What
are the arts recommended in the Vedic system of receiving knowledge?
Here is a brief introduction to the 64 arts (kalas).
1. Geet vidya: art of
singing.
2. Vadya vidya: art of
playing on musical instruments.
3. Nritya vidya: art of
dancing.
4. Natya vidya: the art of
theatricals.
5. Alekhya vidya: art of
painting.
6. Viseshakacchedya vidya: art
of painting the face and body with colour
7. Tandulakusumabalivikara: art
of preparing offerings from rice and flowers.
8. Pushpastarana: art of
making a covering of flowers for a bed.
9. Dasanavasanangaraga: the art
of applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths and painting the body.
10. Manibhumikakarma: art
of making the groundwork of jewels.
11. Aayyaracana: art of
covering the bed.
12. Udakavadya: art of
playing on music in water.
13. Udakaghata: art of
splashing with water.
14. Citrayoga: the art of
practically applying an admixture of colours.
15. Malyagrathanavikalpa: art
of designing a preparation of wreaths.
16. Sekharapidayojana: art
of practically setting the coronet on the head.
17. Nepathyayoga: the art of
practically dressing in the tiring room.
18. Karnapatrabhanga: art of
decorating the tragus of the ear.
19. Sugandhayukti: the art of
practical application of aromatics.
20. Bhushanayojana: the art of
applying or setting ornaments.
21. Aindrajala: art of
juggling.
22. Kaucumara: a kind of art.
23. Hastalaghava: art of
sleight of hand.
24. Citrasakapupabhakshyavikarakriya: the art of preparing varieties of delicious food.
25. Panakarasaragasavayojana: the art
of practically preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red colour.
26. Sucivayakarma: the art of needlework
and weaving.
27. Sutrakrida: art of
playing with thread.
28. Vinadamurakavadya: art
of playing on lute and small drum.
29. Prahelika: art of making
and solving riddles.
30. Durvacakayoga: art of
practicing language difficult to be answered by others.
31. Pustakavacana: art of
reciting books.
32. Natikakhyayikadarsana: the art
of enacting short plays and anecdotes.
33. Kavyasamasyapurana: the art
of solving enigmatic verses.
34. Pattikavetrabanavikalpa: the art
of designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows.
35. Tarkukarma: the art of
spinning by the spindle.
36. Takshana: art of
carpentry.
37. Vastuvidya: the art of
engineering.
38. Raupyaratnapariksha: art
of testing silver and jewels.
39. Dhatuvada: art of
metallurgy.
40. Maniraga jnana: the art of
tinging jewels.
41. Akara jnana: the art of
mineralogy.
42. Vrikshayurvedayoga: art
of practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs.
43. Meshakukkutalavakayuddhavidhi: the art of knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks and
birds.
44. Sukasarikapralapana: the art
of maintaining or knowing conversation between male and female cockatoos.
45. Utsadana: the art of healing
or cleaning a person with perfumes.
46. Kesamarjanakausala: art
of combing hair.
47. Aksharamushtikakathana: the art
of talking with fingers.
48. Dharanamatrika: art of
the use of amulets.
49. Desabhashajnana: art of
knowing provincial dialects.
50. Nirmitijnana: art of
knowing prediction by heavenly voice.
51. Yantramatrika: art of
mechanics.
52. Mlecchitakutarkavikalpa: art
of fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry.
53. Samvacya: art of
conversation.
54. Manasi kavyakriya: art
of composing verse
55. Kriyavikalpa: art of
designing a literary work or a medical remedy.
56. Chalitakayoga: art of
practicing as a builder of shrines called after him.
57. Abhidhanakoshacchandojnana: art of the use of lexicography and meters.
58. Vastragopana: art of
concealment of cloths.
59. Dyutavisesha: art of
knowing specific gambling.
60. Akarshakrida: art of
playing with dice or magnet.
61. Balakakridanaka: art of
using children’s toys.
62. Vainayiki vidya: art of
enforcing discipline.
63. Vaijayiki vidya: the art of
gaining victory.
64. Vaitaliki vidya: art of
awakening master with music at dawn.
