dynamic communities and ecosystems. However, an enhanced vision and systems design also comes to us from the Indian Knowledge Systems lens as articulated by both tradition and the thinkers of today. It is guided by the sustainable complexity that the one-word constitution of Bharatiya civilization stands for : Dharma.

It is the principle that guides nonlinear inter-systemic interactions, and enables the emergence and self-organization that seeds creativity and self-consciousness into the system.

In the dharmika worldview, an ecosystem transforms into a living, thriving organism when it acquires the qualia of being conscious and self-perpetuating. It is anchored in the design of the panchakosha framework (as described in the Taittiriya Upanishad) where each component is not only interconnected but draws deeply from the sacred, conscious core.

A system is built with specific constituent blocks. The IKS Division, MoE defines the foundational building blocks that will guide the community at IKSHA and its interventions from the ambit of dharma as -

  1. Drsti - Knowledge and deep inquiry ; a discerning, perceptive gaze anchored in dharma.
  2. Parampara - Sensitivity to the continuity of knowledge traditions ; perpetuate transmission of wisdom across generations.
  3. Laukika Prayojana - Focus on practical utility of knowledge traditions to solve real-world problems ; an integration of values, material sciences and skills.
Towards this, we look to create these institutional vehicles-
  • International Conclave - continued engagement of key stakeholders
  • Pool of 108 PhD scholars - direct research that is future forming
  • An academic journal for IKS - creating a knowledge based discourse
  • Public outreach - galvanize mental, intellectual, philosophical and economic resources

Saṅgama - the Conclave

The international conclave is being conceptualized as the first intervention that will generate the ecosystem that we are talking about. A crucible that will allow for bearing forward of civilizational cognition across generations.

  1. To facilitate the emergence of the IKS ecosystem, both nationally and globally.
  2. To identify and gather as many institutions, foundations, platforms, initiatives as well as individuals who are making important contributions for the enhancement of the BKS field.
  3. To provide a meaningful platform for different stakeholders who have genuine interest and efforts for the advancement of IKS.
  4. To provide opportunities for better understanding of a wide range of activities and efforts currently in progress in different dimensions of IKS and increase collaborative possibilities.
  5. To identify areas of strengths and current gaps and limitations so as to address these issues.
  6. To encompass both, academic and independent scholars and provide space for both, college and university and institutions of higher learning level, school level (elementary to middle to high school), the gurukula level, as well as non-academic foundations and platforms.
  7. It could attempt to bring together efforts in IKS space, by various government institutions.
  8. To involve publishing houses interested in promoting IKS literature
  9. To engage persons of different backgrounds and expertise who share keen interest in IKS, such as spiritual leaders, technology experts, business leaders, and bureaucrats.
  10. A group of institutional leaders (eg: Vice-chancellors, Directors, Deans etc) who could lead building consortium of institutions to support academic initiatives such as creation of 108 PhD’s, international journals, hosting academic conferences etc.
  11. To ensure involvement of senior thought-leaders and strategic thinkers
  12. To enhance awareness of a sense of the breadth and depth of current level of resources and efforts, so as to strengthen the confidence and motivation amongst the community of IKS stakeholders

Such a vision at scale calls for the commencement of a yajna effort. The community replicates the cosmic design where the vyashti (individual) and the dynamic samashti (collective) self-organize and align towards a purpose. Bharatiyas who bear and carry forward. Towards this, we conceptualize IKSHA as a living, thriving ecosystem where 5 individual layers are organized within the larger panchakosha design.

The Panchakosha Design ~ IKSHA Ecosystem

The panchakosha framework is a multi-level cosmological model that provides insights into the relationship between consciousness, evolution and emergence of creativity and well-being. The five bodies of consciousness are namely : Annamaya (food body/physical body), Pranamaya (vital sheath/life force), Manomaya (the manas/emotional body), Vijnanamaya (cognition/intellect/wisdom) and Anandamaya (bliss) (Raina & CA, 2016).

In the Taittiriya Upanishad, these layers have been depicted in the form of spherical sheaths or koshas, through which consciousness of the being must evolve to reach the all-encompassing experience of the fullness of the self. These koshas surround the central, formless, illumined, sacred core or the Atman (Raina & CA, 2016).

Each of these five sheaths are instrumental in providing a structural framework to the relationship between consciousness, mind, life force and body. They have their own dimensions of awareness and rhythm. As the seeker moves inward through each of these koshas, he discovers that there is a certain type of mental process and inner experience that is associated with them. Life is said to evolve as we progress from the outermost sheath of the physical body (annamaya/sthulasarira) to the Anandamaya core.

Sri Aurobindo gives us the systemic view and a nationalistic vision of the Panchakosha design in relation to the three sariras that constitute the jiva-atman (in this case, the being of the nation), where we derive our inspiration from. He says:

The country, the land is only the outward body of the nation, its annamaya kosh, or gross physical body; the mass of people, the life of millions who occupy and vivify the body of the nation with their presence, is the pranamaya kosh, the life-body of the nation. These two are the gross body, the physical manifestation of the Mother. Within the gross body is a subtler body, the thoughts, the literature, the philosophy, the mental and emotional activities, the sum of hopes, pleasures, aspirations, fulfilments, the civilisation and culture, which make up the sukshma sharir of the nation.

This subtle life of the nation again springs from a deeper existence in the causal body of the nation, the peculiar temperament which it has developed out of its ages of experience and which makes it distinct from others. These three are the bodies of the Mother, but within them all is the Source of her life, immortal and unchanging, of which every nation is merely one manifestation, the universal Narayan, One in the Many of whom we are all the children.

If we were to attempt to understand this and arrive at a foundational basis for our ecosystemic design articulation from earlier:

  1. The gross body (sthula sarira) of a nation/system corresponds to the annamaya (physical sheath) and pranamaya (vital sheath) koshas, constituting the geography/material resources and the people of the nation respectively.
  2. The subtle body (sukshma sarira) of the nation corresponds to the manomaya (the mind) and the vijnanamaya (the intellect) koshas which is the seat of the nation’s aspirations, culture, literature, philosophy etc.
  3. Finally the causal body (karana sarira) of the nation corresponds to the anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath) which defines its unique temperament, the source of Consciousness behind all the higher intellectual and creative life of the nation.

Anchored on this foundational understanding, IKSHA intends to conceptualize and coordinate the following 5 vectors which then also gives us the list of stakeholders to imagine and design our conclave:

  1. Economic (Annamaya)
  2. Political (Pranamaya)
  3. Cultural (Manomaya)
  4. Philosophical/Intellectual (Vijnanamaya)
  5. Spiritual (Anandamaya)

Key Stakeholders

Industry - the Annamaya kosha

The annamaya kosha is akin to the nutrients that allow the human body to function. The body is also the vehicle for attaining deeper health, awareness and right action. The industry with its economic resources can be conceptualized as the annamaya kosha of this ecosystem.

Through the emergence of an industry that creates dharmika careers for the young person to realize her potential, anchorage in dharma and recognition of a value-base as essential to better quality human capital is assured.

Policy - the Pranamaya kosha

The pranamaya kosha is the vital life force that is psychophysiological in nature. Without this life energy, the human system is dead. Similarly, political aircover is what vitalizes the knowledge systems and culture. Just like dysregulated prana can lead to the collapse of the mind-body apparatus, a state that does not enable the perpetuity of a civilization, will take the life force out of the nation and its people.

The policies of the civilization-state today, are an example of what policy support for Indic modes of thinking looks like. But the central goal here is to reorient the role of the state from being a dispenser of benefits to an enabler of potential. This was also the conception of state in ancient times. A civilizational state that is the enabler of the chatur-vidha purusharthas.

Hence it is critical that we provide continuous positive feedback to the policymakers and ensure there is a flow of constructive dialogue between interlocutors and the polity.

Cultural Interlocutors - the Manomaya kosha

The manomaya kosha is literally living energy that we Indics know as the manas and modern day psychology knows as the mind. This is a container that cognizes and creates. It is also the seat of emotions.

From a knowledge systems parlance, the manomaya kosha represents various traditional cultural institutions such as the gurukulas, kshetras and mathas ; the cultural mechanism of rituals and the 64 kalas that lead to civilizational continuity. It also includes modern-day institutions that specifically serve as cultural storytellers of the civilization.

It is these institutions that strive to ensure there is never a gap between the metaphysics of a civilization and the culture that permeates her society.

Academic Leadership - the Vijnanamaya kosha

The vijnanamaya kosha governs discernment and philosophical thinking. It is the most transparent sheath that is capable of directly reflecting universal Consciousness. It is the seat of intuition and knowledge creation.

It represents academic leadership that is being called upon to reverse the gaze, front the Indic paradigm and create new electives. It is critical that academia reconceptualizes the goal of education to move from mere provision of information to shaping minds that are anchored in dharma, jnana and ananda.

We must be cognizant of the fact that the parents and learners are at the center of academia’s offerings. Hence academia must endeavor to dialogue with parents to help them understand why we need to rethink what education is. It must design electives, pedagogy and competencies with deep empathy for the learners.

The anandamaya kosha is the sacred core that is self-illumining. It is the seat of the highest of Consciousness, joy, harmony and integration. It is the root of all human quest and therefore the central goal of knowledge systems in the dharmika worldview. IKSHA through its conclave aims to engage these 4 stakeholders and enable their collective service for a Bharata that is self-sufficient, generates surplus for universal well-being and recognizes what its living traditions have to offer.